On Saturday the 30th of November this year, Cinematic: Blockbuster Movie Music, presented by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, performed at the Concert Hall, QPAC. There were two sessions that occurred that day, including a 2:00pm and 7:30pm session. Whilst this was the only day that the performance was held, that isn’t to say there won’t be any future Cinematic performances, as there is one being held in May 2020 that will feature classic scores from a range of films including Gladiator and Schindler’s List.
It’s no surprise that the Cinematic performance had an interval, because there was so much content to explore within this show! Expertly conducted and hosted by Nicholas Buc, the performance featured plenty of enthralling scores that were well-recognised, even by the first few notes, as beloved music themes to everyone’s favourite Films and TV Shows. Both halves were equally compelling and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra musicians were even dressed up as their favourite popular culture characters! It was a great opportunity to enjoy a laid back afternoon or evening, and enjoy the music that represents our favourite characters on screen.
The opening piece was the Star Wars (Main Theme) and this is a score that audiences only need the first few notes played to recognise. There was a lot of energy in the air from the audience members and the musicians were clearly giving in to the fun with their costumes. One of the double bassists was dressed as ‘SuperGirl’, a leading violininst was dressed as 'Gandalf', another violinist was dressed as ‘Princess Leia’ and a trombonist was dressed as ‘Captain America’. By kicking off with the classic Star Wars (Main Theme) the audience responded with instant delight, and were even encouraged to express their excitement for their favourite pieces and clap at any interval.
The Queensland Symphony Orchestra played confidently, and with plenty of enthusiasm throughout the entire Cinematic and it is clear to see that each of the musicians are passionate about the role they have within the orchestra. Rey’s Theme from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was the next to feature, and it was evident that featuring the Star Wars themes first and foremost made the audience highly receptive for what was to come. Following the science-fiction theme of Star Wars came a transition into the fantasy genre, featuring The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Symphonic Suite). This was a highlight personally, as I had rather enjoyed the In Concert performance I had viewed for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring many years back.
I found the sounds that emerged from each of the instruments absolutely delightful, and the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Symphonic Suite) reflected everything from the joyful, carefree spirit of the Hobbitons to the more industrial noises resembling the Orcs in Mordor. The complexity from the strings section as well as the heroic melodies that emerged from the brass instruments, and the hint of double bass and percussive elements, provided me with a whole new appreciation for the musical elements constructed within a symphonic piece for Film and Television. It really is a whole new experience watching each of these classic film scores performed live by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and being able to focus on the music alone, as opposed to within a Film or Television Show.
As the classic The Avengers (Theme) came into the picture, there was plenty of adrenaline in the air. With a repetitive and epic series of notes, which built up gradually, you could almost picture The Avengers assembling, putting their superhero suits on and preparing themselves to stop the bad guys from taking over the world! After this, there was a change of pace with Babe (Excerpts from Concert Suite) that featured soft plucking of harp strings, and gentle flute sounds, and everyone’s favourite kind-hearted pig quickly came to mind. Following Babe, the audience had a chance to dive into the world of magic with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Excerpts from Children’s Suite for Orchestra).
Excerpts from Children’s Suite for Orchestra featured a beautiful selection of themes from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone that you normally wouldn’t hear and included Hedwig’s Theme, Nimbus 2000, Quidditch World Cup/The Foreigners Arrive and Harry’s Wondrous World. Following on from this the audience had a chance to hear the Star Trek Into Darkness (Suite) and the Star Trek theme continued after the interval with Star Trek: First Contact (End Credits).
Drifting into outer space, the performance continued with Apollo 13 (Excerpts) and featured a classically heroic trumpet solo. Moving forward the audience even had a chance to hear a Video Game composition Journey (Excerpts) which started and ended with an intriguing solo for cello. I appreciated the context conductor and host Nicholas Buc provided for the Video Game Journey, as within the game there is endless wandering through a desert, and the atmosphere was reflected in the score that was played.
The next piece was Back to the Future (Suite) and Nicholas Buc provided interesting tidbits of information around the composer and how the iconic piece came to be. Inception (Excerpts) was a poetic journey into the subconscious mind, and a highly moving piece. The Queensland Symphony Orchestra played this piece with an intensity that cut through the Concert Hall and touched the audience members. After this, we jumped straight into the animated world of The Incredibles (Full Mayhem) and enjoyed the swing-jazz and cheeky ‘James Bond-esque’ feel to the piece. To finish off the performance, How To Train Your Dragon (Suite) featured and one could picture the effortless gliding through the air of dragon ‘Toothless’ with ‘Hiccup’.
There is so much to experience in a Cinematic performance with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra performing at the Concert Hall, QPAC. Next year is your chance in May 2020 to see a whole new selection of symphonic scores, and hear it live with loved ones. Now is the time to book ahead before tickets sell out. Reserve your tickets so you can be first in line to experience the wondrous sounds the Queensland Symphony Orchestra have to offer.
30 November 2019
QPAC, Concert Hall
Image Credit: Pete Wallis
Review: Joanna Letic