Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra presented an evening of evocative musical landscapes on Saturday night. The concert was presented both live at QPAC and streamed on Australian Digital Concert Hall.
Despite the rain and floods lashing Brisbane, Camerata forged ahead with a concert that celebrated music of the seasons.
Naturally, the concert had to start with Spring from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. This iconic work featured violinist Jason Tong and the ensemble mimicking birdcalls, fluttering butterflies and flowers bursting into bloom.
The next piece was a contemporary reimagining of Vivaldi’s Autumn, composed by Max Richter. Featuring violinist Sally-Ann Djachenko, this work contained motifs from the original layered with new sounds.
We then moved to the first snows of a Finnish winter, with Jaakko Kuusisto’s Between Seasons for String Orchestra. This piece explored the transitional times between seasons, both in nature and in our lives.
Then it was time for a bluesy number, with Mark O’Connor’s The American Seasons: Summer. Featuring violinist Johnny Ng and guitarist Joel Woods, this was a jazzy exploration of the seasons of an American life.
Camerata then revealed their wildcard mystery guest: guitarist Joel Woods. He performed two pieces from his Bellbird Suite on banjo, accompanied by the ensemble. His banjo imitated the bell-like sound of the bird’s call echoing through the rainforest.
Then it was back to winter, with Roxanna Panufnik’s The Four Seasons: Tibetan Winter. Featuring Anne Horton, this was a haunting, lyrical piece. The violins depicted the sound of cold wind rushing through the wintry landscape.
To close, Camerata performed the Spring movement from Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. Violinist Brendan Joyce led the ensemble for this Spanish take on Vivaldi’s original work. This tango piece evoked the sounds of spring in a Spanish portside town.
Camerata’s reimagining of the four seasons was an entertaining exploration of contemporary and lesser-known chamber music works. It was a fitting program for a rainy Brisbane night.
Photo credit – Alex Jamieson
