Christmas in Brno also means the traditional pre-Christmas concert of the Brno Contemporary Orchestra (BCO), this time entitled From America to Tuřany. It took place on 18th December and after a one-year break it returned to the Sokol Hall in Tuřany. The BCO, conducted by Pavel Šnajdr, performed works by Mauricio Kagel, Steve Reich, Trevor Grahl and, as always, Miloslav Kabeláč. Appearing together with the orchestra were four singers, Aneta Podracká Bendová, Kornél Mikecz, Michal Kuča and Martin Kotulan. At the end of the first half, Pavel Šnajdr set aside his baton and clapped the beat, joined by Petr Hladík.
The concert opened with the Variété of Maurice Kagel (1931-2008). The music of the Argentine-born composer is based on reflection, irony and the use of various clichés, trivialities and habits, which the composition was also full of in the middle. The musical part of this concert, a real treat for performers and musicians alike, mixes elements of Latin-American music with avant-garde, minimalism, jazz, chanson, film noir and other genres. With a touch of exaggeration, one might say it would be easier to list all the elements that were not present in the composition than those that were. This "dance suite" is complemented by an equal "theatrical" part, which is a direct part of it. However, since it is not precisely specified by the composer, the BCO decided that the dramaturg Viktor Pantůček would prepare sandwiches for the raffle as part of this performance. The orchestra tackled this hugely demanding composition with true grace. Although there were a few rhythmic inaccuracies in the opening passage, they were soon corrected. Under the baton of conductor Pavel Šnajdr, the distinct differences between the movements were beautifully expressed, allowing the madness but also the genius of the work to fully emerge. The musicians managed to nicely highlight and bring out the beautiful melodies that - sometimes slightly hidden in that madness - were present in the composition.
At the end of the first half, Pavel Šnajdr and Petr Hladík performed the short Clapping Music by Steve Reich (*1931), which earned a warm round of applause from the audience after the first piece. At first glance, this simple minimalist work for two performers ("clappers") is based on the stubborn repetition of a single rhythmic patter. The second pair of hands gradually moves up one-eighth until the two clappers meet again. This simplicity is really just an illusion and the composition requires absolute precision to perform, as even the slightest deviation from the rhythm is obvious. And that can prove fatal. Both performers managed to keep the rhythm. Although Pavel Šnajdr and Petr Hladík lost the rhythm slightly at the very end, they didn't let themselves get distracted and were soon back on track to meet again at the end of the piece.
During the intermission, the audience enjoyed refreshments including pasta salad, pork belly on a stick, roast turkey, pizza snails and much more. At the very end of the intermission, a raffle was announced, with tickets on sale before the concert and during the break. The lucky winners were offered teas to benefit various parts of the body related to the dramaturgical themes of this year's BCO season, sandwiches prepared by Viktor Pantůček during the first part of the programme, and a gift basket. Each of the prizes came with two tickets to a future BCO concert.
The first work played in the second half of the concert was Straussiana by Trevor Grahl (*1984), based on the work of the same name by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957). In addition to his own artistic and film music, Korngold also arranged operettas and popular waltzes. Strausianna is dedicated to the king of waltz, Johann Strauss. During the performance of this work, the orchestra was joined by singer Aneta Podracká Bendová, who in a short passage without words showed exemplary clear intonation. The orchestra also put on a very good performance. The BCO, conducted by Pavel Šnajdr, played a wonderful accelerando and ritardando, with clear differences between the passages that seemed more like a parody and those that really felt like an homage. The musicians were excellent in conveying the humour abundantly contained in the composition, and it was far from just synchronised coughing during the piece. At the very end, the musicians put on some funny hats, the singer lit a sparkler, the orchestra blew kazoos and the music ended in a shower of confetti.
The Christmas concert ended with Play with a Manger by Miloslav Kabeláč (1908-1979). This quirky and charming arrangement of Czech carols is a traditional part of the BCO's Christmas concerts. Before the very beginning, the humour of the previous work could still be felt, as Pavel Šnajdr first swept the confetti off the score. When the musicians started, the piece was halted right at the beginning as the sound was set wrong for the piano. This wasn't a setback, as everything was funny. The BCO then finally got started, together with singers Aneta Podrackou Bendova, Kornél Mikecz, Michal Kucha and Martin Kotulan. They sang with beautifully clear intonation, harmonising well with each other and with the orchestra, and the text was very easy to hear. The soprano had to cope with a rather demanding part that called for some very high notes. Aneta Podracká Bendová had no problem with that. The orchestra also played very nicely. Like the singers, they were rhythmically precise, except for one small glitch at the end, and showed clear intonation. The crystal-clear brass instruments at the very end were really beautiful. The overall impression was slightly spoiled by an unpleasant rustling in the speakers, but fortunately this was not very pronounced and did not detract from the overall sound of the work.
The traditional pre-Christmas musical get-together, as this was described by the organisers themselves, was far from being just about music, although this was still the most important aspect. Besides enjoying a beautiful musical experience, the audience went away with full bellies filled with delicious refreshments, and a few lucky people won prizes in the raffle. The BCO pre-Christmas concert is already a well-established tradition for Brno, and will hopefully remain so as long as possible.
Mauricio Kagel: Variété
Steve Reich: Clapping Music
Trevor Grahl / Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Straussiana
Miloslav Kabeláč: Play with a Manger
Aneta Podracká Bendová – vocals
Kornél Mikecz - vocals
Michal Kuča – vocals
Martin Kotulan - vocals
Petr Hladík - clapping
Viktor Pantůček - cuisine
Brno Contemporary Orchestra
Pavel Šnajdr - conductor, clapping
18 December at 7:30 p.m., Sokol Hall in Tuřany
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