Kicking off the 2018 Prelude in Tea chamber music series and directed by Jenny Eriksson, this ingenious, striking program featured music inspired by poets of the 16th century.
The first half of the concert featured The Marais Project – consisting of Dutch-born tenor Koen van Stade, lutenist Tommie Andersson and Jenny Eriksson on viola da gamba – performing songs of love and loss from the Elizabethan era, including work by renowned John Dowland.
The first set was a selection of works by John Danyel. The slow, plaintive Grief Keep Within was followed by Drop Not, Mine Eyes which began with fast cascading rhythms almost tripping over each other, which then changed to sad and sombre. Next came the pulsating Have All Our Passions?
Andersson was featured in a fluid and elegant, slow and stately Rosa (a pavane for the lute) emphasising his delicate fingering. Like as the lute delights was next for the trio, sprightly yet restrained.
Next we heard Menuet Muzette by Marais, a poignant and eloquent duet for Andersson and Eriksson, with Eriksson leading.
Taking us to the interval were four songs by John Dowland, beginning with I Saw my Lady Weep, which highlighted van Stade’s soaring voice and Andersson’s melancholy lute. Then came a duet for viol and lute, My Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home, which was graceful and elegant yet bubbling with passion. Sorrow stay consisted of sharp, swirling, cascading rhythms and the final Come again, sweet love doth invite was fresh and vibrant, teasing and darting .
And then for something completely different yet related: after interval we heard from the ensemble Elysian Fields, consisting of some of Australia’s finest jazz musicians and composers including Matt Keegan on saxophone, Matt McMahon on piano, bassist Jonathan Zwartz, singer Susie Bishop and drummer Finn Ryan, with all led by Eriksson on electric Viola da Gamba.
The six-piece group has rapidly gained a reputation for performances that blur the boundaries between classical chamber music, jazz and world music. Their ensemble work was attentive and united, with a smoky ‘club’ atmosphere prevalent. Bishop in particular was extraordinary, ranging from dark and sizzling to shimmering, as well as playing the violin!
The first segment was What should I say: Four Poems of Thomas Wyatt. In Stand Who List, Bishop dazzled both with her amazing voice and on violin. There were soft drums and Romantic, impassioned piano as well, while at one point the piano tinkled like tears.
Whoso List to Hunt, I know where is an Hind (famously associated with Anne Boleyn) was quite haunting, the musicians underscoring Bishop’s rather ghostly, clear and fragile voice. What should I say? was wistful and questioning. They Flee From Me brought the ensemble together. Bishop was sultry, teasing and rather feline.
Living, composed by Jan Gunnar Hoff (arr. Eriksson) for the full ensemble was vibrant, flowing and insistent, bursting with life and featuring persistent repeated phrases of music throughout.
The poignant Believe Bereft Below by Esbjorn Svesnsson was next, a slow, rather soft and melancholy ballad featuring rippling piano and a solo for Keegan.
Keegan’s Elysium was the final work – we heard the third and fourth movements, which were tempestuous and passionate.
4 stars out of 5
My Heart So Grieves (part of the Prelude in Tea series) was presented at the Independent Theatre, North Sydney, on January 29 2018
Presented by The Marais Project and Elysian Fields
Featuring Jenny Eriksson, Tommie Andersson, Koen Van Stade, Matt Keegan, Matt McMahon, Susie Bishop, Finn Ryan and Jonathan Zwartz
