Out of the woodwork

I'd only heard Jacob Wu as an organist and then as one of 12 from the ACT Organ School.  But then I heard this concert, on piano, of Chopin and Liszt, and it was seriously a blowout.  The works were major, Chopin Piano sonata no.2 Bbmin and Liszt Ballade no.2 Bmin.  Ballade?  The intensity and cloudy sheathes of arpeggios and forceful statements and cascades of descending chords and the occasional delicate melody and the final gentler resolution spoke strongly and demanded virtuosity.  Jacob played from memory and with fitting application.  Stunning.  And that after Chopin, again a work of virtuosity and intensity, of rippling arpeggios and 2 and 4 feels and handfulls of notes and again still and contemplative melodies in quiet passages and again application and memory.  Maybe more organ-like was the Marche funebre mvt.III, that quintessential funeral theme played for Churchill, Kennedy, Brezhnev, Andropov and many more.  But mostly not like a work of organ so somewhat unexpected but mightily admired.  I was nowhere near the only one be floored.  This was a musical blast and a virtuosic tempest.  Seriously well done.  BTW, JC is a current ANU music student.  It bodes well.

Jacob Wu (piano) played Chopin and Liszt at Wesley.

Chortles

Brindabella Orchestra played on Sunday and I sat it.  Nice program, nicely developed orchestra with Shilong Ye as the current conductor, nice cello solo on a Dvorak Rondo for cello and orchestra and overall a great little program.  None too difficult but musically interesting.  More Dvorak with a few Slavonic dances and Gounod Faust for more dances, although more balletic in style.  Both those were lively outings.  Faure Pavane was mightily different.  Not hard but demanding soft, responsive pizz throughout and really quite beautiful.  I relax with pizz, being a jazzer, but it taxes my sense of time.  I do tend to sit ahead of the beat in jazz to drive the swing, but classical requires pizz right on the beat and it can be unforgiving as pizz from a string of instruments arrive at different times.  It can happen.  The Cello Rondo, too, had some lovely touches, bowed, but reminiscent of pizz, a two feel that moved behind the cello melody from solid and tight to bouncy and balletic.  It was a very satisfying change and a similar thing appeared in our last work, Brahms Academic Festival Overture.  It's the third time I've played this in concert so my understanding is expanding.  Brahms is perhaps my favourite composer, not for difficult or busy lines but for clever constructions and variations.  AFO is a hoot, they say drinking songs and the university theme song, written to announce his honorary doctorate.  It just seems like all manner of styles and snippets thrown in together, brilliantly contrived, gorgeously humourous, mostly pretty playable, but a few testing syncopations and descending themes.  Great stuff.  It often brought me a chortle at the audaciousness of it all.  Thus another concert much enjoyed. Thanks to Brinda and Shilong and Sam and Celeste who invited me.

Brindabella Orchestra performed Dvorak, Faure, Gounod and Brahms at the Weston Community Hub.  Shilong Ye (conductor) led and Sam Payne (cello) soloed on Dvorak Rondo op.94.

How many?

Now this was fun.  Six is the musical story of the six wives of Henry VIII.  We went on advice from a musical-theatre friend and it was a ball.  Nothing like the serious classical stuff. This was theatre as Reality Game show with six contestants telling and singing their stories, here all related.  And it was a women's event.  Women were mightily represented in the audience, the six wives were obviously women, but so were the four Ladies in Waiting (the band) and even the sound and lighting guys were gals.  There was a feminist theme at the end, well observed but none too strongly stated, and a good deal of competition between the six (I thought of another word to my shame).  Not that there weren't males involved (the writer was a bloke and there are others amongst the "creatives") but the women's theme was maintained.  The songs were modern pop, so lively and harmonised and thumpy, and the six were on stage for the whole 75 minutes, singing or reciting or harmonising or dancing (mostly all at once) and generally working their hearts out.  We went to the 6pm session and they were on stage again that night.  It's not a long show but it is energetic.  But they were trained for this: the dancing was impressive, the harmonies were neat, some were better solo singers than others but they all used their voices well.  And the band was there but not too obvious, except for their  introductions with the searing guitar and slapping bass and thumpy flashy drums.  We were involved and conversed with (much more than just "Hello Canberra") and the audience was onside and standing to dance at the end.  And the staging was drenched in bright light, sometimes flashed with tight sound, very strongly feeling like the proscenium that this theatre is, or perhaps like a TV.  As in Reality...  Did I mention that we enjoyed it?  Yeah, I did and we all did.  Walking out with a jump in our steps, with Megan telling me of the survivor and her life-love and later husband who she found in flagrante delicto with future queen Elizabeth.  And how the story was pretty well told.  So huge fun well done and true too.  What's not to like?

Six was performed at the Canberra Theatre.  The six wives were played by Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Catherine of Aragon), Kala Gare (Anne Boleyn), Loren Hunter (Jane Seymour), Kiana Daniele (Anna of Cleves), Chelsea Dawson (Katherine Howard) and Vidya Makan (Catherine Parr).  The Ladies in waiting were Clare Healey(MD, keys), Kathryn Stammers (drums), Debbie Yap (guitar) and Amanda Jenkins (bass).

PS.  Obviously better pics at their website

Much nylon

Today's Wesley was a six string of classical guitars from ANU, mostly playing solo but one trio.  Playing Bach and various Spanish and Latin American composers.  It's a common repertoire for this instrument and attractive.  I thought at one stage of guitar as one of those instruments that's a "whole orchestra".  I say that about piano and it's the great instrument of this type, but guitar does it too.  I think it's the ability to play multiple lines, melodies and chords, contrasting harmonies and even sometimes rhythms.  I felt that in some of the Spanish styles, if less in Bach.  Three of the four finished the concert with an intriguing trio piece that was very different, not least for being an ensemble work.  First up a bass line and opening chords that suggesting blues changes then into more classical structures, then passing melodies and accompaniment between the players with short stops for thematic and role changes.  The work was Maximo Diego Pujol Fin de Siglo (1995).  That's one to chase up.  So an interesting survey of classical guitar by a capable quartet of players.

Abel Lawson, Hong Anh Do, Benjamin van der Niet and Shane Campbell (classical guitars) played Bach and more at Wesley.

Aussie, French, Czech

Someone couldn't use a ticket so I got to a Selby concert.  It was Selby on piano with her selection for this concert, a piano quartet, violin, viola, cello.  And it was a quite a worthy set of players and instruments, not least SSO and Brodsky Quartet amongst many others.  The mention of instrument makers had me listening for preferences.  I particularly liked the Guadagnini violin and found the Amati viola somewhat nondescript, but there are so many factors.  Not least Llewellyn Hall which always seems cavernous and particularly so for this lineup.  They played Stanhope, Faure and Dvorak in that order and that's the order of my preferences.  From talking with other audience, I got the feeling Dvorak was the fave and Stanhope the unwelcome.  Certainly he was different, all odd counts and more modern harmonies.  I found myself trying to count while phrases seemed to fall as 5 then 5 then 4 then whatever, but probably sitting within 4/4 bars.  I was not sure but intrigued.  The Faure was also soft but, given the informed introductions to each piece, had me thinking French vs German and I could feel the difference and that intrigued me.  Then Dvorak, with pretty simple underlying chord structures and mostly predictable parts over.  There were some spots I warmed to (mvt.4?) but mostly it just seemed obvious stuff.  This music has gone on for a few centuries and can become ordinary without the churn of change to disrupt and enliven it.  But just my uninformed musicological thoughts.  The works were Paul Stanhope My song in love unknown (2000), Faure Piano quartet no.1 Cmin, Dvorak Piano quartet no,2 Ebmaj.  Comfy keys...

Kathryn Selby (piano) convened Andrew Haverson (violin), Tobias Breider (viola) and Miles Mullin-Chivers (cello) at Llewellyn to play Stanhope, Faure and Dvorak.

And basketball

Today at Wesley, another student, this time Year 10, again a student of Jinbo Huang and a competition winner and wonderful pianist and with an entertaining and varied program.  Damien Ruan played a solid hour of solo piano: sonatas from Haydn and Scarlatti, themes from Grieg and Debussy and a crowd favourite from Chopin, his Military waltz op.40 no.1.  There was a lot of melody here, lots of open handed chords, hands over, fast and furious but also those killer tunes, so the program was a great pleasure.  The Grieg was his Wedding Day at Trolhaugen, instantly recognised like the Chopin.  And he played it all with skill and aplomb.  And he plays trombone in local concert bands ... and basketball and Taekwondo.  Kids with talent.  I admire their seriousness but also their easy-going commitment.  A blast; thanks Damien.

Damien Ruan (piano) played at Wesley.

Diversity

Well I dropped my phone and cracked its screen as I waited to enter The Great Divide, a CIMF concert at the Fitters' Workshop, but I came around in the end.  It was an intriguing mix of styles and they shouldn't really work but they did.  First up was Luminescence Chamber Singers directed by Roland Peelman singing mediaeval Spanish cantigas and Portuguese motets.  Six singers, 3 men, 3 women, occasional percussion and foot stamping, religious themes of Mary and women variously as saviours and whores, so clearly unwelcome in today's thought.  I was amused or maybe concerned with women singing this stuff, even as we realise the diverse times and thinking, this being a very earthy and religious age, but the historical denigration of woman's role was pretty obvious.  Strange and confronting to our ears and yet would have been unquestionable in those days, I guess.  Then an interval and a wine and I could forget the phone for a few minutes and I was intrigued by Jason Noble playing Steve Reich New York Counterpoint on clarinet.  I wondered how it would be accepted in this crowd, given he was plugged in, effected, multitracked, whatever.  I asked him later; if I got it right it was 8 clarinets plus two bass clarinets, all multitracked and no effects, just the rich resonances of the space.  I enjoyed that.  Then Orava playing Shostakovich String Quartet Gmaj no.6.  Again I felt some discomfort around me at the quite difficult melodies but I enjoyed it immensely.  Nicely expressed, accurately intoned, earthily bowed and intriguing as a composition ("a masterpiece of Soviet optimism post-Stalin" / CIMF concert program).  So a fascinating and satisfying concert if the lead-up was less pleasing.

The Luminiscence Chamber Singers under Roland Peelman (director), Jason Noble (clarinet) and Orava String Quartet performed at the Fitters' Workshop for the Canberra International Music Festival 2022.  Luminescence comprised AJ America, Veronica Milroy, Dan Walker, Lucien Fischer, Jack Stephens and Roberta Diamond.  Orava comprise Daniel Kowalik and David Dalseno (violins), Thomas Chawner (viola) and Karol Kowalik (cello).

Red flagging it

It was May Day and it's a strange and forgotten event in these days of neo-liberalism and post-Economic Left and almost post-unions but I was amused by a Red Flag carried outside the windows of Smiths and the bloke came in.  He was a lifetime unionist and maintaining whatever rage is possible these days and a nice guy and there were plenty of others, surprisingly there from the very start and they saw The Pots.  The Pots appeared as the first act.  I had another appointment so Nigel gave me the opening spot.  I was performing a few songs from my albums with DJ deck and mic and just for a lark I ran The Internationale (Russian version, huge choir) as a lead in.  Given the age of the audience, I reckon they recognised it.  Playing it to our kids and their friends later, it's clear it's forgotten.  Then on to Hope%less ("This is coal, don't be afraid, don't be scared") and Double down (general rant) and Power (Trump and his Bible).  I got some applause and hopefully my listeners will increase (Spotify: recently +400% to 5 monthly listeners! Next month?).  I would have liked to stay; its good manners to stay for the other performers at these events.  I did hear Karlo Paarsonen singing some very amusing lefty numbers, including with singalongs, then had to leave as a woman was introducing a song about the Tolpuddle Martyrs.  I knew the name but again I doubt my kids' generation would.  So history goes, gone and forgotten, with ideologies and inequalities, but it was a good turnout and I enjoyed my rant on stage.  And good on the singers preparing outside, not least Mel.  And  again I missed Cuddlefish...

Smiths staged Songs of Protest for May Day (1 May).  Eric Pozza (DJ deck, spoken word) opened as The Pots.  Karlo Paarsonen (vocals, domra?) performed and was followed by numerous others.  Mel Kordek (guitar, vocals) was amongst the singers outside.

Done!

There were seven days of Creation and they were covered within parts 1 and 2 of Haydn's Creation at the Canberra International Music Festival, if I got the lyrics right.  So what of part 3, after the interval?  It may have been Adam and Eve enjoying each other, for there were some lyrics thus suggesting.  But then I didn't get all the lyrics.  I was entranced by the truly excellent bass playing of Kirsty McCahon sitting tall and up front and I didn't catch much of the rest.  Even the whales that James mentioned at interval.  Well, maybe they were a big bass part (?) but I was just watching the bowing and hearing the incredible projection of one baroque, presumably gut, bass amongst such a large ensemble and the way she seemed to almost ignore the music and look around constantly.  I downloaded the music this morning and it's not so difficult to read, being baroque, but still, I was in awe.  But otherwise, the individual singers were very good to great, the chorus was impeccable, the orchestra based on the Australian Haydn Ensemble was tight and expressive and Chad, who I drove the other day, the keyboardist, was Euro-confident and again someone who knows when to raise his head from the music, the baroque horns just sounded great and Roland was his hyper-energetic self as conductor and driver of it all.  I was in awe from the first few minutes from the tightness and clarity and precision and overwhelming baroque beauty, and it just continued for the two-or-so hours of the performance, but then, for the sake of the occasion and the musical beauty, I was prepared to ignore some distinctly dated, particularly non-feminist awareness.  Did I say I enjoyed it?  Yeah, and the bassist was good too.

Haydn Creation (Die Schöpfung) was performed at the Canberra International Music Festival by Roland Peelman (conductor), Skye McIntosh (concert master and leader of the...) Australian Haydn Ensemble, Chad Kelly (keyboard), Alexandra Oomens (soprano), Andrew Goodman (tenor), James Ioelu (bass), Sydney Chamber Choir (vocals) with Kirsty McCahon (double bass).

Not a waltz in sight

Chopin means waltzes to me and to lots of others who did piano as a kid, but Stuart Long opened my eyes and ears.  I should have known better.  Well, it was still solo piano, virtuosic and perhaps showy, romantic, but this was  a string of works that were much more demanding, even despite the inconsequential titles.  Lots sounded like dances like my waltzes, mazurkas or ballades or somewhat related  nocturnes, but then the preludes and fantasies and etudes suggest something else, even if only something pianistic and technical.  Certainly the etude was technical but one Ballade (op.2 no.38 was taken from a heroic ballad and had intriguing internal movements and developed big emotional power and one Prelude (Dbmaj op.10 no.15) was supposedly a translation of nature's harmonies.  But the biggie of the day was a Fantasie (op.49) which was a response to a Russian invasion of Poland, perhaps his finest work, with patriotic Polish song and meditation and tragic emotions and FC (=Frederic Chopin) as its first notes.  And then a finish on a famous and hugely pretty Nocturne (Ebmaj op.9 no.1) which we all know and deservedly love.  So, a different Chopin played by a mighty local player with commitment and passion and skill.  Thanks to Stuart.  Another winner from such an obvious source.

Stuart Long (piano) played Chopin at Wesley.

Do

There are various thoughts I have with our Smiths visit by Matilda and Carl.  It's a return from Berlin, so international, probably somewhat delayed by Covid.  And a tour from throughout Australia, with input from Sydney and Perth.  It's a blast from the past, as I remember Carl and Matilda as students here at the ANU.  It puts a local and informal tinge on a devastating concert.  The immense skills but also the careful expression of them, so nothing seemed showy even as it was virtuosic.  I got taken aback or just amused by some overwhelming fills or licks from Carl or Hugh or that kick-heavy thump with complexity but inevitability from Ben.  And the wonderful richness of jazz applied to emotionally-rich lyrics from Matilda's first set, and even the raunchy and one somewhat comical expletive-laden rant (humour with a cutting edge, think Carl even if Matilda sang).  That last is one for an E-symbol in Spotify.  Hard to miss!  But I dearly love this interplay of pop and jazz with the breathtaking jazz-informed solos and the words to spread further, to speak to a newer listening cohort.  I remain in awe the next morning.  Just breathtaking.

Matilda Abraham (vocals, midi) led one set with Carl Morgan (guitar, bass, vocals), Hugh Barrett (keys, synth bass) and Ben Vanderwal  (drums, midi, vocals) at Smiths.  Carl led the second set with the same players as Dodo.

Young

Young players do sound different from older players.  I caught Charles Huang once again and he's certainly a capable player despite his (very) young years; now 11.  It doesn't limit his memory, for he played with no music.  Or the music he takes on, because he played Bach an Chopin and Debussy and Haydn: seriously the masters of the craft.  Or his skills for he plays the stuff with tons of speed and easy facility.  Or his success, having completed his AMusA (age 9!) and having won plenty of first places at the National Eisteddfod.   And that's not the least, as he also excels at Chess.  Some serious admiration is due.  And the music was lovely and inviting, both in choice and in performance.  So he's seriously good and the music was seriously satisfying, even if kids never quite play like seasoned adults with some life under their belts.  So see Charles while he's young because he's sensational now and will likely get even better.  I am in awe.

Charles Huang (piano) played Bach, Haydn, Debussy and Chopin at Wesley.

Bec Fest

The final NAFF session was a Bec Taylor feature, maybe not meant that way, but it's how it turned out.  She's a prolific and talented thing, singing and songwriting and playing piano and guitar and mandolin and drums for a solo set and with three other bands.  And with a cute 5-month old in tow.  I have felt that tug of parenthood and I could understand her response in her songs and her patter.  So her songwriting rang true to me.  Not just that, but her other instruments were perfectly capable and with piano as a real strength.  The change was visceral when she moved from mostly strummed guitar to piano, as she spelt out chords and internal movements and bass embellishments and the rest.  And she only confirmed it on piano with Hashemoto, belting out rhythms and apt solos and even a dissonant breakdown at one spot.  Loved it.  And her voice, too of course.  Nice and capable but a star as a high voice amongst the guys, a sweet sharp soprano octave.  And she's a character on stage, a real powerhouse.  Then the bands.  First up, Hashemoto, perhaps my favourite set on the day.  I found it both musically sophisticated, with odd times and solid beats and three part harmonies and interesting themes and that double bass and a lovely strong tenor voice.  I say tenor because of the care and presentation as much as the pitch.  Has he studied voice?  Dunno, but it worked a treat.  Getting back to Bec, though, I should highlight her emotionally intriguing lyrics.  Not just for her new life as a mother, but for any number of personally-based stories.  She spoke of such lyrics as displaying a kernel of truth with the imagination allowed to run wild, so songs are not too biographical and exposing.  Wise.  Then a comment on the role of a producer, to tell it as it is.  Again, wise.  But always with a cover of good will and humour.   And I noticed how her lyrics had rhyme but it wasn't intrusive, rather serving.  Again, clever.  Back to Hashemoto.  I once made a connection to The Beatles.  I still see the complexity of song, think Paul or followers Crowded House and the like, where lyrics define musical structure for lyrics should define a song as purpose should define politics (sorry, I digress but given the times we are in...).   Then Bec on drums behind Jason Recliner.  Well this is one I have never heard.  Front man Jeff Thompson seemed to run it, perhaps write it, with a country background and simpler rocky structures and again impressive, humourous but substantial lyrics with 3/4 part harmonies.  Clever, informed, amusing in words and presence: "Your confidence will get you nowhere / because I have been there", "I could be your pocket fox / using origami on me".  Then to end with more lyrics.  The final band was a mix of students and seniors called Gwen and singing the poetry of Gwen Harwood, Tasmanian poet.  Interestingly, complete with an associated Gwen zine with QR code handouts.  Cool.  And an interesting musical outing with Bec and Jeff and presumably Jeff's daughter Maia and Deb and Sango and those perceptive words of Gwen.  Not that I caught them all.  So, a wonderful afternoon of varied entertainment with that Bec theme and ever worthy lyrics.  Quality stuff.

Bec Taylor performed solo (voice, guitar, piano) and with the three bands.  Hashemoto were Damo Flanagan (guitar, vocals), Bec Taylor (piano, vocals), Potsy Webber (bass, vocals).  Jason Recliner were Jeff Thomson (guitar, vocals), Brad Moore (guitar, vocals, pipe), Pete Lyons (bass, vocals), Bec Taylor (drums, mandolin, vocals).  Gwen were Maia Thompson (mandolin, vocals), Bec Taylor (mandolin, vocals), Jeff Thompson (guitar, vocals), Deb Cleland (bass, vocals) and Sango Mahanty (drums, vocals).

revolutionaries

We were being revolutionary in the ACT sense, performing at Smiths' National Anti-Folk Festival, day 3. I was there to perform one song from my home-studio identity, The Pots, as an adjunct to MDM Nightingale, a mate from Melbourne.  The acts all had an hour slot (even if some were careless) and I only stayed for 3 and a bit, but what impressed me was the variation, not just the quality.  First up was Mdm Nightingale with her electronic pop.  I love pop and Phaedra does a great take on it.  I wish her the best.  Then Robbie Mann on clarinet, a secondary instrument to his stride piano, with Liam O'Connell on a century-old guitar sounding all the world like the era.  They played early jazz styles, first up Bill Bailey.  Nicely done.  Then a guitar trio, a la Hendrix and the like, Transista Groove.  I'd heard of them but not heard them, or essentially anyone quite so loud and guitary, for some time.  Mostly originals, I think, with a homage to Led Zeppelin called Lez Zeppelin, apparently with lyrics fully derived from the titles of LZ songs.  I felt the lyrics worked well and quite casually, so hard to believe this was only song names, but there are many LZ albums so maybe.  They finished with a cover, starting with riff from Chain, I think, then into Voodoo Chile.  Hendrix suited them to a tee.  Then just a first song from singer songwriter James Cahill.  He was described as acoustic tales and tunes, and the storytelling was clear and telling.  I was impressed even if I heard little.  There had been two previous NAFF sessions and this one was to go on for four more acts and just those four had been of considerable quality.  And another session... Clever town.

Amongst many others, Madame Nightingale, The Pots, Robbie Mann, Liam O'Connell, Transista Groove and James Cahill performed for the National Anti-Folk Festival at Smiths.

Chuckles

Jessica Cottis is our local orchestra's chief conductor and musical director but she didn't make this concert.  She was isolating for Covid.  So our sit-in was Fabian Russell and he complemented the CSO and did a wonderful job up front despite only learning of some of the music in recent days.  And his complements were deserved in my book.  The CSO was big, ~65 players, and they filled Llewellyn and played well, neat intonation, great dynamics, convincing renditions.  Maybe the best I've heard form them.  And it was no slouch program.  Wagner Tristan and Isolde Prelude; Margaret Sutherland violin concerto, Bernard Hermann Vertigo suite (very convincing and obviously different as so filmic) and Mendelssohn symphony no.5 Reformation.  Having said I liked the playing and enjoyed the concert, I did have favourites.  Wagner, yeah, and the violin concerto, if mainly for the playing.  Courtney Cleary played the solo and did it with confidence and commitment; nice.  But otherwise, it sounded marchy to me, perhaps apt given her experience of wartimes; the concerto is from 1960. Then the second half, and Vertigo, as in the film.  Just great and convincing.  I enjoyed this one for its drama and tension.  Then Mendelssohn.  Not a great fave.  It was written early with all melody and little vertical, harmonic complexity (except maybe later in the third of four movements).  But I'm a bassist and I couldn't be anything but impressed with this quick phrasings demanded of the five bottom enders, I think in unison with the cellos. Exhilarating, if mostly scalar.  But I enjoyed that and the basses did it was admirable clarity and no hesitation.  I could only leave with chuckle.  Nice outing, this one.

Canberra Symphony Orchestra played Wagner, Sutherland, Hermann and Mendelssohn under replacement Fabian Russell (conductor) and with soloist Courtney Cleary (violin) and five basses.