Concert 1: Melange – A Community of Innovation
Once again the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) has brought their inspiring community of innovators to their colleagues and admirers with an exciting three-concert celebration of the rarely performed works of Pierre Boulez (1925-2016). And what an unforgettable event this was.
Artistic Director Paavali Jumppanen first spoke of the extraordinary creative career of Boulez and ANAM’s representation of his musical journey tonight, with music that “stretches the capabilities of even the most skilled virtuosi nearly beyond what is possible”. Included in the program were new and at times experimental works by Melbourne composers, which paid homage to Boulez’ vision and pathway into new worlds of sound. Boulez stated, “I think that music should be a collective magic and hysteria”, as he heralded freedom from traditional rhythmic structures and serial (12-tone) technique. His rhythms flowed through the bar-line, structures were fluid and emotional content flowed from gentility to fury. The atmosphere was expectant and exciting, very electric.
Almost marching in, a seven-piece brass ensemble brought us Boulez’ Initiale, a vibrant, golden fanfare of echoing, re-echoing and splintered patterns, mostly at intermittent speeds and changing time signatures, precisely conducted by Fabian Russell in a feat of concentration and teamwork. Initial electric brass timbres soon contrasted with a sonorous, glowing muted tuba giving us great sound and great vision. Highly applauded.
Echoes from the Labyrinth (2022) by Evan J. Lawson brought contrasting warm, gentle timbres from a very united and precise quintet. On stage a string trio (violin, viola, cello) slithered with streaky short descending tones, underpinning the stereophonic effect of spaced flute and clarinet soloists emerging and walking, slowly joining with a myriad of lines and cross conversation. Eerie harmonics and innovative string bowings added intrigue and visual fascination.
The sight of seven cellos for Boulez’ Messagesquisse (1976) brought further raised audience anticipation. As instruments entered with one single sustained tone each, a chord like no other developed an aura of pitchless humming. A gutsy staccato structure developed with scurrying rhythmic cells, determination, excitement and breathlessness. A forthright cello solo released furious timbres, broken bow hairs and a very busy helter-skelter ending.
In Christine McCombe’s Five Pieces for Wind Quartet, timbral exploitation of each instrument entered our souls. Lowest oboe tones, flutters on bass clarinet, and wavy patterns on horn were featured. The last piece was buoyant as a bird in flight, short and sharp motifs still became lyrical as gently jazzy patterns brightened the scene.
Flautist Maria Zhdanovich with pianist Reuben Johnson produced excellent tonal balance and incisive climaxes for Boulez’ Sonatine (1946). Dynamic conversations ranged in emotion from wondering to ecstasy in a rhythmically demanding work with much improvisatory flute flutter-tonguing required.
Always Boulez’ music is best seen in real life. The positioning of instruments wonderfully allowed Boulez’ stereo shapes and blocks of sound to be felt in spaced dimensions, almost 3-D and quadrophonic. Full credit to ANAM’s professional staging, recording and always the best ever program notes by ANAM Music Librarian, Alex Owens.
Concert 2: Sur Incises – An explosion of sonorities
A surprisingly sweet miniature performed by solo clarinettist Josephine Daniel was a beautiful Concert 2 opening work. Celebrations of the Apsaras (2013) by Helen Gifford hinted at her interest in the gamelan of Balinese music, with her piece inspired by the spirit of the Apsaras – female celestial nymphs in Hindu and Buddhist mythology – given shapely psychic energy, some quirky timbral colours, each note distinctly timed and placed in Boulez fashion.
It seems incredible that the featured work, Sur Incises, was to be performed only for the third time in Australia, in this festival. The view of three grand pianos, three harps and a broad spread of tuned and rhythmic percussion for three players signalled exciting mathematical tonal groupings for Mr Boulez’ organised delirium. Again, Fabian Russell led this exhausting work with microscopic detail. Low sonorities from the pianos spread pulsing vibrations around the stage space as overtones spread like diffused light. Fluid textures were woven smoothly, upper harmonics became like a choir of sound. Perfect conducting was needed to hold the intensity of shattering chords, instruments working in opposite shapes and dynamics, and the silences holding the audience in extreme listening states. There were moments of wildness, hammered chords on tubular bells and weird “out-of-tuneness” from steel drums. It was a mammoth feat indeed!
One hour breaks between concerts gave harpist Marshall McGuire time to lead a discussion with key personnel, share his delight in meeting Boulez himself in France, and endorsing the belief, “If we don’t have new music today we won’t have old music tomorrow”.
Concert 3: The Power of the Idea – Boulez at the Piano
This 10pm concert was introduced by Jumppanen answering the question as to why Chopin and Boulez shared the program: a shared virtuosity, beautiful sonorities, embracement of the universe, humanity and the soul. Francis Atkins performed Boulez’ 12 Notations (1945), a very early composition using the same tone-row, bringing out much colour and tonal quality in sensitively pedalled moments of passion, beauty and stillness.
Sarah Chick also amplified tonal sweetness, soulful timbres, shimmering cadenzas and a poetic resonant closure in Chopin’s Nocturne in D-flat Major Op. 27 No. 2.
Timothy O’Malley raised the piano lid to half-stick, enhancing the sympathetic resonance flowing from weighted heavy clusters and random single notes for Boulez’ challenging Sonata No. 3, Formant 3 Constellation-Miroir.
Extremes of dynamics and weighted dark timbres exposed the troubled soul surrounded by anguished virtuosity as Liam Furey played Chopin’s Nocturne in C minor Op. 48 No. 1.
Perhaps the most challenging work for the listener came with Boulez’ four movement Piano Sonata No. 2 (1947-48), a work given much acclaim in the avant-garde scene and admired by John Cage, who was struck by its “disorder and chaos”. Jumpannen dazzled us with effervescent sparkling clusters across the full keyboard, calmed us with many varied moods and rippling impressions and reflections. His fluency and brilliant technique, combined with authoritative interpretation completed an intense, colorful and most exciting Boulez celebration. ANAM’s programming of these rarely heard but monumental composers is truly rewarding for performers and audience.
Photo supplied.
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Julie McErlain reviewed the three concerts presented as part of “Boulez Rules” by the Australian National Academy of Music at Abbotsford Convent on April 11, 2025.
