Conductor Richard Davis
Host Guy Noble
Copland Hoe Down from Rodeo
Kats-Chernin Eliza and the Prince from Wild Swans Suite
J. Strauss Jr. Overture to Fledermaus
Respighi The Nightingale and Prelude from Gliucelli (The Birds)
Rimsky-Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee from Tale of the Tsar Saltan
Williams Shark Theme from Jaws Suite
Debussy Prélude à L’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun)
Rachmaninov orch. Respighi Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf from Cinq Études-tableaux
Mussorgsky Ballet of the Chicks in Their Shells from Pictures at an Exhibition
Sibelius Symphony No.5 in E at, mvt 3
A ménage of menagerie inspired music and mayhem
It was a musical menage of the menagerie at the Sunday Concert with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, as they celebrated the Animal Kingdom with excerpts from animal themed classical pieces. The irrepressible Guy Noble was the host as usual, as the QSO exclaim that they will not perform now on a Sunday without Guy! The regulars awaited his costume to fit the theme, but were disappointed when he appeared in a suit. His reasoning was that animals do not speak English and therefore his costume would be unconvincing, as he was the presenter. However, Guy did introduce the orchestral menagerie, using their latin classifications such as Scrapus violinus, Shriekus piccolosus and Hornus blowus. At the helm was the guest conductor Richard Davis, described by Guy as at the peak of animal evolution, with a black luscious plumage and tail feathers known as Maestroensis batonsis!
Maestroensis batonsis, common name Richard Davis, whose habitat is the Melbourne Conservatorium as Chief Conductor and Head of Orchestral Studies at Melbourne University, did not disappoint with an energetic and vibrant behavioural display with his baton waving in time to the music. He bounced around to the Wild-West themed Hoe Down by Copland, and waltzed with the Wild Swans of Elena Kats-Chernin.
The mesmeric Eliza and the Prince from the Wild Swans Suite, was based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen about a princess who saves her 11 brothers who have been turned into swans by a wicked stepmother. Elena Kats-Chernin is one of the most popular classical composers of our time, creating a fanciful and delightfully flirtatious piece inspired by the movement of swans. The final piece of the concert by Sibelius, was also inspired by swans. Written as the Misterioso Allegro molto part of the Fifth Symphony in E flat, Sibelius uses a triple-time theme which was inspired by the sound of the calls of the swans. The piece undulates to also emulate the flight of the swans, based on his sighting of 16 swans taking off simultaneously. Strauss Jr’s Overture to Fledermaus, also had parts where the orchestra emulate the fluttering of bats at night, interspersed with the waltzes at a fancy dress ball where Dr Falke is dressed-up as a bat.
Whilst introducing the audience to Respighi’s two pieces The Nightingale and Prelude from Gliucelli (The Birds), Guy Noble enlightened the audience when we were played a recording of what sounded like the twittering of finches. However, Guy revealed it was the calls of the humpback whale played fourteen times faster, demonstrating that there are more similarities throughout the incredibly varied Animal Kingdom, than we realise.
A finale, designed by conductor Richard Davis, recreated a scenario where a swarm of bumblebees fly across the sea at Amity Island only to be swallowed by a shark. He was of course referring to the QSO luring the audience with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee followed by the menacing and terrifying Shark Theme from the Jaws Suite by John Williams, complete with an orchestral scream as Jaws claims his victim!
The Sunday lunchtime Animal Kingdom concert entertained and delighted an audience of all ages with a fabulous varied selection of animal-inspired orchestral music from the world-class QSO. As a final treat, Guy Noble bounded on stage as a gorilla, stealing his “Annie,” a musician from the first violin section, to rapturous applause.
Guy will be conducting and hosting the next Sunday series concert with the QSO on the 4th August, with water-inspired music in Sounds from the Deep, do not miss it!
Concert Hall, QPAC
16th Jun, 2019
Dr Gemma Regan