AdHoc Baroque-ry

These are busy weeks towards Christmas. Mine was last weekend with NCO and Maruki. For Pip and Michelle and Clara it was this weekend, with 2 concerts (that I know of) on the Sat and Sun. This one was by the delightfully named AdHoc Baroque playing a program of Venetian music, of Galuppi and Vivaldi. Galuppi was from Burano, one of the Venetian islands, and became maestro di musica at the Mendicanti orphanage. Vivaldi is famous for his time at the Pietà orphanage as maestro di coro. The orphanages were the centres of music-making in Venice at the time (~1700s) and Vivaldi's is especially famed to these days. AdHoc got together a fascinating concert of music of the era, partly sung by Greta and Maartje, but with the addition of an additional 10 singers for the ladies of the Pietà choir. This was a very female event with 12 singers, 8 instrumentalists and Peter as the only male. It was something like this at the orphanages which were primarily female, orphaned or otherwise. The males of the time were sent to work from early age, 10+, and the women were otherwise entertained. But perhaps the most intriguing thing was the singing. The choir sang in SATB format, like the orphanage choirs of the time, so some women were singing the TB (=tenor, bass) lines. Most likely they sang tenor and bass an octave higher (although some women sing tenor in today's choirs). So the pitches would have been closer and the chords inverted differently, any part may have taken the top line and perhaps some women had to transpose from bass clef. All interesting. I listened but didn't particularly hear it as different from a standard women's choir although I did notice a few close pitches. Another muso said much the same. But it was clear and pretty in the higher pitches with only the bass and viola da gamba reaching any depth. Otherwise, I was sitting behind BJ Gilby, so taking a lesson in bowing and expression, and right next to Julie and Chayla, so hearing the glorious trumpet and oboe parts. So the balance was odd, but I took a break from watching bass. The main work was Vivaldi Gloria RV589. Otherwise Vivaldi Nulla in mondo pax sincera and Galuppi Confitebor tibi Domine and Ave regina coelorum. A beautiful program and some glorious performances. AdHoc in name only; glorious in performance.

AdHoc Baroque performed Vivaldi and Galuppi at St Paul's. AdHoc Baroque comprises Greta Claringbould (soprano), Maartje Sevenster (mezzo-soprano) and Peter Young (organ, director) with instrumentalists Barbara Jane Gilby and Pip Thompson (violins), Michelle Higgs, Clara Teniswood (cello), Rachel Walker (viola da gamba), Hayley Manning (bass), Julie Watson (trumpet) and Chayla Ueckert-Smith (oboe) and ladies of the Pietà (the choir) Susannah Bishop, Pip Brant, Michelle Eddy, Emma Griffiths, Vanessa Hooley, Alice Richardson, Carolyn Strange, Sarah Sutcliffe, Veronica Thwaites-Brown and Rachel Walker (vocals).

Dealing with complexities

The CYO were out again in force and they were a feat of goodies. They were certainly out in force: there were about 70 of them, with 6 basses - in these straitened times, probably the biggest orchestra I hear. It fitted the repertoire which included a feast of brass- and percussion-heavy tunes, fanfares and the like. Certainly Stravinsky Firebird suite and Shostakovich Festive overture but also Hindemith Symphonic metamorphosis of themes by Carl Maria von Weber. It was a big program, but otherwise the works were more restrained. This 50th anniversary series features guests. The guests tonight were from the orchestra, the winner and runner-up from the CYO concerto competition, Shirahni Mudaliar playing Mozart the first movement of his violin concerto no.3 (not at all brassy or raucous) and winner Chayla Ueckert-Smith playing Vaughan Williams concerto for oboe and strings (more rural and again not rowdy). Both played well. I found it quite an ear-opener to hear such an expanse of oboe, which otherwise bobs up amongst strings or up front to tune. You can't help but be taken in by the fanfares and thus the Firebird, but I liked the Hindemith for its more modern take on traditions. Interesting. In the presence of the ACT minister, I was mulling over the value of all the CYO and all these traditions. There are people who call the classics (or jazz, for that matter, or most high arts) something of the past, out of time, irrelevant, but then I think of the effort, the commitment, the complexity and demands. Kids who take on such complexities don't have to end up in music, but their training is of a level above then four chord simplicities of commercial, more popular but superficial forms, and it's those thus trained who will provide the informed citizens, the capable specialists and scientists that society needs and benefits from. In fact, from here comes our wealth. I've been bemused by the number of PhDs, doctors and the like that I've encountered in the community classical scene. The CYO is one starter for a rich, intelligent, informed life.

The Canberra Youth Orchestra under Leonard Weiss performed Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Hindemith, Mozart and Vaughan Williams at Llewellyn Hall. Soloists were Chayla Ueckert-Smith (oboe) and Shirahni Mudaliar (violin).

Mixed competitors

This was obviously a challenge for the five players who competed to be the concerto soloist for the Canberra Youth Orchestra for its concert in August. They each played the first movement of their chosen concerto. Anthony Smith accompanied on piano. And, interestingly, each played a different instrument. Not sure if they were more than five entrants, but there were five judged at this concert. The judges were amongst the senior performers in town: Leonard Weiss (not quite so senior), Tor Fromyhr, Paul McMahon and new ANUSOM director, Ken Lampl. They were all faces I recognised, being from the CYO, or perhaps NCO or other. The players were: Juniper Bedwell playing Weber Clarinet concerto no.1; Charlie Barnes playing Hummel Trumpet concerto; Hayley Manning playing Koussevitzky Double bass concerto; Shirahni Mudaliar playing Mozart Violin concerto no.3; Chayla Ueckert-Smith playing Vaughan Williams Concerto for oboe and strings. Chayla played from memory; Charlie mostly so. They were vastly different in tonality and technique and style. We listened, families recorded, we compared, for comparison this is. The judges considered but we are yet to hear their decision. A 2 week delay was mentioned. Ken Lampl finished with congratulations and a talk highlighting the value of the commitment required. We left wondering. Who will play in August? My guesses have been shown to err in the past, so no hints from me...

Juniper Bedwell (clarinet), Charlie Barnes (trumpet), Hayley Manning (double bass), Shirahni Mudaliar (violin) and Chayla Ueckert-Smith (oboe) competed in the CYO concerto competition at Wesley. The judges were Leonard Weiss, Tor Fromyhr, Paul McMahon and Ken Lampl. The accompanist was Anthony Smith (piano).