Adams and Muhly music at St. Andrew's Hall

On Thursday 23rd May 2013 I attended Britten Sinfonia's Norfolk and Norwich Festival concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. This was an exciting performance from this adventurous ensemble which combined complex minimalism with cross-genre inventiveness.

The programme consisted of Shaker Loops - John Adams, Seeing is Believing (Concerto for Electric Violin) - Nico Muhly, Double Standard - Nico Muhly and Chamber Symphony - John Adams. Clark Rundell conducted the orchestra at this fantastic concert. Thomas Gould played the electric violin on Seeing is Believing while Colin Clarke and Alexandre Esperet played percussion on Double Standard.

Shaker Loops was composed by John Adams in 1978, it was originally written for string septet and a version for string orchestra followed in 1983. It began as a piece called Wavemaker in which Adams tried to emulate the ripple effect of bodies of water in his music. The piece was a commercial failure, but Adams kept the idea of repeating loops of oscillations on string instruments. He retitled the piece Shaker Loops, both because of the shaking of the strings as they oscillate between notes and the idea Adams had of Shakers dancing to repetitive, energetic music.

Nico Muhly composed Seeing is Believing in 2007, the piece blends electronic fusion and Tudor motets. The composer said that Seeing is Believing references the ancient practice of observing and mapping the sky. The electric violin reminded him of the 1980s and he tried to reference the music attendant to 80s educational videos about science. The piece ends as it began, with looped educational music depicting the night sky.

Double Standard was written by Nico Muhly for Colin Currie and the finalists in last year's TROMP Percussion Competition, won by Alexandre Esperet. This was the piece's UK premiere and is a single movement concerto for two percussionists. Nico Muhly wanted the solo parts to highlight not just technical dexterity but also the do-it-yourself practical knowledge that all great percussionists have.

John Adams composed the Chamber Symphony in 1992, the piece was commissioned by the Gerbode Foundation of San Francisco for the San Francisco Contemporary Chamber Players. It was written for fifteen instruments and bears a resemblance to its eponymous predecessor, the Opus 9 of Arnold Schoenberg. The Chamber Symphony is broken into three discrete movements, Mongrel Airs, Aria with Walking Bass and Roadrunner.

This was a brilliant night to be present at St. Andrew's Hall as Britten Sinfonia brought us the musical delights of John Adams and Nico Muhly. I was very excited about hearing Shaker Loops live and hearing the music of Nico Muhly. John Adams's Chamber Symphony was the highlight of the concert for me. It was full of kinetic energy and had so much going on.

The Aurora Orchestra declares war!

On the evening of Saturday 18th May 2013 I was back at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich to see the Aurora Orchestra at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival performing their Battle programme which combined break dancing and orchestral music. The Aurora Orchestra were conducted by Rory MacDonald with Thomas Gould - Leader and Max Baillie - Viola. The Dancers were from Bboy's Attic and Company Decalage.

The programme consisted of Battalia A 10 - Biber, Chamber Symphony Op.73A - Shostakovich arr. Barshai, Venus from The Planets - Holst arr. Farrington, Maxamorphosis - Julian Phillips and This Means War - Chris Willis. The Bboy's Attic and Choreographer Mickael 'Marso' Riviere joined the Aurora Orchestra for this adventurous cross-art project as part of the Orchestra's New Moves series.

Battle featured a playlist linked loosely by the theme of conflict or struggle. There is the baroque fireworks of Biber's Battalia, Shostakovich's third string quartet whose original guise as a straightforward 'war narrative' in fact masked more complex beginnings and Chris Willis' radical re-imagining of Holst's Mars, the Bringer of War. At the heart of the programme was Maxamorphosis, a major new work composed by Julian Philips and choreographed by Marso for chamber orchestra, dancers and solo viola.

This was an amazing night at St. Andrew's Hall with the Aurora Orchestra giving us a brilliant unique programme of break dancing and orchestral music which was greatly enjoyed by the enthusiastic audience. Maxamorposis not only featured breakdancers and a contemporary dancer, but the soloist, Baillie, danced as well as played the viola. He is trained in Capoeira, the Brazilian martial arts danceform. The Norfolk and Norwich reached another level of excitement with the stage being filled with break dancers as well as the orchestra.

Angela Hewitt directs Britten Sinfonia

On Tuesday 8th January 2013 I attended the Angela Hewitt directs Britten Sinfonia concert at Norwich Theatre Royal. Acknowledged as one of the finest pianists of her generation, Angela Hewitt made an eagerly awaited return to Norwich Theatre Royal. In this concert she performed two Beethoven piano concertos. Thomas Gould directed pieces from Wagner and Sibelius.

The programme consisted of Siegfried Idyll - Wagner, Piano Concerto No.2 - Beethoven, Scene with Cranes - Sibelius and Piano Concerto No.4 - Beethoven. This was a wonderful set of music for a Winter's evening in the Fine City of Norwich.

Wagner composed the Siegfried Idyll as a birthday present to his second wife, Cosima after the birth of their son Siegfried in 1869. Written in one single sweeping movement, the Idyll opens with a theme from Wagner’s opera, Siegfried, which was completed the previous year. The second theme, for oboe, is that of a lullaby which Wagner intended to use in a piece for their daughter, Eva.

Beethoven composed his Piano Concerto No.2 primarily between 1787 and 1789, although it did not attain the form it was published as until 1795. Beethoven did write another finale for it in 1798 for performance in Prague, but that is not the finale that it was published with. It was used by the composer as a vehicle for his own performances as a young virtuoso.

Scene with Cranes was composed in 1903 as part of the incidental music that Jean Sibelius created for his brother-in-law Arvid Järnefelt's play Kuolema (or ‘Death’). While the play is a rather macabre tale of a family being chased by death, in the second scene the young man sees his future wife within a dream and as they fall asleep together in a forest, a flock of cranes fly overhead, with one crane breaking away from the flock to deliver a baby to the lovers.

Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.4 was composed in 1805 and 1806. Despite asking a number of renowned pianists to perform the work, each of them refused and, left with little choice, Beethoven was forced to give the work’s premiere himself, first in a private concert to his patron Prince Lobkowitz in March 1807 and later in its public premiere in Vienna in December 1808.

There was a wonderful atmosphere at Norwich Theatre Royal as Angela Hewitt performed two Beethoven Piano Concertos. I enjoyed Wagner's Siegfried Idyll greatly and this proved to be the perfect opening to the concert. The Scene with Cranes brought a touch of nature to the evening. Angela Hewitt's performance was of the highest quality and it was obvious that she was enjoying playing with Britten Sinfonia.

Happy 20th Birthday Britten Sinfonia!

On the evening of Tuesday 23rd October 2012 I attended the Britten Sinfonia 20th Birthday concert at Norwich Theatre Royal. This was a celebration of Britten Sinfonia both present and future. The line-up included Pekka Kuusisto - violin/director, Thomas Gould - violin/director, Jacqueline Shave - violin/director, Caroline Dearnley - cello, Nicholas Daniel - oboe and the Britten Sinfonia Academy.

The programme consisted of Gallo Variations - Alissa Firsova, Rakastava Op 14 - Sibelius, Concerto for Oboe and Violin in D minor, BWV 1060 - Bach, Fantasia Concertante on a theme of Corelli - Tippett, One - James MacMillan and Symphony No.1 in D major, Classical - Prokofiev. The pieces from  Alissa Firsova and James MacMillan were Birthday Commissions which were being World Premiered on this tour.

This was the perfect night to showcase twenty years of  Britten Sinfonia with an very imaginative and varied programme being performed at Norwich Theatre Royal. My personal favourite piece of music was Bach's Concerto for Oboe and Violin. Happy 20th Birthday Britten Sinfonia and we all hope that the next 20 years will be as equally successful and pioneering.

Tango time at Norwich Assembly House

Marcelo Nisinman with his bandoneon

This Friday was the last Britten Sinfonia at Lunch concert this season at Norwich Assembly House. It was tango time as we were spoilt with some Latin American treats.

The programme consisted of Hombre Tango - Marcelo Nisinman, Ciudad Triste - Tarantino arr. Marcelo Nisinman, Nanobots - Enrico Chapela and The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires - Piazzolla.

Playing on this occasion were Thomas Gould - violin, Caroline Dearnley - cello, Stephen Williams - double bass, Huw Watkins - piano and Marcelo Nisinman - bandoneon.

The opening piece Hombre Tango was composed by Marcelo Nisinman where the main theme includes a repeated B. The music was inspired by cellist Eduardo Vasallo.

Osvaldo Tarantino composed Ciudad Triste which means Sad City. Marcelo Nisinman wrote this new version for violin, bandoneon and double bass.

Nanobots composed by Enrico Chapela was on it's world premiere tour. Nanobots are microscopic machines that could be a revelation for the human race in the future. This is a very experimental piece of music based on binary code. I particularly enjoyed this composition as this was trying to be progressive and different.

The highlight of the concert had to be Astor Piazzolla's The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. This is a truly wonderful piece of music. Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring all interpreted delightfully. Piazzolla was the pioneer of Nuevo Tango adding new instruments and elements like jazz and baroque. Think of Vavaldi's The Four Seasons with an Latin temperament. 

The packed Assembly House all applauded loudly at the end and we were treated to an encore. This was a very special musical experience which will live with me for a long while. I went to Prelude Records in the afternoon and purchased a CD of Piazzolla's music that I have got on repeat play this morning.

A twist on the Goldberg Variations!

Angela Hewitt directs Bach and Mozart
at Norwich Theatre Royal

Angela Hewitt at Norwich Theatre Royal on a Sunday night, how wonderful with the added bonus of Britten Sinfonia and Thomas Gould. I made my way to the concert full of excitement and was not disappointed.

The programme for the night was Bach Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor, Stravinsky Concerto in D for string orchestra, Mozart Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major and Bach arr. Dmitry Sitkovetsky Goldberg Variations.

Canadian Angela Hewitt is one of the world's top pianists and it was a pleasure to witness her performance of Bach and Mozart. This is the first time that Angela had performed Mozart's K271 in the UK. She brought lots of joy with her playing and enthusiasm.

After the interval Thomas Gould thrilled us on the violin with Bach's Goldberg Variations. This is a twist in the programme as Angela Hewitt is so closely associated with playing this piece of music. Sitkovetsky's arrangement is very expressive and Thomas Gould took advantage of this in impressive style.

Top class Classical Music at a top class venue, this was truly a splendid evening. The Britten Sinfonia orchestra were on top form all night.