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Kaleidoscope - Latin American Nights:  Carel Kraayenhof (Bandoneón), Sydney Symphony Orchestra/ Kristian Jarvii (conductor) Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, 15.5.2008 (SW)

Alberto Ginastera: Four Dances from Estancia, Op.8a
Astor Piazzolla: Aconcagua – Concerto for Bandoneón
Silvestre Revueltas: La Noche de los Mayas (The Night of the Mayas)

Note:  Due to sudden illness Sam Webster  was unable to stay for the whole of the concert and therefore missed the last piece in the program, La Noche de los Mayas (The Night of the Mayas) by Silvestre Revueltas. [Ed]

Waiting for the concert to start I couldn’t help but notice that the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall was far from full. This surprised me, being such a huge fan of Piazzolla’s work, both as an accomplished composer and a performer. Additionally, the featured instrument was the bandoneón, an instrument rarely seen in Australia, an authentic South American export. Not only that, but the instrument was played by guest Dutch soloist Carel Kraayenhof and the pieces were conducted by Estonian Kristjan Järvi. A wonderful program of transnational collaboration.

The concert began passionately with a suite of four dances from Estancia, Op.8a by Argentinean composer Alberto Ginastera. The opening crescendo in the first movement (Los trabajadores agricolas – The Land Workers) building up the elements of true Latin energy. The percussion section were out in great force, beating out the cross rhythms that have come to signify Latin American music. Järvi conducted with great ferocity, driving through odd time signatures, atonal violin sliding and the wild polyphony of pizzicato violin and brash horns. Yes, ferocious is definitely the adjective for this genre. The second movement (Danza del trigo – Wheat Dance) was much smoother, retaining the distinctive pizzicato violins but exchanging the brash sound for a more muted horn timbre, reminiscent of Cuban jazz. The lead violin interjected with a dainty and beautiful melody. The third movement (Los Peones de hacienda – The Cattle Men) saw the triumphant return of the timpani and lower strings in  heavy pulses with interjecting horns again in polyrhythms; the popularised brassiness of West Side Story. The timpani player had a huge grin as he thumped out the low end percussion, leading into the fourth movement (Danza final - Malambo) which made even more use of the interacting times. This was an extremely interesting piece to start the evening off with, a perfect introduction to the genre in its wide and varied forms.

The second piece on the program was Piazzolla’s Aconcagua Concerto for Bandoneón, based on Bach’s original Concerto form, including the reduced Orchestra (Violins, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses, Harp, One Percussionist, Piano and Bandoneón soloist). My first impression was that the bandoneón could be louder. My past knowledge of Piazzolla is one of a vibrant and enthusiastic performer, and Kraayenhof’s playing seemed to have much potential but lacked the edge which characterised Piazzolla’s small ensemble work. However, as the solo section of the first movement arrived, Kraayenhof’s playing became much more boisterous and animated. The second movement perfectly illustrated my personal belief that if nostalgia could tango, it would sound like the bandoneón, Piazzolla’s melody lilting over the top of the orchestra at its own walking pace, not to be rushed by the surrounding world of strings. It is a sound that is at times playful and at times, a melancholy remembrance of a place many of us have never ventured except cinematically.  The highlight of this piece was the bandoneón duet with guiro because of the way it accented both Latin rhythm and the distinctive timbre of the bandoneón. At times, Kraayenhof’s performance seemed to be more interactive with the first violin and cello than with the rest of the orchestra and this idea was further solidified when at the end of his performance he shook the hand of the conductor, the principal violinist, and the principal cellist. The end of this piece marked the end of the first half of the concert, in terms of program material, but after a rousing round of applause, Kraayenhof returned to the stage to perform Piazzolla’s ode to his father Adios Nonino to which Kraayenhof had includes his own introduction, a tribute to his own parents. These pieces blended beautifully with one another, working as one movement. The piece opened with an exceptional cello solo and grew into the ferocious energy (There’s that word again!) which Piazzolla’s original is well known for, Kraayenhof showing his immense talent on the instrument.

It is with great regret that I had to leave the performance at this point but I have no doubt that the performance during the second half would have been, at the very least, equal to the excellent standard that the first half exhibited.

Sam Webster


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