GIFTED STUDENTS EXCEL IN BAROQUE CONCERT

The June concert programme spanned four centuries, with the opening short piece for orchestra “Waitemata”, by 22yr old composer, Nelson Lam. A recent graduate of the Auckland University School of Music , Lam has won several Awards and Prizes for his compositions. This atmospheric piece was intended to convey his impression of Auckland Harbour shrouded in fog with shapes appearing and disappearing, finally opening out to reveal the sparkling beauty of the harbour in sunlight, with the indistinct horizons of the gulf in the distance. For this piece there were two oboes on either side of the orchestra with two horns in the middle. It opened with muted
strings playing softly with the woodwind and horns adding colour and with the volume building gradually to a climax with wind chimes adding further colour to the sound picture. This was well received by the audience who appreciated the composer’s explanation of the music that had been influenced by his observation of the Waitemata Harbour.

In total contrast we then heard the Brandenburg Concerto No 5 in D Major by J.S.Bach, which featured three talented young soloists from the Auckland University Music School. With Music School Professor John Elmsly conducting, the three soloists, Hanny Lee (violin); Abigail Sperling (flute) and Eddie Giffney (harpsichord) delivered an exemplary performance of this well-known work. With a smaller orchestra of 35 players well suited to the baroque programme, the clarity and precision of the music was fully realised by the conductor and soloists. At times the three soloists were accompanied by a string quartet, consisting of the leaders of each string section playing, and then with the full orchestra entering to add emphasis and complete the ensemble. In the Allegro movement the harpsichord underpinned the other two soloists and towards the end launched into a lengthy solo cadenza in which Giffney was able to take some liberties with the tempi, which until then conductor Elmsly had kept very strict. The second movement was a showpiece for the trio of soloists, and Bach’s sparkling contrapuntal writing came to the fore in the final movement with soloists melodies intertwining with a magical clarity.

Haydn’s Symphony number 44 known as the “Trauer” was next. The first movement was played crisply and with conductor clearly had a real feeling for the music. He was rewarded by some of the best string playing that the orchestra has produced, and the audience was able to appreciate the dynamic contrasts that Haydn had intended, with the slow movement especially expressive. The final Presto movement highlighted the agitation and urgency that the composer intended to convey, and here too the string section excelled themselves and the symphony was brought to a satisfying conclusion. Haydn was a master of symphonic composition and this is typical of his ability to write brilliant counterpoint contrasting melodies in such a way as to give real audience satisfaction.

The final item was Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E Flat which was in effect a concerto for violin and viola. Soloists; Joella Pinto (violin) and Alexander McFarlane (viola) presented stylishly; she in a pale mauve dress, and he in a black dinner suit and they shared the podium with aplomb. When this piece was composed it was very fashionable to feature two soloists and in this work Mozart gives equal prominence to both, at times giving the leading melodic line to one soloist, while the other follows, repeating the phrase an octave apart, and with soloists alternating in introducing the melodic theme. Soloists and conductor clearly displayed an affinity with each other and we were treated to a performance of exceptional precision. This is music in its purest form and I am sure that the audience appreciated the opportunity to hear performances from such a talented line up of young students. The St Matthews Chamber Orchestra deserve credit for offering the opportunity to these talented students to gain experience in performance at this level with a full orchestra, something that is not easy to come by.
The next concert on 17th August, is a Beethoven programme featuring pianist David Guerin with Michael Joel conducting. With the Coriolan Overture, the Emperor Concerto and the Seventh Symphony this is a concert not to be missed. Robert O’Hara