Play it again

This was a fascinating choral outing, perhaps limited in theme and definitely in lyrics but consistent and varied in style and periods.  This was a concert by the Llewellyn Choir under Rowan Harvey-Martin with accompaniment from Anthony Smith and the content was 9 versions of Dona Nobis Pacem (= Give us peace), that hymn sung in Catholic churches, sourced from an earlier Da Pacem Domine taken from various Biblical quotes and finally introduced into the Mass in 687CE.  So it's moderately recent for the oldest institution of the Western World.  Our takes were more recent but to several centuries back.  Famed names including Haydnx2, Grieg, Mozart, JS Bach, Schubert, renowned moderns Vasks, Part, Jenkins, and Margutti and M Franck.  All with an encore of the trad. standard version that the audience was invited to join in on.  That was fun.  Rowan joked that we should know the words.  The styles were varied even if the words weren't and theme was common and apt for the times.  So, a quite intriguing concert of very unusual structure nicely done by this experienced choir.

The Llewellyn Choir performed 9 versions (10 with encore) of Dona Nobis Pacem at All Saints under Rowan Harvey-Martin (director) with accompaniment from Anthony Smith (piano, organ, glockenspiel).

Just how good

Best composition?  I wondered about that but it's a stupid question, especially given my limited knowledge, but my favourite work?  I think so.  I've listed every classical piece I've performed in concert (now 506 with some repeats) and it includes Beethoven 3,4,5,6,7 and plenty more, but my faves are choral and this seems my most memorable of all.  Sitting through Brahms German Requiem by Igitur nos tends to confirm it.  Gloriously rich and attractive, emotionally dense, wonderfully informed bass lines, extensive chromatic and substituting lines, beautiful harmonies in voices to drool over, high sopranos, inventive harmonies and challenging fugues.  I closed my eyes and fell into this density, knowing it well after having played it myself.  I find when I've practised and performed a work, it stays with me, so I know upcoming phasings and predict every line.  Strange that practice, or perhaps performance, can be so permanent.  I can't play from memory but I can revisit and predict a listen.  Hayley did a great job on so many lines, slow or busy as they were.  Otherwise, just a small accompaniment of piano, single strings and woodwinds, 8 players in all in the arrangements, rather than a full orchestra.  And the choir and two soloists, bass and soprano.  Very nice soloists, but I preferred the massed parts, the power and precision and movements of lines in harmony.  My German was nil, so the words were of nothing, but still power remained and glorious, emotional music.  Brahms German Requiem: a work of beauty and huge emotional density.

Igitur Nos performed Brahms German Requiem at Wesley.  Matthew Stuckings (conductor) led a choir of 22 with two vocal soloists, Elsa Huber (soprano) and Colin Milner (baritone) and an octet comprising Rowan Harvey-Martin (violin), Elizabeth Chalker (viola), Alex Voorhoeve (cello), Hayley Manning (bass), Jodie Petrov (flute), Yu-Lan Chan (oboe), Lis Hoorweg (clarinet) and Emily Leong (piano).

Easter story

The Llewellyn Choir was playing an Easter program, Passion and Resurrection, with its generous choir and a soprano for one of the main works and a strings ensemble in accompaniment and alone for one work by Shostakovich, and various other instruments, organ and brass and timpani and even tuned water glassed for two mediative pieces.  Those were interesting, with the singers, females lined up along the left wall and males along the right, with those tuned glasses ringing up front.   These two glass performances opened each half.  Then, in the first half, a waltz by Shostakovich and Lachlan Skipworth Mass for Easter Sunday; in the second half, Elgar Elegy for sting orchestra and Erik Esenvalds Passion and resurrection.  The Shostakovich and Elgar were performed by the string ensemble.  The Passion and resurrection featured firm and dominating soprano solo from Sonia Antiloff and associated quartet, all telling the story of the passion and resurrection.  All under Rowan Harvey-Martin.  So, a major outing by a major local choir and a fitting performance for the time of year.  CJ sadly remembers the loss of friend Annette Quay who sang with the choir.

The Llewellyn Choir performed Eriks Esenvalds, Shostakovich, Lachlan Skipworth and Elgar at the Anzac Chapel, Duntroon, under Rowan Harvey-Martin (conductor) with Sonia Antiloff (soprano), a string ensemble and ANU Orchestra brass.

Orchestral double vision

It's not often you see 2 orchestras in one night, although I noticed Miro called the Jazz orchestra a big band.  Whatever, a classical orchestra and a jazz orchestra/big band are different things.  The fact that the classical orchestra performs on the Llewellyn stage and the jazz orchestra plays in the bar just confirms the different formalities and memberships and musicalities but I love them both and obviously the audience does too.  These were the ANU Orchestra and the ANU Jazz Orchestra performing on one night in the same building.  First up was the classical players under Rowan Harvey-Martin playing Respighi, Vaughan Williams and Kodaly.  I was amused to not know of the Hary Janus suite although a friend knew it best of the 3.  The Respighi was Fountains of Rome and this didn't convince me.  I have lived in Rome for a several  years and seen the fountains frequently and this didn't click for me, but that's composition not performance.  The RVW was Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis interestingly with 3 groups comprising 2 small string sections and soloists.  I was most taken by some lovely solos, not least amongst the violas.  Amusingly, I greeted the basses before the gig and there were 3 (Dave, Mel and Hayley) and none are current students.  Then on to the bar and the big band and some swinging numbers although I didn't catch titles.  Miro was filling in for Greg Stott on the night.  At one stage he invited dances but only one male couple got up, amusing all while displaying some swing dance skills.  I recognised some faces in both orchestras but certainly not all.  Presumably for two reasons: new players in the music school and other ANU students who are taking part, for both orchestras are open for students and others from ANU.  Amusingly, I found I could take a wine into Llewellyn in a plastic glass, so maybe the two venues were more similar than I'd expected.  It's all music, after all, and all music is well suited to lubrication.

The ANU Orchestra under Rowan Harvey-Martin (conductor) performed on stage in Llewellyn Hall.  The ANU Jazz Orchestra under Miroslav Bukovsky (conductor) performed in the Athenaeum.

Battling orchs

It was a night of big but very diverse sounds.  First up a considerable classical orchestral concert by the ANU Orchestra, long enough to deserve an interval.  A few very popular pieces but also somethings new.  Mozart Symphony no.40 Gmin is everybody's but still a great, inviting work.  There were a few movements of concerti, one of clarinet by Weber and the first movement of the famed Elgar cello concerto.  There was a Glanville Hicks Sinfonia de Pacifica which sounded more Asian than islander to my ears and Megan's and an original by a current student, Bartholomew Bunk Alpha and Omega.   I liked this one, clear in intent and capably conventional in structure and obvious in stating the start and end, the alpha and omega.  And a few short but massively popular heavyweights, Copland Fanfare for the common man, with the brass up and behind our heads and the strings looking from stage to upper gallery, and Sibelius Finlandia to end.  A concert of considerable depth but popularity and nicely played with lines clearly expressed if a little reticent at times; nothing unexpected.  Then off to the Athenaeum for a further hour with wines in hand and the chance to clapping the solos with the ANU Jazz Orchestra under Greg Stott.  First up were a few latins and sambas and an interesting contemporary tune nicely using bass bowing at one stage and into standards with vocals, Somewhere over the rainbow and Night and day and an end with Dizzy Gillespie Manteca.  Decent solos and particularly interesting from the percussion/drums section and some lovely, satisfyingly sharp and meaty ensemble work and one deep bari solo which was well done but will always amuse regardless.

A night out in Llewellyn with the ANU Orchestra under Rowan Harvey-Martin and the ANU Jazz Orchestra under Greg Stott.

Young and younger

My God, they are getting younger! We went to the Canberra Youth Orchestra last night and the soloist was a 12 year old who made the rest of the orchestra look like mid-lifers. Christian Li was little, young, wildly capable, a winner of international awards, now studying at ANAM. He played the Bruch violin concerto with confidence and clear virtuosity and an understanding which far passed his years. That was the final piece for the night. Before that, the orchestra itself had performed in full form, a decent size, and we were hugely pleased. Intonation was nice; dynamics impressive (something to learn there!); interpretation apt. Perhaps later, after interval, after we moved and could hear the full ensemble more clearly, I caught some slips or mis-pitches, but minor. The first half was under Max McBride. Then Max retired to the bass section and Rowan Harvey-Martin took the baton. First half was Enescu Romanian rhapsody no.2 and Holst Perfect fool, both little known at least to us. The Holst was quite a strange piece but entertaining in its oddities, fitting the title. The second half was Delius Walk to the Paradise Garden and Bruch Violin concerto no.1 Gmin. Most impressive all round and the group grows younger and younger. But another positive, the numbers: are they growing? It was mentioned by the hosts and I didn't hear a call for violas and basses before this concert. All round, a great listen and a positive local outlook. We hope, as the arts shrinks in governmental thoughts. Carbon prevails, I guess. Proof: the night ended with an announcement to not fret: the hall was not on fire. Just that the smoke from bushfires outside Braidwood had entered the aircon. Outside, it was smokey and ANU alarms were in whooping. Our brave new world.

The Canberra Youth Orchestra performed at Llewellyn Hall under Max McBride and Rowan Harvey-Martin (conductors) with soloist Christian Li (violin).

Our fave Beethoven

ABC ClassicFM has its annual Classic100 awards and this year it was for favourite composer and Beethoven won it. Probably you could have guessed the outcome, but Bach (no.2) and Mozart (no.3) were always runners, too. So it was opportune for the Llewellyn Choir to stage a Beethoven program. The main work was his Mass in C major; the others were Egmont overture and Choral fantasy. It was a great program and wonderfully performed. I hadn't heard the mass, but a mass is inevitably recognisable and thus familiar comprising the same run of titles, and, I guess, text. After all, the Catholic mass is a standardised and repetitive thing with a long history. The Egmont overture is well known but perhaps my least favourite on the night despite the effective performance. The Choral fantasy was new to me and a strange thing harking to the ninth symphony. It's solo piano for the first adagio movement, then into piano accompanied by orchestra and the choral section with two vocal soloists for the last few minutes. Odd and somewhat amusing but with some nice lines and several passages that clearly lead to the choral symphony. Renowned local piano accompanist Anthony Smith appeared as a piano soloist and did a great job. Four soloists appeared in the mass and their voices and interweaving harmonies were a great pleasure. I especially enjoyed Greta's soaring soprano and Paul's firm and strongly enunciated tenor. The Llewellyn Sinfonia was a nicely capable outfit and a great pleasure, obviously brought together for this program but featuring a string of CSO and such players. Nice to see the bass section of Max McBride and Dave Flynn. So, this was a great performance and a huge pleasure and, from the drinks and congratulations after, widely seen as a success. Wonderful and inspiring.

Llewellyn Choir and Sinfonia performed a Beethoven program including his Mass in C major in Llewellyn under Rowan Harvey-Martin (conductor) with soloists Anthony Smith (piano), Greta Claringbould (soprano), Jennifer Bennett (soprano), Ellen Malone (mezzo-soprano), Paul McMahon (tenor), Peter Ellis (tenor) and Christopher Richardson (bass). Lisa Stewart (violin) was concertmaster and Max McBride and David Flynn (basses) filled the bottom end.

Mary and more

We caught L'Enfance du Christ at Wesley, performed by the Llewellyn Choir. It's one of Megan's favourites, although she knows it in the original French. This was in English. I could understand some more, of course, but it's never easy to catch lyrics. Reading some, I'm not sure it mattered. What I read was a strangely domestic thing, just a passage of St Matthew's gospel, in Berlioz's own words, in three parts, telling of Herod's and his massacre of the innocents and the flight into Egypt by Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus and the arrival at Sais. It lasted a little over 90 minutes, with a shorter middle section, apparently written first and expanded for the final work, comprising the most famous tune, the Shepherd's farewell. In addition to the large choir of 80 SATB singers, conductor Rowan Harvey-Martin led five singers (one woman as Mary and four men) and the Llewellyn Sinfonia of 19, mostly made up of CSO players. The work was very attractive and admirably performed so the time went easily and we were treated to three final carols for Christmas, including Silent night where our sing-along was invited. So, a lovely work that I'm very glad I caught, well presented in an intimate venue. Even from the back, we could see enough to be involved even if the choir was offside in the stalls for some of the time. Wonderful.

The Llewellyn Choir and Sinfonia performed L'Enfance du Christ at Welsey under Rowan Harvey-Martin (conductor) with soloists Rebecca Collins, Rohan Thatcher, Andrew Fysh, Michael Wilson and Michael Martin (vocals).

Knowing the Bible better

I knew of Elijah but not his story. Douglas McNicol was Elijah in the Mendelssohn Oratorio with the Llewellyn Choir and Sinfonia under Rowan Harvey-Martin. The other soloists were Rebecca Collins and Christina Wilson and Michael Martin and Charlie Barnes. So, mainly a local affair with numerous recognised faces, but with import DMcN who went through Elder Con with a friend so I knew of Elijah. I didn't know Elijah's story and didn't know Mendelssohn's setting except a few choral pieces that I've sung: He that shall endure to the end and O come everyone that thirsteth. Both are memorable themes that had me lift my ears. We enjoy much music through recognition. If I didn't know it, certainly DMcN did: he carried music under his arm but I didn't notice him reading it and he was the busiest amongst all the singers. Elijah was baritone, supported by tenor, soprano, mezzo-soprano, and, for just a few lines, boy treble. This was a noble and impressive effort and not one for wusses. The program was three hours including the interval. I pondered the style at one stage. It's obviously not baroque, but the bass style is ordered and scalar like baroque and the singing style also neat and even. The big choral sections were a pleasure as these always are, with ~100 singers giving voice. I enjoyed watching RH-M, too, involved and guiding. A big performance of a Biblical story with much satisfaction that deserved a better-informed listener.

Mendelssohn Elijah was performed by the Llewellyn Choir and Sinfonia under Rowan Harvey-Martin (conductor) with Pip Thompson (concertmaster), Anthony Smith (repetiteur) and soloists Douglas McNicol (baritone), Rebecca Collins (soprano), Christina Wilson (mezzo-soprano), Michael Martin (tenor) and Charlie Barnes (treble).