Symphony in the City

Mere hours after the events of my last post, it was time for another musical experience of a distinctly more classical nature. I’m going to see the WA Symphony Orchestra perform the tunes of Pixar in April (I’m a big kid, I know), and this weekend marks the end of their 2013 performance season. They mark this event annually with a free concert in Langley Park on the beautiful Riverside Drive, the place where The Color Run was held last month. I thought this would be a good opportunity to (a) get a taste of things to come and (b) revisit the musical roots I haven’t had chance to indulge in since leaving the UK.

Walking down through the city to the riverbank, I could hear the hum of an audience preparing for a performance get slowly louder, but I was not expecting what was awaiting me as I turned the corner into the park. I thought it’d be a popular event, but the number of people on that stretch of grass was absolutely mind-blowing; besides the taped off walkways, you could not see a clear square foot of ground. At first I thought I might be in trouble for turning up too late and forced to find a spot right at the back, but being by oneself in these situations does have its perks; I fought my way into the front centre block and plonked myself down easily in a tiny spot between the picnicing groups. With only minutes before the start of the concert, I grabbed a coffee from a stall and returned to my little camp for a little packed picnic of my own.

Just as the sun started to set over the Swan, the annoucers took to the stage. The Lord Mayor of Perth said a few words before the presenter, some hotshot innacurately named Eddie Perfect, introduced the programme. The point of the concert was to cater to everyone’s taste, both regular visitors to the symphony and those at their first concert, and they certainly achieved that with a mix of classical masterpieces and film music. Here’s the programme:

Newman Twentieth Century Fox Fanfare

Williams Star Wars: Main Title

Wagner Die Meistersinger: Prelude

Verdi Aida: Triumphal March

Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet: Montagues and Capulets

Handel Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus

Gershwin An American in Paris

Shore The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Symphonic Suite)

Elgar Enigma Variations: Nimrod

Coates London Suite: Nightsbridge March

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

Watching close-ups of the players on the two big screens revealed the fact that, despite the clear difference in professionalism, there are the same stereotypes present here as in the Cornwall Youth Wind Orchestra or University of Bath Concert Band pit. No matter their skill, the bassoonist will always look like a constipated, bug-eyed frog while pelting out the bassline and the principle flautist will get “lost in the music” and gesticulate and sway madly while playing, much to the hilarity of the group of guys in front of me, who couldn’t watch him without cracking up. The main difference here compared to the ensembles I’m used to was of course the presence of strings. Normally, I’m not a huge fan, but I have to admit that they provide huge manpower and richness to certain pieces and the principle violin did an absolutely incredible job of the main theme from Schindler’s List, moving the soppy woman next to me to tears! There was also a chorus, which I am really not a fan of, no matter what they sing. There’s something about their huge open mouths and variety of shocked/happy expressions that just scream that conveying the emotional power of a piece should be left to the musicians. Sorry Nan.

There were a few instances where I was glad I was listening to these pieces in a crowd full of Australians, rather than the Poms. For example, there were no idiots to point out that the epic power of Montagues and Capulets is “that song from The Apprentice”. The conductor was English, so they finished up with some Elgar and Coates to celebrate his last concert. They played the official score from the first Lord of the Rings movie, which brought me out in goosebumps, but I still prefer the original Johan de Meij version (written for the books) that we did with CYWO a few years ago. My favourite piece by far was An American In Paris by Gershwin, one of my favourite composers. It reminded me that I really must nag Jake to let the Concert Band play my favourite piece of his, Rhapsody in Blue, next year. I watched the Cornwall Youth Orchestra perform it years ago and immediately had my sights on the gorgeously bluesy clarinet part, which I hope to be capable of with a little practice, despite not having played for months!

By the time Pomp and Circumstance was blasting out for the encore, I was about to miss my bus home and had to bail. More than the feeling of elation I always associate with experiencing a group of talented people come together to produce such beautiful sounds, I felt a pang of longing for sitting amongst it all. If first chair is still waiting for me when I get back to Bath, I can’t wait to get stuck into mastering some challenging pieces with Concert Band. I can’t wait to hear WASO play the gorgeous theme from Up! in April!