An end

I attended too few events for this CIMF but I did get to the finale and it was stunningly and deeply interesting. The first half was particularly a challenge for some. For that, read contemporary! First up, Ned McGowan performed a solo flute piece, Salvatore Sciarrino Come vengono prodotti gli incantesimi. It was to be performed on bass flute, but was on standard concert flute in the end. This was all tonguing and valve slapping and occasional sudden crescendoes. More rhythm then melody. Then a premiere by resident composer Mary Finsterer called In praise of darkness inspired by Jorge Luis Borges' book of the same name about his loss of sight. Played by the Festival Sinfonia and directed by Roland Peelman. Five movements, often a tuned percussion background (marimba?) with strings in slow crescendoes and sudden decrescendoes (in synth parlance, where we most hear this, long attacks and sudden releases), occasional manic church (tubular) bells accompanied with sudden green lighting then hand drumming; later angry whale sounds, long notes over a choppy semiquaver rhythmic phrase, Chinese gongs and woodwinds and bass drums. I guessed the work was mainly in 6/4, but I could be wrong. Counting must have been hard. It was extended (~40mins) and some questioned that but I liked it, all darkness and depth and anguish and resolution. Then interval then Alice Giles featuring with a string section on two Debussy Dances sacrées et profane. Deliciously played and closer to home for some of the audience. And to finish, the Festival Sinfonia appeared again under Roland with solo violinist Tim Fain playing Bernstein Serenade (after Plato's Symposium). This was a new work to me and several others I talked to, but still familiar. The colours and instrumental combinations of West Side Story (think Rumble or Krupke) were evident. And the references were classic too, if older than WSS's Romeo & Juliet. It comprised five movements named for characters and themed about love and formed as an unlikely violin concerto. Tim Fain was strong and comfortable and I thought he looked very satisfied at the end. But a fascinating work that will get a workout on my Naxos or Spotify streams. Then an after-party for the players and supporters. There's fun in that, of course. Next year is CIMF no.25. A truly impressive tradition that I can only hope grows and grows.

The CIMF2018 Festival Finale at the Fitters' Workshop featured Ned McGowan (flute), Alice Giles (harp), Tim Fain (violin) with the Festival Sinfonia under Roland Peelman (conductor) playing Sciarrino, Finsterer, Debussy and Bernstein.

Ciao Cecilia

Our CIMF this year was quiet in terms of concerts, not least because of other commitments, but was none-the-less involved. We are part of the crew that billets and drives musicians for the festival and it keeps us busy. This year we were blessed with billetting Dutch/Italian violinist Cecilia Bernardini, a lovely guest and a stunning performer. I may have bored her with amateur chatter about music, but she was gracious and informative: about violins and the lovely one she was performing with (an Amati from Cremona's golden age); tech matters like the various bows she uses for different musics and how frequently she changes her (gut) strings; her life on the road as a professional musician; her partner's and family's relationships with music; her involvements with various groups. She plays regularly with Scotland's Dunedin Consort and also in groups in Rome and Paris (ah, modern European life! Why Brexit, I wonder?) and has twice led Canada's Tafelmusik which is visiting Canberra for Musica Viva in a few weeks time. And just those friendly discussions of life and the rest that ordinary people indulge in. The sound of her practising was a pleasure: a serious performer on a serious instrument preparing Beethoven and Schubert and the like. It's wonderful to welcome guests, musical or otherwise, and a great pleasure and honour to host Cecilia.

Cecilia Bernadini (violin) was our guest for the Canberra International Music Festival 2018. BTW, Cecilia is the in the middle, in green, in the pic above.

Chatter

Another chat session, this time with two Australian string quartets: Orava and Pietra. Orava played the other day so I know them for that. They are the seniors (relatively) having established themselves, studied in the US with the Takacs Quartet, got an agent and a CD with Deutsche Grammophon Australia (impressive) playing Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich, making their name at festivals, committed and needing to eat. The Pietra Quartet are still students at Sydney Con, developing the group, still to decide on a whole range of things like their image and style and key repertoire. I know violist Justin as he performed the Stamitz concerto on our Musica da Camera CD. Younger and developing but on the path. This all came out in discussion with moderator Vincent Plush, ABC radio presenter, ex-music lecturer and the rest. The discussions were brief but relevant: identity and presentation; naming (Orava means squirrel in Finnish); getting together and staying together; approaches to music and sound; choosing repertoire; experiences with the Australian repertoire; interestingly, "where is home"; AYO in their development (most had been AYO performers); cultivating audience; women in string quartets (not at all an issue for youth, but some historical relevance); instruments, old and new; Queensland's Year 3 string program; performing live vs recording. Lots of thoughts there, so no time for any short performance. I didn't ask my question, but it would have been "do you still play weddings", or, survival skills for musicians. Lots of interesting chatter.

Vincent Plush (moderator) interviewed the Orava and Pietra String Quartets. Orava comprises Daniel Kowalik and David Dalseno (violins), Thomas Chawner (viola) and Karol Kowalik (cello). Pietra comprises Anna Da Silva Chen and Ben Tjoa (violins), Justin Julian (viola) and Miles Mullin-Chivers (cello).

The classics

The concerts at CIMF are varied, often with mixes of performers. This was called Classic Souvenir: obviously classical but again well varied. First up was Schubert on fortepiano, then Beethoven on fortepiano and violin, then a string sextet from Tchaikovsky. Perhaps he's romantic, but it's related. Keiko Shichijo performed Schubert Impromptu op.90 no.3 in the damnable key of Gbmajor. But then it's different on piano. It was likely developed from improvisation but the effect is an attractive melody with a busy left hand. Then Cecilia Bernardini joined for Beethoven Sonata for violin and piano in G major. Now here's a gentle key! It was written for the Archduke and a specific violinist as a "musical dialogue with refined classic gestures" (Roland Peelman from the notes). There was a lovely and generous musical playfulness and awareness between these two musicians who play together in Europe. They are capable, mature players and their ease together and deep skills are evident in the comfort of the interaction. I've noticed the best players are something like transparent as the music speaks through them. This was like that: easy and evident. The final work was a somewhat odd: a string quartet extrapolated to a sextet, with paired violins, violas and cellos. It changes the standard form of first and second violin by expanding this relationship to the lower instruments. It's quite a fascination to hear two cellos talking different lines, sounding moderately different. Otherwise, a busy and intense work presented by the Orava (String) Quartet with friends. Someone commented that it couldn't have been played by women as it carried evident testosterone. Not sure of that one, but it was busy and energetic and approached with rabid glee. Either way, a fascinating and different take on the classics theme.

Keiko Shichijo (fortepiano) played Schubert solo then Beethoven with Cecilia Bernardini (violin). The Orava Quartet with friends played Tchaikovsky. The Orava quartet are Daniel Kowalik and David Dalseno (violins), Thomas Chawner (viola) and Karol Kowalik (cello) and their friends were James Wannan (viola) and Miles Mullin-Chivers (cello).

Violins talk

The Canberra International Music Festival is on again. The first thing I managed was a talk session with two violinists: Roland Peelman as host with internationals Cecilia Bernardini and Tim Fain. The chatter was of violins (of course), why they took up their instruments, what specific instruments they play, how are they different, but also into period music, especially its development over recent decades and the huge upheaval it caused. Interestingly, too, we heard the two violins live in comparison. Both are seriously impressive instruments, both from the classic source, Cremona. Cecilia plays Amati; I didn't catch Tim's family. Tim's is set up as modern; Cecilia's is set up for period playing, with gut. She uses the period bow, but also a transitional bow for classical music. We heard the differences between instruments and between Cecilia's bows. Fascinating and truly a rare opportunity.

Roland Peelman interviewed Cecilia Bernardini and Tim Fain (violinists) at the Ainslie Arts Centre.