Love and war

This is a theme that's around with the new film of The Odyssey but it's nothing new.  Two of our major classical music groups combined to do a program on this very topic, Guerrieri et Amorosi, Warriors and lovers, highlighting madrigals by Barbara Strozzi and Claudio Monteverdi, two major composers in mid/late-1600s Venice, Monteverdi older than Strozzi but both prolific and renowned, if Barbara is lesser so these days.  And a few instrumental pieces by Apeiron in respite by GB Vitali and Scarlatti.  Madrigals were written for solo voices, one for each part, and MD Dan Walker highlighted the challenge of this fluid music for a choir and Oriana did a wonderful presentation to my ears, capably accompanied by our renowned locals Apeiron Baroque as a quintet.  The themes suggest a more martial awareness by CM with an amorous sinfonia exploding into martial music, love portrayed as a literal disaster although later Cupid being praised rather than Mars.  Maybe because this Eighth Book of Madrigals is dedicated to the newly crowned Holy Roman Emperor.  Other the other hand, I note a sweetly sung song about an Athenian Maiden raped by the King of Thrace (lyrics by BS's father), a song on affections of the mind (Yearning, desire...) and an argument over sources of joy which resolved to a single kiss.  But this is just a sampler and my notes are just a borrowing from the program anyway.  But the song, the accompaniment, the vocals solos were a thing of great pleasure.  Again a warmly received concert and a full hose at Wesley for an imposing musical pairing.

Oriana Chorale was accompanied by Apeiron Baroque at Wesley with a program of madrigals by Claudio Monteverdi and Barbara Strozzi.  Oriana Chorale was conducted by Dan Walker (MD) with sometimes soloists Ali Hardy and Jade McFaul (sopranos), Oliver Bruhl, Cody Christopher and David Faraker (tenors) and Patrick Baker, Neil Bulleid and Joshua Dunne (basses).  Apeiron Baroque comprised John Ma and Brad Tham (violins), Marie Searles (harpsichord), Anton Baba (cello) and James Holland (theorbo).

Ranges of uprisings

Oriana Chorale's latest concert was called Uprisings with a theme of revolutions and the texts read of uprisings but not so sure of the music.  And the revolutions were just sometimes Soviet or the like and often enough the modern takes on the personal as political.  Shostakovich appeared in four of 10 poems on texts by revolutionary poets but the others, the more moderns, were gay marriage and anti-racism and women's voices on their rebel blood and harmony in diversity by Sebastian Allen, composer-in-residence, a world premiere.  But there was also the past, with Thomas Tallis writing form within the English Reformation, a chorale of a German composer who took his life from conflict of his religion and serving the Nazi regime.  And an intriguing wok on Indigenous recognition and reconciliation with words of Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Psalm 137:4 ("How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?").  So a fascinating program worthy of followed lyrics.  The modern tunes were rich in complexities of harmony, especially.  How to find those sharpened intervals with just dots on pages and a voice?  These chords could be doozies, but thus is much modern music-making.  Tallis was like a relief for a time, rich and full and relatively predictable.  Shara Nova was rich in such harmonies.  There were also a tune for the males and a tune for the females, the latter led within by Olivia Swift although with musical composition by otherwise MD Dan Walker.  Shostakovich appeared quite consonant and tame against some of the living composers.  And to end, the Perfect chord, the title of the world premiere composed by Sebastian Allen, one of a few with solo passages, here a glorious melody from soprano Jade McFaul.  So a varied and quite magnificent program from an adventurous MD and a very capable choir.  Congratulations are due.

Oriana Chorale performed at Anzac Memorial Chapel at Duntroon under Dan Walker (MD, conductor) including one World and one Australian premiere.

Contemplating the body

These days of modernity and medicines we protected from so much, but Easter remains a brutal story from ancient/mediaeval history.  I felt this with a jazz gig on Good Friday evening but primarily with a concert for Holy Week at Wesley in the afternoon.  The music was Buxtehude Membra Jesu Nostri, a great powerful work of early baroque (I guess) with five voices and accompaniment with a theme of Christ on the Cross expressed in 7 short movements totalling ~60 minutes: ad pedes; ad manus; ad genua; ad latus; ad pectus; ad cor; ad faciem.  That is, an immersion in the horrors of crucifixion, specifically this one: contemplations on the feet, knees, hands, sides, breast, heart and face.  Not at all modern, but powerful, not least in Latin.  Each movement started and ended with a SSATB "concerto" then arias by various individual voices or parts.  Accompaniment was mainly violin, viola, cello, harpsichord, but for some time, adding organ and viola da gamba 1,2.  All period instruments.  And this was a stunning experience, so well sung by several of our local luminaries, and similarly accompanied.  Just a work of power and beauty seldom experienced.  Stunning.

Buxtehude Membra Jesu nostri was performed at Wesley Church on Good Friday.  Performers were Greta Claringbould and Jade McFaul (sopranos), Maartje Sevenster (alto), Dan Walker (tenor), Andrew Fysh (bass), John Ma (violin), Lauren Davis (viola), Clara Teniswood (cello), Rachel Walker and Caroline Downer (violas da gamba), Marie Searles (harpsichord) and Ariana Odermatt (organ).

Tenebrae

This was the first of the Wesley Holy Week concerts-cum-religious events and it was a fascinating and unusual happening.  At least for me with my Catholic background.  The minister presenting opening prayers, final prayer and benediction and managing 13 candles during the service.  Three parishioners reading the story of Jesus' final week in a series of readings from Luke.  A choir (8 person, SATB a capella) performing music mostly of Bruckner and a longer Psalm 22 put to music by Charles Giffen interspersing the other activities.  The a quiet departure by congregation and presenters.   The whole was called Tenebrae (=Shadows)  representing the fall into darkness awaiting the resurrection on Easter Sunday.   The choir was quite lovely with intriguing harmonies, clear voices and a quiet presence.  The readings from Luke were well known and a reminder for me.  The minister's activities were a little odd, presenting items on a table and first up lighting candles then extinguishing them during the service, but intriguing none-the-less.  The whole was streamed to YouTube and is still up if you wish to see it.  Dark as it may be for most of the service.  Intriguing and very often quite beautiful.

Jade McFaul coordinated the music for Shadows at Wesley Church.  Performers were Elsa Huber (soprano) and Jade McFaul (soprano, MD), Sarah Heartwood and Evangeline Osborne (altos), Thomas Liu and Felix Huber (tenors) and Martin Magill and Lucus Allerton (basses).

View the streamed video on YouTube > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz7tUG5sZ-I

Lunchbox

First concert of the day was a Lunchbox concert at the ANU School of Music. These are students, presumably at different stages of their training, performing a varied repertoire on diverse instruments. What's not like. Aaron Chew (piano) started with Fantasia Baetica by Manuel de Falla. This was a substantial work, virtuosic, exciting, passionate. He mentioned the sounds of guitar, footstamps and female vocals (this is Spanish music). Aaron played with confidence the waves of notes with crossing hands and several passages of a quizzical dissonance. I loved this piece and I thought he did an excellent job on it. Then Jelena Mamic (soprano) sang four Canti di lontananza by Menotti with accompaniment by Anne Ewing (piano). This was intense, vibratoed high notes (lyric soprano? dramatic soprano), glorious tone but inevitably intelligible. I wonder why classical singing is so often unintelligible; words seem a key to songs. The passion fitted for Gli amanti impossibili; Jelena lightened up for Il settimo bicchiere di vino; I wondered if Mattinata di neve was a bit heavy. The voice is glorious if the themes are mostly lost, but this is classical vocals. Next was another singer, Jade McFaul (voice) with accompaniment by Tristan Struve (piano) performing Who points the swallow by Alan Tragaskis. This is a modern piece in English. I caught a word or two but may have caught more with more concentration. One stanza ended in "arrogance" so the theme piques interest. Jade has a gentler, less insistent voice: she still enforced and vibratoed some notes, but mostly this was more intimate. Elizabeth Biggs (harp) followed with Krumpholtz Sonata Scene Pathetique Op.16 no.1. The soft, finger-picked tone of harp and the instrumental balance of melody and harmony was a change after the singers. Also the references to lament and pathos that comes with the title; although not miserable or pitiable. Last was Hamish Strathdee (guitar) playing Rodrigo's Junto al Generalife. Again, the finger-picked pluck of nylon strings; again, the Spanish connection. Every guy my age has toyed with guitar, so this had some technical interest. I enjoyed the picking that I could watch so closely, like the thumbed melody against fingered triplets on the G string (interesting if perhaps a common enough classical guitar technique). I heard it as genial and moderate, but it's about a garden (Junto not Junta) at the Alhambra, so that's apt. So this was the concert. About an hour of varied music, varied musicians, varied instruments and tones. Apparently the Lunchbox concerts are returning and now that I have time, I hope to get to a few. A great pleasure.

Aaron Chew (piano), Jelena Mamic (soprano), Anne Ewing (piano), Jade McFaul (voice), Tristan Struve (piano), Elizabeth Biggs (harp) and Hamish Strathdee (guitar) performed in the Larry Sitsky Room at the ANU School of Music for a (free) Lunchbox concert.