The wonderful venue, TOWN HALL is under renovation. I do hope and pray the do up engineers do not mess with the perfection of such a lovely sound chamber.
Because of the remodeling the concert was held at the Regent Theatre in the Octagon of Dunedin. The Regent is a grand old theatre but does not have the acoustics of the Town Hall.
The concert was titled, ROMANTIC GRANDER and it held true to the theme.
I DETEST ARRIVING LATE FOR CONCERTS! I relish the time to wander around the lobby of a performance venue. Gaze at the chandeliers, art work, marble stairs, walls adorned with paintings of great artists, and the framed lists of families, individual, and organizations who are on the board of trustees. People that are generous with their wealth and influence in support of the arts.
My landlady had chosen a perfect seat for me. In the Stalls Row E seat 23. Mind you, I usually prefer a front row seat in the balcony, but because the concert was at the Regent I wanted something on the ground floor and yet close to the piano and sinfonia. Perfect.
Ever since I was a kid I loved the 'tuning up' of all the instruments before a symphonic concert. The back and forth wail of the strings, horns tooting scales... I always feel a strange emotion during this time when all the various musician are tuning because they are INDIVIDUALS...
they all look different from each other, they are playing different instruments, their ages span from very young to very old... but... then the moment of magic is when the first violinist walks on stage, bows, turns to the orchestra and they tune to ONE NOTE! Everything comes into harmony and oneness. The violinist sits down and then the CONDUCTOR walks on...
Applause and russeling of feet, programs, coughing whisperings all cease and a vibrating moment of silence takes command. The conductor lifts his baton the concert comes to life.
Opening piece was lovely. Lilburn's Drysdale Overture. Applause followed and then the movement of chairs, music stands, making way for the Mighty Black Whale, the Steinway Concert Grand Piano.
Stage hands dusting the curves of the instrument after it was placed in the exact markings on the stage floor. Then a young man lifted on the stage the piano stool. He actually sat on the seat to make positive it was placed correctly.
I consider the piano bench, stool, seat as the blessed THRONE of the artist.
All things were in order. Enter the conductor. Then the star of the evening: DEIDRE IRONS.
This woman is one of New Zealands treasures. She was born in Canada but has made New Zealand her home since the mid 70's. She is my age plus... She graced the stage with confidence, joy and most of all her humble ambiance. She took her place at the piano, put her eye glasses on and gave the "nod" to the conductor.
The Concerto was the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2. ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES.
It is not a parlor recital piece. It is a massive work. The Concerto plays for about give or take 50 minutes... a very long spell of endurance for any athlete playing sport!
A horn solo introduces the main theme with the piano interceding... woodwinds and piano... then strings... full orchestra and piano.
Deidre played with such power and command. Her movements, her hands were so authoritative beyond belief. She smeared a few things, but my GOD she KNEW this work as if were the love of her life!
I always hold my breath, get a strange tightness in my gut when the music comes to a key change into F minor... (then to the dominant key of f major) the piano plays a most DIFFICULT and TREACHEROUS passage!
I was once told that some, even seasoned concert artists omit this passage at times!
Deidre simply 'high dived' into the dark waters and swam through it like an Olympic gladiator.
After the passage from hell... the orchestra tutti appears back to the tonic key of B flat. The movement ended with everyone in the audience spell bound.
2nd movement went like magic... 3rd movement. This is one of my favorite musical themes.
The Cello plays a 3 minute solo before the piano gently enters the musical canvas... the movement is full of every emotion imaginable.
4th movement. Allegretto Grazioso.
I love this section. It is very Hungarian... passionate and Brahms ends it with a little march
them that is haunting... ONLY BRAHMS.
Deidre Irons stood as the audience including myself screamed BRAVOS, stomping of feet on the floor boards... hoots and exclamations of yea from the audience. She made 3 curtain calls... was given a bouquet of the most gorgeous flowers... The woman is amazing.
Intermission, well, Interval as they call it in other parts of the world. Then the Sibelius Symphony No. 5.
I have known people that swoon like crazy over this symphony. I like it, but I do not have a great affinity with it. I do love the swan calls and flutter of wings with strings and flutes... the 6 staggered chords at the end separated by the SOUND OF SILENCE" between each chord is wonderful.
Was truly a MUSICAL NIGHT OF ROMANTIC GRANDER!
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