MUSIC REVIEWS - CONCERTS Tony Sims B.Sc[Hons]* I am both musically illiterate & painfully ignorant of the technical side of music creation. These are obvious limitations. Yet, I enjoy concerts very much and wish to put my thoughts of them on paper. Read at your own peril. You are warned. * In Geology. |
... Below, this box, are the Concert reviews of 2003. To Concert Review copied from |
CONCERT REVIEWS Saturday 30th August 2003ad Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. Paul Dombrecht - Guest Director & Baroque Oboe Soloist. City Recital Centre, Angel Place. It was the final concert, so I forced myself - and despite my infected sinus, fatigue and general despair, the music lifted me to an ethereal level of mental pleasure! And this music is mostly dance music: one's foot is set a-tapping; one's body is fain to rise and flow with the melody & rhythm! Georg Philip Telemann: French influenced say the Programme notes. To me it sounded typical Telemann: joyful, precocious music; with clever phrasing, so that each of the instruments could be heard with its own voice. Paul Dombrecht was one of the three Oboists, which instruments played often as one. Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco: Dall'Abaco was new to me. It was very pleasant and intelligent music, which impressed me greatly, such that I wish to have some of his work on CD. I was greatly intrigued in the way he made the Baroque Guitar clearly heard, especially in the slow movement where it was often the lead. The Baroque Guitar was dropped from Orchestras even before the Classical Period, as it is such a soft instrument; so Dall'Abaco's scoring of all the instruments to make this possible, speak most highly of his ability. Tomaso Albinoni: There is a sweetness and gentle inner joy that comes from an Albinoni Concerto, and especially from his famed talent with the Adagio. A shimmering transcedence! Antonio Vivaldi: Good. And yet the transference of the second Violin to the Cello did not always work. It is hard to say quite why. Peter, who was in my row, said it was the slower phrasing which did not echo well. But I think it was also the lower range phrasing, strange as it may seem, which caused some problems. Still, I enjoyed it and praise Jamie Hey, with his five string Cello, for the effort. Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco: A similar work to that in the first half of the concert. Yet, it was even better! The final Movement had a most unBaroquelike series of dramatic stops, the first of which fooled me and others into early applause. This is a most joyous work. Alessandro Marcello: What a contrast - it sounds almost stilted, after all that riotous dancing. But, especially in the 2nd & 3rd movements, there is a most charming beauty. ======================== The éncore was from an Oratorio of Handel's - I missed which one that Paul Dyer said - but with Paul Dombrecht's Oboe replacing the voice. An excellent end to an excellent evening's music. Review written by Tony Sims. Early Evening, Sunday 31st August 2003. ================================== Monday 28th July 2003ad Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by David Robertson. Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. Edvard Grieg: This is the first time I had heard any of the Peer Gynt Suite in a live concert. I felt that I actually began to really understand this Suite for the first time. "Morning Mood" is rather slight and trivial, although like all the movements in this Suite, it is well crafted, with the musical ideas adroitly sliding from instrument to instrument. "Aesa's Death" is truly tragic and the best of these movements to my mind. With "Anitra's Dance" I detected an ironic humour, which I had never noticed in it heretofore. And this is without knowing Grieg's caustic comments on this "Dance", as I only purchased the Programme at interval. "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" is undeniably a highly entertaining little composition: it's charm and charisma is highly invigorating! ... In short, it is good to play Peer Gynt, since it is popular with the general public, and somewhat better than its reputation amongst the dedicated "Classicist". Jean Sibelius: Wonderful Violin Concerto! The soloist is required to a quick fingers pace, without yet racing. In this, the slight Elizabeth Batiashvili succeeded! The intense emotional changes, which have at times, the Violin soaring almost alone, almost shrill; then soon after, the whole Orchestra thunders as to make the stage shake. I was in the front row, a little to the soloist's right, and was able to see the music cause a rippling in her strong shoulder muscles, which were revealed by her backless green satin dress. Carl Nielson: New to me. The programme notes said that it was his response to "The Great World". But it was a triumphal response, an overcoming of the angst. Review written by Tony
Sims. "Peer Gynt" - Early Evening, Tuesday 5th
August 2003. ================================== Saturday 7th June 2003ad Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Conducted by Herbert Blomstedt. Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. Wolgang Amadeus Mozart: I was right up the back row, ie "Y". This is a long way back [above the level of those clear plastic discs, each suspended on three thin wires], yet the acoustics are good and I heard the work clearly. The vast cavern in front of me, with the Hall only about a quarter full, made me feel ashamed and embarassed. This was an excellent performance of Mozart's "Jupiter" and deserved a full house! Richard Strauss: I have rarely taken much notice of Richard Strauss. His demand for such large Orchestras, plus his perceived by me: pomposity of personality, if not of music. What negative attitudes I had developed regarding Richard Wagner, culled from what passing comments read or heard, from where I know not; seemingly were doubled upon the head of poor Richard Strauss; both as the perceived apprentice of the master; and as the second generation of the Strauss Family. The music of his Uncle and Father I always had, and still do, regard as slight; and quite unfairly I let his mere surname reflect upon my apprecaition of his compositions. This day it was all blown away! This Tone Poem is utterly brilliant! The way that Strauss has successfully matched different parts of this work is astounding. At times there is the volume of an orchestra, so large it barely fitted on the stage: full strings, two harps and God knows what else lurked out of my vision! At other times, the only sound was the solo violin of the Concertmaster, Sebastian Breuninger. Yet it all combined most naturally. I moved to the lowest floor after interval [well below the level of those clear plastic discs, each suspended on three thin wires], to the western end of the hall, six rows back from the stage. From my seat, I saw clearly the playing of Breuninger. A direct view indeed, which was illuminating. The Orchestra as a whole, played, despite their size, with a precise timing which was amazing; made more astonishing by their ability to collectively and individually capture exactly the right emotion with the touch of hand or bow on string, or breath on reed. They were utterly brilliant, the best I have ever heard in live performance. For the first time ever I gave a standing ovation. Sydneysiders seem reluctant to give such; and the unsureness & apprehension with which many stood, then sat, and stood again, confirmed this. I suspect most strongly I was not the only virgin standing ovationer. What those lounging with empty heads at home, watching footy on the telly, were missing, they can never know. Review written by Tony Sims. Early Afternoon, Sunday 15th June 2003. ================================== Friday 6th June 2003ad Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Emmanual Krivine. Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. Modest Mussorgsky: This is unusual in being the original orchestration by Mussorgsky, rather thn the usually played orchestraton by Rimsky-Korsakov; although the loudspeaker announcer, announced it wrongly at the start. It is an interesting orchestration; being wilder & sharper than the Rimsky-Korsakov. I was in the front row to the east, and thus, in an excellent emplacement to hear the cellos playing their part in the orgiastic celebrations! Sergei Prokofiev: Julian Rachlin, a Lithuanian born Austrian, was the soloist. Prokofiev I find listenable and charming; yet it is a lyricism without great depth of soul, which was what I crave. Rachlin is an excellent violinist. The SSO played very well under the baton of the French Guest Conductor. As an èncore, before interval, Rachlin played a Violin Solo by Robert Isshin [? - That is how I sounded to me what Rachlin said]. It was a virtuoso piece, played with accomplishment. Unlike a conductor, Rachlin, who strikes one as intensely likeable, could not persuade the Orchestra to stand and take applause, but just shrugged this faux pas off good naturedly! Jean Sibelius: Jean Sibelius' Symphonies, I had not taken much notice of, although Pekka Juusisto, this year had given me thoughts about Sibelius generally. This performance of Sibelius' was superb! It has an enormous vaiety and complexity. One can hear how the various groups of instruments begin apart, almost in isolated groups, then strangely are able to weld together with intensity. Magic! Thought: While the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's performance this night [one of four performances] certainly deserved the all but full house; that of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra on the night before and the late afternoon after, deserved absolutely no less!! Review written by Tony Sims. Late Afternoon, Sunday 15th June 2003. ================================== Thursday 5th June 2003ad Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Conducted by Herbert Blomstedt. Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. Felix Mendelssohn: Mendlessohn, is to me like Brahms. I am quite happy to hear his work at concerts or on the radio, but I do not buy the CDs. This Overture is cheerful and attractive; skilllfuly played by the Orchestra. Robert Schumann: Pieter Wispelwey played the solo cello. Intense, is how I would describe his body language, although as I was well behind him, high to the east in the Organ Loft, I was not the based placed for such to notice. Schumann is one of my more preferred artists from the mid to late 19th century, which as I have said ad nauseum, is not my favourite period. So, I thoroughly enjoyed the fine rendition of this work. To my surprise, a pre-interval éncore: a Cello Sonata, which is unannounced, but to me sounded like J.S. Bach. Very enjoyable. Ludig van Beethoven: Something different. The Pastorale is a great favourite of mine; and while Beethoven's 9th Symphony is my favourite in recordings, the 6th is perhaps my favourite in live performance. It has nuances which can not be captured in recordings, although this by no means stops me buying and listening to CDs of it! This was a supreme performance. I was just dancing on air. Comparing it to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's performance of the 6th from 2001: Both were truly superb. Both captured the range of emotion; the tempestuous storm; the playfulness of the flute and oboe, in their duet as little birds! The difference to me is that the SSO plays the Pastorale as something which is immediate & happening about you; whereas the LGO plays it as something which is a memory - a loved reminiscence of a distant joyful experience. Neither is a wrong interpretation. Both are correct; just different. There was a man in the row in front of me, to my right, who became obviously deeply moved by this experience and his body was of near constant animation and emotion. He was the same when I was at the SSO's performance of the 6th. Then Helen and I were in the Choir, to the west and the back, while he was in the row in front of us, to our right. The same man also enthused during the SSO's performance of Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony. We were in front of the Orchestra towards the back, while he was 2 or 3 rows in front of us, a little to our left. The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra played a rather unexpected èncore: the entire Fourth Movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony. This was excellent indeed. It also made me realise the extra purpose they give to an èncore. It shows the range of ability of the Orchestra. Following the 6th, with its humour and its lyrical intensity; by the martial dramatics of the final Movement of the 7th. Likewise, Pieter Wispelwey had followed his performance of the fre-flowing Romantic, with an èncore of the highly controlled Barqoue! The Programme was expensive at $20.00, although it did cover both concerts; and it was highly informative about both the works and the Orchestra. Interestingly, apart from Swedish Conductor, Herbert Blomstedt; the Dutch Cello Soloist, Pieter Wispelwey and the 3rd Clarinet, Attila Balogh, who sounds very Hungarian; all members of the Orchestra had German names, and it would not surprise me if they mostly came form Leipzig itself. "Gewandhaus" means Garment House, as the Orchestra was created and funded through its early history by the Leipzig rag trade. And what a history: Guest Conductors included Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Musical Directors included Felix Mendlessohn; while the Orchestra premiered works by Mendlessohn, understandably, Ludwig van Beethoven and Joahannes Brahms. A history which demands living up to. And they have! Review written by Tony Sims. Late Afternoon, Sunday 15th June 2003. ================================== Friday 25th April 2003ad Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti. Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. Wolgang Amadeus Mozart: The Choir is not the best place to hear a Piano Concerto, as one is behind the Orchestra, whereas the lid of a Grand Piano is directed towards the main audience, in front of the Orchestra. Also, I have long held this tenet: the Piano compositions of Beethoven sound better, in direction proportion to the technical sophistication of the Piano used; whereas those of Mozart, sound best on the instrument which he composed them for, i.e. the Piano-Fortè. But ignore my archaic sensibilities, and one is left with a fine performance, with David Tong on the Grand Piano. Gustav Mahler: This Symphony is very long. It is Mahler. And my increasingly sore legs, especially the right, did nothing to improve my musical appreciation qualities. That the composer should try to get so much of his existence - especially his spiritually tempestuous love longing - in to this composition; is both laudable and not laudable at same time. That the Fourth Movement was going to be very loud, was clear, when those hitherto silent additional musicians, were finally introduced by degrees during this Movement. But the final extra Trumpet & extra Trombone, who were squeezed in at the back, next to the second Timpani, were still for long a question, until this last Trombonist removed the plug from his left ear. But still a wait. Finally these two stood, for the last "1 minute & 38 seconds" of the Symphony. - Yes, I timed it out of curiosity, as I knew their moment of fame would be brief. - They played together with all the Brass, plus most everything else which could be squeezed on to the stage, at quite an exceptional combined volume! If I may borrow a phrase of Igor Stravinsky's: "wastefully large Orchestra". There! I am in a whinging mood. Must be my mainly English ancestry. Still, be not fooled by my prating. I did enjoy the evening. p.s. There was a short piece before the Mozart, which included, in its middle, the "Last Post". This piece involves lots of Percussion, which makes it sound like a late 20th Century composition. An educated guess would say it is Australian. But it was unannounced on stage; nor was it mentioned in the programme notes. p.p.s. Co-incidentally, as I wrote this, Mahler's 1st Symphony, as recorded by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, was playing on 2MBS-FM. While a Mahler Symphony is not interminable, it does seem that way at times. The Budgies loved it. Review written by Tony Sims. Middle Afternoon, Sunday 27th April 2003. ================================== Saturday 19th April 2003ad Sydney Philharmonia Choir With Soloists Conducted by Arvo Volmer. Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. Johann Sebastian Bach: Saint Mark Passion. Although this is not my favourite kind of Baroque Music, I took the interest to go, this being Easter, and this work intended for Good Friday was only a day late. Still, I did enjoy the work; taking care to follow the English meaning of the German sung text, from the Programme Notes. Whilst none would call me a Christian, it gave me, quite unexpectedly, an insight into the strengths of the Christian message in its purest form. The original score of this work is lost, but it has been re-created by Tom Koopman, using arias & choruses that Bach almost certainly borrowed from other of his own works, plus the recitatives of Reinhard Keiser, which Koopman thought were the closest that he could obtain to the lost originals. I have already talked in "My Occasional Thought" Page of the Violas da Gamba & Theorbos. The Orchestra were capable under the baton of Estonian Arvo Volmer. The Soloists were good. Stephen Bennett, the Bass, as Christus, in particular impressed me. While Miriam Allan, Soprano came through well, a potentially critical point, when on the last high note of the Aria 37 [Angenehmes Mord-Geschrei], she did not actually miss the note, but she did "quaver" nervously. However, the real stars were the Sydney Philharmonia Choir, performing as Motet Choir. They recieved the loudest applause, and rightly so! Review written by Tony Sims. Early Evening, Monday 21st April 2003. ================================== Thursday 17th April 2003ad Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Michael Dauth. City Recital Centre, Angel Place. Johan Nepomuk Hummel: Octet - Partita in E Flat. This is a Wind Octet, with 2 each of Oboe, Clarinet, French Horn and Bassoon. The optional ninth part is written for Serpent, is usually played nowadays by Contrabasson, but on this night it was played by Double Bass. This short 3 part work is pleasant and relaxing, without being exceptional. Those German folk, sort of oom-pah rhythms did enter at times. They do nothing for me, and I note that Mozart appears to studiously avoid them! Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: This fellow Mozart! The closest I have heard to his characteristic sound [apart from the re-creations of Mr Smith] is the later works of Johann Christian Bach, who seems to have been a role model for Mozart. And the contrast between this Mozart Flute Concerto and the Hummel Octet is obvious. The Flute was expertly handled by Janet Webb. Christian Cannabich: 52nd
Symphony. The much maligned Cannabich! But this is one of his later works, which Wolfgang often praised in letters to his father, Leopold. The early Cannabich, both generations of Mozart were scathing about. This Symphony is a charming piece. If not equal to Mozart, it is still superior to many I have heard. The generous sweep of the strings had an eloquence of style. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Ah! Mozart! I do love his 34th Symphony. But then, perhaps like Piotr Tchaikovsky, I would love it, simply because it is Mozart. Final Thoughts This was an interesting concise performance. There was no interval and the whole programme took just under an hour and a half [7.00pm to 8.24pm]. So the Maundy Thursday evening was annointed with harmony, and when I left, the shops were still open for late night shopping. It should have set me up for a productive Easter weekend, but that is another story: one which is not worth the telling. Review written by Tony Sims. Early Evening, Monday 21st April 2003. |