BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Picture a night out with the orchestra.
Instinctively, your mind might conjure the following images: traditional concert blacks, traditional concert hall, traditional concert music…
But if I learnt anything through my time seeing live concerts in 2018, it was that an orchestra can provide far more than tradition when it comes to the presentation of music.
This is why I’ve decided to put together a wrap of some of the different styles of gigs I hit up throughout the year, presented by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in my local town of Hobart (yep, it’s time to move over, Melbs). I’ll also let you know where you can catch these types of gigs yourself.
Let’s do this!
1. The living Australian music
Yes, I will always jump at the chance to hear works by living Australian composers. Yes, they fill up the concert hall with music that rivals the greats of centuries past.
This is the general vibe of an Elena Kats-Chernin performance. The first time I saw her work with the TSO was a few years back when Katie Noonan sang the composer’s Wild Swans Suite, and I was then officially hooked on KC. For life.
In this November 9 concert, we heard her Piano Concerto No. 3, Lebewohl. As its pianist Tamara-Anna Cislowka wrote in the program notes: “Lebewohl explores the core and soul of J.S. Bach at the worst time of his life, the death of his first wife Maria. What are the ramifications of this tragedy?”
Tamara and the TSO took us through Elena’s five movements, portraying themes of shock, guilt, anger, loneliness, and acceptance. Pianist and orchestra alike were highly expressive through the emotions explored. Conductor Karina Canellakis led the musicians through an unusually transcendent performance, and Tamara appeared to embrace the piano with her entire body, never sitting rigid on the seat as she traversed the keys.
While I’m not normally one for encores, the encore following this work was just as special as the concerto itself: Elena herself took to the stage and played one of her own piano pieces (to which I was internally bouncing about like a total fangirl). In a delightful collaboration, Tamara soon joined Elena; they shared the piano stool and the instrument, and it felt like friendship.
Also on the program was Schumann’s Julius Caesar, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 Italian, and Bach arr. Webern’s Ricercare from A Musical Offering. When combined, it was quite an adventurous program. It was also a matinee, so I’d like to see more of these works at night time, where a greater amount of equally adventurous young people might head along and not miss out if they’re working during the day.
Where to catch it next:
As for our first type of orchestral gig, you can keep a look out for a brand new work by Tasmanian composer Maria Grenfell (commissioned by the TSO) in Nordic Spirit, August 9.
Above: It’s Elena! (Captured by Bruria Hammer)
2. The brass explosion
Place a group of orchestral brass players inside the boomy confines of a cathedral, and things are gonna sound big.
That’s what happened at TSO Brass at St David’s, which I saw in September. We published a story earlier this year about why the cathedral acoustics are so amazing, but it’s another thing to listen for yourself. You might expect the big sounds to wash together, and they do. But when the timbres of different players blend (particularly when the intonation is indeed crash hot), and the result rings clean sans vibrato, it’s utterly regal.
Granted, it must take a lot of control to account for dynamic changes in a cathedral across works by Gabrieli, Messiaen, and others. This ensemble of TSO brass players didn’t lack musicality despite the challenges of venue. In fact, the stunning wood carvings and architecture inside the cathedral provided a visually atmospheric boost to some of the works that were enjoyably medieval (even through the occasional unnecessarily major ending – thanks Gabrieli). In a 1932 work by Messiaen, the echo sounded like an organ and brought a new feeling into the space. It was probably the most I’ve enjoyed a performance of Messiaen.
I also heard the players bring us a religious work by Tomasi, which introduced a timpani in the cathedral (boom BOOM!). The building’s columns sometimes blocked my view of the musicians, and this work already sounded a little sinister. So when a crisp snare and crash cymbals rang, my ears didn’t know how to handle it. (At this point, I’d also noticed a large crack in the cathedral wall, and I wouldn’t put its appearance past these explosive beats.) It was genuinely frightening. And exciting. And ended on a majestic major chord.
Works by Britten and Mendelssohn also rung at this gig, and I’d like to listen to more in such a vibrant space. The brass explosion is a high-ranking one for me.
Where to catch it next:
TSO brass players will hit up Hobart’s St David’s Cathedral again on February 21. Don’t bring earplugs.
3. The ambitious contemporary crossover
Everything seemed to be going smoothly until OH MY GOODNESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
Michael Falzon and his dreamy voice happened, that’s what. He brought us a night of James Bond power tunes with an energised Kate Ceberano on October 30. The TSO performed these contemporary hits with these two singers (and, occasionally, even Guy Noble turned away from his conducting and joined in with some harmonies, too).
Above: Smooth singer Michael Falzon brought us James Bond.
Now, before I go further, I must add for you as a disclaimer that I have only ever seen one James Bond film (nope, I won’t tell you which one; nor will I explain the level of shame that comes with avoiding this cinematic franchise for the duration of one’s life thus far). But I sure do love the music, and was entirely swept up in the thrill of these hits.
The TSO was well balanced even through its amplification, which didn’t burst my eardrums as amplified gigs often do. I saw the orchestra here in the Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, rather than the Federation Concert Hall, and it brought with it a lively audience ready to party. The two singers engaged in mildly awkward but mostly pleasant banter between songs, with Kate rightfully owning her place on the stage when she sang solo and with plenty of charisma.
I rarely attend “pop” orchestral gigs, if I may label this as such, but this one opened my ears to coming back for another.
Where to catch it next:
Pretty soon, actually. The TSO will next hit up Wrest Point for some classical crossover tracks in its Ministry of Sound concert, December 8.
Above: Kate Ceberano is a legend of song.
4. The EPIC choral work
A word of advice: only see a humongous choral work if you are prepared to invest yourself from start to finish. The latest concert I saw was Handel’s Messiah on December 1, and it was a marathon effort. Luckily, it was a concert I had been looking forward to for many months (I’m kind of a Handel fan).
The Federation Concert Hall was overflowing with performers, and I still don’t know how they managed to fit onto the not-that-big stage: all of the musicians (conducted by Christian Curnyn), the TSO Chorus (led by June Tyzack), soprano Sara Macliver, mezzo-soprano Fiona Campbell, tenor Henry Choo, and baritone Morgan Pearse.
The evening kicked off at 7.30pm and finished at 10pm, and a shout-out to the soloists who spent a long time listening to each other before getting to sing their own parts (how did their voices stay ‘warm’ through their respective moments of silence?). I had some trouble hearing mezzo-soprano Fiona due to the acoustics of the hall; Henry was certainly the stand-out of the night when it came to projecting his tone, but all vocal talent had remarkably consistent timbres in their own rights. Oddly, the harpsichord seemed to reach my ears at a brighter dynamic. But nevertheless, the event was a boisterous affair and the TSO Chorus in particular was impeccably unified.
Oh, and don’t be surprised (like I was) when half of the audience somehow just knows to stand up when the famous Hallelujah begins.
Where to catch it next:
The Messiah is still doing the rounds, actually. You can catch it on December 8 in Cygnet (if you’ve already booked your tix – it’s sold out!), or December 9 in Campbell Town.
Above: The chorus (pictured here for a TSO Big Sing) sang for us on the night.
5. The opportunity for young musicians
This is the type of gig I really dig.
The TSO has provided an impressive number of opportunities for emerging artists – from its summer school for conductors to its Louise Crossley workshop, composers’ school and composers’ project. And it continues in 2019, with the orchestra welcoming the musicians of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra for an enormous summer gig at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.
The TSO’s RACT Symphony Under the Stars is a past-time popular with most Tassie families, but it’s also growing into a platform for young talent to shine in front of thousands of listeners. The TYO will perform as a support act for the TSO at the next gig, which will see Benjamin Northey conduct a collection of musical favourites.
Where to catch it next:
Catch musicians emerging and established in RACT Symphony Under the Stars at the gardens on February 16.
If you’d like to read more, check out our reviews sections for in-depth coverage of other TSO performances as well as orchestral gigs across the country.
Images supplied.
