BY MIRANDA ILCHEF, LEAD WRITER
If there’s one thing that unites us more than the universal language of music, it’s our universal love of storytelling. All cultures in all ages have spread stories either verbally, in written form, on the stage, on the screen or, in the case of Richard Strauss’ tone poems, through music.
On August 31 in Melbourne, and September 2 in Sydney, the Australian World Orchestra will come together under the baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta to perform three of Strauss’s most loved works: Ein Heldenleben, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, and Don Juan.
The AWO comprises Australia’s best and brightest musicians, with many having illustrious careers in orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic.
I spoke to AWO Artistic Director Alexander Briger AO (pictured above) about what makes Strauss’ tone poems such loved and timeless classics.
“Orchestras love playing them, for a start,” Alexander reckons.
“The music is so romantic and lush, exciting, bold, and impassioned – it has all these emotions. It shows off a lot of the soloists – the oboe on Don Juan, or the French horn in Till Eulenspiegel.
“It has something for everyone.”
As Alexander points out, the tone poems are “particularly well suited to the Australian World Orchestra”.
“One thing the AWO is really famous for is its big sound, particularly in the string sections […] and that is totally suited to a composer like Strauss with his [magnificent] repertoire.”
The first piece of the repertoire is Don Juan, Strauss’ musical take on the oft-portrayed flirtatious libertine. Don Juan is lusty and passionate: the audience needs little imagination to work out what Don Juan is getting up to in each scene.
The second piece, Till Eulenspiegel’s lustige Streiche (‘Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks’), follows the journey of another character: a rather impish prankster who goes about causing chaos and disruption. Through direct instructions on the score, the journey of Till can be easily followed as he upsets carts and stalls in the market, flirts with women, and eventually dies a sudden death (listen for the abrupt change of tone to a funeral march).
The final piece is the epic Ein Heldenleben or, as Alexander puts it, “one of the greatest works ever written”. It is glorious and immense (more symphonic in nature than a traditional tone poem), and once again tells us a story: the life of an archetypal hero (some commentators suggest it is a musical autobiography).
Although initially unpopular with critics (Alexander tells me they were simply jealous of Strauss’ enormous talent), Ein Heldenleben has stood the test of time with its grandeur and sweeping melodies.
Despite such a hefty program, Alexander assures us this is no challenge for the AWO.
“[Our musicians] know these pieces inside out, so it comes together very quickly. You put someone like Zubin Metha in front of them and it comes together even faster – and with incredible passion, excellence, verve, and immediate excitement.
“I always like listening to the first rehearsal.”
To see the Australian World Orchestra in their Straussian glory at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall this 31 August, or the Sydney Opera House this 2 September, book online.
AWO images supplied. Strauss via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
