BY MICHAEL HAMMELMANN
Giving Voice: Signs & Symbols
ANAM Fellowship project: Justine Anderson
South Melbourne Town Hall, 29 May 2015
In the first concert of the Giving Voice project, the talented musicians of the Australian National Academy for Music delivered a passionate performance of post-war works rarely heard in Australia. The program featured Pierre Boulez’s ‘Le marteau sans maître’ (The Hammer without a master), Morton Feldman’s ‘For Franz Kline’, which is dedicated to the American expressionist painter of the same name, and Luciano Berio’s virtuosic ‘Sequenza III’.
Boulez is best known as a prominent figure of post-war music, with works such as ‘Pli selon pli’ considered to be amongst the composer’s most innovative. ‘Le marteau sans maître’ was composed prior to this, and uses surrealist poetry from René Char. The work flows from one idea to another with volumes of spontaneity as well as frequent uses of risings and fallings in the contour of the music. The ANAM musicians handled the challenges of this work with utmost professionalism. They were extremely responsive to one another and utilized each other’s energy to deliver the huge amount of expression the music demanded.
Kim Falconer on flute was a real highlight of the evening, demonstrating various techniques executed with precision and clarity which made the instrument a key feature of the piece. Curator and soprano Justine Anderson was another notable performer of this piece – singing with immense confidence, her voice resonated extremely well with the acoustics of the South Melbourne Town Hall, transitioning seamlessly from high to low notes whilst maintaining a smooth tone. Throughout the piece, every member of the ensemble remained composed and focused to provide a sterling rendition of Boulez’s work.
Feldman’s ‘For Franz Kline’ was introduced via an intimate feeling to the venue by changing the seating arrangement so the audience was facing inwards. The performers were placed in amongst the audience and in other various points of the performance space. This unique utilization of space achieved an incredibly balanced effect between all instruments and offered a deeply moving experience, creating a desired abstract impact on the members of the audience.
Berio’s ‘Sequenza III’ for solo female voice was performed by Justine, who demonstrated versatility in the voice as well as an undeniable talent in acting. There is a sense of vulnerability throughout the piece, partly due to the impression left by the previous work but also because of Justine’s use of heavy vibrato. She used a dramatic tone of voice, quite different to that heard in the first work she performed. This created a subdued tension within the audience, which had the potential to become uncomfortable. Though, Justine was able to remain in complete control for the entire duration and was greeted by what seemed to be an almost never ending round of applause.
The ANAM musicians uncovered hidden musical gems of post-war music and performed them with enthusiasm and class, which left the audience craving more of this rare music.
Image of Justine Anderson supplied.
