HUSH

“An afternoon’s beautiful journey into night” was how SXS’s fresh and new Artistic Director Tim Munro described HUSH, the first of a series of three SXS gigs this year at QPAC. HUSH was an unusual but inspired choice – a carefully curated mix of quiet, contemplative pieces to soothe the soul. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon. You know you are in for a treat when the Grammy-award-winning flautist also has a melodica in his kit bag, and the afternoon’s presentation features guest artist, guitarist Karin Schaupp.

To set the scene, ‘Hacienda Heart’ a 2025 piece by Swedish-born Australian composer, Petra Salsjö – who was in the audience to hear her work performed. Petra’s work is melodic, engaging and relaxing in a resolute way. Once we were eased into the musical session, we were transported to the Palace of Versailles for a royal court composition ‘Les Folies d’Espagne’ (1701). Marin Marais’ work has the tones of a faded afternoon, but Karin’s complex guitar work energised this drawing room classic. From the twilight, two songs in a set: Schubert’s melancholy ‘Night and Dreams’ (1823) and Gabriel Faure’s tensely romantic ‘Apres un reve (After a dream) Op. 7 No. 1’ (1877). That longing feeling continued with John Dowland’s ‘Flow My Tears’ (1600) – as Tim explained, this piece describes a rapturous night that should never end. Akin to the ‘It was the nightingale and not the lark’ scene in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, you can feel the desperation for the dark of night to stay to envelope and protect.  

Then stepping from the 17th to the 21st century to an amazing piece by First Nations composer from Western Australia, Aaron Wyatt – ‘Under the Canopy’ – the violins became swirling birds encircling the deep tones of the cello, creating an image of forest, wings and leaves that required no special effects. I was overawed with this piece and the passionate performance by the string quartet: Margaret Blades (violin), Claire Litwinowicz (violin), Sophie Ellis (viola), and György Déri (cello).