Beethoven as film composer

Any chance to play a Beethoven symphony is something I jump on.  I've played 5 (3,4,5,6,7) and few twice.  But I love the repertoire, even if not played too well.  Just doing a great work is a huge learning experience for classical player and Beethoven is obviously amongst the best.  Excuse my older-time loves.  I also prefer Perugino to Pollock but maybe I shouldn't admit it!  Anyway, this was Maruki playing in a very satisfying acoustic space at the Lyneham High School Performing Arts Centre with a string of film themes and B7 managed into the theme, given the delicious second movement is in common film use.  The other themes were from 2001: a space odyssey - Also sprach Zarathustra and the Blue Danube - and some John Williams from Star wars and How to train your dragon and Prokofiev from his Romeo and Juliet ballet and Pirates of the Caribbean.  No way have I seen Dragon or Pirates, but the music was pretty welcoming.  And B7, of course, is a work of genius, the blockbuster of the day ... perhaps along with Darth Varder's theme.  Good fun and always a pleasure to play works of genius.  And many thanks to MD/conductor Kristen Simpson who is leaving Canberra and so had to hand in her notional Maruki baton.  Always very capable and very inviting.  Kristen, it was a pleasure to play with you.

Maruki Community Orchestra performed Beethoven and various film musics at Lyneham High School Performing Arts Centre under Kristen Simpson (conductor, MD).

Repertoire

Then Maruki performing more repertoire.  I love Maruki for its brave approach to repertoire, the full programs, the unflinching takes on the hardest works.  Again a threesome of overture, concerto and symphony: Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream overture, Beethoven Piano concerto no 2 Bbmaj and Tchaikovsky Symphony no.1 Gmin.  Never flinch, even with the demands of this Tchaikovsky symphony.  This was a doozy, all chromatics and glorious melody, not least on bass and quick lines and odd timings and frantic stringendos and ever trustworthy brass who saved the day for me a few times.  This was not easy and I'd not managed too many rehearsals.  Next to the Tchaiks, the Mendelssohn seemed trivial if exciting and the Beethoven, played by Cornelia Dragusin, was beautiful with a Mozartian delicacy and danceability.  But as ever, to reach the end of such a program and such a demanding composition as the Tchaiks is a pleasure and satisfaction.  We are a welcoming unauditioned community orchestra and this is as hard as it comes but just having learnt this and the rest of the repertoire that we work through is a great satisfaction and an opportunity to get into the guts of a work and know it in a way that listening just doesn't provide.  And the size of the orchestra just confirms I'm not alone in this pleasure. PS.  The pics are from the warmup, not the concert, of course.

Maruki Orchestra preformed Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky at Albert Hall under Kristen Simpson.  The Beethoven concerto featured soloist Cornelia Dragusin (piano).  Bottom enders were Owen Livermore and Eric Pozza (bass).

Repeats

It was the second time I'd played Beethoven 5 and the program was a blast.  The first time was my second classical concert, playing with Maruki, and coincidentally, the first outing with Maruki for Kristen, then cellist, now conductor/MD.  That was 2005.  As for the program, it was a typical Maruki onslaught: Elgar Pomp & circumstance 1, Holst Jupiter, Mozart violin concerto no.5 Amaj with Georgina Chan as soloist and B5.  Interestingly, Georgina also has a history with Maruki and John Gould, Maruki's creator, now deceased.  She started lessons with him at age 4, and has played variously with the orchestra and how now completed degree and masters at the Qld Con. Whatever, this was a large outing, around 60.  I just managed to sit-in at the last minute, given travel and other, and wasn't quite prepared enough.  There are tricky lines in all those pieces, not just Beethoven.  Mozart had its slick fills; Holst various odd timings and Elgar just ecstatic and immediate.  But that's why these are so intriguing and welcoming.  We did it with some success if not perfection, but also immense pleasure and lots of, as they say ugly-ly these days, "learnings".  There's an understanding of a work that comes through the preparation and performance that I find deeply satisfying and transformative of how you hear it.  I've mentioned this to others and it's a common awareness.  At least for me, following the dots on the page while listening, then repeating those tricky parts and, from some jazz training, noting the diminished lines and the like, is the most you can do to get close to a piece.  And every one of these was a work of some genius.  Just wish I'd had more preparation.

Maruki performed Elgar, Holst, Mozart and Beethoven at Albert Hall. under Kristen Simpson (conductor) and soloist Georgina Chan (violin) for the Mozart concerto.  The bottom enders were Owen Livermore, Jeremy Tsuei and Eric Pozza (basses) with assistance from the bottom-end brass sitting adjacent, Karren Crosthwaite and David Hodgkinson (tubas).

First Finlandia

This was a particularly good program, even for Maruki which reliably works its way through the repertoire.  The main work was Brahms Symph no.3.  I love any Brahms.  The rest was Rossini Thieving magpie and two by Sibelius, Karelia suite and the fabulous Finlandia.  It's not too difficult so I was surprised that I'd never played Finlandia before.  Wow.  Of course we all know and love it, but it's something else to perform it, read it, find the intricacies and dynamics and the rest.  I can appreciate how it's so loved: powerful and ecstatic.  Wonderful.  The other Sibelius had a touchingly beautiful melody in the second movement and the Rossini was joyful and mobile.  And Maruki was in fine form, playing well if a little reticent on tempo for me, and well attended by players and audience.  So, a satisfying outing at Albert Hall as the sun shone on a glorious Canberra winter day.

Maruki Orchestra performed Rossini, Sibelius and Brahms at Albert Hall under Kristen Simpson (conductor).

Tribute and more

I'd been travelling and thus could not prepare with Maruki for Brahms 1.  I have a love for Brahms (and BBB for that matter) and so I asked if I could sit in and Kristen said OK.  So I listened a little to the program following music occasionally during travels so I had some preparation.  We were playing Tchaikovsky Nutcracker suite and Serenade and Brahms 1.  But then, a week or so before the performance, we heard of the death of John Gould.  John was much loved as Maruki founder in 2005, but also widely respected as an LSO principal, Carl Pini String Quartet, AYO, SSO, Dir. Orange Conservatorium and more.  It was quite some thrill to have dealings with John, hearing his anecdotes of various huge symphonic names.  One degree of separation.  My first encounter with John was to play just my second orchestral performance with a program not the least meek: Beethoven symphony no.5 Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an exhibition, Weber Oberon overture and Bizet L'Arlesienne suite no.2.  The pic is John and me after that concert.  So this the concert became a tribute and fond farewell and a favourite piece of John's, Elgar Nimrod from Enigma variations, was added.  It's a slow and beauteous and memorable piece and it took on further significance in this context and, I thought, was played with great dignity and care.  Then something lighter, Nutcracker, which was the piece that had attracted several friends to the concert.  Again, hugely attractive, but joyous and alluring with just a few challenging passages, at least for bass.  Then Winsa Daniswara soloing on Tchaikovsky Serenade melancolique and the biggie Brahms 1 after the break.  Now this was the work I was dreading.  Difficult with timing that was anything from obvious with accents on off-beats and some delirious dotted rhythms.  I faked some lines, as everyone will, but still got befuddled in the 4th movement and I don't think I was alone.  I indulge myself in thinking I wouldn't have lost it given some rehearsals, but given the wedding, I couldn't even attend the last practice on the Saturday before the Sunday concert.  But none-the-less done and achieved.  I love playing the repertoire, building that familiarity that only playing a work can give.  So, this day was a worthy tribute to a much loved leader and my cocky challenge to sight-read (or close enough) a Brahms symphony was achieved.  But my next Brahms will be better prepared and better played.  In the meantime, Vale John Gould (1940-2023).

Maruki Orchestra preformed Elgar Nimrod in memory of John Gould, Tchaikovsky Nutcracker for fun, Tchaikovsky Serenade melancolique for soloist Winsa Daniswara (violin) and Brahms Symphony no.1 for Eric Pozza (bass) to sight-read, all under Kristen Simpson (conductor).

Not one but two

This was my sandwich weekend of Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and Bruch with a Bach filling.  The Bach filling was very wholesome given the capable, professional performers.  Lovely.  But Maruki's open and unauditioned thus somewhat aurally unbalanced presentation of Tchaiks, Mendelssohn and Bruch was hugely satisfying for players and I trust for the audience.  It was in Albert Hall as our concerts are.  The works were complete and  very much demanding works of that era.  No slouch is this group: we take on the real thing and present hefty concerts.  The Bruch was his Suite Modale for flute and strings, led by flautist James Gibson.  The other two were symphonies, Tchaikovsky symphony no.5 Emin (locally famous as once an ad for a brand of cigarettes) and Mendelssohn symphony no.1  Cmin(written by a 15-year old, no less).  Two symphonies?  As I said, Maruki does not shirk.  We were led by Kristen Simpson in the absence of our formation musical director, John Gould.  A fabulous, long, demanding, difficult concert that we played better than ever in practice.  That's the nature of a gig.  "She'll be right on the night" is a well tested assertion and proved by the level of concentration that comes with an audience.  So this was great training and awareness and a great outing.  And thanks to visitors who often join us at short notice including Olivia Herbert (violin), fairly recently of the Australian Youth Orchestra and a tour to Germany, who came from Brisbane to play with relative Bev Simpson (cello).  See the pic: Olivia with a representative of another generation of youth orchestrists, Anne Stevens of the Canberra Youth Orchestra and much music thereafter.  Great fun and a satisfying achievement.

Maruki Community Orchestra performed Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and Bruch at Albert Hall.  Kristen Simpson (conductor) led the orchestra including Paul Hibbard (violin, concertmaster), Olivia Lambert (violin), Anne Stevens (viola) and James Gibson (flute).

Confounder factor

I've probably said it before but this was perhaps the most difficult piece I've played (until next time?).  Maruki does the repertoire and doesn't flinch on the programs, eg, next concert includes two Russian symphonies.  But this time, it was the standard format, an overture, a concerto and a symphony.  First half was Rossini L'Italiana in Algieri and a to-die-for lovely clarinet concerto by Mozart.  They went well although of very different styles.  Rossini is all operatic Italian flair and Mozart is dignified, super-pretty and downright touching.  Both done pretty well and Beth doing a great job on the solo clarinet.  But the second half was Sibelius Symphony 2.  Variously delicate, demanding, noisy, unrelenting, with huge changes of tempo throughout, the longest bass solo I've played and the strangest score that just seemed to express itself through various unrelated parts adding to make up one story.  Strange, that; confounding at times.  A huge count demander.  Mozart was never thus.  I wish we could have played it again in performance the next day.  It would have been so much more settled on day 2.  Like the professional orchestras who get to play a repertoire regularly.  There's so much more closeness and comfort then.  But no, this was just a single outing and we did not perfect but not bad.  Another to add to my list.

Maruki Orchestra performed under Kristen Simpson (conductor) at Albert Hall.  Beth Bantrick (clarinet) soloed in the Mozart.  The bass end was Jennifer Groom and Eric Pozza (basses). 

Busy times

I play in a few groups and they tend to group their concerts together, four times pa.  Thus, a week after the Opera Gala, I played with Maruki at Albert Hall.  Now Maruki is just great for playing the repertoire.  This is not a light-on orchestra.   For proof, the program for Sunday was Handel Water Music, Holst St Paul's Suite, Dvorak violin concerto and Beethoven Symphony 6.  Certainly not a lightweight program!  The intonation wasn't perfect and there was a little uncertainty in one B6 movement, but overall it went well and we have certainly learnt something of these works.  There is no substitute for playing them in concert.  The preparation and performance  is something special, drilling your part into your being, unlike any intense listening.  This is a total body experience and an entry into a the mind of a genius.  I liked them all for different reasons, but I'll especially remember the Beethoven for unexpected and tricky intervals (4ths when expecting 3rds) and more.  A pleasure and an education. 

Maruki Orchestra performed at Albert Hall.  John Gould (conductor, violin soloist) led for most of the concert and played violin for the Dvorak concerto; Kristen Simpson (conductor) led the Dvorak.  The bass end comprised Jeremy Tsuei, Jennifer Groom and Eric Pozza.

Long time between drinks

It just a little warmup for our Maruki return.  This is my first classical group get-together post-Covid.  Tilt has met and the chatter and playing was a much enjoyed thing.  However, something more formal like an orchestra seems more postable.  But our lockdown is not fully complete so this was just strings for a half session.  Just a simple read on some Purcell and Holst.  The Brahms and Tchaikovsky are more challenging but delayed.

Maruki strings returned after Covid lockdown.

B four

It's the fourth Beethoven symphony that I've played, thus B four.  Sadly, I was not particularly well prepared.  Endless conflicts have come up over the last two months and I've missed a mass of Maruki practices.  Even on the day, I had an invitation to a friend's birthday party that conflicted with the warmup and performance.  I dropped gear off, then got to the party then returned for the show.  No warmup.  This on a significant program: Beethoven Symphony no.7, Krommer Concerto for two clarinets and Mussorgsky Pictures at an exhibition.  B7 and Pictures are well known.  The Krommer was new to me, although apparently he's well known to clarinetists.  That was a Mozart-ish early classical concerto in three movements.  Maruki are no slouches.  We got through it all, not fabulously resonantly, but we did it and experienced the pieces and learnt so much of them.  I enjoy this experience and this exposure to the repertoire.  For we work through a very serious repertoire, just as the pros.  Just perhaps not quite so well intoned.  Then to finish off, a dinner party at home.  It was a busy weekend, but why let up?  Congrats to our crew for a massive performance.

Maruki Orchestra performed Beethoven, Krommer and Mussorgsky at Albert Hall.  John Gould (conductor) conducted.  Caroline Faulder and Beth Battrick (clarinets) soloed.

Finding the lost year

Finding the lost year was the theme, and title, of the Maruki Covid-return concert of last Sunday.  Still Albert Hall.  Still much the same repertoire as we expected to play before the arrival of Covid scotched music in Canberra.  Strangely, despite the time we've had it, it was a difficult concert.  The concerto was changed (the other to reappear in a few months) due to lack of a ready pair of clarinets.  It was replaced by Sibelius Violin concerto played by our ex-LSO master and musical director, John Gould, but it was a strange and fluid thing which challenged us no end.  It's described as a concerto for violin and orchestra, so presumably orchestral parts have their own expression.  Whatever, it's strangely indefinite at times and the parts are oddly unrelatable at other times.  Not that it's unpleasant, but it's willowy or liquid and thus a challenge.  Otherwise, we played a world premier from Alan Hinde, a symphonic poem called In search of lost land which portrays an ocean voyage of discovery with considerable wave-like clarity.  Nice one!  Also Beethoven Egmont overture.  Beethoven is always a winner.  And Schumann Symphony no4 Dmin, the earlier version from 1841.  This had its demands, but ended hugely with exhilaration so a great pleasure to play.  From a jazz POV, I was amused by a pizz bass line that drove the orchestra, in every way a walking bass line.  I could only feel at home in that part.  Even if we are returned, it remains Covid time with a limitation on numbers (thus an easy full house!) and various other demands and no afternoon tea.  But it was fun and demanding, as Maruki outings are.  Maruki doesn't shirk on its programs and this is just one clear example.  Next concert is Beethoven Symphony no.7 (!) and that missing Krommer Double clarinet concerto and Mussorgsky Pictures at an exhibition.  Just a another normal program for this community orchestra! 

Maruki Orchestra performed Beethoven, Hinde, Sibelius and Schumann at Albert Hall under John Gould (conductor).  For the violin concerto, Jennifer Groom (conductor) led and  John Gould (violin) soloed.  Alan Hinde (composer) provided the world premiere.

Red shirting

Never let it be said that Maruki shirks. I've said it before and this latest concert is just further proof: Dvorak Slavonic dances 1,2,8; Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue; Tchaikovsky Symphony no.4 Fmin op.36. Anne Stevens soloed for the Gershwin then took up her normal position in the violas. The turnout was good with visitors from NCO and elsewhere and the audience was solid, partly there for Gershwin. It's a popular piece, and as I recognised while Anne worked through the syncopations and diverse key signatures, not easy. It wasn't too bad for the orchestra (although I was pleased to get the offbeat triplet scalar runs towards the end: they were a doozy). The big challenge was kept for the Tchaikovsky, especially the first movement. At first blush, the fourth movement looked scary with its quick semi-quaver scalar sequences, but the varied syncopations of the first movement were killers. The time was 9/8 feel at a reasonable speed so that was not the issue but the dotted feels were. As for the bowing, that can await my next take on this very big challenge. The Dvorak was more presentable, as Dvorak seems to be. I never seem to find him an insurmountable challenge. But as always, when John puts on his threatened red shirt, we do our bit. Not perfect but decent and performance is the best way to get to grow accustomed to any piece of music. Again, a big program and a decent take on it.

Maruki Orchestra performed Dvorak, Gershwin and Tchaikovsky at Albert Hall under John Gould (conductor) with soloist Anne Stevens (piano) and Paul Hubbard (concertmaster).

Weddings, parties...

A chamber group from the Maruki Orchestra played for the funeral service of Anne Bicknell at Albert Hall. It's not a normal gig but Anne was a foundational member of Maruki and had rehearsed the day before she suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed. Anne was always a helpful, supportive smiling face, welcoming and musical and no doubt a much-loved and worthy doctor as well (she was a GP in Ainslie and Director at BreastScan ACT). Her musical interests ranged widely, from AYO to the Australian and International Doctors' Orchestra. The musical tributes included her nephews Charles and Raphael Hudson singing Handel with Anthony Smith and our Maruki chamber-sized group playing Beethoven Violin concerto Dmaj op.61 mvt.2 Larghetto with John Gould as soloist. Anne will be missed.

Maruki Orchestra, John Gould, Charles Hudson, Raphael Hudson and Anthony Smith performed at the funeral celebration of Anne Margaret Bicknell.

Big Day Out

Another big outing for Maruki at Albert Hall. This concert featured two symphonies as well as an overture and another piece. Maruki is never one to cop out! The symphonies were Beethoven 4 and Dvorak 8. The other pieces were Wagner Meistersingers Prelude to Act 1 and Saint-Saens Dance macabre. Nothing too easy and some big and satisfying blowing. But my thoughts went more to some delicious slower movements. Beethoven mvt.2 and Dvorak mvt.3 were gloriously beautiful even if we may not have done them their full justice. Listening back to my recording does not quite match my preparatory listening to Berlin Phil or Tafelmusik but that's the nature of a community orchestra. And that's is not to say it's a wasted play. Maruki is a wonderful opportunity to enter into the scores of a range of repertoire works and there's nothing like playing a work to get close to it. And such a pleasure when something just clicks, like the introductory trumpets in the first movement of Dvorak, or a perfect horn solo line that appeared, where?, somewhere in Beethoven. And it's a good laugh to take on the challenging lines and perhaps cover a not-quite-perfect performance. I chuckled over several in the first movement of Beethoven and some rabidly quick repeated phrases in the forth movement (they ask basses to play this?). But, on the other hand, there's great joy in our quick, prominent and extended melodic lines towards the end of Meistersingers, or the power and stability that underlying rhythmic basses can give to an ensemble, as in Beethoven mvt.2. Maruki gives exposure to some very great music.

Maruki Orchestra was directed by John Gould (conductor) with Melvyn Cann (concert master) and Peter Ellis (violin) as soloist on SS. Maruki played Wagner, Beethoven, Saint-Saens and Dvorak at Albert Hall. The bottom end was Jennifer Groom and Eric Pozza (basses).

Family matters

And great matters they were: Vaughan Williams and Beethoven; Lark ascending and Emperor concerto. The theme of our latest Maruki concert was Keeping it in the family. The solos were played by daughter Georgina Chan on violin for Lark ascending and her father George Chan on piano for the Emperor concerto. They both did wonderfully well. Georgina is studying music at UQ so expected, but fabulous none-the-less. George is a doctor, so this is a hobby, but again this was wonderfully convincing. But that's not all. Maruki concerts can feel like steak knives in their extent: that's why I enjoy them. John Gould has us playing the repertoire: all the names and seriously demanding stuff. The added works for this concert were Brahms symphony no.3 and Borodin Polovtsian dances. It would be a demanding program for a professional orchestra let alone a community orchestra, but Maruki takes it on. Yes, there were times our intonation and timing could have been better, but we've learned four major pieces and playing them is so much more instructive than just hearing them, however many times you do that. So, congrats to George and Georgina who truly did themselves proud, and thanks to John and the orchestra for expanding my experience of the repertoire. And to add, the story of the basses. We were four on the day so satisfyingly present in the mix. Jennifer had been around for the term so she was a mainstay. I only returned from Europe shortly before and arrived with Melissa, of CYO and ANU, for the final two practices. Then once-Maruki bassist, Naomi, literally arrived unexpected on the day to play (!) . And yet the basses sounded and sounded well. Congrats to a capable crew!


Maruki Orchestra performed Beethoven, Brahms, Vaughan Williams and Borodin at the Albert Hall under John Gould (conductor) and Melvyn Cann (concertmaster). Soloist Georgina Chan (violin) played Lark ascending and her father, George Chan (piano) played Beethoven piano concerto no.5 Emperor. The bottom end coagulated over the weeks and days leading up to the concert: they were Jennifer Groom, Melissa Fung, Naomi Barber and Eric Pozza (basses).

A muso's dilemma

It's an old story and common. Is this music getting harder or am I just not practising enough? It was harder and we can always practice more but this was a doozy. Maruki truly takes on the big repertoire programs. I like it for that but it is a challenge. This day it was Wagner, Mozart and Rachmaninoff. The Wagner was his Rienzi overture, the overture that launched 1,000 proms: it was the first work played in the first London Prom concert in Queen's Hall, London, 1895. Not lightweight. The Mozart was more relaxing as this delightful classical music is. Mozart just has it. John Gould played the solo. He may not still be with the London Symphony or the Carl Pini Quartet, but there's a history that you can believe in his playing. It's a pleasure to play with such a master and the Mozart just rings so sweetly and so true. Then the real challenge to finish off. Rachmaninoff Symphony no.2, all triplet and 2 feels, variously switching, and that renowned pop melody, Never gonna fall in love again, that appears in the first notes of the third movement. That's the relaxed movement. Otherwise, there's tricks a'plenty here. Fabulous and virtuoisic and great fun with occasional great fear. Maruki always does its best in concert - I guess all orchestras do. No claim to prof status here. This was tricky and demanding. There were some surprisingly successful passages, often amongst the most difficult so most practised music, but also some perhaps less readied. Whatever it's great to take this music on and this was a program to savour. A doozy.

Maruki Orchestra played Wagner, Mozart and Rachmaninoff at Albert Hall. John Gould (violin) soloed on the Mozart concerto as Elisha Adams (conductor) directed. Otherwise, John Gould (conductor) directed.

Not shirking, waving

You can't say Maruki Orchestra shirks at challenges. After all, it's a local, community orchestra but it takes on the big, real works and gathers them into intimidating programs. This concert was a star example. First set was Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain, a demanding, often virtuosic tone poem with all manner of feels throughout. Apparently telling a story of a gathering of witches: the assembly; chatter and gossip; Satan's cortege; Black mass; Sabbath. Then a symphony, no less, before interval. This was a little cutie, Bizet Symphony in C major, written when he was aged 17 and only performed after his death. It's a lively thing, pretty, reminiscent at times of horse riding. I thought little of it early on, but it grew on me. Then interval and afternoon tea. Then the continuation of an unusually built program. Bach Concerto for Oboe d'amore BMV1055r played by Ben Stewart. Bach is deceptive, sounding lithe and light and bouncy so apparently easy, but it never lets up and there are always some tricky phrases. No less here, especially in the quick first movement. The second is lovely; the third quick again but more malleable. Ben did a great job on his first concerto outing on this relatively rare instrument. Then, to finish, the most challenging piece of the day, Elgar Enigma variations. Everyone knows Nimrod, of course, and it's deliciously inviting. Enigma is a work of 14 variations on a simple theme that's outlined first up with each movement is dedicated or influenced by someone known to Elgar. Some are hugely tricky or quick or varied. There are accelerandoes to cause fear and polyrhythms and all manner of intricacies appearing to just disappear with another variation. Not easy but well known. The orchestra always rises to performance, playing remarkably better on stage. Not professional, of course, but presentable. The feels were solid and time didn't drag although some intonation wasn't quite perfect. But a worthy outing and an excellent immersion in a huge classical program. Thanks to John and all.

Maruki Community Orchestra performed Mussorgsky, Bizet, Bach and Elgar under John Gould (conductor) at the Albert Hall. Ben Stewart (oboe d'amore) soloed in the Bach concerto.

Difference engineers

Sunday afternoon was back at Albert Hall for another orchestral concert, this time with Maruki. So how is this one different? It was oddly arranged with the symphony up first before interval. That may seem trivial but it's a radical departure from the norm. It was done this way as the three shorter works had to go together and the final piece should be Elgar Pomp & Circumstance no.1. That's the Land of Hope & Glory theme and the final tune of Proms at the other Albert Hall (London) and this concert was called Last night Prom. And, finally, because it's fun to singalong with and the tune is so lively and stirring. It was also fast and tricky. The other shorties were Gounod Ballet music from Faust, mostly sight readable except maybe the quick final movement, and Tchaikovsky Marche Slave, which I've played before but still haven't mastered some tricky spots. The symphony was Dvorak 6, intense, committed, very fast even into thumb positions in the final movement, rest-less so the second movement was slower but demandingly passionate, and tricky in often unexpected themes and melodies. Not a work for slouches, but Maruki are not that: John can be expected to call up the big works. Maruki pulled it off not perfectly but surprisingly well. Congrats to all for a very demanding, extensive concert with some seriously demanding works.


Maruki Orchestra played Dvorak 6, Tchaikovsky, Gounod and Elgar at Albert Hall under John Gould (conductor).

Tasking

You can't say that Maruki doesn't challenge itself, or at least that John Gould, conductor and musical director, doesn't challenge his players. Maruki takes on the full deal. I started with Beethoven 5th and did his third soon afterwards.. Otherwise, it's been a string of Dvorak symphonies and others by Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Mozart Requiem and one Bach suite, Pictures at an exhibition and a string of concerti. And Bolero, repetitive but popular as it is. This time was no let-up: Mendelssohn Ruy Blas overture and violin concerto played by John, and Tchaikovsky Symphony no.2. John likes to take on the beg works. It was a hard program, lots of tricky bowing and quick tempi, not least in Ruy Blas. The concerto was perhaps the most difficult I've played as accompaniment. John did an excellent job as always. But he's got a history in the LSO, no less, so there's talent and experience here. You just have to hear his anecdotes at practice to appreciate his background. Maybe not as young and lively as he was, but still with fire and a senior's awareness. And the Tchaikovsky. The Dvorak 4 that we played at the last concert was perhaps my favourite at that time. Now perhaps it's the Tchaikovsky 2 with its unrelenting drive and ongoing sequences. Just get on board; you're in for an exhilarating ride, as long as we can hold it together. And we did, perhaps except for one passage where one section rushed ahead. The clarity and intonation were sometimes a challenge, but this is a community orchestra of all ages taking on the most profound and challenging works. It's a funny feeling when it's over, you stand for the final bow, the wariness and tension relieved, the work of months performed. The audience does its part in clapping, but I find it a strange time, relaxed but not particularly elated, almost ready to think to the next challenge. For Maruki, it's Dvorak 6 and Pomp and Circumstance (a good English crowd pleaser for the run-up to Christmas) and Gounod ballet music. All great fun and excellent training for this game. Well done all in Maruki and looking forward to the next one.

Maruki Community Orchestra performed Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky mostly under John Gould (conductor). The Mendelssohn violin concerto featured John Gould (violin) as soloist under Michael Stenning (conductor).

Much ado 2

I've played jazz for yonks and now classical and I'm amused to find a similar joy and comradeship in both fields. They have lots in common: application to a demanding artform; commitment of significant time, often for little financial reward; inner satisfaction, especially when you play well, or the performers click; shared goals for those who play in ensembles. Of course, they have their differences - reading and interpretation on one side; improv and groove on the other - but they also overlap. I'm finding some technical aspects of my jazz playing benefitting from classical, but finding less time for improv and some jazz-specific matters. But to the matter in hand: a Maruki afternoon playing session. Not a formal practice, but a get together with some chamber charts to sight-read with food and drinks and socialising on the side. I sat out for some that didn't have a bass part, but did manage a few movements of the Trout (the quintessential double bass chamber piece) and most of Dvorak Serenade in E major with several recognisable sections. Somewhat like the Smiths jazz jam session that clashed for time. Players of one field or another enjoying musical interactions. Challenging and fun.

Some members of Maruki Orchestra met for a playing afternoon.