Heavy on bottom end

David Pereira joined the Limestone Consort for a cello-heavy concert over the weekend. It was called Back to Bach and I guess it was a play on back to back. The concert started with Dad Bach JS and his Brandenburg concerto no.3 in G major with three cellos. It ended with Son no.5 Bach CPE and a very different music, his Symphony no.1 in G major. Director Lauren observed that both Bachs were prolific; that JS was reclaimed by Mendelssohn (it’s hard to think of Western music without JS Bach as a lynchpin) and that CPE was influential for Mozart and Haydn and Beethoven.
Also that CPE’s symphony was “quirky” with jumping dynamics and unexpected phrases. I liked how the mathematical integration of baroque got an intrusion from vibrant and colourful lines of massed strings in CPE’s work. It’s a different feel from the dry but attractive intellectuality of counterpoint. But this one only had two cellos; JS had three. They also performed Vivaldi’s Concerto for two cellos (with a third in support) and that was a fascinating opportunity to compare two cellists on similar material – here teacher David and student Clara Teniswood. Master David was stronger and more confident but Clara did an admirable job as colleague. There were several shorter pieces, two choral preludes from Brahms and two aquarelles from Delius. The Brahms impressed me as pieces rich with symphonic development, one dignified and the other welcoming and generous. Lauren commented that, if push came to shove, she might pick Brahms as her favourite composer. I warmed to these pieces. The Delius were apparently annotated to be played on a summer’s night on water. The first had a pretty descending melody with string backing. The second was more mixed, with what I heard as an American theme (perhaps borrowed for some film?) leading to flowing swells. I was most amused at David’s introduction to the premiere of his Double concerto for cello and violin. Not so much for what he said, that the cello has proved good to get work and that it’s down the “pecking order” against piano and violin. I could only think that the bass is so much further down and clumsier too. A cello seems such a neat and portable instrument to a bassist. This was a harder work for the consort, more dissonant, very varied. There were features for harpsichord and bass. There was strength in cello and huge distance in range of cello and violin when they played together. There was a middle movement with no strings in support. I’ll be listening again to my recording because this is a demanding modern piece with various references. So this was a worthy and wide-ranging concert complete with a world premiere. I was impressed. David Pereira (cello) performed with the Limestone Consort at All Saints. The Limestone Consort comprised Lauren Davis (violin, leader), Lucas Allerton (continuo), Alison Giles, Alys Rayner, Jacqueline Smith, Mia Stanton (violins), Sarah Ingram (violin, viola), Elysia Fisher, Hannah Keese (violas), Clara Teniswood, Jack Hobbs (cello) and Kinga Janiszewski (double bass).

Sweet return

Back in Canberra. It may not be a big smoke, but checking out what’s on, I realise this is a busy place of arts making. Reading the paper on Saturday, I learn of the Sundays in the Park concert series (held in the Bogong Theatre at Gorman House so not sure of the “park” reference) and a string quartet, Armaster Quartet, are playing the following day. It’s a new name to me, and it turns out to be the first public performance of a new string quartet formed from the Canberra Youth Orchestra and including several touring members of the esteemed Australian Youth Orchestra. There’s a touch of nerves, but this is good music, well performed in intimate surroundings. They played Borodin String Quartet no.2 movts 1&3, Mendelssohn String quartet no.2 A min and Percy Grainger Molly on the shore. To my ears, the Borodin was passed melodic snippets and a lengthier melody and nifty scalar lead-ins, the Mendelssohn was more passionate and chordal and symphonically developed, and the Grainger was evident and folky and very attractive. I felt the Grainger was played with the most gusto and joy and the other with apt concentration and growing confidence. Interestingly, only Emma on cello remained on one instrument: each of the others took parts as first and second violin and viola. They made a point of the Grainer being Toby’s first viola performance. All this mixing of roles was clever and fun and involving. This is a lovely, fresh quartet that I will have pleasure following over time. And what an intriguing name. The Armaster Quartet comprise Alys Rayner (violin, viola), Toby Aan (violin, viola), Mia Stanton (viola, violin) and Emma Rayner (cello).

200 days and counting

The Canberra 100 Musical Offering has reached 200 days and over 300 musical events. It’s a huge success. To celebrate, die-hards attended a short concert at the Ainslie Arts Centre. And what wonderful quality this was! These were top local professionals, presumably gathered by Louise Page, active as she is in these matters. And it was a intriguingly mixed program. Firstly, Louise Page singing a castrato role from Massenet’s Manon with Meriel Owen accompanying on piano.
Louise asked us to imagine. Then He was beautiful, Stanley Myer’s popular tune. It’s a vocalisation of Cavatina, the guitar theme to the film, the Deer Hunter, so it was appropriate that Campbell Diamond followed on classical guitar, playing music of José and Scarlatti. This was sharp and beautifully enunciated and a serious presentation after Louise’s pretense. Barbara Jane Gilby and Meriel Owen followed with an Adagio movement from Bruch, all reminiscence and pure, metal-rich violin tone. Then a much softer sound as Meriel moved to solo harp to play Fauré’s Impromptu. Meriel introduced it as a standard repertoire piece at conservatoria that requires all manner of harp techniques. I enjoyed the lyre-like gentleness of it all. Then a duo of Alys and Emma Rayner (presumably sisters), Alys on violin and Emma on cello, with three duets from Gliere. The first two, Cradle song and Canzonetta, featured ostinato-like cello accompaniment; the final Scherzo granted the cello a more forward part against bouncing violin bowing and some pensive cello melody towards the end. Louise returned with Meriel and Barbara Jane to finish the program. Firstly, with Mozart’s L’amero. Louise implored us to imagine her into another part, this time of a 20-year old in Paris back a few centuries. Then a final gypsy waltz by Stolz. I especially noticed lyrics that raced to rest on a long note that stood against a rapid rising fill from violin. Ah, what pastoral romantic passion is this? A joyous, tempestuous end to a lovely little concert.

This is a great series and it will continue to the end of the year as a gift of very many musicians (5,000 congratulatory stickers are being printed, one for each performer). I know a fair bir about music in this town, but I’m continually surprised by the range and quality of music-making, and there are branches of music I don’t even touch upon. Thanks to these performers, and worthy praise to Don Aitkin and Helen Moore for bringing the Musical Offering together.

Don Aitkin and Helen Moore lead the Canberra 100 Musical Offering project. The performers at this 200th-day anniversary were Louise Page (soprano), Meriel Own (piano, harp), Campbell Diamond (guitar), Barbara Jane Gilby (violin), Alys Rayner (violin) and Emma Rayner (cello).