Wagnerian flavour of Tchaikovsky’s ballet music
Perhaps in acknowledgement of NAIDOC Week, the customary acknowledgement of country was replaced with the Rhythmic Acknowledgement, based on rhythmic patterns first documented in the early 1800s.
Simone Young
The piece, lasting five minutes, involved the entire percussion section of the SSO, augmented with the brass section seated in the same row, exchanging their usual instruments with clap sticks, led by Adam Manning, First Nations percussionist and Newcastle Conservatorium Coordinator. The five minutes flew by, with the capacity audience enthralled with the unique sounds of diverse forms of music-making wooden instruments.
That was followed by a chat between Simone Young (following her enthusiastic welcome from the audience and orchestra) and Uncle Ray Kelly, Deputy Head of the Wollotuka Institute for Indigenous Engagement and Advancement at the University of Newcastle.
The programme notes explained the link between Indigenous storytelling and Tchaikovsky’s ballets, as both using storytelling to convey a message. Ballet was first embraced by Russia’s rulers in the early 1700s as part of a project of cultural modernisation begun by Peter the Great.
Simone Young’s selections from the three ballets, “The Sleeping Beauty”, “The Nutcracker” and “Swan Lake”, were not in chronological order and were apparently chosen to showcase the orchestra and its outstanding leads as soloists.
The ten selections from Sleeping Beauty and nine each from Nutcracker and Swan Lake were frequently interspersed with applause, especially following outstanding solo sections by oboist Diana Doherty, David Elton on trumpet, flutist Carolyn Harris, Catherine Hewgill on cello, Alexandre Oguey on cor anglaise, Natalie Wong on harp, Susanne Powell on celeste and Andrew Haveron, outstanding on his 1757 Guadagnini violin. For this audience member, the duet with cello and flute and Andrew Haveron’s violin solo were the highlights of an outstanding concert, high on the list of “best evers”.
The reason for the linkage with this performance with Wagner was because of Simone Young’s use of the orchestra’s significant brass section, especially in the opening Introduction to the Sleeping Beauty. The concert hall’s improved acoustics were perfect for the 100-piece orchestra’s fortissimos and pianissimos.
Immediately following the interval, Uncle Ray Kelly related an indigenous tale of birds, seamlessly intermingling English and Gumbayngirr language, accompanied by percussionists Adam Manning and Timothy Constable using a huge bass drum and diverse wooden instruments.
In summary – a brilliant mixture of cultures exquisitely executed.
Alan Slade enjoys Simone Young conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the newly renovated concert hall of the Sydney Opera House on Saturday, July 8, 2023
I love the music of both of them.
Tchaikovsky yes but Wagnerian flavour …….