Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 29 Apr 2016
The programme might have been entitled ‘Fiery Nielsen’, but that doesn’t quite have the same box office pull as ‘Elegant Tchaikovsky’, does it? But despite being treated to some of the best cello playing available today in an exemplary performance of Tchaikovsky’s very elegant Variations on a Rococo Theme – the Fitzenhagen version, regrettably, not the original – Carl Nielsen’s remarkable Symphony No 4 (known as The Inextinguishable) dominated the evening. Having said that, the audience was still humming the principal theme of the Rococo Variations on their way out of the…very elegant… Adelaide Town Hall at the end of the evening!
Guest conductor, and much revered former principal conductor, of the ASO Arvo Volmer was in his element throughout the evening. Volmer knows and deeply understands the music of Scandinavian and Baltic composers, and is well practiced in communicating this to the ASO (who can forget his cycle of the Sibelius symphonies?). Volmer’s reading of Sibelius’ tone poem Tapiola, his last orchestral masterpiece, was immensely satisfying. Volmer drew out the contrasting hymnal and storm-like natures of the composition. The strings were noble, and the woodwind and brass, at times, roared with threatening authority.
But this storm paled into insignificance compared to the battle between the two sets of timpani in the Nielsen symphony that Volmer set on diametrically opposite sides of the stage! Volmer swept onto the stage after the interval and launched the orchestra into the fierce opening tutti before the applause had ended and before he had even settled himself on the podium. It was dramatic, and the passion did not let up until the symphony was over, with all movements played without breaks. Volmer was not seduced by the changing tempos and kept the piece under control, but on a knife’s edge. It was exhilarating and when it was over, the audience erupted into generous, sustained and deserved applause. Was it because of the music, or was it because their affection for Volmer? Surely it was both.
The star of the evening was the brilliant twenty-seven year old Armenian cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan. His performance of the Rococo Variations was nothing short of awe inspiring. He inhabited the piece and elegantly drew out its long and languid melodic phrases. His warm phrasing in the opening statement of the theme paved the way for him to gently encourage and coax the musical grace from the remaining variations without becoming mawkish. Hakhnazaryan is also a joy to watch. The epitome of control and command, casually-dressed he was at one with both his instrument and the music, and the result was an image of benevolent authority. His reading of Tchaikovsky’s Nocturne for Cello and Small Orchestra was equally sublime, and his encore before the interval was, and I’m guessing, an Armenian folk dance that was played at a blistering pace. The bowing and finger work required almost gymnastic abilities. Hakhnazaryan also chanted to the piece and the result was exhilarating and enthusiastically received by the large audience.
A superb concert. Bravo, Volmer. Bravo ASO. Bravo Hakhnazaryan.
Kym Clayton
When: 29 Apr
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 1 Apr 2016
The programme may have been named in honor of Elgar, but Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, K364 was the highlight of the evening and the bacon was brought home by our very own Natsuko Yoshimoto and Imants Larsens on violin and viola respectively.
In a word, they were superb.
The Sinfonia is a challenging work to interpret, and it rewards a patiently constructed dialogue between the violin and viola in contrast to each soloist abandoning themselves to self-regarding introspection. Yoshimoto and Larsens built their partnership beautifully and combined the voices of their instruments exquisitely. The depth of their mutual understanding was palpable. Yoshimoto almost austere, Larsens almost overelaborating. One the seducer, the other almost tempted. Both in control at all times and ever so gentle with Mozart’s delicate material. At the conclusion, Yoshimoto delicately kissed Larsens, her husband, fully on the mouth and they both beamed radiant smiles at the enthusiastic audience.
Guest conductor Mark Wigglesworth led the orchestra in an emphatic performance of Elgar’s Symphony No.1 in A flat, Op 55. It is written on a grand scale but, like the Mozart, it demands attention to detail. It is a complex work, almost over-written, and its numerous meter, dynamic and tempo changes need to be handled with care to allow the subtlety in the composition to come to the fore. At times, Wigglesworth overplayed the dynamics and consequently stretched the acoustics of the Adelaide Town Hall to its very limits, but he managed to lay bare the inner detail of the symphony. The result was something very English, very noble.
Kym Clayton
When: 1 Apr
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 18 Mar 2016
Maestro Nicholas Carter walked briskly across the stage of the majestic Adelaide Town Hall, assumed the podium, and gave a sprightly bow to the audience in acknowledgment of the warm applause. With almost no warning he turned speedily to the assembled forces of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and unleashed the passion of Richard Strauss’ tone poem Don Juan. The almost chaotic start took the audience by surprise and the exciting roller coaster that was the opening concert of the 2016 Master Series was underway.
With sweeping gestures Carter gave the orchestra ‘its head’ and the result was impressive. The woodwinds and brass, especially the horns, were as good as they have ever been. Concertmaster Nastsuko Yoshimoto elicited plangent tones from the violin as she gave voice to the fervid Don Juan as he plied his romantic skills.
Carter arranged the orchestra in a non-traditional manner, with basses and first violins on his left, celli in front, and violi and second violins to his right. The positioning of the celli gave a sensuous and warm heart to Don Juan and to the entire concert.
Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G was performed with great élan by Croatian born pianist and composer Dejan Lazić. Dressed in smart jess jeans with a discernible shiny belt and a rather hip shirt, Lazić looked more like he was dressed for a night out on the town in Zagreb than he was for a serious recital, but looks are (almost) always deceiving. He was there to pump as much life into the roller coaster ride as he could, and that is exactly what he achieved. Lazić’s performance was superlative: he imbued the allegramente first movement with the requisite airy and ‘bluesy’ Gershin feel, and the adagio assai second movement with gentle romance. He gave free reign to his virtuosic brilliance in the dazzling presto final movement, and on occasion his right hand would leave the keyboard at the end of a well-articulated phrase and conduct both his left hand and the orchestra itself! Lazić and carter combined beautifully, and the thunderous applause at the end was immediate, sustained and well deserved.
The roller-coaster ride continued with Beethoven’s iconic fifth symphony (da da da dum!), and Carter’s reading was passionate and brisk. It is difficult to imagine that a conductor could find something new to say about something as well know and as often played as the fifth, but Carter managed it. His tempi were fast and reminiscent of those used by Sir Roger Norrington in his influential recordings in the late 1980s with the London Classical Players.
Carter however kept ‘a lid on it’ and worked the dynamics to fit. The allegro con brio first movement put our senses on edge, but they were calmed with a less unorthodox reading of the andante con moto second movement. Some small license with the dynamics and rhythm in the scherzo allegro third movement created the impression that Carter was perhaps preparing us for a final assault in the tempestuous allegro final movement, which is exactly what happened. The roller coaster was wrenched into overdrive and the ride was exhilarating. From the stalls in the majestic Town Hall auditorium – the acoustics of which were soundly tested by this concert – once could discern the beads of perspiration on the brows of the string players. Their labour was indeed a labour of love and it was emphatically applauded by an exhilarated audience.
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra demonstrated that it is indeed a world class orchestra and it is indeed fortunate to have Nicholas Carter at its head.
Kym Clayton
When: 18 Mar
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
Adelaide Festival. Arts Projects Australia. Botanic Park. 11 to 14 Mar 2016
While the weather makes for a challenging long weekend in Botanic Park, the plethora of entertainment on offer at this year’s WOMADelaide festival makes it well worth the effort. From gorgeous music, to presentations by David Suzuki, Angelique Kidjo and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, and a bouncy castle in the shape of Stonehenge, there is something for everyone.
The musical highlights start with Dakha Brakha, an eclectic Ukrainian quartet who bring ‘experimental’ to a new level. An amazing blend of old and new, their music varies between haunting, ominous and heartfelt to beat-driven electronic grooves and rap vocals. Decked out in traditional garb, complete with tall papakhas, they rock the Foundation stage with accordion, percussion, double bass and keys. They admirably don both jackets and hats for the full performance despite the heat and humidity.
In a perfect follow up, Ibeyi hit Stage 3 next door with their unique French-Cuban fusion. Twin sisters from Paris, they are heavily influenced by a Cuban father of Buena Vista Social Club pedigree. His passion for African Yoruba culture has continued in their music; you can hear this influence as well as that of their South American roots and exposure to Western pop. Reminiscent of strong female vocalists such as Kidjo and Regina Spektor, they mix soul, pop and drum percussion to deliver an exciting and original sound.
As a humid, sticky afternoon finally makes way for a perfect cool and breezy evening, Israeli songstress Esta Rada brings a big band sound to the Foundation stage. Her strong jazz vocals pair with the thumping bass and brassy soul of the band. She cuts a powerful figure on stage, striding between the crowd and her band and firing up both. Her set is the perfect, high energy start to the evening as the sun finally dips behind the stages and brings relief to the sweaty but enthusiastic crowd.
As the last vestiges of sun faded from the sky, the electro-beats of 47Soul kick off the night with a wall of middle eastern-infused dance. Their light show is just as impressive, and draws passing crowds in as the set progresses. The 7pm slot is a tough gig, as you complete with the vast array of amazing food on offer, and a tiring and hungry crowd. 47Soul kicked the crowd back into life and set the scene for the Saturday night to come.
Sunday sees the opportunity to witness a stalwart of African music in the all-male vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Existing in various forms since the 1960s, this acapella, or Isicathamiya, group are famous throughout their homeland and the world, having toured extensively for the past 20 years, including a stint with Paul Simon on his 1987 Graceland tour. They practise a traditional form of Zulu singing, which is soft and gentle and coupled with choreographed dance moves.
For the members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, their music is a way of life and a means of sharing the beautiful culture of South Africa and a message of tolerance and peace. This message is unmistakable in their performance on the main Foundation stage; their songs are welcoming, heartfelt and in no need of translation. Simply dressed and without supporting instrumentation or fanfare, their raw vocal talent fills the massive stage, spilling out over the park and taking us all the way to the plains of Africa. The gentle dance movements match the pace of their song and blend as beautiful as their voices. The deep, well matched timbre of the choir's collective voice, combined with seamless harmonies, makes this music a true pleasure to experience.
Switching up the vibe, the gorgeous Sarah Blasko is one of the crowd-pulling acts on the WOMADelaide line-up, who enjoy commercial success. Blasko's late afternoon set is a draw card for many, and she delivers with a set that shows off both the quality of her voice and the strength of her set list. The haunting highs of All I Want are pitch perfect, and she keeps the hits coming with a great range of songs from popular albums What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have and As Day Follows Night, including Always on this Line, No Turning Back, and We Won't Run. She keeps up a witty banter with the audience and maintains a large front of stage crowd despite the baking heat.
Sacrilege is a new and novel concept for WOMADelaide; a giant, inflatable version of the iconic British landmark, which has been touring the world since its original opening in Glasgow in 2012. Open to all ages and able to hold up to 100 people at a time, the vast bouncy castle is worth a relatively short wait to completely entertain and exhaust oneself in 10 short minutes.
Monday brings a welcome break in the humid weather, and the light and breezy afternoon is the perfect backdrop to a seated performance from Debashish Bhattacharya. Bhattacharya graces the intimate Zoo Stage, accompanied by Tanmoy Bose on tabla, daughter Anandi on vocals, and an overflowing audience of seated appreciators. Widely regarded as the global master of his instrument, he brings classical Indian music to the slide guitar. Similar in sound to a sitar, Bhattacharya's steel lap guitar is of his own design and adapted to match his compositions, which are beautiful and hypnotic.
Marlon Williams & the Yarra Benders gather a big crowd in front of Stage 2, with Williams having built a solid reputation for himself on these shores since moving from New Zealand to Melbourne. Their authentic bluegrass sound is brilliantly reproduced on stage; one would struggle to find a more authentic folk artist out there today. His soulful voice is timeless; unique, beautiful and tinged with sadness. Reminiscent of the likes of Jeff Buckley and Elvis, Williams and his band are a standout for the weekend.
Continuing the family tradition, Sean Kuti & the Egypt 80 hit the WOMADelaide Foundation stage, two years after his brother toured with his group Femi Kuti & The Positive Force. Heading up his father's band, Sean Kuti presents a unique opportunity for audiences to see both the continuation of his father's work as well as a number of Fela's orginal works.
Totally meeting all expectation, the final set is a big, loud celebration of Afrobeat. The large band fills the stage and their energy is matched by the dramatic light show and Sean's stage presence. His political messaging and desires for a fairer, better Africa are as inspiring as the music. A wonderful show on the closing night of the 2016 festival.
Nicole Russo
Adelaide Festival. Arts Projects Australia. Botanic Park. 11 to 14 Mar 2016
I’ve been lucky enough to have enjoyed the sensational WOMADelaide festival for a dozen years now, and have seen many things change, grow and evolve over that time, including myself as a punter. I’ve always been a whole-hearted WOMADelaide man, delving deep into every aspect of every artist, carefully planning my itinerary of bands to see, and having everything organised to the nth degree ready for the start of each WOMADelaide festival.
This year, however, I decided to take a different approach, whereby I let the music lead me, and being a bit more free flowing recalled the essence of discovery I had at my very first WOMADelaide all those years ago.
It’s nice to look at things with fresh eyes every now and again! Admittedly, I was already familiar with at least half of the acts in the programme, but the other half were sure to hold something special, something to be discovered; and so it begins - WOMADelaide 2016. A year of many firsts: the first where I won’t know every single band and performer who I am to see, the first time I’ll fly completely solo, and the first time I’ll provide a review that isn’t a chronology of everything I did during the festival… let’s keep things fresh!
What better place to start than with an act who was the first world music act I ever heard, and ultimately the ones who started me on my path as a world music aficionado. I am of course talking about Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who I remember seeing (and being blown away by!) on Sesame Street, and shortly thereafter when my parents brought home a brand new vinyl copy of Paul Simon’s latest Graceland. I was blown away then, I have been blown away when I’ve seen them in the past, and I am blown away again by there performance at this year’s WOMADelaide!
Formed by the massive talent, Joseph Shabalala 56 years ago, the journey for this all-vocal group continues with three of Joseph’s sons taking charge and continuing the tradition of the band. Despite Joseph’s distinctive voice not being present today, his voice continues nonetheless, and the band is as amazing as ever! Despite only using the human voice to create their sound, the music they make puts many other bands with plenty of instruments to shame! And their stage show, complete with all sorts of antics and Zulu dancing only adds to the atmosphere. Sensational!
African music dominates my WOMADelaide experience this year, with many other notable performances coming from across the continent. From the South African sounds of Ladysmith, to the East, West, and North, there were some amazing African performers this year.
Representing the western sounds, the style of music that for me embodies the essence of WOMADelaide, were Bortier Okoe, a locally-based djembe master from Ghana, encompassing a wide swathe of West African sounds, from quintessential melodies to rhythmic groove akin to Afrobeat, and of course some sensational djembe soling - Bortier and his band are great!
The eastern side of Africa is well represented too, which makes me happy as I have a bit of a soft spot for music of the East. It’s not the immediate sound that people associate with African music, but the eastern styles, with heavy influences from the Arabic world and beyond, are fantastic!
There are great performances by Alsarah & The Nubatones, a Sudanese songstress who travelled from her northern Sudan homeland to Yemen and on to the US, where she crafted her music to incorporate all those eastern (middle and African!) influences into some sensational Nubian sounds. With an oud and darbuka, Alsarah is also joined by a bass and a second female vocalist/percussionist to form a relatively minimalist set up capable of some very big sounds. Hypnotic bass grooves, eastern melodies and awesome vox… these guys are fantastic!
Also representing the East, and the North too, is Orange Blossom, a group centred around an Egyptian songstress and her French band. It is truly east-meets-west, with Arabic-influenced vocals mixed in with western styles; elements of folkloric music, electronica, and even rock chord structures, dub, and reggae adding to heavy grooves with a thick Maghreb vibe perfect for the humid evenings, these guys are great! And they have a couple of djembe solos too!
Representing the great Saharan sounds, were Songhoy Blues, a Malian band who mix two styles of blues: the western sounds we’re used to hearing, that underpin just about every element of rock music, and the desert blues of Mali, which is the original style that gave birth to pretty much all of our modern musical styles. These guys certainly know how to put on a great show, blending heavy bass lines and solid grooves with fantastic high-pitch guitar lines and melodies that ride high and proud. It is very bluesy, but also very African!
Of course, I couldn’t wrap up talking about African sounds without mentioning Angelique Kidjo, who is joined by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in an unusual yet sensational pairing. Angelique is an amazing performer who I’ve had the pleasure of seeing (and even dancing with!) a number of times, but this performance is definitely the most unusual. Unusual because African music is essentially rhythmic, and yet there’s barely any percussive instrumentation in a symphony orchestra… despite this however, it actually works quite well! The staccato of the violins punctuates the rhythms, while the African melodies ring out on symphonic instrumentation that gives the whole thing an air of ‘movie score’! There is a jazzy element to it too, almost reminiscent of Latin jazz, which highlights the links between the genres. Of course, despite completely filling the huge Stage One with instruments, and despite being very good, the ASO are no match for Angelique’s vocals that pound out over the enthusiastic crowd. She definitely has a voice from heaven!
Obviously there’s more to WOMADelaide than just African music. My other big musical love comes with a spicy Latino flavour, a style that panders to my love of the South and Central American continents and culture. WOMAD came to the party in fine form this year with a couple of great acts that stand out for me.
Melbourne’s Quarter Street (or Calle Cuarta if you prefer Español!) are fantastic, with a flavour of New York meets Cubano; you just can not help but dance! There is a certain authenticity in their sound, comprising only traditional instrumentation, laden with percussion like timbales, congas, bongos, güiro, maracas and more, with piano, bass and horns. These guys completely capture the essential Latin vibe and sexiness, and are awesome to behold!
For a completely different Latin American flavour we had Edmar Catañeda Trio from Colombia. These guys are quite traditional, with Edmar being a true master of his harp instrument. Colombia is one of my favourite countries to visit and Edmar and his crew, which includes his beautiful wife on vocals for a few tunes, embody what I love about Colombia. These guys are traditional, emotional, spiritual, sensual, and sensational! Edmar even plays a prayer on his harp. This is a side of Latin music that the West doesn’t often get to hear, so it is great to have it as a part of WOMADelaide!
From Japan comes Mount Mocha Kilimanjaro (and you’d be forgiven for thinking they were African with such a name) with a brand of jazzy funk that Tarantino would love! These guys nail the ultra-fat grooves of the 70s, with smooth instrumental playing, and lots of jazzy soloing; there are some great stage personalities too!
From the U.S. we have Hazmat Modine, who, as a band, are rather difficult to define! They are funky, bluesy, swinging, and even have elements of Klezmer! With a tuba for bass (including some great tuba soloing!) and some wild harmonica up front, these guys had a gritty edge that makes them a whole lot of fun!
Of course, things do need to come to an end, but just like saving your favourite morsel of food to be the last thing on your plate, I like to save the best for last, and for that we go back to Africa for Seun Kuti & Egypt 80! Returning triumphantly to WOMADelaide this year, Seun brings his massive 12 piece band with him and, starting traditionally, eventually moves into the hypnotic realms of Afrobeat, where we are all led and remain for a massive trance-like 90 minute set.
There are massive grooves, solos aplenty, unbelievable bum dancing, and a brand of music that is unique and completely under the control of the amazing Seun Kuti. Following in his dad’s footsteps and easily filling the giant shoes that such a task requires, Seun wows the audience once again!
With that, so ends another WOMADelaide festival. And what a year it is. The rains just before the festival kept the dust down, the humidity kept the scorching temperatures at bay (though it was still hot!), the kids all seemed a little calmer - perhaps because, thankfully, the organisers decided against that stupid colour run paint exercise this year - and the whole thing is as beautiful as ever.
Only 361 more days to wait until WOMADelaide 2017!
Luke Balzan