(Not) The Last Night Of The Proms

This exciting and eclectic concert was not only a celebration of Empire, but also America and Australia, with Australia well represented by five works including one world premiere.

Peace at the Last is a setting by Joseph Twist from John Henry Newman’s 19^th century sermon Wisdom and Innocence. With accompaniment by the Brisbane Chorale, it was heavy with choral chanting and agitated strings and an effective setting of the passion of the text. The Beatles Yellow Submarine provided the three-note inspiration for Gordon Hamilton’s 482 Variations on a Very Short Theme. It was an obvious audience winner, as was Michael Hurst’s “Waltzing Matilda” finale of his Swagman’s Promenade, but it was Peter Sculthorpe’s Earth City, with the Aria-Award-winning William Barton on didjeridu, that was the first-act highlight. This is one of Barton’s signature pieces with the earthy tones of the instrument beautifully evoking the spirit of the landscape which Sculthorpe delineates so well, especially the opening where the didjeridu is underscored by some romantic strings. In the early moments of the work Barton was accompanied by his mother, opera singer, Delmae Barton on vocals.

The American representations were defined by their blue-note jazzy themes; Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, the quintessential homage to the sounds of New York City, with its iconic soaring clarinet solo opening, was given an interpretive showy performance by Mexican pianist Jorge Viladoms in his Australian debut, whilst three ballet pieces from Leonard Bernstein’s On the Town continued their own blue-note salute to the syncopated energy of this city particularly evident in Times Square: 1944.

The concert concluded with Henry Wood’s Fantasy on British Sea Songs with a rousing and audience participation take of the “Sailor’s Hornpipe” finale, Elgar’s stirring “Land of Hope and Glory” from Pomp and Circumstance, and Thomas Arne’s Rule Britannia. All were accompanied by the Brisbane Chorale with the orchestra joined by the Brisbane Girls Grammar School music students from the Prossima Program.

The encore was a return by Barton and his mother with a very moving Spirit of the Land. It was a fitting finale. With people waving union jack flags, and streamers joining the audience and musicians, it was indeed a wonderful night of celebration.

Peter Pinne