Review: 4th Subscription Series, BEETHOVEN AND DVORAK. Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Isaiah Jackson. At Llewellyn Hall, November 6 1996

Canberra Symphony Orchestra

Wednesday 6th November 1996

Llewellyn Hall

Isaiah Jackson - Conductor

Kathryn Selby - Piano

Reviewed by Tony Magee

Isaiah Jackson

Once again it was a delight to see and hear the results of preparation and performance by Canberra Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Isaiah Jackson. Formerly assistant to Leopold Stokowski, Jackson not surprisingly retains some of the late master's techniques in his own style - the huge sweeping, manipulative hand gestures, the infrequent use of a baton, surging, almost exaggerated dynamics and of course that famous lush (and sometimes controversial) sound.

All these qualities were used to full effect in the opening work, the overture to Rossini's opera Semiramide, played with feeling, passion and beauty by the orchestra. 

The first of the two substantial works for the evening followed - Beethoven's Piano concerto No 3 in C minor, with Kathryn Selby as the soloist. On the whole this was a wonderful performance. Kathryn Selby is an extremely fine pianist and her playing displayed an almost perfect artistic balance between tone production, technique, phrasing and style. She is also an extremely confident musician and whilst she and Isaiah Jackson worked very well together, I got the feeling that the real control in this performance came from her own hands rather than the pair on the podium behind her.

Kathryn Selby

Balance between soloist and orchestra was always excellent although at times I felt the accompaniment was just a little stilted. Overall a really great performance of one of the world's favourite piano concertos.

The final work for the evening was Dvorak's Symphony No 8 in G major. In this the orchestra displayed fine tonal balance particularly in the many sections within this symphony which place focused attention on solo and sectional counterpoint and frequent tonal changes from major to minor.

A great finish to the year's program for Canberra Symphony Orchestra and I look forward to 1997's new and further expanded program.

Originally published in Muse Arts Monthly (Canberra), December 1996

Review: Pro Musica Presents "ENSEMBLE I", National Gallery of Australia Fairfax Theatre, Sunday October 27 1996. Reviewed by TONY MAGEE

Brachi Tilles and husband Spiros Rantos

In 1995 I reviewed Ensemble I's concert for Pro Musica and finished with "please let's have Ensemble I back again soon" - so enthusiastic was I about their first concert. I certainly wasn't disappointed with this further offering although I do have some reservations about the group's intonation - more on that later.

Let me start by saying that the group's pianist, Brachi Tilles, is one of the most outstanding musicians I have heard. Easily one of the best small ensemble pianists in Australia, I found myself yet again entranced by her poise, style, technical accuracy, emotion, tonal beauty and general adoration for the art of making music. As you will read from my thoughts on other concerts elsewhere in this publication, quality music making in the last few months of 1996 was indeed dominated, for me anyway, by the ladies. 

The program featured Mozart's Piano Quartet in E flat major, K493, Turina's Piano Quartet in A minor, Opus 67, Theodorakis' Sonatina for Violin and Piano and finally Dvorak's Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op 87.

The Turina came off the best with good intonation, fine ensemble balance and a seemingly intuitive understanding from all players of the emotion and fire required for Spanish music. The Sonatina for violin and cello was a nice inclusion, displaying music from the homeland of violinist and leader of the ensemble, Spiros Rantos, whom I first met in 1977 when he was guest violinist with the Frankston Symphony Orchestra.

Whilst the Mozart and the Dvorak were most enjoyable, I found the intonation from the string players to be lacking in places which in a more resonant environment might have gone almost unnoticed, but in the comparatively dry (but still good) acoustics of the National Gallery Theatre, all is revealed in full nudity (like some of the paintings).

Originally published in Muse Magazine (Canberra), November 1996

Review: "BURNING SEQUINS" performed by Paul Capsis, School of Arts Cafe, 14 & 16 October 1996. Reviewed by TONY MAGEE

Paul Capsis

"Hi. I'm a channeller. Ever since I was a little boy, I've had the ability to accept the minds of other people - living or dead - into my own. Unfortunately I have no control over it. People just barge in whenever...Oooh...who's this...Oooh...Ahhh...'Hello. My name's Judy Garland'".......

So begins the first of Paul Capsis' extraordinary characterisations of some of the world's great female performers. From start to finish, this highly talented artist had the audience enthralled as he moved from one character to another, each time leaving us even more astonished than before. I've never seen or heard anything quite like it.

Dressed in black for the whole performance, and with only a general purpose and unchanging makeup for all characters, Capsis convinced us with sheer vocal magic, uncanny facial expressions and perfect body language, that he was Judy Garland, Maria Callas, Bette Midler, Dianna Ross, and Billy Holiday.

Then came Iris, an ex Tivoli girl, now well into her eighties, who just sat quietly and espoused her views on the shape of Australian showbusiness today and the world in general. This frail and wispy old dame then gently tottered off, and we all had a break and marvelled.

Act II revealed Madonna, Barbara Streisand and Janis Joplin - "take it, take another little piece of my heart", she raunched, with hair flying madly everywhere and beads swaying and clicking.

Then came the encores. We wouldn't let him go and he just kept delivering more - Tina Turner, more Judy Garland and then a finale that had so many stings in it's tale, it's a wonder we weren't all poisoned in the room - I will not comment further on that!

Burning Sequins is a sensational act. Find out where it's playing and go.

Originally published in Muse Magazine (Canberra), November 1996