Her Majesty’s Theatre. 3 Feb 2016
Some things really are worth the wait. And Adelaide has waited a very long time for a first visit from the incomparable Gillian Welch and her brilliant musical partner David Rawlings. It has been eleven years since they last toured Australia and then it was Eastern States only. This time they drove to South Australia from Perth - 28 hours by car, they proudly report, but- with some regret - not a single kangaroo sighted.
The crowd in Her Majesty’s is buzzing with anticipation and is not disappointed. “Greetings y’all”, beams Ms Welch, wearing a silk and lace ankle length shift dress and cowboy boots. Her soft-spoken beau, David Rawlings is dressed in a suit and a cream Stetson – the full ten gallons, or is that 37.8 litres? The staging is simple but carefully considered. The lighting is soft and buttery, a small table stands behind the twin microphones, on it a little cabinet with drawers for capos, harmonica holders, plectrums and other miniature mysteries.
They open with Scarlet Town, one of the highlights of the now-not-so-recent 2011 release, The Harrow and the Harvest. It is all there, straight off the bat. The enticing guitar duetting – Welch’s steady rhythm counterpointed by Rawlings’s amazingly nimble, wonderfully expressive syncopated melody lines. It is a curious mix of madrigal lute, bluegrass mandolin and acoustic punk.
Then, in comes Gillian Welch’s ringing vocal – “When I went down to Scarlet Town/ ain’t never been there before/ you slept on a feather bed / I slept on the floor....The things I seen in Scarlet Town did mortify my soul/ Look at that deep well/Look at that dark grave/ringing that iron bell/ in Scarlet Town today. “
It is a traditional song revived to perfection by a New York born, LA-raised , Berkelee School of Music graduate who doesn’t have to be born in Appalachia to capture that amalgam of 17th century English ballad, Pentecostal gospel and Depression era good-time music that fuels American country music. Leading participants in the O Brother Where Art Thou? music soundtrack which became the Ryman Theatre stage show, Down From the Mountain, it is no exaggeration to say that Gillian Welch and David Rawlings have been key to a new wave of 21st century Americana. Alt.Country is now the new mainstream, drawing in talents such as Bonnie Prince Billy, The Handsome Family, Punch Brothers and Iron and Wine, as well as reviving and refocusing the careers of Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams.
The opening cluster of songs in the first set includes both original compositions and re-arrangements of such familiar fare as Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor – Welch crooning plaintively with Rawlings’ wistful fingerpicking sweetly reminiscent of the legendary Mississippi John Hurt. Then it’s time for some Vitamin B, as Welch jokingly refers to her banjo, and begins that irresistibly ramshackle riff that opens into Rock of Ages. Disarmingly deprecating about their music, Gillian Welch introduces The Way it Will Be by saying – “The next one is a real downer, it starts out slowly and then fizzles out.” For the following song, The Way it Goes Rawlings adds – “this one is faster, but … sadder.” Needless to say both were performed to perfection, followed by the mournful sweet strains of Wayside/Back in Time and Annabelle.
They close the first half with the majestically slow Elvis Presley Blues, Welch in fine vocal and Rawlings as always reeling out note perfect solos, his small-bodied guitar held in near vertical position as he closes his eyes and slowly undulates with the unfurling melodies, riffs and rhythms- all in complete and effortless accord with Welch’s chiming voice and rock steady guitar. A rousing bluegrass version of Red Clay Halo ends the set on such a high that the interval seems essential just to gather our wits.
The duo come back even stronger after the break. Welch sings the semi-confessional ballad from Soul Journey, No One Knows My Name, and - a highpoint of an already vertiginous program – Hard Times, a Depression era sharecropper song about a farmer and his mule. It is a Welch-Rawlings composition, with strong traditional origins. And like the Woody Guthrie compositions and the Hollis Brown-era Bob Dylan works that precede it , the song powerfully evokes those elements of poverty, social injustice, and fortitude which made folk music also politically activist music – in the 1930s, the 1960s, and surely, again, in these times of the 1% wealthy and Occupy Wall Street.
The program reminds us how strong their repertoire is. With just five albums in twenty years (plus two more with the David Rawlings Machine) Gillian Welch, reminiscent of Americana pioneers, The Band, has distilled an exceptional set of songs. She sings Down Along the Dixie Line and then Six White Horses , complete with thigh and flank slapping rhythms –“it’s called hamboning” – and some wildly-admired bootstepping from Welch. Revelator, the crowning song from the crowning album, has the hackles shivering and Rawlings’ novocaine anthem Sweet Tooth is an open-tuned rumpus of ragtime and cakewalk. After the gothic murder ballad Caleb Meyer, Gillian Welch steps forward to ask a favour of the audience. It is her father’s 90th birthday and, on the road in Australia, she can’t be there. The audience sings Happy Birthday Kenny and is also invited to capture the moment for YouTube. Up it went, minutes after the show. Look at Miss Ohio and Everything is Free close the proceedings on what can only be called a perfect note.
Except there is more. A taste of Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit, in tribute to the late Paul Kantner. And a masterful version of Lefty Frizzell’s weepy, Long Black Veil. The sound quality has been flawless all evening (let no one say Her Majesty’s has dud acoustics) and David Rawlings has played his pin-sharp guitar direct to a microphone.
For the final song the duo come to the edge of the stage and perform entirely without amplification. It is a spell-binding finale; the audience quieter than the quietest mice, Gillian Welch’s tuneful melancholy vocal in telepathic harmony with Rawlings and his minimal guitar. At one point all we hear is her vocal and the merest tapping harmonics from the fretboard. Less has never been quite this more. No-one who was there will forget this concert. As I said, it was worth the wait.
Murray Bramwell
When: 3 Feb
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Bookings: Closed
Adelaide Wind Orchestra. Concordia College Chapel. 12 Dec 2015
Peter Handsworth has sadly taken his final bow as Artistic Director and Conductor of the superlative Adelaide Wind Orchestra. In his after-concert farewell speech to Handsworth, trumpeter Timothy Frahn noted that Handsworth was taking up a post at the University of Queensland in the new year and that under his direction the AWO had demonstrated unambiguous ‘proof of concept’, had played exceptional repertoire, and regularly received international recognition.
The repertoire and musicianship paraded in this evening’s program will only contribute to the AWO’s standing as a musical force to be reckoned with.
Resphigi’s four movement Pines of Rome lent its name to the programme and was played with much emotion. Originally written for orchestra, the transcription for wind orchestra works particularly well for the two middle movements, with especially beautiful languid solo clarinet lines. The opening movement depicts the vibrant and eclectic Villa Borghese park, but was perhaps overpowered and lacked synchronous phrasing in the early bars. The exceptional arrangement only missed the violins at this point.
David John Lang, a member of the AWO’s trumpet section, is also a composer of some note and he conducted the AWO in a performance of his own composition Over the Hills and Far Away. It is complex, almost mathematical in structure. It comprises a set of interrelated sections that irritatingly toy with your musical memory as a recognisable tune seems to emerge and then abruptly dies away and is replaced by something else that in turn also sounds reminiscent. Its very title is frustrating and turns your mind to versions of the traditional folk tune of the same name. (My mind even ventured into trying to recall the opening solo rhythm guitar work in Led Zeppelin’s song!) The polyrhythmic structures and varied use of individual instruments to drive the piece onwards, and the difficult double/triple almost flutter tonguing on the oboe were particular points of interest.
The highlight of the evening was a feisty performance of Dutch composer/arrangerJohan de Meij’s Symphony No.1 The Lord of the Rings. This is a landmark composition and in many ways defines what the modern wind orchestra is truly capable of. Although it draws its inspiration from JRR Tolkien’s novel, it is not overtly programmatic and being familiar with Middle Earth and wizards and Hobbits and exotic elvish landscapes is unnecessary, thankfully, for it is pure music and speaks for itself.
The concert began with the de Meij and the grand fanfare with which it commences was the herald for a stunning musical journey. The Gandalf movement was mystical, and the Lothlórien was mysterious with the unknown looming at every breath. The soprano saxophone in the third movement artfully imitated the small, beguiling and slimy creature that is Gollum. The momentum for the Journey in the Dark fourth movement was supplied by the ominous beat of the percussion, and the final Hobbits fifth movement simply drew a wide smile to your face with its cheery walking bass line and the in-your-face anticlimax that gives way to a gently fade-out. I had not heard this piece before and as I listened to it my mind turned at times towards what a fully symphonic orchestration might sound like. But I don’t think I’ll bother searching one out – the original is just splendid.
This was another superb concert by the Adelaide Wind Orchestra – a delight in programming.
Congratulations, thank you and goodbye to maestro Peter Handsworth, and welcome to Dave Polain who will succeed him in 2016. An exciting and innovative series awaits, which kicks off in the Fringe with a concert of the film music of the inimitable John Williams. One not to miss, but more on that in a future review!
Kym Clayton
When: 12 Dec
Where: Concordia College Chapel
Bookings: Closed
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Festival Theatre. 4 Dec 2015
Bathed in moving and ever changing pulsating psychedelic light, the Festival Theatre stage was full to overflowing with the the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and local tribute band The Zep Boys. As lead singer Vince Contarino put it, “…tonight is about the coming together of two vastly different musical traditions – rock band and symphony orchestra – to produce something special to bring people together, and isn’t it a shame that religion and politics can’t do the same.” This is perhaps a simplistic take on the world’s woes, and a philosopher Contarino is not, but he and his fellow Zep Boys know and respect the music of Led Zeppelin and they belted it out to a capacity audience for over two hours.
It wasn’t your typical gig, but some of the Zeppelin faithful thought that it was, and kept walking in and out of the auditorium while others insistently filmed the concert on their phones. Some behaved as if they were in a mosh pit and head-banged and threw themselves around as if their lives depended on it, but hey, what the hell. It was adrenalin fuelled fun (and for some the fuel was perhaps illicit!)
The play list included many of the hits that made Led Zeppelin famous in the 70s and 80s, including All of my Love, Out on the Tiles, The Rain Song, Moby Dick, Stairway to Heaven, Immigrant Song, Black Dog, Kool Aid, Whole lotta Love, and many others.
Bradley Polain’s drum solo in Moby Dick ran for nearly fifteen minutes and brought the audience to its feet at its conclusion. Polain’s playing included some uncommon time signatures, but on one occasion, after he clapped the audience in to join him, he abruptly switched time signature and left them all behind!
Tzan Niko’s guitar work with the iconic Stairway to Heaven was clear and unfussed. For him it was the music that mattered - there were no histrionics that often overshadow the musicianship.
Conductor Hamish McKeich led the orchestra well and was clear and decisive in his direction. However the sound engineering occasionally spoiled the superb arrangements, with the string section of the orchestra sounding distorted at times.
This concert demonstrated the importance and cultural significance of Led Zeppelin. The audience ranged in ages from seven to seventy, and they loved it. The Zep Boys treated the music with great respect and the audience lapped it up.
Kym Clayton
When: 6 Dec
Where: Festival Theatre
Bookings: Closed
Musica Viva. Adelaide Festival Theatre. 2 Dec 2016
Onto the large Festival theatre stage, decorated only by two dramatic Musica Viva banners and three exquisite floral displays, walks the lonely figure of a man gently holding a violin. Apart from the Stradivarius, there is nothing outwardly impressive about the way he looks – he is not statuesque, he does not have movie-star looks – but when he places the violin under his chin and coaxes music from it he is all of a sudden a giant amongst men.
Maxim Vengerov is a wunderkind. He is the full musical deal. His technique is flawless – if there is such a thing – and he executes phenomenally difficult pieces with almost contemptuous ease. His simultaneous bowing with one hand and pizzicato with the other had mouths dropping during Ernst’s Etude No. 6; a remarkable set of variations on the traditional Irish tune The last Rose of Summer – and Paganini’s I Palpiti (arranged by Fritz Kreisler). As intricate and demanding as these two pieces were, Vengerov communicated the opposing emotions of tenderness and forcefulness with clarity, decisiveness and great control devoid of distracting and melodramatic gesture.
Vengerov has a remarkable musical memory, not just for keeping a score in his head (that goes without saying) but for ensuring both the dynamical and metrical treatments of a work are precisely balanced from the first to last note. Bach’s mighty Chaconne from the Violin Partita No.2 is fifteen minutes of pure bliss in the right hands, and in Vengerov’s the result was almost rapturous. Every phrase was finely balanced alongside the next, and moments of serene peace and delicate softness emerged untroubled from sections of controlled strength.
Beethoven’s Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 7 is full of vivid anguish and pain, and can easily become melodramatic. Beethoven’s superb score treats the two instruments as equals (one never plays second fiddle to the other!) and pianist Roustem Saitkoulov complemented Vengerov beautifully. Saitkoulov cuts a striking figure at the keyboard. He sits erect and like Vengerov is not one for flashy showmanship or for superfluous and distracting gesticulation. With him as for Vengerov it is all about communicating the music to the audience. They are both graceful musicians and they demand your attention as they tell their story – you could not lose yourself in the moment, even if you wanted to. This was certainly the case in the ‘bluesy’ middle movement of Ravel’s Sonata No.2 for Violin and Piano. Saitkoulov and Vengerov combined to produce an unfussed jazz ‘feel’ that is not altogether common with musicians from the Russian tradition. This was an absolute treat.
The relatively short Sonata No.6 for Solo Violin by Eugène Ysaÿe was a complete eye opener. This reviewer was not previously familiar with the work of Ysaÿe and to admit that I was anything but exhilarated by Vengerov’s performance of such a witty and phenomenally difficult piece (that demanded nothing short of musical gymnastics) would be a complete understatement. Vengerov displayed palpable connection with the composition as he shouldered his way through its intricate demands. His playing was spirited and dynamic, and then it was all over with a flick of the wrist and gentle smile.
Having been generously treated to three encores at the end of the program, the large audience was understandably generous and noisy in its appreciation of two modern masters - Saitkoulov and Vengerov.
Brava, brava, brava, and congratulations to Musica Viva for entrepreneuring such a stunning concert.
Kym Clayton
When: Adelaide – Closed
Continuing in Perth, 6 Dec. Melbourne, 8 Dec. Sydney, 10 Dec
Where: Adelaide Festival Theatre
Bookings: musicaviva.com.au
Photography by Sue Hedley
Master Series 9. Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 6 Nov 2015
Entitled Eroica, the ingenious programme was infused with Beethoven. It began with Brett Dean’s Testament, which was inspired by a remarkable and heart rending letter written by Beethoven – the so called Heiligenstadt Testament. (Dean was also the guest conductor for the concert.) This was followed by the version of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.20 that included two cadenzas written by Beethoven, and the programme concluded with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, the mighty Eroica.
Brett Dean chose to reconfigure the usual seating arrangements of the orchestra, and positioned the cellos to the center front of the orchestra, approximately swapping them with the violas. The effect was to provide a mellower sound across the breadth of the stage, which was more apparent to the audience at stage left.
Behind his tight smile wunderkind pianist Benjamin Grosvenor was surely enjoying the abundant applause that was showered on him by a large and enthusiastic audience at the conclusion of the Mozart Piano. Grosvenor at times almost appeared impartial during the concerto, especially during the very popular slower second romance movement, but the simple matter is that he appears to give a wide berth to flamboyant and excessively demonstrative gesture. What is crystal clear is his deep understanding of the music and his technical prowess, and together the result is almost disquieting for someone who is only in his early twenties. Young musical prodigies are not entirely rare, but Grosvenor has something special. His execution of the two Beethoven cadenzas were especially insightful and appealing: seemingly effortless strength tempered by precision, control and musicality.
Brett Dean’s Testament was dramatic, but was more interesting than enjoyable. String players using two bows each – one with rosin and the other without. The former produced thin scratchy tones from the instruments, which Dean explained was a musical interpretation of the anguished sound Beethoven’s quill might have made on the parchment as he wrote his letter.
The performance of the Eroica was intriguing. Brett Dean chose to have the orchestra play standing with the exception of the basses, and he also played and conducted from the viola. I am told there are both advantages and disadvantages with playing from the standing position, but the result was ‘outstanding’! It was pacy, but not too fast, and it was passionate to the extent that many of the audience erupted into spontaneous applause at the end of the third movement.
This concert was just superb. It had everything: both new music and the classics; a conductor who also played and conducted from his own instrument; innovation in staging; and a performance from an emerging giant amongst soloists.
Bravo ASO.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed