Following Folding and My Heart, It’s a Matter of Time was the final offering in a three-concert series with the concept of time as its focus. As a venue for the performances, The Eleventh Hour Theatre in Fitzroy could not have been more appropriate – providing inspiration for the theme in addition to being a suitably intimate space with a live acoustic. A small converted church, it is unpretentious with a slightly down-at-heel, peeling paint ambiance that proclaims “grass roots” artistic endeavor.
Described in publicity material as “a tumultuous journey through beauty, melancholia, desire, and irrepressible energy” and an exploration of “humanity’s struggle with the inexorable passage of time”, It’s A Matter Of Time “grapples with the shared experiences of our short lives against the backdrop of nature’s sprawling eternity”. It is the kind of description that encompasses just about anything.
In his welcoming remarks, Evan J Lawson – composer, conductor and Forest Collective’s dynamic Artistic Director – spoke about the 60 plus musicians who are involved in the Collective, and an invitation to perform two pieces related to Time. Of the eight greatly contrasting performances, several comprised two parts, others, of varying lengths, only one.
It seemed a pity that we only heard one item from Amanda Windred – a serenely languorous performance of Morgen, by Richard Strauss. For a soprano, she has an uncommonly rich voice, and she and pianist Danaë Killian established a calm, contemplative atmosphere in their expressive reading of this famous, much-loved song.
From the era of late Romanticism we were thrust forward to the present day with the world premiere performance of Barry McKimm’s work for solo horn “X..watching others burn for me“, based on a sonnet from Jennifer Harrison’s volume of poetry, Colombine. Having the composer present, plus a brief explanation of Columbine’s place in commedia dell’arte and a reading of the poem by the author, was real bonus, but it was difficult for some to hear everything that was said. Phoebe Smithies had performed the virtual premiere of McKimm’s work during the COVID lockdowns – a reminder of how grateful we are to hear live music now, sharing the space with performers. Beginning with almost a fanfare, the music is fairly conversational and exploratory in nature, verging on the atonal, and was eloquently played.
Rosanne Hunt chose two pieces from The Naked Cello collection for Cello by Helen Mountfort. A prolonged setup involving two cellos and a small Afghan rug was well worth the wait; what we heard was a highlight for the evening. In her introduction, Hunt spoke of Mountford’s improvisatory approach to composition and her own connections between the music and her personal experience. The first piece was haunting – its soft, slow melismatic keening echoing the Armenian duduk, with the melancholy lines of “The Heart Afraid of Breaking” punctuated by deep plucked notes. It seemed like a preparation for the second piece, which marked the hundredth day since a premature death. More in the style of an improvisation on music by Bach with constant string crossings, it gradually gained momentum until a final fading. Moving in their context, both pieces were played with great skill and expressive musicality.
Danaë Killian followed in a dazzling display of pianism with Alban Berg’s Piano Sonata, Opus 1. A work in one movement, it is heavily chromatic with an unstable tonal centre, Killian assured us it was written when the young composer was in love and deliriously happy.
We all know what the wings of a butterfly can do over time – according to Chaos Theory. Charlotte Kube played selections from Sept Papillions for Cello, by Kaija Saariaho, a work that features the quiet, persistent agitation of wings in permutations of trills and tremolos, largely employing harmonics.
Phoebe Smithies joined Aleise Bright for the second of the three world premieres for the evening: Old Wool Road for Soprano and Horn, by composer and violist, Jared Yapp, who was also in the audience. Beginning with Smithies’ extended introductory solo horn, Bright mainly alternated with the horn to sing Jonathan Hill’s text. Bright’s voice was clear and vibrant, and Smithies’ horn work assured.
Its title coming from an aria in Bach’s St John Passion, Missy Mazzoli’s Dissolve, Oh My Heart for Violin was presented and performed by Helen Bower. Commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, it begins with the first chord of the Chaconne from Bach’s Partita in D minor, and has been described as spinning out from there “into an off-kilter series of chords that doubles back on itself, collapses and ultimately dissolves in a torrent of fast passages. The only direct quote from the Partita is that first chord, which anchors the entire piece even as it threatens to spiral out of control” – all of which Bower explained in her introduction. It is a compelling piece that was given an equally compelling interpretation by Bower.
The final item (and world premiere) was Eurydice for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano, by Evan J Lawson. It is a substantial piece and makes considerable demands on the singer; in fact, some of the upper notes would present difficulties for most mezzo-sopranos. It is also musically and dramatically taxing; however, Aleise Bright met all of these challenges with notable success. Except that it was sung using a score, her committed performance reminded me of Barbara Hannigan’s Ophelia in Brett Dean’s Hamlet. Lawson’s repetitive use of text fragments and the emotional extremity of Eurydice’s anguish were riveting. Killian too is an expert when it comes to concentrated passion. I don’t know whether Lawson intends to extend and/or stage this impressive 15-minute piece, but it definitely deserves further performances.
‘Time that is moved by little fidget wheels is not my time – the flood that does not flow”. For this performance, Kenneth Slessor’s headline quote acted as a signpost. There was no lack of flow tonight; it was almost overwhelming in the flood of ideas that followed in quick succession. Fascinating, varied and displaying musicianship and creativity of a high order, it fulfilled Forest Collective’s stated aim of “creating authentic and unexpected experiences”.
Image credit: Jasmin Bardel
______________________________________________________________________________________
Heather Leviston reviewed “It’s a Matter of Time”, presented by Forest Collective at The Eleventh Hour Theatre, Fitzroy on October 25, 2024.
