A short, 50 minute concert, split into two halves, and streamed live online over our Monday lunchtime direct from the Concert Hall in the RNCM.
The first half was performed by Carys Nunn on saxophone and Tom Hall on the marimba; and for me at least this was a rather unusual combination creating a timbre that I am not sure whether I have ever heard before or not. They played two pieces, the first being a World Premiere piece of a new composition by saxophonist and composer Jenni Watson called, 'Meliai'.
'Meliai' was a surprisingly interesting piece in a series of different 'moods'; starting quite jazzy and modern it moves through other ideas, sometimes favouring the sax, sometimes the marimba, and othertimes they both have equal weight. There's a more reflective middle section with Far Eastern sounding rhythms and intervals with our own Western patterns, and then a return to the earlier style before finishing.
The only reference to what the title might indicate or allude comes from the Ancient Greek 'Meliads', who, in their mythology were tree-dwelling nymphs. Perhaps this was Watson's inspiration for the piece, it would fit.
The only reference to what the title might indicate or allude comes from the Ancient Greek 'Meliads', who, in their mythology were tree-dwelling nymphs. Perhaps this was Watson's inspiration for the piece, it would fit.
The second piece was Astor Piazzolla's 'Nightclub 1960', which I am assuming was transcribed for this duo, although I have no idea since I am not familiar with the work. It was also a lot more dark and serious than the other works of Piazzolla with which I am familiar, and so was a very interesting listen. A slow atmospheric start took us into a second 'movement' which was much livlier and felt more like the jazzy, rhythmic composer we know and love; before it returns to the morose and downbeat again. There is a very short and lively finale. An odd piece.
After a stage reconfiguration and a sanitisation, it was the turn of five of the RNCM wind players to form a quintet to perform two pieces for us. They were Angel Pareja Francisco (flute), Chloe Barnes (oboe), Seb Marshall (clarinet), Molly Edwards (French Horn), and Beatriz Carvalho (bassoon).
They started this section with the first movement (allegro ben moderato) of Carl Nielsen's Wind Quintet (op 3). This was quite aethereal and tuneful with the melody based on an old Scandanavian folk song. However, the melody never seems to fully resolve, nor does the tune ever reveal itself in full, although it does return to the opening phrase regularly throughout with several variations. It's clever writing, and sounds very much like a reduced soundscape and early beginnings of what the later orchestral compositions of Nielsen were to become.
The concert ended with two short novelty pieces from the suite 'Aires Triopicales' by Paquito D'Rivera. First was a light-hearted and very jocular waltz-time based on an old Venetian theme, 'Vals Venezolana', and they finished with a jolly jazzy jape of a piece which seemed to be a cross between the Charleston and a Calypso, 'Contradanzo'. Always good to finish with a flourish!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 30/11/20
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