www.somtimes.
info
Pitching a new voice: the introduction
Julian Hunt
Executive Editor
It is with great pleas-
ure that I am able to
introduce this pre-
view edition of SOM
TIMES, the new stu-
dent initiated and administered periodi-
cal for art music in Canberra, focused on
the School of Music.
We have set ourselves many aims
with this initiative, not least is the desire
to remedy the sense of segregation that
sometimes exists between the various
areas within the School. By establishing
a common source for information, we
gain an efficient means of learning about
what our colleagues are doing. The project is still in its infancy,
More importantly we hope to
foster an increased sense of community
by facilitating the further development
of a microcosm, within the School of
Music, of the professional music scene
beyond. By this I mean that when the
performance majors give a concert they
can expect to be reviewed by their fellow
students in other areas, when musicol-
ogy majors complete a poignant essay
they have somewhere to publish it, and
so on, thus building a meaningful dia-
logue between us all.
Furthermore, we will branch out
Interface
Musicology students Elizabeth
Collier and Alexander OSullivan
discuss the interface between per-
former, composer, work, and audi-
ence with composition student John
Yoon.
Page 2.
Preview Edition - June 2010
beyond the School itself to provide news
and commentary about a number of art
music concerts and organisations in the
ACT, partly in recognition of the ties
between the School and most of the art
music that happens in the nations capi-
tal, and partly in order to attract a wider
audience.
The month of June was a hectic
one, with end of semester exams, essays,
etc. Considering too that we are in early
stages of development, we dont have a
full issue to publish yet. Instead, this edi-
tion provides a taste of what is to come in
future months. We have opinion pieces,
reviews, some research, and an events
guide. There is, I like to think, something
for everyone.
and we are still keenly searching for stu-
dents who might be interested in joining
our team of editors, reviewers, journal-
ists, and researchers. If youre a music
student, this is your paper and I strongly
encourage any suggestions, contribu-
tions, or offers to play an active role in
making this a success.
I should mention too that this
publication will have two sides to it. One
is the PDF/hardcopy format you see
before you now. This will be released
monthly (at least, for ten months of the
year). The other is the website itself,
6 June: ANU SoM Orchestra
Jazz editor Andrew Kimber reflects
on his experience playing tenor sax
in the orchestra, page 5.
Alex OSullivan reviews the concert.
Page 4.
which will be updated continually and
allow for real-time feedback from read-
ers. This ought to give the project a real
dynamic to it and should be online with-
in the next few months.
Finally, Id like to thank all the
people involved in making this project
a reality. The ANU Music Students As-
sociation gave me a position on their ex-
ecutive body for the purpose of carrying
out this project and have provided in-
valuable resources and encouragement.
I received a great deal of support from
School of Music staff, both academic and
administrative for which I am very grate-
ful. Last but not least, those students who
responded to the call for contributions
to the publication, particularly Research
Editor Alexander OSullivan and Jazz
Editor Andrew Kimber, without whom
this edition would have practically no
content. Thankyou.
Inside:
Interface 2
Reviews 3
Feature 4
Research 6
Events Guide 8
Research
Research editor Alexander
OSullivan explores some dubious
influences on musical taste in an
exposition on authenticity.
Page 6.
2

Interface
with Elizabeth Collier, Alexander OSullivan and nants in Mozarts music, given that they were only codified in
John Yoon. the 20th century by Walter Piston?
Two musicologists and a composer discuss the interface between J: I just dont like the retroactive application of cultural theory. I
performer, work, composer and audience: dont think the composers intent is particularly important.
A: But isnt all our discussion rather post-Beethovenian? A
Alex: Not meaning to beat about the bush, lets begin. Where work being an individual expression of a composers inner
does a musical work reside? thoughts is certainly foreign to music before the 19th century.
John: Not with the composer J: Perhaps we should look at works as being self-contained...
Liz: It is a creation of the composer, but then becomes separate. A: Autonomous? That idea is certainly not fashionable at the
A: A lot of analysis and discussion written before 1990 seems to moment.
infer that the performer is a shady interloper between com- L: Surely context is important. We must choose whether our
poser and audience. own context, or the context of the time the work was written, is
J: I subscribe to the Nuclear Bomb theory of composition. more important.
The composers act of composition is like the dropping of a J: One shouldnt worry about context from the past.
bomb. After the work is disseminated, the composer cannot L: What about the Star Wars argument? Can you say that the
influence it further. Imperial March could some day be considered appropriate
L: But surely the fact that the compositional bomb is set off by music for a wedding? Surely we cannot separate the music from
the composer accounts for their importance. its original context?
J: Im saying after this crucial act of dissemination, it becomes J: That could happen.
the performers responsibility to take on the work. A: So what is the purpose of composition? Why do people
L: Isnt the work just a script for the performer? compose? Surely there is enough music to last the next thou-
A: If I could interrupt...If composers are merely writers of sand years?
rough guides to performance, why are they considered so J: Are you saying that architects should stop as well?
important? Why does one listen to the radio and say thats A: Surely Architecture is more functional than music...
Beethoven rather than thats Alfred Brendel? J: Visual artists then.
L: This is beginning to sound a bit death of the author - J&L: The purpose of composition is to convey ideas to an audi-
J: No. The composers personality is always present within the ence.
work. The act of publication severs the works ties to the com- A: But most artists dont have anything very interesting to say.
posers influence. L: Surely that could be a fitting description of society as a
A: But it is hard to think of any composer that didnt interfere whole. I find most modern art to be a lens, in which the viewer
with their works after publication. What about the Bruckner can attach meaning as they please.
problem? Even Mahler would tweak small details after hearing A: In that case the infinitude of interpretations really means
the work for the first time? that any work of art really means nothing. It can have no
J: We would have to consider the versions as different works. intrinsic value past what people are prepared to give it. Can we
A: But thats ridiculous. Even if he changed a single note in salvage a model for music?
an hour long symphony, would that be considered a different J&L: Yes. We have Composer Work Performer Audi-
work? ence. Each actor creates and destroys information as the model
J: Im not a big fan of composers being involved in the perfor- unfolds.
mance of their works, or even talking about them after publica- J: One could view it like sewerage treatment...
tion. At this point, the discussion terminated
A: Most composers do that today, if only to reveal what cannot
be seen due to the imperfections of notation.
J: It is a poor composer who cannot indicate what they want
through notation. Have something to say?
A: Do you believe we overemphasise musical works as being
the building block of Western Art Music? Other cultures are We are looking for students to contribute reviews
far more performer oriented, or consider the work insepara- and essays, conduct interviews, and keep us
ble from some extra-musical function. What about notions of
informed about whats going on.
authenticity? If the score is just a guide, why do we spend so
much time trying to work out what the composer had to say?
L: I believe that when people claim authenticity, they are really If you have information you want published or
projecting their own beliefs upon the music. Consider the new you want to be a part of the team, contact the
-isms that are now a standard part of writing about music. Why executive editor on
must we consider a feminist approach to Mozart if Feminism
did not exist in Mozarts time? editor@somtimes.info
A: In that case, do you deny the presence of secondary domi-
 3

Reviews
Adam Cook (Piano) Performance 6 Recital. Llewellyn Hall.
Scriabin: Sonata No.9, Shostakovich: Sonata Nos. 1 and 2.
Alexander OSullivan
I left Mr Cooks recital amazed at his stamina, or more
specifically his ability to walk nonchalantly off stage after the
bracket. The intensity of the programme would have, I believe,
defeated many seasoned professionals. Upon receiving the pro-
gramme, I worried that the afternoon would be rather dull, com-
prising three fairly substantial Russian piano works (which I was
not familiar with) written over the space of only thirty years.
Aleksandr Scryabin has always remained somewhat of a
closed book to me, seeming unnecessarily difficult and divorced
from the grand narrative of Western Art Music. He was also
by all accounts a bit of a sook consider Mr Cooks recount of
the composers creative process: he was bed-ridden, screaming,
then sobbing, finally silent. We are informed that the Ninth So-
nata, known as the Black Mass, represents the irreversible cor-
ruption of the soul. These themes might sound a bit intense for a
quiet Thursday afternoon, but Mr Cooks technique and artistry
were certainly capable of capturing the audience. I found myself
in a state of extreme tension throughout the work, finding little
time to admire the more neglected aspects of pianism that Mr
Cook displayed, including an especially fine pedal technique.
The second work was the early one-movement sonata
written by Dmitry Shostakovich at the age of nineteen. One
is struck by the juvenile character of the work, featuring thick
dissonance and an emphasis on athleticism in the playing. Mr
Cook notes that the composer was noted to have performed in
a highly modernist way, using little rubato and emphasising the
linear aspects of the composition. This performance could not
have contrasted more with Shostakovich: the approach was one
of gesture, achieved through an amazing level of tonal contrast
and carefully shaded voicing.
The second sonata of Shostakovich (whom Mr Cook
insists on transliterating as Woctakobny) represents a complete
stylistic rethink. Instead of a meandering one movement form,
the work is composed in a typical three movement plan of fast-
slow-fast. The first two movements were on the whole success-
ful in presenting a clear dramatic argument. However, the final
theme and variations fails to maintain the clear logic of the work.
I believe that the so-called neo-classicist movement requires
more inventiveness than the theme and variations structure can
allow. But perhaps this is just my personal opinion (my least fa-
vourite Beethoven and Mozart sonatas are those with theme and
variation movements).
Mr Cook shows an amazing aptitude at extended piano
techniques, and possesses a wide range of expressive timbres
(from burnished, brutal tones to rapid, ethereal high passage-
work). One wishes that the Theory exams were not scheduled
at the same time as this performance, as many were forced to
attend to their counterpoint rather than hearing this remarkable
performance.

Simon keeps his balance, sets high bar

Julian Hunt
School of Music postgraduate student Si-
mon Pauperis performed a programme of
Giovanni Bottesini at Wesley Music Cen-
tre, 2 June, as part of Wesleys Wednesday
Lunchtime Live Series. It was a delight-
ful display by the Bass player of some of
musics more curious contributions to the
canon which left the audience renewed
and elated.
If I had to choose the least likely
solo instrument, short of Wagner Tuba
or Triangle, it would be Double Bass. No
surprise then that a concert advertised
as Double Bass Gymnastics accompa-
nied by a photo of ANU postgraduate
Simon Pauperis leisurely driving along
in a vintage convertible holding his hard
case through the roof stands out in the
concert schedule. The title and image
suggested something unusual, perhaps a
little quirky, and the concert did not dis-
appoint.
The atmosphere of the Wesley
Music Centres recital hall lent itself to
the programme of Giovanni Bottesini,
the nineteenth century bass virtuoso and
composer, which was well received by the
at times exuberant audience.
Simon owned the stage from the
moment he walked onto it, confidently
announcing each piece and even throw-
ing in the odd joke to lighten the mood.
First was the Concerto in F# minor, first
and second movements. Terry Lam ac-
companied on piano as Simon navigated
the metre-long finger board with an ease
only meticulous hours of daily practise
can deliver, at times leaping from either
end numerous times in the one pas-
sage (hence the gymnastics, as he had to choose, this was my favourite. It was
explained at the start). The harmonics
were solid, the double stopping of the
first movement cadenza delightfully well
tuned, and whenever his fingers did oc-
casionally land in the wrong spot, Simon
quickly adjusted accordingly.
Occasionally performers can be
a little stubborn about concert etiquette,
but I was pleased to see Simon grace-
fully acknowledge the applause between
movements.
After the concerto it was time for
the D minor Elegy. At this point Terry no
longer had to replicate a symphony or-
chestra and could play a part originally
conceived for piano, allowing a more
authentic ensemble to emerge. Finally,
Justin Bullock replaced Terry on stage for
the final work of the programme, the first
movement of the Grand Duo No. 2 in C
minor for two double basses.
Although one would probably
have to admit this was the least polished
performance of the day plenty of fa-
cial expressions gave it away if I had
an uplifting end to the show. I wasnt the
only one either. Towards the end, I no-
ticed one gentleman to my left. I dont
believe Ive ever seen someone look so
happy. The whole audience loved it; it
was a rare treat and a feat of musicianship
that the two bassists held it together so
well. The very last note was particularly
delightful. I highly doubt it occurred that
way in the score, but it undoubtedly made
for an improvement.
4

Sande Evans
Andrew Kimber
On Wednesday 2 June Sande Evans treated an al-
most full house in the Band Room of the Peter Karmel
Building. Sande Evans is one of Australias longest serving
and most loved Tenor Saxophonists and a particular favour-
ite of many of Canberras saxophonists. Her first set was
comprised of some of her latest works and featured her Trio
of Brett Hirst on Bass and Toby Hall on Drums.
Sandes sound is so flexible to the mood of the piece
that she is performing, most noticeably when performing an
Indian Raga. The sound of her Soprano Saxophone moulds
beautifully with the sound of Indian harmonies and rhythms.
The second set was a suite of music that had quite a personal
theme for Sande, and the music definitely matched the story
behind the music. The band grew in this set with the addi-
tion of Miroslav Bukovsky on trumpet, James Greening on
Trombone and Luke Sweeting on Piano.
Not only was the suite an emotional journey but
it was a complete showcase of some of Australias greatest
improvisers. In particular, Luke Sweeting a former ANU
School of Music student stole the show in this set. His
chords and soloing accurately representing thunder and rain
as per Sandes explanation of her suite. All in all it was one of
the best Jazz gigs in Canberra of the year.

Feature: ANU School of Music

Orchestra Performance, 6 June
School of Music Orchestra.
June 6 Llewellyn Hall.
Conducted by Mark Shiell.
Programme: Gershwin: An
American in Paris, Lambert:
Piano Concerto, Dvorak:
Symphony No. 9
Alexander OSullivan
Perhaps the most amaz-
ing thing about this concert
was its pricing. Free admis-
sion attracted an enormous
crowd, many of whom
would have been supporting
members of the orchestra.
However, upon talking with
some people after the event,
I discovered that there were
more than a few who had
seen the posters, and were
coming along to hear an
orchestra for the first time.
Perhaps this community
outreach was the most laud-
able aspect of the entire
enterprise.
The programming was
certainly interesting, begin-
ning with Gershwins popu-
lar An American in Paris.
The programmatic aspects
of the work were clearly laid
out by the composer in the
notes for the first concert in
collaboration with Deems
Taylor (perhaps best known
as the presenter in Disneys
Fantasia). However, the
enjoyment of the work lies
in its garish colours and
pulsating rhythmic vitality.
The orchestra conquered
most of the challenges ef-
fectively, the only negative
being a gross imbalance
between the sections (only
three violas!).
After a well managed
stage reset, the string play-
ers, two trumpets and tim-
pani remained to accom-
pany Mr Anthony Smith in
Constant Lamberts single-
movement Piano Concerto.
The performance was un-
dertaken in relation to Mr
Smiths soon to be complet-
ed PhD on the composer.
The work itself was certainly
interesting enough to justify
a performance. One hears
elements of Ravel, Debussy,
and especially Stravinsky
(through the use of trans-
parent textures and reduced
orchestration). Lambert
(1905-1951) was quite
young when he wrote the
work, and one feels that he
is exploring the possibilities
and limitations of instru-
mentation and form.
After interval, the or-
chestra presented Antonin
Dvoraks Ninth Symphony.
Dvoraks works are often
described as being drunk
on melody, and this work
features many memorable
tunes. Unfortunately, the
rather prosaic develop-
ment of the ideas offers few
surprises, and by the Trio
of the third movement, I
found myself wondering
what I would be having for
dinner. The wisdom of pro-
gramming such a popular
work should be questioned.
It is understandably an
audience drawcard and a
necessary piece of reper-
toire, but it also features
many exposed, well-known
passages requiring an im-
possible perfection from the
players. However, despite
the challenges, the assem-
bled students shone, rightly
earning the praise of the
large crowd. A special men-
tion to the brass section,
for a well-controlled and
tight opening to the second
movement.
The conductor Mark
Shiell kept everything fairly
slick, and was not afraid to
depart from mainstream
interpretations in the more
popular works. Sometimes
it seemed that the players
were surprised by a sudden
slackening for a second sub-
ject followed or an accelera-
tion to the cadential theme
but I felt the surprise
added to the excitement. It
is nice to think that we were
witnessing real music mak-
ing, rather than over-re-
hearsed banality. One hopes
the orchestra will continue
to include a greater empha-
sis on Twentieth Century
repertoire in its program-
ming.

Bridging the divide: Saxing up the
classical
Andrew Kimber
Jazz Editor
On the 6th of June some of the
Jazz students were fortunate enough to
play with the School of Music Orches-
tra in An American In Paris. Namely,
Tom Fell and I on Baritone and Tenor
Saxophones respectively, which was a
real good opportunity for two young
saxophonists and the orchestra and
audience in general as the saxophone
is rarely included in orchestral reper-
toire.
Playing in an orchestra is
very similar to playing in a large Jazz
band, however there were quite a few
differences to get used to straight away.
For starters, in Jazz we try to hear the
other musicians at all times. However,
with so many musicians on such a
big stage it was a little hard to hear at
first. Seeing Trombones moving their
slides and not hearing them clearly,
for example, was quite disconcerting.
Although in some Big Bands Im sure
many saxophonists would give any-
thing to have the Trombones move
their slides and not be heard.
The other main difference
that took some getting used to was
the conductors count in. For us we
have a nice long count in, at least a
bar length, while in rehearsals and the
concert we were only getting one beat
count in. This difficulty was also felt
with the changes in tempo. It is funny
how the American based music has
drifted far away from the European
based music. Jazz in particular does
not often use the conventional Italian
terms for Tempo: Allegro, Andante etc.
so seeing these kind of things on the
page was a big brain buster forcing us
to think into our early musical edu-
cation to ascertain what these terms
meant.
The other thing was how the
meaning of tempo is a little different
across the genres. While some terms
like Allegro (120-168bpm) and Presto
(168-200bpm) mean fast and very fast
respectively, in the Be bop and Post
bop styles of Jazz 200bpm is often
considered the moderate tempo, and
5
in some tunes such as Charlie Parkers Gershwins piece that did not have
Constellation and John Coltranes articulation. It was quite hard not to
Giant Steps the tempos are 300bpm, put in our usual improvised articula-
with some recordings going up to and tion. Another fascinating note was if
above 350bpm. This meant that mean- the Flute music had been put in front
ing of the tempos were sometimes lost of us I doubt we would have been able
on us. Obviously, we watch the con- to play much of that at all.
ductor and play to his pace, but some- This is a point that I think we
times found ourselves expecting to go should all learn from. The things that
faster than we actually went. While we play every day are the things that
much of the Classical terminology we we become good at, therefore we are
did remember from our younger days accidentally neglecting other aspects
and from their occasional use in Jazz, of music. While it may be completely
there were many terms that we could normal for Jazz music not to use the
not remember. So in this regard I have Classical terms for speed, dynamics
learnt a lot. and how the piece should be played,
In terms of the instruments that should not stop us from knowing
tone amongst the orchestra, I thought the terminology fluently. While we
it filled out the sound perfectly. Sitting might play a specific way of articu-
between the Horns and the Clarinets lating passages from day to day, we
the sound really blended the two fami- should still be able to make crisp stac-
lies of instruments nicely together. A catos or strong accents that are written
lot of people where very positive about without feeling the need to improvise
the presence of the saxophone sound our own.
in the overall mix. Unfortunately I This was one of the most en-
cannot comment on that, as when I joyable performing experiences of my
was on stage all I could hear was an life and I really hope that the school of
Alto to my left and a Baritone to my music offers many more saxophonists
right, and the very beautiful sound of a place to perform in the Orchestra.
Liz Mitchells Piccolo that was pointed
more or less straight at my ear drum.
From all reports though the presence
of the instrument was received well.
The last thing that all of the
Jazz musicians playing in the Orches-
tra noticed was the completely differ-
ent skills and abilities between us all.
Things that we found incredibly easy
were the difficult parts of the score for
our Classical counterparts. While the
things that we found nearly impossible
where considered quite easy by the
Classical musicians. It is really inter-
esting how we all must take certain
skills for granted. For example, for the
Jazz players their were many synco-
pated semiquaver rhythms that we
could sight read quite comfortably, yet
some of the written Articulations we
really struggled to play the same as the
classical majors.
In Jazz we often read music
with no articulation and so we add
our own, and that habit can be quite
bad while reading whole passages in
6
Research
Alexander OSullivan
Research Editor
Taste in musical performance is a subjective
thing or is it? Most performers will tell you
that style is often a matter of personal prefer-
ence, but it is my opinion that what is consid-
ered good taste is rigidly policed by the music
industry.
Perhaps a brief story will illustrate...
On the first evening of the Ninth Biannual Australasian
Piano Pedagogy Conference, the delegates gathered in one of the
more ornate rooms of the Kings School, Parramatta, to attend a
performance of three minor keyed Haydn sonatas performed by
Geoffrey Lancaster on fortepiano. The performance was certainly
demanding on the listener: we could not enter a normal concert
stupor, where we sit there, letting the music wash over ourselves. I
found this process exhausting, but one would not call it dull. Over
breakfast the next morning, I found myself seated with a few promi-
nent teachers from Victoria, including the president of that states
MTA. The teachers proceeded to explain to me that Dr Lancaster
had subdued his weird and bizarre performing style over the movement as a whole, even if he was later proved wrong in many
years, yet still did not understand the classical style. They explained
that he did not have a set tempo for the works; that he slowed down
for slow movements; and worst of all, that he destroyed Haydns
melodic line. The unspoken judgement was that the performance
displayed an appalling deficiency of good taste.
Clearly a rigid notion of good taste has become established
in institutions such as the AMEB, the MTAs and universities. This
essay will discuss the historical background of the concepts of Au-
thenticity (which is what people really mean when they talk about
taste), and Canonism, and will then discuss the continuing main-
tenance of this doctrines by the music industry and its representa-
tives. It will also discuss the Early Music Movement, and its victory
and subsequent stranglehold on performance orthodoxy.
Two well reasoned discussions of the rise of the Early
Music Movement are found in Richard Taruskins Text and Act
(1995) and Frederick Neumanns New Essays on Performance Prac-
tice (1989). Neumann provides a brief history of the movement,
tracing its origins as far back as medieval theorists, who attempted
to reconstruct the music of Classical Antiquity. Many medieval
scholars created theories of acoustics and tuning taking Classical
texts as their influence. The next notable incarnation of the Early
Music Movement was in early 17th century Florence, in which the
Camerata attempted to reconstruct Greek Drama, inventing opera.
Neumann refers to this as the most epic attempt at authenticity
in the history of Western Art Music. There is an interesting parallel
with the more recent movement, in the way both groups claimed
scholarly privilege, and both reflected the style of their own time
more than that of the past. Overall, the lifespan of written musics
has increased markedly in the past few hundred years
The beginnings of Canonism can be traced to 1780s Vi-
enna, where the Baron Gottfried van Swieten championed the then
old-fashioned music of Hndel and Bach, commissioning Mozart
to rearrange the Messiah for contemporary forces, including wind
instruments and horns. It is important to note that authenticity was
not tied to Canonism before the 20th century. Neumann points to
an interesting parallel in the field of architecture. The construction
of cathedrals could take hundreds of years, but the new additions
did not conform to older styles. Rather, the designers would add
sections in using the style of their time. Thus, the final building
represents a constructive dialogue of many styles and periods.
The rise of nationalistic feeling from the middle of the 19th
century saw newly formed countries like Germany constructing
historical narratives, usually by appropriating art from their past.
Mendellsohns famous revival of the St Matthew Passion may have
exposed the qualities of Bachs music beyond the academic, but it
was the need for a German musical hero that really started the re-
vival of his music. The newly established middle class desired a spir-
ituality that neither the government, nor the church could provide.
The last decades of the century saw the rise of the monks of Soles-
mes, the return to Palestrina and other Renaissance composers in
churches, and the construction of period instruments, for example
the clarino trumpet and the harpsichord. However, they were made
in a form that Bach, or any other pre-19th century composer would
scarcely have recognised. The harpsichord itself was popularised
by Wanda Landowska, who gave her first recital on the instrument
in 1903. In her highly influential guide to historically informed
performance1, she pleads for the use of original instruments and
chastises modern editors for departing from composers intentions
and instead following their own personal feelings. Unfortunately
for Authenticity, her harpsichord had a 16 foot stop and an iron
frame, which again would have been foreign to Bach. Influential
as Landowska was, the true founder of the authenticity movement
was Arnold Dolmetsch, who built many instruments himself and
wrote the first text to discuss issues in tempo, rhythm and expres-
sive markings in any academic detail2. He made frequent references
to period treatises, and his work had considerable influence on the
details.
We will now move forward fifty years to discuss the transi-
tion of authentic performance from theory to ideology. According
to the The New Grove, the musical community began to acknowl-
edge the power of the Early Music Movement in the early 1980s,
when the more conservative elements of the Western Art Music
Industry, such as orchestras and opera companies, began to employ
the movements star performers. Record companies, which had
been quick to capitalise on the movement, witnessed a sales explo-
sion; causing the existing modern style to become unfashionable.
Victory came in 1989, when the Orchestra of the Age of Enlighten-
ment was contracted to play at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival
instead of the London Philharmonic. American Universities began
to abandon traditional chamber groups in favour of early ensembles
(often with the words Cantorum or Schola in the title).
Rather than laying out a history of the movement in Text
and Act, Richard Taruskin confines himself to a discussion of its
ideology and philosophy. His thesis is that the movement is primar-
ily informed by Neoclassicism and Modernism, and relies on then
inherent positivism in academic musicology which discouraged in-
dependent thought. He talks about the rise of Werktreue, in which
scores are worshipped as the fundamental text. He points to an
interesting definition of performance practice from The New Grove:
the amount and kind of deviation from a precisely deter-
mined ideal tolerated (or even encouraged) by composers
It seems that performers are deviants who muddle
the message of the music, and intrude on the interface between
composer and audience. Taruskin summarises the ideology of the
movement in two aspects: Transcendence and Formalism. Tran-
scendence is, funnily enough, a Romantic idea which says that the
great works of the Western Canon (for example the Jupiter sympho-
ny) are not of this world, and that by listening to them we undergo
an individual spiritual transformation. Formalism is related to
trends in Musicology before the outbreak of the New Musicology,
in which works are considered autonomous organic entities with
intrinsic value and meaning, and are not connected to any other
extra-musical considerations3. Familiar examples of Formalism
include post-tonal analysis and Schenkerian analysis, which both
assert the organic coherence of great music at different structural
levels.
It may be said that rigid positivism in studies of Per-
formance Practise is now irrelevant given the rise of the New

Musicology, which attempts to apply postmodernism (along with
all the other isms: feminism, Marxism, race studies, gender studies,
even disability studies4) to music studies. However, in the majority
of text produced for a non-academic audience concerning music,
the conservative view still reigns. I will turn to some examples of
music journalism from the latest issues of Gramophone and Lime-
light magazines, both representative of the mainstream Western Art
Music Industry. Gramophone, as its name would suggest, is primar-
ily concerned with record reviews. Its critics assign value to certain
performances over others, often involving issues of Transcendence
and Taste in their arguments. Limelight is the magazine of ABC
Classic FM, Australias only national Classical Music network. Being
magazines, both publications rely on personalities, be they per-
formers, radio announcers, or even their own critics, in order to sell
off the stands.
The May 2010 issue of Gramophone was consulted. My eye
is first drawn to the cover, which promises unrivalled critics. The
publication seems to be mainly concerning with the cult of record-
ing5. There is a special feature on Bergs Violin Concerto, in which
the critics rank the recordings in order to provide a recommenda-
tion for the library of the readers (all the readers are assumed to
be building libraries of great performances of great works). Before
commencing the reviews, the writers devote the majority of the
introduction to the following:
The work was written five months before Bergs death.
Thus the work has special significance as it represents the compos-
ers dying thoughts.
The work is dedicated to the memory of Manon Gropius,
daughter of Alma Mahler and Walter Gropius, who died tragically
young. Thus the work is full of dark and regretful emotions.
Benjamin Britten approved of the work at its premiere.
Thus it must be a fantastic work, because a fantastic composer like
Britten likes it.
We are led to believe that a successful performance of the
work can only be achieved by a soloist who identifies with Berg and
the tragic accompanying story. Performers are described as having
a special relationship with the work, as if that it is only way to per-
form. In the actual record reviews, the critics talk of performances
using adjectives such as: intensity, reflectiveness, forcefulness,
elegance, serenity, protest and even deliberation. As they work their
way chronologically through the discography, they talk of the work
perhaps becoming too familiar. This would obviously not be right,
because Berg is a difficult composer who can only be appreciated by
connoisseurs and not by the masses. The Werktreue/Urtext move-
ment has made its way to Berg (the concerto was only published 75
years ago) with a new corrected edition prepared by Douglas Jar-
man receiving its first recording in 2003 (billed as the first record-
ing of the authentic score). Clearly, the reviewers are obeying the
ideologies of Transcendence and Formalism.
I will now display how the critics reflect on issues of taste
and authenticity. The positivistic view opines that the performance
of the classics has already achieved its highest form. For example,
a review of a new recording of Beethovens Ninth Symphony, the
reviewer only cares to compare it to that of Furtwngler. Another
reviewer chastises Thibaudet for not following the score correctly
in playing Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue. One wonders how the
reviewer would reconcile the score with Gershwins own piano roll
recording, or indeed with his rather inauthentic recording with Paul
Whitemans Orchestra.
Most scholars would agree that Western Art Music is a
work based culture, with performers, composers, and context be-
ing sidelined. However, works only go part of the way to selling a
product (one can only be moved by so many Classic 100 surveys).
The May 2010 issue of Limelight reveals the new source of audience
engagement: the performer. The cover features a small photo of bar-
itone Teddy Tahu Rhodes, certainly one of the most talked about lo-
cal singers of the moment. The photo features him topless. Need we
7
say anymore? The industry realised long ago, that if one constrains
oneself to a particular canon, eventually people will buy all the
records of that canon, and stop their purchasing once it is complete.
However, by promoting performers over works, the industry can
sell a consumer many performances of the same work, multiplying
its profits accordingly. Nevertheless, listeners do not seem to care
about who is performing, according to the letters page of this issue.
Many listeners wrote to complain about a particular radio presenter,
who does not enunciate the names of composers and works clearly,
and does not even bother to read out Kchel numbers! An opinion
piece by Guy Noble tells us that it okay to like the Classics more
than contemporary music because most performers of contem-
porary music cannot play it as it is too difficult. Ironically, he also
exclaims in the same article that it is progressiveness that made the
great composers great. I will leave the reader to explore the fallacies
and contradictions in this argument.
In this age of instant gratification and knowledge, critics
have filled the space of education. Why should one bother study-
ing the intricacies of musical performance if the critics are able to
tell us the best performances anyway? Thinking and appreciation
have been outsourced. For the critics, teachers and academics to
be in agreement, it is important for their to be a clearly understood
ideology about the works. These are great works which go like this
and have essential qualities that are divorced from human interpre-
tation. This view, developed through the Wektreue idea through the
Early Music Movement to its eventual ossification in music jour-
nalism, makes our lives easier, but at the cost of individuality and
creativity of expression.
Notes:
1. Musique ancienne (1909)
2. The Interpretation of the Music of the XVII and XVIII Centuries
Revealed by Contemporary Evidence (London, 1915)
3. These ideologies are peculiar to Musicology, and are explored in
Joesph Kermans famous article: How We Got into Analysis, and
How to Get out, Critical Inquiry, Vol.7 No.2, 1980, University of
Chicago Press, as well as in the compendium Rethinking Music, ed.
Nicholas Cook and Mark Everist, 1999, OUP, NY.
4. The reader is directed to the Bibliography in Rethinking Music,
which provides a new canon of texts for the New Musicology.
5. This cult is fully explored in The recording angel: music, records
and culture from Aristotle to Zappa, Evan Eisenberg, Pan Books,
London 1988
References:
Brown, Howard Mayer, Performing Practice I The new
Grove dictionary of music and musicians, ed. by Stanley Sadie and
John Tyrell (2nd ed. rev.; London: Macmillan; New York: Groves
Dictionaries, 2001) vol. 19, 349
Cook, Nicholas & Everist, Mark (ed.). Rethinking Music
(Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1999)
Haskell, Harry, Early Music The new Grove dictionary of
music and musicians, ed. by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrell (2nd ed.
rev.; London: Macmillan; New York: Groves Dictionaries, 2001) vol.
7, 831
Kerman, Joseph. How we got into Analysis, and how to
get out, Critical Inquiry 7/2 (1980) 311-331
Neumann, Frederick. New Essays on Performance Practice
(Ann Arbor; London: U.M.I Research Press, 1989)
Samson, Jim, Canon The new Grove dictionary of music
and musicians, ed. by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrell (2nd ed. rev.;
London: Macmillan; New York: Groves Dictionaries, 2001) vol. 5, 7
Taruskin, Richard. Text and Act: Essays on Music and
Performance (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995)
8
Thursday 1st July Beethoven on his third Australian tour. 2nd Symphony and Prokofievs 3rd Piano
Jazz Garters $33-$69 Concerto.
Theatre 3 8pm ph: 132 849 $20/$10
After last years successful launch, the Rep Jazz Garters http://www.ticketek.com.au/
brings you the second season of Jazz Garters. Theatre 3 8pm ph:132 849
Combining comedy, cabaret, jazz, broadway See entry on 2nd July Sunday 18th July
and dance. Friday 9th July Jeremy Tatchell
$35/$27 3ofmillions, Anonymeye and Cat Cat Sacred Genius Tortured Sould
ph: 6257 1950 Street Theatre 8pm Wesley Music Centre 3pm
Friday 2nd July This trio investigate all reaches of improvi- Baritone Jeremy Tatchell sings three Bach
Angela Little Celtic Fire sation, staying true to the spontaneity and cantatas and Schumanns Liederkreis.
Street Theatre 8pm experimentalism laid down in their precur- $10-$25 Tickets at door
New musical show which combines the sors of blues, jazz, electro-acoustics, noise ph: 6232 7248
ethereal voice of Angela Little (from Baz and industrial rock. Wednesday 21th July
Luhmanns Australia) with the excitement $15/$10 Wednesday Lunchtime Live
of Irish dancing, tribal rhythms, cinematic ph: 6247 1223 Wesley Music Centre 12:40pm
sounds, and visual projections. Jazz Garters The cast of Canberra Philharmonics The
$25/$20 Theatre 3 8pm Boy from Oz perform excerpts from the
ph: 6247 1223 See entry on 2nd July show.
Jazz Garters Saturday 10th July $2 Tickets at door
Theatre 3 8pm Australian Chamber Orchestra ph: 6232 7248
See entry on 2nd July Barefoot Fiddler Friday 23rd July
Saturday 3rd July Llewellyn Hall 8pm David Pereira Concert Series Concert 3
John Waters sings Jacques Brel Featuring violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja Wesley Music Centre 7:30pm
Canberra Theatre 8pm and the music of Kats-Chernin, Schtz, Cellist David Pereira is joined by violinist
Noted actor and singer John Waters will Mansurian, Vivaldi, Haydn and Veress. Natsuko Yoshimoto and pianist Timothy
perform a concert highlighting the songs of $35-$59 CSOM student rush $17 Young in the music of Bach, Beethoven and
French Chanson singer-songwriter Jacques http://www.aco.com.au/ Brahms; as well as works by Australian com-
Brel. ph: 1800 444 444 posers Alicia Grant and John Peterson, who
all tickets $60 Jazz Garters will be in attendance.
ph:6275 2700 Theatre 3 2pm and 8pm $10-$30
Jazz Garters See entry on 2nd July ph: 0404 499 348 for advance sales
Theatre 3 2pm and 8pm Sunday 11th July Saturday 24rd July
See entry on 2nd July Farewell Eloise Fisher David Pereira Concert Series Concert 3
Sunday 4th July Wesley Music Centre 3pm Wesley Music Centre 3pm
Marcela Fiorillo Studio Concert Concert in benefit of prominent local clari- See blurb 23rd July.
Wesley Music Centre 3pm nettist Eloise Fisher who is travelling to New $10-$30
Students of prominent Canberra piano York to study at Juilliard. Featuring Anthony ph: 0404 499 348 for advance sales
teacher Marcela Fiorillo perform. Smith and Barbara Jane Gilby. The Griffyn Ensemble
Free admission $5-$20 Tickets at door Tales from Heaven
ph: 0417 670 785 ph:6232 7248 Belconnen Arts Centre 5pm
Jazz Garters Tuesday 13th July From a possessed Romeo and Juliet to an
Theatre 3 4pm New Zealand Youth Choir interplanetary First Temptation, Canberras
See entry on 2nd July Wesley Church 7:30pm premier chamber ensemble present a spir-
Tuesday 6th July Performing works by Rachmaninoff, Pend- itual performance of divine music. Featuring
Chuck Yates Quartet erecki, Leek, NZ composers and others. music by Grecki, Crumb, the Klezmatics
The Gods Cafe 8pm $5-$25Tickets at door and Michael Sollis.
Pianist Chuck Yates is joined by bassist Ron ph:6232 7248 $30/$20 Bookings only
Philpott, drummer Colin Hoorweg and Wednesday 14th July ph: 6173 3300
tenor saxophonist James Ryan. New Zealand Youth Choir Sunday 25th July
$18/$12 War Memorial 12pm Rising Stars of Organ
ph: 6248 5538 Free concert Wesley Church 3pm
Wednesday 7th July Wednesday Lunchtime Live Featuring prominent local organists play-
Wednesday Lunchtime Live Wesley Music Centre 12:40pm ing the music of Bach, Buxtehude, Vivaldi,
Wesley Music Centre 12:40pm Oboist Jess Donohue and guitarist Cal Hen- Dupr, Prokofiev, Durufl, Thallben-Ball,
Talented piano students from Marie Culls shaw are joined by pianist Anthony Smith in Eben and Hakim.
studio perform Schumann, Grieg, Schubert works by Schumann, Mangore, Berkeley and $5-$20 Tickets at door
and Stravinsky. Nielsen. ph: 6232 7248
$2 Tickets at door $2 Tickets at door Art Song Canberra Season of Song 3
ph: 6232 7248 ph: 6232 7248 Wesley Music Centre 3pm
Thursday 8th July Saturday 17th July Featuring soprano Tanya Aspelmeier and
Musica Viva: Paul Lewis Australian Youth Orchestra tenor Knut Schoch with pianist Alan Hicks
Llewellyn Hall 7pm Llewellyn Hall 2:30pm performing Wolf s Italian Songbook.
Highly regarded Beethoven pianist Paul 2010 International Tour Launch, conducted $10-$30Tickets at door
Lewis plays Mozart, Schumann and by Mark Elder. Includes Rachmaninoff s ph: 6232 7248
 9

Events Guide
Tuesday 27th July
Mandinka Sound
Street Theatre 8pm
Through music, dance and song, this unique
show will take audiences on a journey that
traces West African culture in contemporary
Australia back to its roots in the ancient
Mandinka empire of West Africa.
$20/$15
For more upcoming events, see
http://www.thestreet.org.au/ http://music.anu.edu.au/events
ph:6247 1223
Wednesday 28th July
Wednesday Lunchtime Live
Wesley Music Centre 12:40pm
Prominent local pianist Robert Schmidli
performs Mozarts Sonata in A major and
Beethovens Les Adieux sonata.
$2 Tickets at door
ph: 6232 7248
Saturday 31st July
Wilhelm Quartet
St Philips Church OConnor 7:30pm
Performing Beethoven and Schumann
quartets,
and joined by local pianist Colin Forbes
for Brahmss F minor quintet. School of Music Ball
$35/$30
http://camra.asn.au/
Venue Information
30 July
Llewellyn Hall
ANU School of Music Grand Ballroom, Rex Hotel
$40
William Herbert Place (off Childers Street)
Acton
http://music.anu.edu.au/
ph: 6125 5700
Street Theatre
Black Tie
Corner Childers Street and University contact: ext.anumsa@gmail.com
Avenue
Canberra City
http://www.thestreet.org.au/
ph: 6247 1519
Wesley Music Centre and Church
National Circuit Forrest
http://www.wesleycanberra.org.au/
ph: 6295 3680
Belconnen Arts Centre
118 Emu Bank Belconnen
http://www.belconnenartscentre.com.au/
ph: 6173 3300
St Philips Church OConnor
Corner Macpherson and Moorhouse Streets
OConnor
http://www.stphilipsoconnor.org.au/
War Memorial
Treloar Crescent Campbell
http://www.awm.gov.au/
ph: 6243 4211
Theatre 3
Ellery Crescent Acton
http://www.canberrarep.org.au/
ph: 6257 1950 Do you have a concert or other event coming up?
Canberra Theatre
Civic Square, London Circuit Canberra City
http://www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au/ Let us know so we can add it to the online
ph: 6275 2700 calender and events guide