Repertoire Notes
This evocative program spans four centuries of musical tradition, from 17th-century England to Australian works of our time. Diverse in era, style and expression, these pieces are united by moments of stillness and repose that are deeply affecting and profoundly powerful. This musical offering has been curated to showcase the extraordinary artistry and musicianship of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s string players, led by Associate Concertmaster Riley Skevington. Careful consideration has also been given to the venue and its unique acoustic. The glorious surroundings and resonant sound of St Mary’s Cathedral lend a distinctive and special aura to live performance. This remarkable space calls, on the one hand, for repertoire that allows music to breathe, sing and gently envelop the audience, and on the other, for music that fills the cathedral with energy and power. The selection of dances from Purcell’s The Fairy Queen – a masque loosely based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream – highlights the evocative qualities and theatrical nature of his music, as well as the popularity of English forms such as the hornpipe and French forms like the rondeau. Marking the 50th anniversary of Benjamin Britten’s death in 1976, we perform his Corpus Christi Carol in a world premiere arrangement by Robin Brawley, a member of WASO’s double bass section. Arvo Pärt composed his own memorial to Britten in 1977, creating music whose apparent simplicity belies its profound emotional and spiritual depth.
Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis is among his most beloved works. Borrowing a theme from his 16th-century English predecessor, Vaughan Williams expands and transforms it into a fantasia of shimmering, rapturous beauty. Wojciech Kilar’s Orawa takes its name from a region in the southern Tatra highlands, home to the traditional Góral fiddlers. Strongly nationalistic in character, the work blends folk elements with minimalism, growing from a simple repeating pattern to exhilarating climaxes. We open the concert with a recent work by Australian composer Melody Eötvös, who writes: ‘ Meraki is a word that modern Greeks often use to describe doing something with soul, creativity or love – when you put something of yourself into what you’re doing, whatever it may be.’ We hope you enjoy this concert of brilliant string music, and the meraki with which it is performed. Evan Kennea WASO Director of Programming & Engagement
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