The Omega Ensemble’s Elevator Music, consisted of Anna Clyne’s Stride, Gaeme Koehne’s Dances on the Edge of Time and Aaron Copland’s Clarient Concerto. The concert was deliciously familiar and heart-warming. In particular Koehne’s work sampled familiar melodies, acting as a postmodern classical music DJ of sorts. The lively and energetic ensemble wove both old and new classical music, bringing to life a new and harmonic story through sound. The music was postmodernist and playful, referencing and recycling beloved melodies. The clarinet soloists (Michael Collins and David Rowden) pression and control, particularly their purity of tone in the upper registers, exhibited a mastery of the clarinets transition between registers.
The first piece began with, what seemed to me, crisp personality and warmth, benefitting from the expressive first violin, Véronque Serret. The music continued ominously and atmospherically, effectively building tension and my anxiety (as I assume the composer intended). The piece felt like story telling through sound, a fearsome loathsome tale that swiftly transitioned from hopeful to fearful. The tone was clearly conveyed in a way that listeners unfamiliar with classical music could feel and understand.
Dances on the Edge of Time introduced the two clarinet soloists, Michael Collins and David Rowden (also the artistic director). The clarinets ushered in a warmth and airy lightness. This was mirrored in the addition of the piano (Vatche Jambazian). In this piece the two clarinets blended deliciously with a foundation of sound built by the orchestra. All the musicians were playing and toying not just with sound, but volume too, which drew out swirling emotions from the audience. Koehne’s work continued to be heart warmingly nostalgic, as intended, the program noted that Koehne prefers warmth, clarity and lyricism over “the cliched angst and ponderousness of so much ‘respectable’ new music.” I tend to agree, and found the soulful, thoughtful and playful music, particularly the call and response from the clarinet soloists, to be moving and enjoyable. Koehnes orchestration is at times reminiscent of ravel’s colouristic effects
The Clarinet Concerto began slowly and gently, guided by the harmonic direction of Michael Collins. The piece was played as hopeful and dreamy, and produced feelings of wistfulness within me. I was brought along a journey that the artists wanted the audience to follow, it was twisting path of beauty and cool breezes. This piece continued, picking up speed and energy, with an ominous shift in orchestration and accompaniment. The clarinet soloists, however, continued with a light and energetic harmony, containing more call and response weaving in well-known classical melodies to the modern music. The piece continued with the whimsy highlighted by the double bases (Adrian Whitehall and Jacques Emery), powerfully building and breaking the tension of the music.
The concert ended with a surprise encore and world premiere of a reworked (for two clarinet soloists) piece called Ornamental Air. The encore began with a sense of urgency from entire orchestra. This piece continued with the playfulness of the previous works. The clarinets were delicately and deliberately light and harmonious. It was a delightful end to a lovely evening of music that moved me, and took me along a journey through my mind.
To book tickets to Elevator Music, please visit https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/whats-on/current-productions/omega-ensemble-elevator-music.
Photographer: Eloise Coomber
