The 'Mad About Mozart' concert, performed by the Goldner String Quartet and accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, offers audiences even more than the title implies.
Two appealing contemporary pieces will accompany Mozart's Symphony No.28 in C, including 'Schaduw' (Shadow) by Theo Verbey (born in 1959) for string quartet, string orchestra and percussion, as well as 'The Rave and the Nightingale' by Matthew Hindson (born in 1968), for string quartet and strings.
The Goldner String Quartet will take the spotlight as 'soloists', gracing the City Recital Hall stage with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra on Thursday, 6 October.
Concertmaster Dene Olding (who has stepped down from his role since speaking with us) took the time to answer some questions about the show.
Image © Yoonbae KimIn summary, what can audiences expect from 'Mad About Mozart’?
A classic work, a funky work, and something different!
Talk about Theo Verbey's work, 'Schaduw'. It was composed in 2002 and even reworked and expanded for the ballet 'Frozen Echo' years later?
This will be the first performance of 'Schaduw' for us. It is a very atmospheric piece and as the title suggests, it moves from mysterious and exotic sounds to a more dynamic language. He skilfully uses the sounds of a divided string orchestra with percussion instruments to great effect.
For those who don't know, who is Theo Verbey, and what else has he achieved in his musical career?
His music has been described as “energetic and appealing” and has been performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, The Hague Philharmonic, ASKO|Schönberg Ensemble, Nieuw Ensemble and Amsterdam Sinfonietta. Conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Jaap van Zweden, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Markus Stenz, Robert Spano, and Santtu-Matias Rouvali have all conducted Verbey's works.
What's most notable about 'The Rave and the Nightingale' by Matthew Hindson?
Matthew is a composer who is trying to break down the boundaries of genre. This piece takes a masterpiece of Schubert as a point of departure (the great G major string quartet) and fuses it with a style that may be described as techno-funk.
Explain Matthew Hindson's history as an Australian composer?
Matthew is one of our brightest stars and one who tries to marry a sophisticated musical palette with attractive and approachable sounds. Rhythmic drive and elements of popular culture are often a feature of his music. He has been resident composer with the Sydney Symphony and the Queensland Symphony orchestras and is one of the most often-performed composers working in Australia today. He is also Associate Professor and Chair of Composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Elaborate on Mozart's 'Symphony No.28 in C', is it well-recognised?
This spirited Symphony by Mozart was said to be written around 1774 but was probably written earlier. The composer was therefore only 18 years old at most, which in Mozart’s case could almost be described as a “middle period”. Certainly he had already written many masterpieces. This symphony has the standard four movement structure and features two oboes, two horns, two trumpets and strings. Mozart uses the brass more prominently than usual, perhaps offering a hint to his later symphony, the Symphony No. 41, the 'Jupiter'.
'Mad About Mozart' is sandwiching a classical piece by Mozart between two contemporary works. Does the contrast fit well?
Few composers can be juxtaposed with any other kind of music and still retain integrity on a programme. I would nominate Bach and Mozart in this category. Mozart’s music is timeless and is like a cleansing dish in the middle of a banquet.
How much preparation has gone into putting the concert together?
The Sydney Symphony is made up of professionals at the highest level. Each person comes to the first rehearsal well-prepared on their individual parts and that makes it easier to undertake the task of fine-tuning the concert much easier. The technical demands of this concert are many and requires much virtuoso playing from all concerned.
Why would you encourages audiences to see the show?
How often do you get to see four soloists instead of one playing some of the most interesting modern music plus a timeless classic – Mozart 'Symphony No 28'. The acoustic in Angel Place is one of the most satisfying that you will hear anywhere and it is always a great experience to attend a concert there.
