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27 Aug 2007 : Go Farr
Just a few years ago a programme of Charles Ives, Gareth Farr and Prokofiev might have scared the audience away from a mainstream subscription concert. Not any more. At the Auckland Philharmonia’s August 16 concert of those three composers (together with the NZ Trio’s encore of Chinese composer Bright Sheng), with rain pouring down and gales raging outside, the Auckland Town Hall was surprisingly well attended.
Nothing can now stop an Auckland audience from turning out to hear a new work by Gareth Farr. And Farr never disappoints them. Before even talking about the concerto, let’s give him a round of applause for having led the way in making classical contemporary music almost trendy, quite certainly approachable, and for having the ability to walk out in front of an audience and talk about the music.
Farr’s Triple Concerto was commissioned by the NZ Trio and first performed by them in Christchurch two years ago and was evidently a great audience success at that concert, too. Farr sees the dramatic possibilities of the form, which in his hands hovers between the 19th-century idea of the concerto and the much older concerto grosso style. The piece opens with a grandly posturing prelude, almost Hollywood, that just might have been a send-up of the style. Then, thank goodness, the music takes off and we have an exciting allegro with swift-footed counterpoint. There are passages when he lets the soloists have the stage to themselves, then he lets loose with the orchestra and piles on decibels. But the APO is a skilful orchestra that knows how to provide brassy, percussive volume without overpowering the trio.
The short slow movement has its quieter explorations of both harmonies and textures. Then the last movement bursts into action with timpani and drums thumping out a motto which the trio picks up and answers with their own version. Yes, it’s a typical Farr piece, with plenty of energy, loud drumming and quite a lot of racing up and down the keyboard. It showed off the virtues of the New Zealand Trio – Sarah Watkins, Justine Cormack and Ashley Brown – superbly, all of them clearly relishing the opportunities for individual virtuosity and dazzling team playing that Farr gave them. In their short life the Trio has established themselves as the most outgoing and successful performers of New Zealand contemporary music.
Rod Biss - NZ Listener (on line)
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