. guishing melancholy,'particularly where the first violin line is punctuated by whimsical twinges from the < :.i ,. ' , ' accompanying strings. The darker shad~ and more overtly angst-ridden moments provide an evocative con- DISTRIBUTED BY BROAD MUSIC trast to the broad lyrical sweeps and gestures. .. ,- ,'-.: "Tel: 02'9938 '30 ' ' ,tJso' available from p t the more abstract end of dte musical are s~wn AUSTRALIAN MtJSICCENTRE , three works by Ian Shanahan, all of which draw upon < !"~'Td: 02 92474677' the composer's fascination with ~trono,t)ly arid,cosmolo- gy. Of the two pieceS which feature mandolin, Solar Australia has a unique musical heritage which is often Dust: Orbits and Spirals (for solo mandolin - played by passed over in the concert halls of this country. Yet Paul Hooper) and Arcturus TImespace, (for amplified Australian composers have drawn upon a wonderful mandolin, percussion, and tape - played by Stephen diversity of styles and influences and looked to new hori- Morey) it is the latter that really grips and challenges the zons in their search for an individual voice. as is evi- intellect. In an attempt to fathom the unfathomable, the denced in the recent CD release "Solar Dust", The CD piece reaches beyond the realm of normal perception in is a compilation of works by some of Australia's most. the search for a kind of ultra-real response to the con- respected composers including Dulcie Holland. Eric cepts of time and space. The effect is eerie and awe- Gross, Ann Carr-Boyd and Ian Shanahan, inspiring, underpinned with a sense of fear encapsulated in the words which lie at the heart of the piece: "The Solar Dust" begins with a gentle offering to nature. eternal silence of infinite space terrifies me". Sounds Ann Ca.rr-Boyd's piece for solo piano. Summer Haze, was decay evocatively into nothingness. an imagined infinity, inspired by a tropical garden scene. Ir is a peaceful, The mandolin becomes a highly expressive protagonist almost meditative piece, ripe with half-perceived visions in this context. with stereotypical tremolos and other of dappled sunlight filtering through lush foliage. Fragile devices used sparingly and with a sensitive ear to the droplets of rain form their own rhythmic counterpoint overall texture. to this richly imagined chiaroscuro. Summer Haze is a musical gem. It lulls the listener into an ethereal, nascent A sense of timelessness and infinite space is also intrinsic sound world and imparts a sense of renewal and restful- to Shanahan's Resonances ofHeaven. Pianist Tamara Anna ness. Cislowska creates a sense of dislocation or suspended animation. The effect is almost schizophrenic at times, The other works on the CD strike out in divergent tan~ with the delicate yet brittle high-pitched tinklings splin- gents from Summer Haze. In fact the variety of composi- tional approaches on the recording is one of its tering off from a core of (hick dark resonances. ..l strengths, and an honest reflection of [he state of con- temporary composition. The diversity means that listen- Offering a different approach again, two works by Eric ers may well find some thjngs that appeal to them Gross are included on this compilation. His CadenzaJ II strongly and others much less so, however most people for mandolin (played by Paul Hooper) is a mercurial, will find something (0 tantalize their taste in this selec- virtuosic piece, tightly constructed around taut, pithy tion of music. motives, whereas the Three Pieces for alto trombone and piano showcases the marvellous flexibility and inventive- Sandwiched between Carr Boyd's piece and Dulcie ness of the composer's technique. This coupled with a Holland's deeply expressive Soliloquy for strings is Robert highly charged sense of rhythmic freedom and interplay A1lworth's Hymn to the Miracle ofLanciano, Iuzly for presents challenges for the performers (Greg van der organ (performed by Lawrence Bartlett). Inspired by a Struick on alto trombone and pianist Tony Baldwin), to miracle in the monastery of Saint Longinus in 742, this which they rallied with conviction. The sudden mood work offers a bold contrast to the surrounding works, changes are smoothly absorbed in these vigorous and both in terms of its subject matter and in the magnifi- sometimes witty interpretations. The Introduction open ~ cent effect of [he towering chords and sustained pungent with a fanfare-like call that threads its way through jaun sonorities. [)" inrerlocked rhythms and quirky dialogue playfully ornamented with the occasional trombone glissando. Dtllcie Holland's Soliloquy is raken from the composer's SI ringquartet of 1996 and is pe rfo rmed here by the The Reri ll1tiTJO offers a mort: dramatical perspective to Orpheus String Quartet. I Iolland swdied composirion begin wirh, but this quickly uansforms into a question with John frdand at the Royal Colkgc of Music, ing trombone monologue, plirlClu:ued by spiky, assenivt 1,ondoJ) and later with M;l{)'3.s Seiber, and has direct inr<::rjcc{ions from rhe piano, The Aria ha~ a more reflee links 1O -f\t.1Sflal1a's first gcn("atiom {il proFessionally riw fed , and is a.l.mQ.&t ~/+. . \ur,k"la.idl'lal:k" harmonies trained L l::tssi c<~1 composer:; ilHu'lgh ber tcachers Alfred {~) march. The piano stro ll s ,d o !l;~ cnmphct'I1lI\', SUppOl i Hil! and Roy Agnev,,'. These illtl llL'II<C" <Ire evident in i\'t 10. but unperrurbed by. d,<,' {Ii'm i)(lll<.\ ~dr aiJ s( lJhn ' l! o!land\ prnjor1liJl,~lldy l\'i"i ; ~,1 '.llk, of "hich (h(~ '. ( )Il1 Ill(' ill :lry. The flll:11 J1)() \ ,": nu; [ i~: ,\hlJKd b)' ~<)m,
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Gary Monger's G~cko for soprano recorder . (play~d< by . style of the middle section. Again~. a wonderful perfor~ Ian Shanahan) is the shortest piece on .theeD at oJJ.ly 1 ~an~by- Lemond - minute, but it makes up for its brevity with charm.. L: ___L " .L ' " ' Th~ nostalgic, impressionistic flavour ofthe four con- Manger cq>Iains wat: ' G~cKo...~u.~compos~d on a, ' rainy aftqnQOL),in Cb~r.m>i9.<?~_R~~jde"ri.nY;,lizar~ . ,..O~:~ ~y:;~::;S;:ugR~~ ~lerpwo;!!~o:e;,eyat:~!;.e;:e ~~ mot~ ~~ mf?squitoes 'u,p ;~e'~ndow~fmy ~tu- .. . '. . . . dio.'W1len:'a'liZard catches~ insecf~ihe;kts" it:.:. alfih~ ,, }()ne Poem charactenstlc and rom~tlc style of the works " ,;,. :"':'!":l"- " :i"~~ '~/~.'I""'!'[~~ L rl. ';: , I k ':',;' ' .';'" ".: w hile eep~an eye on meas .:~~~s~< ~ule ' < : ,'.Will ..,',,' app. eaI to many listeners In Lemond's performance ",--' . ' . . ... lizards knoWthatthepieceF#~~~~" ab?~t th~. I~:~~;o~~r;a'l}~ost touch the Moonhght over KimblUl. , hope they like it". , " . ~'~~~:!',1r!):" ,: ~~, " ." ' ~ ',,' piarii~t'Danielle Perini excites the listener with her lively interpretation of Eric Gross's Toccata (originally written I can't speak for the lizards, but ~ost people will surely for piano accordion) whilst Meamkring in S"its from find it a delight! the "Five Simple Pieces for Piano Op. 169" is a 12-tone Reviewed by Johanna Selleck, Victoria piece that Perini performs with great competence, bring- ing out the work's rhythmic subtlety and tunefulness, HARLEQUINADE: ._ both characteristics of Gross's compositional style. MUSIC OF AUSTRALIAN COMPOSERS Composer-pianist Ann Carr-Boyd here performs by Robert Allworth Perp~tual Motion, a 1991 adaptation of Part 3 of her ]ADECD organ work, The Bells ofSydney Harbour, written in Available from me AUSTRALIAN MUSIC CENTRE 1979. The competency and fluency of Carr-Boyd as or BROAD MUSIC, 02 99383440 pianist admirably captures the bell-like sounds and mow perperuo characteristic of the work. Robert Allworth OAM has, to date, produced 68 CDs of the works of Australian composers. In this latest pro- This is a CD that is a must for teachers of piano. The duction he brings together an eclectic collection of piano sound quality is excellent and the outstanding perfor- works by six composers including Colin Brumby, Dulcie mances of the three pianists bring our all the nuances Holland, Eric Gross, Ray Lemond, Ann Carr-Boyd and and subtleties that such a variety of works demands. Allworth himself. All but one of the works is post 1970 Attractively boxed, this JADE CD is complere with pro- and teachers may wish to explore these works for sec- gram notes. ondary students or AMEB Extra List. Reviewed by Rita Crews, NSW The complete set of Colin Brumby's Hariequinade (which are listed on Grades 5 and 6 of the AMEB syl- Reproduced. courtesy of Th( Studio, August 1999_ labus) features as the tide work. Named after characters [romtfi"c o1ctfoim -of Ica-Iia enter ammenf, lne-'Clco1i.rnmrn me-e-= ----.=-=-=-;;;;-;;;;-= --;;;;...;;;;;.;;;:;....;;=.:;;::::;;;.;;;;;;:;:;:::;;;;;;;;;...-.-:;.--=--......;...----, dia dell'arte', the six works in this collection are entitled Arlecchino (or Harlequin in English), Columbina, Dottore Gratiano, Pulcine/la, Pantalone, The Venetian and Ii Capitano. The rhythmic and stylistic contrast between (he works gives each character its own personality and mode of expression, reflected here in the depth of play- ing that ranges from the delicacy of the Columbine character, to the easy~going style of Dottore Gratiano, to the majestic sound of Pantalone.
Although it has been recorded several times, Dulcie
Holland's briHianc Piano Sonata of 1952 is here given the best performance I have yet heard. It is played by Ausrralian pianist Ray Lemond, (the performer of Hariequi1Jadc) whose skjlled imerpretation and sensitive' performance of the work cause it to linger in the memo- ry. Rhythmically vital, the 3rd movemem. VilJO, in par- This must the easiest way to keep ticular, is utterly breathtaking. your CD collection up-to-date. In his role of composer, Ray Lemond here prcsuw: t,\ () of his own works , The i..tmd t\l'herc No Tl'tlJ- hll! :lIld On page 48 of this issue you'll SllnHght on Rumlillg \f-0ra, bOlh charmin g mini,l! U:L ' find a collection of recordings Th e first is playd in ;l rdlcccive, h;llll1ling m:!n! 1t : carefully selected by the editor ".-hils! !h~ s('c."' llld C\'okt:',\ rlw impr('ssi<~n nr \' ,i!'- ' for' music teachers. 1 t II !'()u~~ h the \: )J)! : ;: i ~~ :-:CIJ) iq \I:lVl")' IIFlt I L'" ,;:;( 1 ' ~ : ' ; i _ __ _ ___ .. ___ ._, __,___ ., _ ,_, ___ __. ________ ,_._____ ___"