FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT
The Auckland Chamber Orchestra Concert The Auckland Chamber Orchestra are performing on Sunday 10 August at the Raye Freedman Arts Centre in Epsom. They are performing the Son of Chamber Symphony by critically acclaimed American John Adams. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the present day. From amongst the string sections of the orchestra the magnificent Jade Quartet will be performing Mozart’s String Quartet no23. These four accomplished soloists comprise one of New Zealand’s most established ensembles. Musical Director Peter Scholes is once again providing a diverse and exciting programme with the Auckland Chamber Orchestra. If you are looking for something to do on the same afternoon, the Auckland Youth Orchestra perform at the Auckland Town Hall at 2pm. The AYO is the premier orchestra for young people in Auckland and they are about to head on a tour of the country which will culminate at the Town Hall on 10 August. They are performing Dvorak’s Carnival Overture and Sibelius’ Symphony No.1 and feature Edward King in Schumann’s Cello Concerto. AYO present free concerts at the Town Hall regularly throughout the year and it is a great chance to see performances from New Zealand’s future classical musicians. 10 August is looking like a full-on day of orchestral music. The music in movies is something I have only paid special attention to in recent years and in many ways it has improved my movie watching experience tenfold. My music collection is littered with soundtracks to films - from the fantastic O Brother Where Art Thou to the numerous Hans Zimmer films (Gladiator, The Lion King and The Dark Knight). I watched the latest Jim Jarmusch film Only Lovers Left Alive recently, featuring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston. I’d heard good things about the film, and it lived up to its reputation as slightly odd, unpredictable and moody but what struck me was the excellent score and soundtrack. Jarmusch has a history of interesting soundtracks, Neil Young composed the entire score to his 1995 film Dead Man. The score to Only Lovers was done by Jarmusch with assistance from his band Squrl. The music fits the film perfectly, ranging from melodic dirge and feedback to rock ‘n’ roll classics, soul jams and Middle Eastern music. The soundtrack carried the film for me, and is well worth a listen, even if you don’t catch the picture itself. (FINN McLENNAN-ELLIOTT) www.iticket.co.nz F PN Finn McLennan-Elliott is studing for a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree, specialising in human geography at Auckland University. In his spare time, Finn plays the clarinet and guitar. He has a great appreciation of all types of music. E: finn.huia@gmail.com
Blackbird Ensemble perform The Wilderness It is not often I walk out of a performance with nothing to say. I was left near speechless after seeing the Blackbird Ensemble perform their show, The Wilderness, in the middle of July. Stepping into the Q Theatre Loft it was clear this was not your ordinary classical ensemble performance. Greenery coated the stairwell and bird song greeted us as we waited to be seated. This was only the beginning, the entire stage had been transformed into a midwinter forest, complete with full moon, a pond and a smattering of classical musicians. This last is what makes Blackbird such an exciting and interesting ensemble. Director Claire Cowan (who herself plays many instruments within the ensemble) has succeeded in modernising classical music by making it more accessible and more attractive to younger audiences. But from the first sounds to be heard as I walked in to the theatre it was clear this was no simplified classical ensemble. Their bill contained a remake of the Four Seasons and pieces by Bjork, Bat for Lashes and Joanna Newsom - a variety not commonly performed together by any ensemble. The performance of Max Richter’s Vivaldi Recomposed, an avant-garde, modernised reworking of the Four Seasons, was breath-taking. This was the first time his piece had been performed in New Zealand and it achieved its desired purpose of making me rethink and return to the original with a different outlook. A newfound love of Vivaldi has risen to the surface, as was the intention of Richter when he arranged and recomposed the piece. One of the difficulties of playing this arrangement of Vivaldi is Richter’s additions, subtractions and changes to the original violin solo part. The natural movements and muscle memory of performing the Four Seasons must be forgotten as his signature melodies are moved around by Richter and the rhythms are changed. Blackbird’s soloist Amalia Hall was phenomenal, beautifully expressive and brought this 300 year old piece to life. This section of Wilderness was one of the highlights of live music I’ve seen all year. She took us through the familiar sections, those from the National Bank advertisements, and those less familiar. This was the standout for me of the concert but it was by no means all there was to see. Vocalist Jessie Cassin came out to perform the three modern pieces. These were arranged to fit an array of instruments, including tabla, banjo and accordion. On stage for Vivaldi had already been the string family plus harpsichord and harp. There was not the intensity or dynamic range in Bjork’s Hyperballad, Newsom’s Cosmia or Bat for Lashes’ Wilderness that had been bursting from the Four Seasons, but this may have just been my preference for the classical masterpiece. Despite this, there was something delightful about these arrangements, and Jessie Cassin’s voice added beautifully to the textures of the instruments and was a much needed grounding after the auditory rollercoaster of the violin solo. The Loft was a perfect venue for the performance, lending itself to intimacy with the audience as the musicians were mere feet away. The costuming was out of this world, created by Russian Ballet’s Valentina Serebrennikova, perfectly capturing the feeling of wilderness. There is something amazing about seeing a classical performance in which the performers are barefoot, stepping on twigs, moss and bark. The intimacy of the space allowed the audience to see the smiles, gestures and interactions of those on stage. Conductor-less, I was always interested to see how they began each piece or movement, and without a conductor it only served to show off the tightness and unity of the ensemble.
Peter Scholes
120 PONSONBY NEWS+ August 2014
Each Blackbird performance is different, and they often include full brass and woodwind sections. The staging, costumes and makeup bring the theme and music together to create a unique experience for classical listeners. Watch this space, as who knows what the next PN performance from this exciting group will bring. (FINN MCLENNAN- ELLIOTT) F PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)