Here I Am | Adelaide Festival 2021 review

The lion’s share of a program of Australian rarities went to performances of works by composer Gordon Kerry.

Here I Am. Picture: Jacqui Way (supplied by the Adelaide Festival)

Here I Am

Classical Music / AUS

FESTIVAL

UKARIA Cultural Centre

March 6

The second day of the consistently excellent Chamber Landscapes series, in 2021 under the curatorship of arts identity and composer Kim Williams, got off to a stirring start with a concert of Australian rarities under the title Here I Am.

The title is drawn from a piece by the American poet Paul Bowles, admittedly not of these shores, but its evocative “Come let us lapse into freedom” was clearly too good an invitation to miss.

Nor should audiences miss the work of the extraordinary Peggy Glanville-Hicks, still enormously underplayed in her native land. The Three Gymnopedies from 1953 are fine miniatures, well performed by an ensemble of Elder Conservatorium flute students.

The 1946 Concertino da Camera for flute, clarinet, bassoon and piano is a sophisticated work, bubbling along from the start (dazzling piano from Jacob Abela) and singing something of a new song, even if the tripartite structure hearkens back to traditional models. Geoffrey Collins (flute), Mark Gardon (bassoon) and Jason Noble (clarinet) completed the ensemble.

The lion’s share of the program went to performances of works by Gordon Kerry. His recent (2019) Clarinet Quintet is a very substantial single movement piece, both technically accomplished and a great pleasure to hear.

The composer’s vista is considerable, ranging from ghostly echoes to expansive whorls of sound that would be every bit at home on the silver screen. Kerry, who was present, gave a very notable thumbs up.

The String Quintet from 2012 is a very airy piece, frequently taking flight – literally, for guest violist Chris Cartlidge, balancing feet off floor with many an uplifting tilt.

Both performances were good opportunities to experience the Australian String Quartet with new cellist Michael Dahlenberg already sounding 100 per cent at home after just a couple of months. The ensemble was joined by Jason Noble and James Wanna (viola) respectively.

Alfred Hill’s String Quartet No. 16 in B-flat major, The Celtic, from 1938 was exceedingly lush after the uncompromising modernity of the rest of the program, but none the poorer for it.

It’s a delightful piece, with a second movement Adagio, a setting of a lovely folk song, that would have done Vaughan Williams proud.

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