ACO Beethoven and the 21st Century

http://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/the-aco-presents-beethoven-and-the-21st-century-at-city-recital-hall-angel-place/The 39 year old Finnish violinist Pekko Kuusisto, an exciting and sought after international soloist in his own right, is now in charge of the ACO Collective, the 17-piece ensemble that is the major face of the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s (ACO) national touring section. This is whilst the ‘main’ orchestra, with Richard Tognetti, are premiering The Reef in New York, Richmond and Los Angeles. Kuusisto has a dynamic, impressive stage presence that is somewhat impish and playful yet focused and elegant. He led the Collective energetically and displayed, at times, almost balletic gestures. Kuusisto and the Collective engaged the audience with an exciting, innovative program featuring a challenging mix of classic masterpieces, a reworked Beethoven quartet, and modern works. The concert began with Kuusisto welcoming everyone and explaining that the works would be melded together with no specific breaks. The first half was very contemporary. Nicco Muhly’s Material in E flat featuring a striking virtuoso violin section, was already being played, with Kuusisto accompanying, as the ensemble walked on stage. Interestingly the piece contained some very every day sounds such as that of vacuum cleaners and fridge motors. Estonian Erkki-Sven Tuur’sAction, Passion, Illusion was played in three parts surrounding the other two works but not played in that order-Illusion was performed last with its breathless, shimmering ,insistent scurrying, whirling strings. Passion, with its hurrying feeling, featured an interweaving of cellos and basses, and Action featured crisp harmonies. The central piece, Tippett’s Lament from Variations on an Elizabethan Theme had a tremulous darting opening and a somewhat ominous tone at times.It built frantically in intensity then slowed down becoming more reflective, and then coming to a fragile ending. The work used a theme by Purcell and yet had modernist chords. Bryce Dessner‘s enebre was a powerful hypnotic work, pulsating and atmospheric , with prerecorded voices, an organ like sound and a syncopated finale with some cascading glissandi. The piece also had references to Baroque and other earlier composers. With the wonderful playing of the Collective there was a rich sound yet it was also pulled back, focused or softer when necessary. In the second half we first heard Sibelius’ Rakastava (The Lover). This piece was full of romantic longing. It was considered very experimental for its time and was trademark Sibelian in style, and quite nationalistic in character. In the first movement there were elegiac, thoughtful, yearning strings. The second, eloquently dreamy movement, The Path of the Beloved, was far sunnier and more dance-like with the Orchestra oozing a feeling of great rhythmic unity and delicious use of pizzicati , finishing with six notes on a triangle. The third movement Good Night– Farewell , featured a major change of mood and was replete with exquisite solos for cello and violin and ended with a return to the atmosphere of the first movement. A concert highlight was the last work played- Tognetti’s arrangement of Beethoven’s String Quartet No.11 in F minor, Op. 95. In this imaginative arrangement, with its warm tone and full string sound, the symphonic potential of the thematic material was developed to its full potential. The complexities of the ideas and the emotion conveyed by the dialogue between the various instrumental sections , increasing in intensity, were true to Beethoven’s original. The last of Beethoven’s ‘” middle-period “ quartets, the piece has kick-started the ACO’s significant exploration of the late quartets, which has been programmed in its concerts through the year. The first movement began explosively and emphatically with tempestuous, scurrying strings. The second movement, while it has more twisted, capricious themes, was more lyrical and stately The third, final movement featured more dynamic, swirling playing and delicate trios interspersed by a Viennese waltz , leading to an exuberant end. The concert ran for just under two hours including one interval. The ACO’s BEETHOVEN AND THE 21st CENTURY was performed at the City Recital Hall Angel Place between the 13th and 19th February 2016 after having toured across Australia. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)