Life and death and entropy

Don't read too much into the title.  I'm reading a book (Hovering / Rhett Davis) and this phrase appeared (p.218) and it seemed to fit CSO's Mozart Requiem concert pretty well.  They played 3 pieces.  First was Mozart Divertimento Dmaj, written at age 16 and thus the life to contrast with the final piece, Mozart Requiem, as the death.  In fact, he famously only wrote part of the work and left sketches for more and nothing for some movements.  Entropy somewhat fits with the middle piece, Australian Corrina Bonshek Dreams of the Earth I for string orchestra, all sounds of the bush and cicadas and if structured, not too obviously, although I did note repeating bass passages.  This was sounds of nature and quite authentic in its impression, concerned with nature as the impressionists were, but quite accurate unlike their take on colour and movement.  The Divertimento was a lively and relatively light piece and nicely done, although I did feel some it a bit untogether, perhaps in diverse lines in the composition, but nothing at all of the sort for the Requiem.  To my ears and closed eyes that was a stunning, hugely dynamic with the quieteest passages looming then exploding, solo voices clear and choral passages massive and touching.  The movements are from the Catholic mass.  CSO played with a choir of ~50 and 4 vocal soloists and the orchestra as scored, 2 basset horns, 2 bassoons, three trombones, timpani, violins and violas and continuo comprising cellos, basses (3) and organ.  So not huge in volume but apt.  I sat eyes closed for most of the work, stunned by the effectiveness and power and the capable performance, indulging in the immnse beauty of it all, lusting over the fugues.  How I love fugues.  CSO did themselves proud.

Canberra Symphony Orchestra performed Mozart Divertimento and Requiem and Corrina Bonshek at Llewellyn Hall. Erin Helyard (conductor) led soloist singers Sara Macliver (soprano), Ashlyn Tymms (mezzo-soprano), Louis Hurley (tenor) and Christopher Richardson (bass-baritone), Kristen Williams (violin, concertmaster) and the CSO chorus prepared by Tobias Cole (chorus master).

Both sorrow and joy

It's coming on Easter (another nebulous reference to Joni Mitchell) so it's time for the dolorous strains of the Stabat Mater. Not something to josh about. Stabat Mater dolorosa is a theme that's widely composed (600 versions is mentioned in the program): intimate and profound, a recounting of mother Mary below the cross of Christ. With any mother it would be a painful image. We heard Boccherini's 1781 version to text attributed to Jocopone da Todi for the 13th century. Sara Macliver sang with accompaniment from the Australian Haydn Ensemble. A work of ~45 minutes of both sorrow and redemptive joy. I found it surprisingly uncomplicated musically, or at least technically, and maybe that's apt for real passion. The rest of the program was Mozart and Boccherini. B's Flute quintet in G minor, then a string of arias and the Divertimento from strings in Bb from Mozart. One aria, Laetari iocari from Apollo and Hyacinth, was written by Mozart at age 11 (!) and was a bravura demonstration of quick, neat and accurate voice production, fast arpeggios and terrific control. It was fun to hear the ex-chorists in the break lauding Sara's control. The AHE is always a huge pleasure, bringing together informed programming and wonderfully capable playing of the baroque and early classical repertoire that it explores. I particularly follow Jacqueline on bass for her delicate phrasing and some awesomely rapid lines when called for. Also close to the bass end is Anthony on cello, playing with careful distinction. I loved one line well into the thumb position that he played unison with first violin and musical director, Skye. It was intriguing to notice how he prepared for a line, quietly plucking a string in the background to ensure a prominent entry pitch was right. The two violins, Skye and Simone worked neatly together. I find it intriguing to compare tones of violin pairs in small ensembles like this and I've noticed the differences before. In this case, Skye's tone appeared more mellow than Simone's. James rounded out the strings on his new viola. Lovely to hear the embellishments of harmonies from this internally placed instrument. Melissa played her period flute on several works, not least the flute concerto, of course, but not for the whole program. I immensely enjoy this tone that works well with gut to place the sound of the ensemble. AHE is drawn from all ends of the world: based in Sydney; Sara was invited from Perth; Jacqueline and Anthony are now resident in London but relatively frequent returnees. Another wonderful concert from these mates. The next Stabat Mater for me is jsut a few weeks off: Pergolesi's with a few excerpts from Vivaldi's by Adhoc Baroque on 22 March.

Sara Macliver (soprano) sang with the Australian Haydn Ensemble at University House at ANU. AHE were Skye McIntosh (violin, musical director), Simone Slattery (violin), James Eccles (viola), Anthony Albrecht (cello), Jacqueline Dossor (bass) and Melissa Farrow (flute).

Decorous not stuffy

I had two stellar groups I wanted to catch recently, Tallis Scholars and the Academy of Ancient Music. I had a gig when Tallis were performing so missed them (as I did for another last night when the ACO performed Mozart’s clarinet concerto). But I caught AAM with Australian singer Sara Mcliver. I took a while to settle in, but then I realised just how perfectly integrated were these musicians. Their sense of timing and balance and note formation and decay were excellent. Phrases just died in perfect synch. They played Locke instrumental suite form the Tempest and Purcell (excerpts from the Fairy Queen and Arne Overture no.6 Bb and a series of songs or hymn by Handel. The theme was of theatrical music of the era, around mid1600s to early 1700s, introduced as preparatory to Gilbert and Sullivan and even Andrew Lloyd Webber. Locke was entered into with a warning, that he’s “certainly not easy listening … quite weird” - the words of director and harpsichordist Richard Egarr. I found it the most satisfying of the works, with angular lines, counterpoint, odd harmonies. The others were neat and obviously works of expertise, but they were also predicable. Hear one line and you could guess the next. I felt just a little disappointed, but the performance was superb. The early oboes were delightful; the bass was big and omnipresent and the bassoon cut through clearly. Not sure the theorbo / lute was too aurally prominent although it’s an amazing visual presence. I loved watching Paula’s fingers as they formed over the theorbo’s fretted neck, as I enjoyed he relaxed precision of Judith on double bass (four string). There were occasional squeaks, which are the way with period instruments, and the bows were old-style French and the cello was held between legs with no end pin. Blokes wore morning suits, although without waistcoat (English informal, I guess) and the women were similarly attired, but this was not stuffy. The English do this nicely, decorous but jaunty, so I wasn’t surprised by Judith resetting her hairpin in a break in performance. And I should mention the David’s glorious trumpets. He had two, both long and probably without valves. I guess these are natural trumpets, in different keys, played like a bugle, but they seemed to have an almost complete chromatic range. And Richard on harpsichord. I strained for this, other than a feature solo that was besieged with notes. He sat with back and tails to the audience, leading his ensemble, all the world like images of baroque orchestras, which it was, of course. Sara Mcliver performed for most of the program. Clear high notes and coloratura virtuosity. I lost some of the lower notes, but it must be hard for soloists to avoid indulging their preferred ranges.

Some of the music had a predictability as the theatrical music of its day, but I loved the precision and casual professionalism of it all. These are masters from a centre of the art, England and the Barbican and Cambridge University and it shows. This is their 40th anniversary tour. The Academy of Ancient Music were Richard Egarr (harpsichord, director), Pavlo Beznosiuk, Colin Scobie, Iwona Muszynska, Bojan Cicic, Rebecca Livermore, William Thorp (violins), Jane Rogers (viola), Joseph Crouch (cello), Judith Evans (double bass), Frank de Bruine, Lars Henriksson (oboes), Ursula Leveaux (bassoon), David Blackadder (trumpet), Paula Chateauneuf (lute). Sara Macliver (soprano) sang.