The Seasons Project is one of the more innovative programs offered by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra this year. Here was an engaging and enthralling project that drew a huge crowd with many young people to a highly colourful, creative and star-studded performance. With an innovative choice of works presented in two “halves”, a most artistically balanced program brought the themes of Seasons, Country and Culture, representative of First Nations culture in the first half, with parallel staging and theatre bringing virtuoso violinist James Ehnes and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to join the MSO string ensemble for the second half.
A hugely warm audience welcome was given to the opening Boonwurrung Welcome Song, with two First Nations vocalists stilling the audience with a proud, strong and richly timbred greeting, a melodic chant that developed into a type of folk song accompanied by occasional traditional wide clapping sticks, beautifully harmonised, affirming and strong in spirit over an earthy chordal pulse from lower strings. Composed by Cybec First Nations Composer in Residence, James Henry, this contemporary setting of traditional Aboriginal text and classical voice, was quite “awesome”.
For the six works in the Seasons Project, introductory descriptive poetic lines by the composers were projected onto the back wall, facilitating our appreciation and connection with the imagery and spirit of each work. Opening the set and inspired by the diverse seasons of Country Australia, Brenda Gifford’s Biwaawa (cold wind) brought high whispering and sustained strings, before developing fluent woven melodic patterns, a variety of shades in light pizzicatos and glissandos, and a pulsating crescendo infused with drone like hums.
Christopher Sainsbury’s Guwaea (high wind, strong wind) fully expressed airborn layers of melodic patterns that wove their way joyfully with timbral contrast to sudden pauses and obscured chords, with first violins leading a build-up of energy and momentum in sweeping, dense melodic lines.
Then Hot Season by Adam Manning: “Shadows linger fire spreads rain falls soft the heat undone” where a strong, resonant and glowing violin solo played by Guest Concertmaster Alexandra Osborne freely paired with two celli and one viola for a touching and unusual moment before pizzicato raindrops came.
Curator of this program and composer of Djeran, is Noongar man, viola player, composer and orchestral conductor Aaron Wyatt. Djeran is the start of the cooler weather, the time of adulthood, red banksias and new food sources for animals and birds. MSO violist Christopher Moore took front of stage as soloist, leading with powerfully expressive and sensuous melodies that grew freely from classical harmony through a contemporary gentle 5-time rhythmic flow. Modal patterns and folk-like lyrical lines included nice shifts in tonality, with a classically balanced song-like verse developed with variations on the theme. Moore’s emotive portrayal of nature through his viola solo grew with gentle dance movement, with the voice and spirit of romantic, almost operatic lyricism.
The text for a second work by composer and sound designer, James Henry, Warrin, described the season celebrating the life of animals and nature, with first violins freely moving and describing the jaunty playfulness and surprising discoveries of youth, always heard above the earthy connections from lower strings. The violin solo explored new melodies and cross-rhythms over a lighter low waltz accompaniment, with youth and beauty at the forefront in the spirit of the natural environment. Full of golden blend and creative structure, this was a very enjoyable and sophisticated orchestration.
Elements of the Earth by William Barton completed the project, impressive with its contemporary patterns and complex design, intriguing melodic shapes with short, sharp glissandos and sudden changes of dynamics holding our fixed attention. Unusual string timbres were heard, eerie at times; solemn and shadowy reflections and pauses and a gentle repetition created a sense of timelessness, until voices far away were heard in a distant chant, people heard but not seen. The web of moving patterns faded into high glissandos, the sounds of birds and human life enduring, as two male vocalists entered the stage singing again to Country with a very beautiful chant, instruments shimmering to a close in a minimalist, ritualistic space.
Conducting the first half of Seasons, Cybec Assistant Conductor, Leonard Weiss, did a magnificent job premiering this series of works with modesty and finesse, allowing the string ensemble to colour the work with individual shape and expression.
When James Ehnes came to the stage to perform and direct Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, the welcoming crescendo of applause gave him almost “pop star” status. In parallel design, these concertos were also introduced with recorded readings – descriptive lines from sonnets preceding each movement, recorded and spoken in the original Italian, translations projected. Performed for memory, delivered with impeccable detail, precision and historical respect, the musical “painting of the scenes” was quite perfect. Spring brought splendid trills and lightness in the breeze, with much delicacy and joy; Summer contrasted the sweetest of virtuosic solos with heated stormy agitation; exquisite softness gave Autumn spell-binding expressive detail; Winter opened with dynamic shivering string flourishes, followed by that most famous Largo movement, which was taken at a surprisingly delicate and unusually forward moving tempo – the joy of gentle rain and contentment by a warm fire.
With such an enriching MSO program, scintillating strings and a most charismatic James Ehnes in a world-class performance, few people remained in their seats to applaud all performers on this unforgettable night.
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Julie McErlain reviewed “Seasons: Vivaldi and more”, presented by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Arts Centre Melbourne Hamer Hall on March 28, 2025.
