MAHLER SYMPHONY CYCLE 2006-2012
Arvo Volmer, Conductor Feng Ning, Violin Nigel Westlake: Shimmering Blue Paganini: Violin Concerto No 1 Mahler: Symphony No 1, Titan Festival Theatre Friday 20 March, 8.00 pm Saturday 21 March, 6.30 pm
And now for the next enthralling chapter: Arvo Volmer continues his magnificent traversal of Mahler symphonies with the First. No one ever composed a first symphony of such audacious originality, encompassing exquisite nature sounds, rollicking dance tunes, sophisticated irony and darkness. The blazing, triumphant climax always inspires audiences to wild ovations. Feng Ning, winner of the prestigious Paganini Competition in 2006 and praised by Yehudi Menhuin, imbues his unique fusion of brilliance and insight on a work of such fiendish virtuosity, that Paganini’s contemporaries believed only a player in league with the devil could perform it!
ABC 891’s Bald Brother John Kenneally shares his thoughts on and passion for Mahler
From the adagios I began to discover the other sides of Mahler’s music, including the spectacular climaxes. The finale to the First is justifiably famous but there are numerous other big finishes in the Mahler symphonies. He certainly knew how to ‘bring down the house’. However, as thrilling as the finale is, my favourite movement from the symphony is the opening movement.
Mahler’s affinity with nature is well documented. There are accounts of him as a young boy sitting in an open meadow, utterly transfixed by the sights and sounds of his surroundings. The first movement takes me to that meadow everytime. Magic.
My favourite version of Symphony No.1 is Bruno Walter’s recording with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra in 1961. For such an old recording the sound stands up really well and the reading from a personal friend of the composer’s is beautifully paced but intense at the same time. If you come across it in your searches it’ll probably cost you no more than $10. Snap it up – it’s a bargain!
MAHLER SYMPHONY CYCLE 2006-2012
Great cities have great orchestras... and great orchestras play Mahler.
The ASO is the only orchestra in Australia to commit to playing all Mahler symphonies as a complete project.
The aspiration to do this is driven by the orchestra's achievements in the 1998 and 2004 Wagner Ring Cycles. The success of the Melba recordings of the 2004 Cycle with astonishingly positive international critical reviews, spurred Chief Conductor, Arvo Volmer to push for development of the musical 'lineage' from Wagner to Mahler and beyond.
Why does it take so long to present the Cycle?
Most symphonies require more than the ASO's current complement of 75 musicians. The additional resources required for these mammoth works mean that the exercise is costly and major planning and logistics are involved.
The 7 year Mahler Cycle will cost $3.1million, making it the most expensive project in ASO history.
Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
For almost 50 years after his death Mahler’s works were largely ignored until such figures as George Solti, Rafael Kubelik and Leonard Bernstein began to champion his work. Four of Mahler's symphonies (2, 3, 4 and 8) require substantial choral and solo voice parts, while many of his works call for larger than usual orchestral forces to play. The 8th symphony (Symphony of a Thousand), in addition to a massive orchestra, requires a chorus of many hundreds, leading to the description that the work requires 1,000 musicians and singers to present it.
Mahler's are the grandest of all symphonies…as the the Olympic Games are to sport, so is Mahler to symphonic music.
Guy Noble, Conductor Trisha Crowe, Vocals Chloë Dallimore, Vocals Michael Falzon, Vocals Todd McKenney, Vocals
Festival Theatre Saturday 7 March, 8.00 pm
Some of the biggest names in Australian show business join with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra to sing up a storm in a salute to Broadway. This footlight and fanfares, all-stops-out occasion runs the gamut of immortal musical showstoppers—the popular Broadway musicals from all eras. Relish the great music of Cole Porter, Lerner and Lowe, Rogers and Hammerstein alongside Lloyd-Webber, Peter Allen and Kander & Ebb all performed to the highest level with an outstanding cast of singers under the stylish direction of Guy Noble.
Q&A with Ben Lee
Do you have any special memories of Adelaide?
Which of your songs are you most proud of and why?
What is it that you’d like to be remembered for?
What’s the best thing about performing with the ASO?
What can people expect from your ASO concerts?
BEN LEE BLOG Click here to view.
Friday 13 March, 8.00 pm Saturday 14 March, 8.00 pm Festival Theatre Conductor: Brett Kelly
“The power of an orchestra playing one chord is pretty immense, and suddenly hearing music that was written in your bedroom played by a 60 piece orchestra…it was like ‘oh my god, I really came a long way’, “
Ben Lee
His 2005 album Awake is the New Sleep went double Platinum and won a prestigious four Aria Awards, reaffirming Ben Lee as one of the most exciting and talented songwriters and performers in Australia today. Since then he has had many singles reach the coveted Triple J Hottest 100 song list. He performed his hit single We’re All in This Together at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Few other artists have penetrated the mysteries of the Generation Y zeitgeist with such quirky charisma, disarming candour and approachability.
Ben Lee’s symphony show features a set of superb arrangements which add a new dimension to his sophisticated songs and is set to be a life-enhancing experience for audiences.
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