Firebird: An Instrumental Spectacular presented by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Concert Hall, QPAC
19-20 March 2021
Conductor Umberto Clerici
Soloist Simon Tedeschi
WEBER Overture to Der Freischütz
MOZART Piano Concerto No.19 in F, K.459
STRAVINSKY Suite from The Firebird (1919 version)
Dr Gemma Regan
A Superb Supernatural Spectacular
It was another packed and excitable concert hall at the QPAC with eight high school groups from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast and the usual mix for the Morning Masterworks series. Conductor Umberto Clerici opened the concert after his recent guest appearance with Musical Landscapes when Alena Schwartz, Associate Conductor of the Tasmanian Orchestra could not come to Queensland due to Covid flight restrictions.
The ominous opening of Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischütz (The Free-Shooter) signalled danger and foreboding. Weber is one of the founders of the Romantic Movement in operatic music and his atmospheric tone poem with Faustian overtones was mystical and menacing. Weber described the overture telling the tale of “the life of the hunter and the rule of demonic powers”.
The QSO’s bright and bold horns represented the hunter in the forest with his seven magical bullets in exchange for his soul whilst the strings, clarinets, and bassoons used a lower register depicting the demonic powers of Zamiel, an agent of the devil. The terrifying timpani beat a slow rhythm as Max’s aria depicts the heroic huntsman striking a terrible pact to ensure six of his magical bullets would have perfect aim. However, the seventh bullet belonged to the devil himself. The change to a light melody in E flat major denotes the heroine Agatha then they meet in a symphonic clash signalled by a pause of silence, which unfortunately was interrupted by a giant sneeze from the audience. Ultimately resolving in Agatha’s melody with a victorious C major. This was a great piece for the bassoons who were brilliant at portraying the resonance of evil.
The Australian multi-award winning pianist Simon Tedeschi entered the stage in a stylish maroon smoking jacket and bow tie for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.19. Tedeschi is no noob to playing Mozart having performed his first at the age of nine at Sydney Opera House! His virtuosic performance was rich and confident opening with the classic bright and cheerful Mozart sound. The cadenza in the Allegro had contrasting triplets to the march of the orchestra. The Italian conductor Clerici swelled and shushed with a delicate finger to the lips appearing to thoroughly enjoy the piece, despite having forgotten to wear his glasses. The finale was outstanding with Tedeschi, Clerici and the QSO in symbiotic fugal harmony.
Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite was the most anticipated part of the show highlighting six brief parts of the ballet. Clerici explained the Russian fairytale to the audience, particularly the high school students of the half female-half bird. There was also an excellent new special educational section in the program “for younger ears” full of trivia and particular points of note for each musical composition. The ballet was scored by Stravinsky at the tender age of 27, after Anatole Liadov was unable to fulfil the commission, launching Stravinsky’s international career when it premiered at the Paris Opéra in 1910.
Evil is again personified through music with an unnerving chromatic theme as the evil ogre, Kashchei in his enchanted garden accompanied by the sliding strings of the QSO. The dance progressed through the delicious Firebird’s dance to result in stirring strings and dire drums in the Infernal Dance of King Kaschei, whereupon the dancers collapse in exhaustion to a cascade of strings. The majestic horns trumpeted the release of the enchantment and the musical celebration of the new kingdom and were greeted by tumultuous applause and raucous screams from the teen audience. Clerici, Tedeschi and the orchestra had five curtain calls before the excited audience where ushered from the ringing concert hall.
The Queensland Symphony Orchestra delivered another superb supernatural spectacular which was recorded to be played on ABC Classic on the 25th April at 1 pm (AEDT).