The White Hat Guide to Peter Sculthorpe

The Australian Chamber Orchestra with Richard Tognetti (director and violin) perform:

• Sculthorpe Sonata for Strings No. 1
• Debussy (arr. Richard Tognetti)
  • The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
  • The Interrupted Serenade from Preludes Book I
• Ravel (arr. Richard Tognetti) Two Hebrew Melodies
• Elgar Serenade for Strings
• Walton Sonata for Strings

This program unites a collection of pieces that forego an explanatory narrative in return for a rich vein of timeless beauty.

William Walton’s Sonata for Strings is a seemingly effortless interweaving of parts, while fellow Brit, Sir Edward Elgar’s Serenade for Strings holds a special place in the heart of the ACO and it remains a favourite for musicians and audiences alike. 

Peter Sculthorpe’s first Sonata for Strings, Ravel’s Two Hebrew Melodies and Debussy’s The Girl with the Flaxen Hair and The Interrupted Serenade complete this offering of music for string orchestra

 The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir with the  Australian Chamber Orchestra (Richard Tognetti director) perform:

• Arvo Pärt Da pacem Domine
• J. S. Bach Komm, Jesu, komm
• Arvo Pärt Summa
• J. S. Bach Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied
• Arvo Pärt Toccata from Collage on B-A-C-H
• J. S. Bach Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden
• J. S. Bach Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf
• Galina Grigorjeva In Paradisum
• Sculthorpe Djilile
• Arvo Pärt Berliner Messe

White Hat strongly recommends that anyone interested in choral music (or classical music in general) should go out of their way to hear this excellent programme. The world-renowned Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir together with the  Australian Chamber Orchestra alternate the mystical minimalism of the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt with the intricate and muscular polyphony of Bach's motets. Combing these two world's is Pärt's Toccata for strings from his Collage on B-A-C-H. The programme is rounded up with an offering form contemporary Estonian composer Galina Grigorjeva and Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe's Djilile, inspired by Indigenous song.

Our rating - 5 Hats

Sydney – City Recital Hall Saturday 2 February 7pm
Sydney Opera House Sunday 3 February 2pm
Sydney – City Recital Halll Tuesday 5 February 8pm
Sydney – City Recital Hall Wednesday 6 February 7pm
Canberra – Llewellyn Hall Saturday 9 February 8pm
Melbourne – Arts Centre Melbourne Sunday 10 February 2:30pm
Melbourne – Arts Centre Melbourne Monday 11 February 7:30pm
Adelaide Town Hall Tuesday 12 February 7:30pm
Perth Concert Hall Wednesday 13 February 7:30pm