PROLONGED OVATION FOR MOZART PERFORMANCE.

There was a good audience for the St. Matthews Chamber Orchestra’s second concert in the 2014 season. The programme offered something for everyone, with Prokofiev, Mozart, Sibelius and the first performance of a short work by the young Auckland composer, Ryan Youens.

The ten minute “Overture on Hebrew Themes” by Serge Prokofiev opened the programme. Originally composed for Piano, Clarinet and string quartet, when it was first performed in 1920, in New York, the composer later orchestrated it in 1934 and it was this version that we heard played by 59 members of the orchestra. The music is unmistakably Jewish in style being mainly in the minor key with the solo Clarinet playing in the lower register in lugubrious manner accompanied by rhythmic strings. The Piano also added an extra dimension to the orchestration, and the flow of the work alternated between being mournfully sad, and joyous and happy. Conductor Peter Thomas quickly demonstrated his command of the score and his clear direction of the orchestra.

The second item brought featured soloist Matteo Napoli to the Piano to give a sensitive performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 21. This is a demanding work with the ornate piano score matching the orchestral support in brilliant fashion. The gentle beginning of the concerto featured the woodwind section of flute, oboe and bassoon, who ushered in the solo piano in stylish fashion, and the movement continued in majestic style. Mozart’s music is always neat and tidy in its form and the soloist’s attention to the intricate detail of the piano part was impressive. The Andante section of the work features a tune that has become known as the “Elvira Madigan” theme, after it was used extensively in the 1967 film of that name. Singer Neil Diamond also made use of the Mozart melody in his “Song Sung Blue.“ This movement gave the soloist the chance to shine and he took it in eloquent fashion soaring over the orchestra with ease. The final movement Allegro vivace assai was performed with great flair as the music deserved, and moved to an exciting and exuberant end. The performance was rewarded with an enthusiastic ovation, and the pianist was called back three times to acknowledge the audience appreciation.

Following the interval, we were privileged to hear the first performance of a brand new work for orchestra composed by the young Auckland –based composer Ryan Youens. Titled “Unwrapped”, the programme notes indicated that the work was intended to explore the range of emotions that are experienced when unwrapping a gift. It did not require a vivid imagination to appreciate how much the orchestration conveyed the various feelings that might be felt in the course of opening a parcel containing a gift. This composition was tuneful and the orchestration skilfully managed and well balanced, so that every section of the orchestra had its moment of glory. We look forward to hearing more of this talented composer’s work in the future. He uses the Sibelius Composition System and has his own web site on (www.ryanyouens.com)

Symphony No 2 of Jean Sibelius was the major offering. Again it seems that the composer’s words eloquently described the symphonic composition, when he wrote, “It is as if the Almighty had thrown down the pieces of a mosaic for heaven’s floor and asked me to put them together.” The music of Silbelius seems always to have a nationalistic dimension and the opening movement of this Symphony introduces fragments of melodies which he later forms into a powerful whole. The music is evocative of the rugged Finnish countryside and he paints a wonderful picture with all the orchestral colour at his disposal. Conductor Thomas had no easy task in plumbing the depths of this powerful work, but he was very clear in his direction and the various sections of the orchestra acquitted themselves in worthy endeavour. The percussion section featured prominently throughout the Symphony and deserve special mention, and at the conclusion, the conductor insisted on each section of the orchestral soloists taking their individual bows.

I was sorry due to my absence in the Chatham Islands, to have missed the opening concert of the series featuring Cello soloist Eliah Sakakushev-von-Bismark playing the Rococo Variations with Napier based conductor Jose Aparicio, and Symphonies of Haydn and Schubert. I understand that this was a very fine performance.

We can look forward to the next concert on 22nd June, which will feature a number of talented senior students from The Auckland University Music faculty.
Robert O’Hara