One big family

They can't be the first to have done it, but it was an interesting combination of musics.  This was ACO (Australian Chamber Orchestra) performing various works from or influenced by the Dach dynasty.  I knew JSB had a string of kids but I didn't know of his third cousin (Johann Ludwig) or his great uncle (Heinrich).  But ACO presented them, plus some influenced by the influencer/s, Schumann and Mozart and Sofia Bubaidulina.  And not just instrumentals and fugues, but there was a mezzo soprano, Anna Dowsley, for  a ciaconne and arias.  There was a third aria but not presented here in Canberra, and Heinrich was on the program but I don't think we heard him.  Not too sure.   The program had a string of shorter works so a little confusing although varied but we did also get a few longer things, especially JS Concerto for two violins in Dmin BWV1043 (which I know as I did a midi take for a The Pots album) and Cello concerto Amaj Wq172.  The interplay of violins was attractive, trying to identify which Strad was which (a game at ACO concerts given their classy instruments collection) and some blistering cello lines in Timo-Veikko's part.  As always, classy and showy, well presented and well received.  Our genuine Aussie internationals.  I was wondering about the tuning and strings.  The bass bow was obviously pointy baroque.  The others looked pretty standard classical, but I guess they were too, and I guess that also means gut.  Eric Heldyard was called in, too, playing harpsichord but also a very period-sounding keyboard in the Andante movement of Mozart Piano concerto no.12 Amaj K414.  It could get a little lost in such a big space, but it made you listen.  As always, nicely done by a fairly reduced ACO (2xvln1, 2xvln2, 2xvla, 2xclo, bass, harpsichord/fortepiano, bassoon, mezzo soprano).  I may sound dismissive, but these guys are good and always provide a great performance and strange how we just come to expect it.  That's the way with the best, I guess, on a big stage pretty far away.

Australian Chamber Orchestra played played music of the Bach family and some admirers at Llewellyn. 

• The Pots play Bach BWV1043 mvt.1

Spain

The theme was obviously Spain and related but I felt it was jazz. This was the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the program was called Sketches of Spain which says Miles to me and a track off Sketches of Spain, Solea, was on the program and so was Chick Corea Spain. But the first half had Iberian references from Debussy and a Ravel take on the Blues, which seemed strange and perhaps a bit unsatisfying even if Ravel was quoted as promoting this "popular music" and its players with their "frightening virtuosity". And there was Boccherini with a tune about the streets of Madrid and Bizet Carmen arranged by Rodion Shchedrin for his dancer wife Maya Pilsetskaya. But the jazz was confirmed in the second half by the presence of jazz literati Matt McMahon, Phil Slater, Brett Hirst and Jess Ciampa and that program of Miles and Chick, joined by a short Ave Maria in 8 parts played by the jazz quartet and four string parts and written by Tomas Luis de Victoria. I'd enjoyed the first half, especially for the Carmen, but I just grooved to the second half. Phil Slater's take on Miles was very satisfying and the Ave Maria was lovely (I like him: I did a de Victoria piece on The Pots Going Viral) but Spain had me blissed out. That fabulous theme, the complex and lengthy arrangement originally performed by CC with the London Symphony to win a Grammy award. I laughed at the string sections passing around and authentic jazz solo (in unison and not improvised obviously) and the rich and often dissonant harmonies in piano and a lovely long bass solo that obviously intrigued the ACO low end and Brett's effective pizz accompaniment and Phil's lines out front. The string accompaniment was a pleasure even if the improv that's at the heart of jazz was missing. But this was crossover and I admire musicians who are daring and exploratory enough to do it and the ACO felt the part. So I ended walking out with a smile on my face. Some classical mates were somewhat nonplussed but I thought it worked and, perhaps only in a jazzer's book, I thought Matt and mates were the heart and authenticity of it all. Not putting down the classical, but jazz and classical are different mediums requiring different skills, the hottest chops and reading in classical and the invention of improv and the feel of a groove in jazz. Different and both worthy but this was jazz territory and Matt and Phil and Brett and Jess blew a storm to my jazz ears. But nice all around and deeply fascinating.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra under Richard Tognetti (director, violin) played Miles Davis and Chick Corea and more at Llewellyn Hall with Matt McMahon (piano), Phil Slater (trumpet), Brett Hirst (bass) and Jess Ciampa (percussion).

Not so much sublime

That's not a title to demean the Australian Chamber Orchestra because they do a superlative job every time I hear them, but this was a concert of tango, Piazzola+, and that is worthy of adulation, but sublime doesn't seem the word to me.  Seductive, slithery, sinuous, sultry, spirited, yes, but sublime I think I'll keep for other musics.  Not to say I don't love it, I do, and I thought ACO did wonderfully and had a fabulously varied and challenging program within the self-set limits.  (Nice to see themes like this for concerts.  ACO has one coming up soon with Corea and Miles as a theme and with invitees Matt McMahon and Phil Slater).  The invitees for this concert were James Crabb and Stefan Cossomenos.  JC played a "classical accordion", the button accordion with screeds of buttons in place of the piano keyboard, so not strictly a bandoneon, but it sounded great none-the-less.  SC played piano.  Of course, JC had the prime role here, sitting central on stage with the orchestra surrounding him, and he put on a great show.  There's a showman in this muso but also a sense of dynamic play.  And the music was so satisfying and surprisingly varied.  First set was Libertango (inevitable and hugely inviting), then Agri/Carli with a piece that sounded all the world like Nino Rota and Fellini films, then Handel, which seems way out of left field but it worked, playful as it was, then an end with Elena Kats-Chernin Torque, a long tune of some madness written after her car broke down and she wished to understand something of mechanics.  Strange, but impressive.  I got a bit lost in the second set, not having the program to hand and unsure of pieces and movements played attacca.  First up, Gardel then Frank then Villa-Lobos, then a series of Piazzola tunes arranged by JC.  I variously heard more Nino Rota (showing the influences of the time) and a wonderful fugue possibly the second movement of Villa-Lobos, and otherwise some lovely sweet dotted rhythms fully in a jazz sense.  I was amused by the bassist with finger sheathes; I guess he's not a jazzer and he's suddenly discovering what extended jazz-styled pizz can do to soft skin, especially maintianing volume as one bass amongst many.  All fabulous and inviting.  Some odd slithery techniques for classical players, too, from the tango repertoire.  Lovely, sometimes simple,  always tuneful.  Loved it.

 Australian Chamber Orchestra played Llewellyn Hall with a concert of tango and related music.  ACO was led by Richard Tognetti (violin) with soloist James Crabb (classical accordion).

A smaller chamber

Back to the stage.  We got to ACO for their first concert tour.  It was small, but neat.  Nothign like the 20-or-so normal players.  This was six players over 2 quintets.  Beethoven, with doubled violas and Schubert with doubled cellos.  It seems the Schubert quintet is hugely admired.  I didn't find it as interesting as the Beethoven.  Simpler harmonies; simpler conceptually; less thrilling; more dramatic, yes.  The Schubert was String quintet Cmaj D.956; the Beethoven was String quintet Cmin op.104.  The playing was great, of course, although not without some slight, very slight weaknesses.  So be it.  I could only melt at the delicate lines and the purposive tones and the neat interactions.  Wonderful, but nothing unexpected to be said here.  Intimate and nice stuff.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra appeared in a smaller format playign quintets by Beethoven and Schubert.  Performers were Richard Tognetti and Helena Rathbone (violin), Stefanie Farrands and Elizabeth Woolnough (viola) and  Timo-Veikko Valve and Melissa Barnard (cello).

Beethoven!

It's Beethoven's year, the 250th anniversary of his birth, so he's out and about in the concert scene. This incarnation was all Beethoven: Symphonies 1,2,3 in one concert by the Australian Chamber Orchestra in a larger format with various invited players, tympany and 3 basses and winds. The strings were expanded with ANAM students to 3 basses (2 additional), 7 additional violins, and larger throughout the orchestra. It was the biggest ACO I've seen and maybe it was required for Beethoven. It was a wonderful concert but I had some reservations. This was the first of the series so it may change by Sydney (5 concerts are planned!). I found the sound not so detailed with the extra instruments, but to be expected and probably quite apt for Beethoven symphonies, but not as clear and light. It was fascinating to hear the 3 together and Beethoven's development from 1 to 3. Nothing I can add but that it was fascinating and the change was evident. From the Mozartian elements of the first, through the developing, fevered forces to the accomplished third. Lovely and educative. We had cheaper seats so limited sightlines so I just closed my eyes and listened: that was a revelation, but tends to be rare when you can see well. Sight is just so much stronger a sense than sound. So a great outfit playing fascinating music from a genius and well attended as Beethoven and the big namers tend to be. A concert-going friend noted attendance with the implication that they/all should play the popular repertoire. But ACO seems to get good attendance regardless. They are worth it: good and sexy to boot. The epitome of the modern classical chamber orchestra. Nice.

Australian Chamber Orchestra played Beethoven 1,2,3 at Llewellyn.

Big Day Out 2

Second in the concert marathon was a biggie: Australian Chamber Orchestra featuring Branford Marsalis playing music of Villa Lobos, Piazzolla, Ginastera, Stravinski, Golijov and Sally Beamish. Is SB the one out here? She's extant, she knows Branford and it's him playing on my Spotify recording. It's not often I leave a concert at interval, but this time I did. The musicians were great and the music inviting, especially the Piazzolla (if of a theme, as Piazzolla sounds to me ears). Branford opened with a short Stravinski clarinet solo on soprano sax, then a Villa-Lobos fanstasia, then Satu Vänskä led for Piazzolla Four seasons of Buenos Aires. All fabulously capable playing with strings that just sat in easy consensus and just a few ensemble features - I particularly noticed some prominent bass and a fabulous cello solo. Satu's lithe playing was a huge pleasure. Branford was his professional self but not so exciting for me in this setting. But I was recording the next concert so I left at interval to get suitable seating, given the smallish room that was sold out. How can this be? Leaving ACO and a Marsalis at half time? Odd but great while it lasted.

Branford Marsalis (soprano sax) and Satu Vänskä (violin) fronted the Australian Chamber Orchestra in Llewellyn Hall.

Part Bach

ACO and their guests the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir played Arvo Part and JS Bach and a few others. It shouldn't have been so unusual, but it was. Arvo Part is common enough if not like Bach himself. There were a few snippets thrown in, too, from the relative source countries: for Estonia, Galina Grigorjeva; for Australia, Sculthorpe. The Grigorjeva was perhaps almost my favourite of the night, with complex harmonies that had me in raptures at the unexpected atonalities. Fabulous sounding and a very demanding sing. Then Sculthorpe, Djilile, sounding all the world of Australian Aboriginal country. Then the Bach and Part. They were obvious enough in each style: Bach with his frequent fugal lines, and Part with his deep economy. I hadn't checked the progrma well enough so was a bit surprised and lost as they played the whole first half with truncated stops and no expectation, or practice, of applause. So this sparseness merged with this energetic parallelism which is the fugue, and some multiple movements passed by and then Part's supreme Summa, which I know of but don't particularly recognise. The second half was similar although I was more ready to recognise the passing works. Part and two Bachs and the Grigorjeva and Sculthorpe and a final Berliner mass by Part with the various recognisable movements. Then the end. The choir had been lovely with some crystaline and prominent soprano and otherwise clearly enunciated and intoned parts. The ACO was their polished self. I particularly noted the bass. I mentioned this in the break to Celeste and she, a cellist, was totally understanding , noting her own concentration on the cellos. One thing about that bass is the pizz: the bass pizz seemed quite jazzy in style, crossing strings rather than lifting. I wonder if that's a function of baroque? That was Maxime, but Timo-Veikko's pizz was somewhat similar. And Richard up front as conductor was different. I imagine this band could play without a conductor with ease and I can't always, so I was intrigued by his undemanding take on the conductor's job, not so much counts as dynamics and prompts. So this was ACO again. A great outfit contrasting some great music with some invited mates in a unique style of performance. Nice.

Richard Tognetti (conductor) led the Australian Chamber Orchestra with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir playing Arvo Part and JS Bach with Galina Grigorjeva and Sculthorpe at Llewellyn.

A mixed bag

I'm starting to see my error in not attending ACO concerts before now. They are seriously good, if in a unique and identifiable way. Lovely sound and great energy and reliable togetherness. Not sure how period-authentic is the performance but so what. I loved the final Haydn London symphony with its well shared understandings of dynamics within and between phrases, but I just doubt a court orchestra would have done it quite like that (although I think this was first performed in a commercial theatre). So what? The period movement is interesting, but we don't have recordings so the performances can't be other than affected by our experiences, and anyway, why shouldn't our modern performances be influenced by what's happened in the last 250 years? It's the nature of art, society and everything to change. So I drooled over their London symphony. There were two world premieres on the program, too. One by Samuel Adams (son of one of the John Adams). That was jumpy piece built on continuing triplet motifs moving through the ensemble and exploring issues of interpersonal dynamics. I liked it well enough but would like to hear it again to gain some acquaintance. More traditional others were not so generous. The second world premiere was by our own Uzbekistan-Aussie, the much loved Elena Katz-Chernin. This was a work in four movements about an escape from tyranny to Australia. Far more melodic, gentle, evident, accessible and accepted by our traditional friends. Me too. The major work of the night was Shostakovich Cello concerto no.1 Ebmaj played by Steven Isserlis. Great work; great player. There was easy responsiveness between enhanced orchestra (featuring horn and other woodwinds) and the solo cello, even if I felt the cello was sometimes lost under the sound of 35-or-so ensemble players. But then SI did not seem particularly loud even at his loudest. But a fabulous work played really well. And the pre-concert talk was a good introduction, not least by interviewing Sam Adams, composer and jazz bassist. So, a great night. BTW, we ate before (pub food: fish'n'chips; burger'n'chips) in the Wig & Pen downstairs. They deserve more support from Llewellyn attendees.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra performed works by Sam Adams, Shostakovich, Elena Katz-Chernin and Haydn. The Sam Adams and Elena Katz-Chernin were world premieres. Steven Isserlis (cello) played the Shostakovich Cello Concerto no.1 Ebmaj.

Llewellyn is a big chamber

Sally asked how large was a chamber orchestra. Fair question. The ACO was playing at Llewellyn and there were about 55 players on stage with three basses (I've seen non-chamber orchestras with two) and percussion and harp and the various brass and woodwinds. They even had a conductor for most of the time, with Richard Tognetti just picking up his Guanieri del Gesù for a few feature snippets in the Mahler. And Llewellyn is a very big chamber. Wikipedia suggests 50 or less for a chamber orchestra, so ACO was just pushing the envelope slightly. But they are an interesting outfit, nicely presented (read sexy, "players dressed by Akira Isogawa"), standing and active so presenting an image of churn on stage and fabulously dynamic and integrated. They started with a group of five players with a Sibelius Serenade for violin with Rebecca Chan showing off another expensive violin, a 1714 Guanieri. These instruments are part of the ACO mystique and it's nice to hear them (and they are good investments). It sounded like many violins on record, of course, and interestingly different from the sound of Tognetti's later in the night, but then these are different players, different bows and techniques and tunes and strings, too. Then Sibelius Symphony no.6 in D minor, Op.104, and a longer Mahler Symphony no.4 in G later. I was concentrating poorly but I did notice dynamics. They worked so well as a unit: swells were magically intense; parts moved and were perfectly defined, so the focus moved with precision between instruments. I also noticed players, when not playing, watching others. At least most strings were standing, so the view was of a churning busyness, but this openness to look around spoke to a communal purpose that you could hear in this playing. Towards the end of Mahler, guest soprano Kiera Duffy walked on as a path opened for her between violins (all the world like the parting of seas). I'd noticed her repertoire spanning Handel to Zorn and that interested me. I heard poorly from my distance, missing low notes and most detail, so little to observe here. But we left feeling we'd heard a major performance outfit. There's a urgency and commitment and togetherness here that's impressive and a musical expression that's authentic and unforced. They say they are Australian and international top-shelf and I certainly can't imagine much better. And they are sexy, too.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra was directed by Richard Tognetti (conductor, violin) playing Sibelius Symphony no.6 in D minor, Op.104, and Mahler Symphony no.4 in G. Kiera Duffy (soprano) sang in the Mahler. Rebecca Chan (violin) led an introductory Sibelius Serenade for violin.

All stand

Maybe it’s wont of imagination but while I was sitting there I could imagine nothing more beautiful or more perfect. We were at Llewellyn Hall at the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) were performing Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the London Singers. This is perhaps the work that brought me to classical music so it holds a special place for me. They performed the whole, all 6 cantatas in one concert with a lengthy interval. It adds up to almost 3 hours of music. It was performed in German, at baroque pitch (lower than A440) and the instruments were of period. The baroque trumpets and natural horns and oboes d’amore and da caccia and wooden flutes and the oddly balanced bows and presumably gut strings and that busy chamber organ. And those fabulous voices on those fabulous exultant choral passages and the dignified tenor evangelist and the interplays of soloists. The choir numbered about 20, about 2 in 3 were women, and a good few of them took solo roles at some time. These were wonderful voices, strong but gently formed, clearly articulated and precisely pitched. I heard two of them on radio the next day saying there’s not one bum note in the whole series. I could only agree. I left thinking this is 6 cantatas and probably just a few weeks of work for this journeyman genius. Bach would produce this stuff at incredible frequency and speed. This cycle was first performed over several days at Christmas to entertain the churchgoers. I’d imagine a composer could make a life’s reputation from just one of these cantatas. The melodies were a delight; the massed choir, tear-jerking; the accompaniment, divine. Other thoughts? This is chamber, so the sound is contained and fairly small. How good is the ACO? Some virtuosic passages by violins or another by cello/bass in unison were stunners. The trumpets glowed but didn’t overwhelm. I noticed one spot where the woodwinds were too prominent but that was reigned in by the next line. I was amused to hear arpeggiation every bit like 70s synth arpeggiators, and stunned by the modernity of one strange high passage from violins, somewhere around the fifth cantata. Obviously there is nothing new under the sun. There was considerable informality, movement on stage by musicians and singers, casual awareness when not playing, mostly cool black but unmatched dress colours amongst the female singers. More musically, cycles that just must be jazz fifths, playful business of interplay, say between soprano and oboe, or two violins and tenor. Llewellyn wasn’t quite full, but I think it was the only time I’ve ever seen all the audience standing for an ovation. Me too, and I seldom stand. I’d thought this could be a CD, it was so close to perfect, although there were just a few quibbles that the ACO would presumably want get right before a release. But so close to perfection. Exultant and intensely beautiful

Too many musicians to list. The Australian Chamber Orchestra was led by Richard Tognetti. The choir was the London Singers. The performed the full Bach Christmas Oratorio BMV248.