I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed an explicitly classical music production before. Years ago I spoke about Run Lola Run‘s live presentation at Sydney Festival with The Bays, and at this year’s event I’ve already talked about a Jazz Orchestra, but in either case I’m very much out of my comfort zone here. At least on the writing front. As a self confessed movie nerd, I’ve always been a fan of film soundtracks; be they symphonic productions or otherwise. And there are few things that get me as excited as an artist collaborating with an orchestra, e.g. Joanna Newsom with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra – yet another brilliant Sydney Festival production a few years ago. So it’s fair to say that enjoyment of the shows was a sure thing, and indeed there were no exceptions here.
First up were yMusic (pictured above) at The Famous Spiegeltent on Wednesday night, a six piece ensemble from New York who play modern compositions penned by artists like Sufjan Stevens, Shera Warden (My Brightest Diamond) and St Vincent. With the exception of Stevens’ number, however – the phenomenal “Year of the Dog” – these aren’t compositions the artists have penned for themselves and then appropriated by yMusic, but rather completely original tunes composed for this six piece ensemble.
On stage, the set up saw three members of the string family playing opposite three members of the brass and woodwind family. The sound created was a full one; the intimate surrounds giving the impression that a lot more than six musicians are present. And talented musicians they are, playing music that is by no means of the usual composition. Often, tracks are comparatively abstract and even open to interpretation, such as St Vincent’s number “Proven Badlands”, which, on measure 227, was turned into a “Mexican hat Irish number” which evolved into a “Beatles freakout” – by their own terms. They promised that they wouldn’t be trying it again, though as someone unfamiliar with the track, I found it very much enjoyable.
Other tracks performed included “Music in Circles” by Andrew Norman, which was the highlight of the night. That, they played note for note. It built from literally nothing – just a light tap on a violin – into something with ferocious, powerful, beautiful energy. And then it came full circle and returned to the tap on the violin. Truly incredible. Jeremy Turner’s “The Bear and the Squirrel” followed, a much slower, beautiful number. My Brightest Diamond’s “A paper, a pen, a note to a friend” was short and snappy!. Then there was a powerful track that could have easily been out of Philip Glass’ repertoire (to be fair, it might have been… I was out of the room when they introduced the track). The night closed with an encore, a cover of Sufjan Stevens’ “Year of the Dog”. A fantastic number that closed out a night which was very much a mixed bag of tunes, but enjoyable from start to finish. And judging by the audience, this would be fair to say for members young and old.
On Thursday night, it was time for some more traditional classical music – though in a unique context. The music of Stanley Kubrick’s classic 2001: A Space Odyssey was performed by the Sydney Symphony and Philharmonic Choirs as the film played in its entirety. This is a soundtrack, of course, that contains infamous compositions like Johann Strauss II’s “Blue Danube Waltz”, Richard Strauss’ symphonic poem “Also Sprach Zarathustra” and many more.
From my memory of the film – and it had been a while since I’d last seen it, and certainly never on the big screen – it was a faithful rendition of the soundtrack, performed with perfection (albeit a slight sound hiccup at one point) by the orchestra and choir. The live voices gave the film’s most powerful moments that extra edge, while the precision of the orchestra helped to emphasise the beauty of the film’s powerful score. It was an opportunity to not only hear classical music performed by the SSO, but an opportunity to see the classic film on the screen for the first time (at least for yours truly). A joyous experience for any movie fan, and though it’s a film with as much emphasis on silence as its powerful soundtrack, it would have been a special night for classical fans, too.
With Strass played in the film’s original credits, the Orchestra elected to play the track in its entirety, continuing well after the film had come to an end. A fitting close to a lovely evening and a wonderful two day Classical experience… as well as an attempt at reviewing it!
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The classical music portion of Sydney Festival continues tonight in The Domain in the CBD with a free tribute of the music of Kubrick’s filmic library, as performed by the Symphony. Details here: http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2013/Free/Symphony-in-The-Domain-The-Sound-Of-Kubrick/
The production of 2001 then moves to Adelaide as part of the Adelaide Festival in March, with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Chamber Singers. Details here: http://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/2013/music/2001_a_space_odyssey
