John Bell and AHE bring Haydn to life

Australian Haydn Ensemble with John Bell | Haydn Speaks

October 16, 2022, City Recital Hall

How was it that Joseph Haydn, one of twelve children born to a poor wheelwright, became the toast of Vienna and London? AHE’s production Haydn Speaks tells the tale of the great composer’s life. Acclaimed thespian John Bell is Haydn, speaking to his audience from the grave, centuries later, actively complicit in keeping the stories alive (especially those rumours of his exploits with the fairer sex, he himself admitting to being a rather unattractive man with a ‘face for radio’).

In her program notes, AHE Artistic Director Skye McIntosh says that the inspiration for this concert came during a reading of Stendhal’s fictional (and some claim mostly plagiarised) account of Haydn’s life. The work, more a piece of musical theatre than a concert per se, was scripted by young playwright Rachel McDonald, who skilfully combines multiple sources including Stendhal’s writings, Haydn’s letters, published reviews and other accounts and imaginings to bring ‘Papa Haydn’, self-deprecating and full of easy humour, to life.

In a program such as this one, where the music could easily play second fiddle (pun intended) to a doyen of the stage such as John Bell, one could be forgiven for thinking that AHE, with their stylish marketing and glamorous stage presence, may be prioritising style for substance but the first gentle sonorous notes from McIntosh’s violin solo immediately brought the ensemble’s virtuosity to the fore. From the outset the five musicians provided delightfully cheeky sound effects and characterisations to accompany Haydn’s ghostly musings (a “knock, knock” here, a gruff grumble from a cuckolded orchestral player there) however, while the storytelling was captivating and indeed enlightening, it was the many superb musical interludes that made the show for me.

While we were entertained by the clever script, including the suggestion that the young Haydn’s music teacher encouraged his parents to prolong his remarkable boy soprano with a ‘certain surgery’, the descriptions of his early, unsuccessful, courting (“I was no oil painting”, he admits) and subsequent unhappy marriage, we were treated to a glorious musical program which included numerous movements from renowned Haydn string quartets (Op. 51 The Seven Last Words of the Cross, and Op. 33 The Bird, to name but two).

Appropriately the first and last movements of Haydn’s ‘London’ Symphony No. 104 in D Major, the last symphony he wrote, bookended the concert. The gravitas of the four strings  (an incomparable quartet of McIntosh, Matthew Greco, violin, Karina Schmitz, viola, and Daniel Yeadon, cello) combined with Melissa Farrow’s playful flute deftly conjured the spirits of a full symphony orchestra onto the stage. The chamber arrangements by Johann Peter Salomon of this and other selected movements of Haydn symphonies dotted throughout the program, including the Military Symphony and La Roxelane, were simple yet brilliantly evocative of the originals. The acoustic in the City Recital Hall is indeed excellent and the lighting by Saint Clair added to the theatrical mood but the perfectly blended quality of sound created should be credited to the musicality of this superb ensemble – sheer pleasure for the ears.

The emotion of the storytelling was picked up by the musicians who played with energy and a graceful enthusiasm, the communication between players was palpable as was their enjoyment of the music in this slightly saucy, intimate presentation.

For myself, this was a revealing look into the life of a household name in a period of prodigious musical outputs, and for those more educated than I… well judging by the roaring applause they also thoroughly enjoyed this dramatised retelling of a favourite composer’s life and works. Bravo Skye McIntosh and AHE for an inspired program and a dynamic performance.

CONCEPT
Skye McIntosh

SCRIPT & ADAPTATION
Rachel McDonald

DIRECTOR
Damien Ryan

LIGHTING DESIGN
Saint Clair

ADDITIONAL MUSIC SELECTIONS
Alan John

GUEST ARTIST John Bell

AUSTRALIAN HAYDN ENSEMBLE
Skye McIntosh, Artistic Director, lead violin
Matthew Greco, violin
Karina Schmitz, viola
Daniel Yeadon, cello
Melissa Farrow, flute