There seems to be a school of English (or UK based) pianists
who have earned their reputation for assured thoughtfulness rather than
heart-on-sleeve showiness. Stephen Hough and Paul Lewis are two who are regular
performers on Australian shores. Piers Lane is another and moments of his
performance with the WA Symphony Orchestra on Friday had an almost abstract
clinical accuracy. But it was an intellectualism that traversed emotional
extremes.
The 24 variations in Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a theme of
Paganini gave every opportunity to savour Lane’s exceptional tonal palette. A
Debussian haze of spread chords and velvet arpeggios contrasted with glittering
cadenzas and muscular octaves. Conductor Paul Daniel directed with precision
and the teamwork between soloist and orchestra was impressive. At times the piano
sound was embedded in the orchestra then moments later it would sparkle in the
foreground or duet poetically with the woodwind. In the 18th variation
Lane teased the ears by stretching the famed melody ahead and behind the left
hand accompaniment with romantic yearning. The support from low brass and
strings added rich power.
Lane took the audience to a deeper place with Rachmaninov’s
Prelude in D, an encore which became the soul of the program. In Lane’s hands
the simple melody intensified into a stern climax then melted in a tender conclusion
where audience, orchestra – nursing instruments - and soloist lingered together
in a moment of profound introspection.
Excerpts from Wagner’s Tannhauser and Dvorak’s Symphony No 7
completed the program. The lack of blend in the high strings and untidy attack –
not helped by concertmaster Giulio Plotino over-anticipating entries – marred Daniel’s
attempts at musical architecture. But the horn section was impressive in both and
the weighty emphasis of low strings and brass produced some throbbing romantic
moments.
This review copyright The West Australian newspaper 2013.
Limelight magazine have done a blind test of Australian orchestras. Fifteen critics and musicians were sent unlabelled recordings of performances during 2012 and the results were both predictable and surprising.
Sydney Symphony Orchestra came in first, which was as it should be.
Second place went to Adelaide, which is surprising but pleasing as the orchestra is brave in its programming and deserves more recognition than it gets.
Queensland Symphony came next which means they must have improved since I heard them last, although that was years ago.
The shock was Melbourne Symphony Orchestra coming in at fourth place - this will put noses out of joint! According to judges it was 'consistently placed in the bottom half of the ranking'.
Sadly WASO came second last; it seems that being the richest orchestra doesn't make it the greatest!
Tasmania trailed in last position.
This was my first chance to hear the Australian String Quartet since the change-over of first violin and viola. Hearing the dramatic flair and maturity of the new combination made me realise how unadventurous the previous line-up were. Below is my review published in the West Australian newspaper on Wednesday.
It is probably too early to expect the current Australian String
Quartet line-up to have established their ‘sound’. The group has welcomed a new
viola and first violin in the past twelve months and suffered a further shake
up to their first program for the year with injured cellist Rachel Johnston
withdrawing at the last minute. Despite this the quartet, with replacement
cellist Michelle Wood, seemed comfortably gelled when they reached Perth, the
final stop in the national tour. A combination of youthful zealousness and
discerning musical interpretation helped create vivid sound worlds from the three
works on the program.
Mozart’s String Quartet in D major K 499 was delivered with poise,
shaped by delicate phrase endings and melodic inflection. Kristian Winther led
from first violin with shining sound and fluid bowing, supported with astute precision by Anne Horton on second violin and
Stephen King on viola. Michelle Wood’s self-effacing cello contributions meant
the ensemble balance was a little top-heavy at times.
The gloves were off for Louis Andriessen’s Charlie Parker tribute
Facing Death. (check out the version on Youtube, much slower and less exciting.) The quartet took a fast, abrasive approach to the jazz riffs with
a swinging be-bop drive (despite the absence of a rhythm section). Winther and
King in particular played with idiomatic jazz groove. Andriessen’s heavy-handed
jazz mannerisms become relentless around the twelve minute mark and despite the
quartet’s virtuosic pace the piece seemed over-long.
The dramatic flair in Brahms’ Quartet in A minor Op 51 No 2
was appropriately understated and made a sharp contrast. The group made the
most of Brahms’ ever-changing textures and each meandering phrase was an
intriguing journey. The gentle transparency of the andante movement and the
ghostly menuet were highlights.
The quartet continues to impress, even with last-minute changes.
Let’s hope it makes the same good impression on the audience, which is dropping
in subscription numbers and could do with an injection of youthful energy.
This review copyright The West Australian newspaper 2013.
Orla Boylan and her singing teacher sat laughing in disbelief
in the La Scala opera house waiting room. It is 1995 and the Irish cell biologist
had just won Milan’s prestigious ASLICO singing competition.
“I had never imagined a career as a singer,” the down to
earth diva say\\SLs. “It was only a hobby that suddenly became more serious. I’m
only just now believing it possible.”
Now in her forties, Boylan is relaxing in front of the fire
enjoying a moment at home in Skerrie, north of Dublin. Despite her lack of
institutional training as a singer (her university degree is in science) Boylan
has achieved impressive results as a lyric soprano and is now moving into the
vocal fach of a dramatic soprano. Her hectic freelance schedule this year
involves reprising Senta (The Flying Dutchman) in various corners of the globe
including Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Russia and Taiwan. This week she is in
Perth for a lieder recital and orchestral performance with the WA Symphony
Orchestra.
Borlan’s first visit to Perth was for La Boheme with WA
Opera in 2002 and she returned as Procne in Love of the Nightingale (which won
her a Helpmann Award), soloist in Britten’s War Requiem, Ellen in Peter Grimes and
Chrysothemis in Elektra. Borlan’s penchant for hefty roles and dark subject
matters comes as a surprise given her bubbly personality.
“I like the dark characters,” she admits. “It is about
expressing things everyone has inside but you don’t usually get to show. It’s
quite cathartic.”
Boylan will perform in a more intimate setting when she
launches WASO’s new international recital series at the Government House
Ballroom on Monday. The recital will give Perth audiences a chance to see principal
conductor Paul Daniel performing on piano, an instrument he studied parallel
with conducting at the Guildhall School of Music. Boylan and Daniel often worked
together during Daniel’s tenure at the English National Opera but this is their
first time together in recital. The repertoire includes songs by Sibelius,
Barber, Richard Strauss, Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder and a scene from
Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin.
The Masters Series orchestral concert this weekend will
feature Boylan singing Strauss’ Four Last Songs, pieces she has been singing
since she was 23.
“I heard the Four Last Songs on CD and took the music to my
singing teacher and said ‘I want to learn this’. How precocious wanting to sing
Strauss in my early twenties! But that was how I learned the repertoire, by
finding recordings I liked.”
Her first performance of the songs with orchestra was in 1995 for Ireland’s VeronicaDunne Singing Competition with Joan Sutherland as one of the judges. Boylan won
the competition and afterwards met Sutherland.
“She was this major megastar talking to me like she was my
grandmother. She said, ‘Marvellous breath control, how do you manage it?’ and I
said, ‘You’re asking me?’”
Boylan has since performed the songs with La Verdi under
Xian Zhang, the Sinfonieorchester St Gallen under Jiri Kout and the Halle Orchestra
under Sir Mark Elder.
“It is beautiful music to sing, like floating on honey. The
orchestra is like supportive air beneath, keeping you buoyant. I am so grateful
to Richard Strauss for writing so beautifully for voice and I’m so grateful to
be a soprano.”
Boylan’s gradual transition into the dramatic repertoire of
Wagner and Strauss has met with critical acclaim. The Times reported a “radiance
and warmth in Strauss’ lines that is matched by tender insight in the
word-painting”.
Boylan says the repertoire is a constant challenge. “It
takes all my strength, energy and focus. It is a challenge to technique and to
stamina; you are singing with your entire body and there is no settling for
mediocrity.”
