PIAZZOLLA The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires or Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas
GRANDISON Degustation *WORLD PREMIEREConductor – Sarah-Grace Williams
Soloist – Victoria Jacono-Gilmovich (Violin)
Marrickville Town Hall
Sunday February 25th, 3:00pm
** There will be no interval for this performance. **
Acknowledgment Of Country
The Metropolitan Orchestra acknowledges the traditional Aboriginal custodians of the land.
We acknowledge this is a country in which the members and elders of the local Aboriginal communities have been custodians for many centuries, and on which these people have performed age-old ceremonies.
The Metropolitan Orchestra acknowledges and pays our respects to the Gadigal and Wangal peoples of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of this land, and we pay our respects to their Elders both past and present.
Our Program For This Afternoon:
| Piazzolla, Astor (1921-1992) | Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires) |
Born in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, Astor Piazzolla is widely renowned as the master of the modern tango, combining a fusion of traditional Argentine tango, jazz and classical music. The Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires) were composed between 1965 and 1970, originally as four separate pieces for his own quintet of violin, piano, electric guitar, double bass and bandoneόn. The inclusion of the bandoneόn was pivotal to establishing the unique tango sound palette. Piazzolla was naturally fond of the instrument, as his immense skill caused him to be considered a bandoneόn virtuoso, having begun playing at the young age of eight.
As the works grew in popularity, the different seasons have been arranged for a variety of different instrumental ensembles, and between 1996 and 1998, Russian composer Leonid Desyatnikov arranged the Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas for solo violin and string orchestra. He also drew inspiration from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, weaving musical quotes from Vivalid’s work into Piazzolla’s masterpiece.
Verano Porteño (Summer) was originally composed as incidental music for a play by Alberto Rodriguez Muñoz, and has become one of Piazzolla’s most famous compositions. This work has been referred to as an ‘evocative portrait of a summer day in Buenos Aires’, and indeed the pervasive rhythms and harmonies reflect this. The lively themes are contrasted with echoes of Vivaldi’s Winter, with the free-spirited solo violin floating above the dancing landscape.
Otoño Porteño (Autumn) is considered the most technically demanding of the four pieces, with virtuosic flourishes that show off the soloist and orchestra’s agility and dexterity. The Autumn season also has a beauty that is portrayed with more lyrical and tender sections, and Piazzolla captures this contrast, revealing his cheekiness and tenderness hand-in-hand.
Invierno Porteño (Winter) is the most sombre and introspective of the four pieces but is still a tango at its heart. The dance that celebrates passion, but Piazzolla’s creativity and brilliance, still captures the quietness and desolation of winter.
Primavera Porteña (Spring) awakens with a lively fugue, developing through the sounds, scents and scenery of Buenos Aires, with Piazzolla’s signature harmonies colouring the tango rhythms on our journey through the vibrant city and the four seasons that shape the landscape and its people.
© Andrew Doyle, 2024
| Grandison, Mark | Degustation – A Suite In 8 Courses *World Premiere |
- First Course – Hors d’ oeuvre
- Second Course – Soup
- Third Course – Appetiser
- Fourth Course – Fish
- Fifth Course – Salad
- Sixth Course – Mains
- Seventh Course – Cheese Platter
- Eighth Course – Petit Four
This work was conceived as a partner piece to Cellar Door (a suite in eight tastings), premiered by TMO in 2022. Degustation offers eight bite-sized movements as programmatic gourmet excursions. The intention here is not to depict actual food per se, but rather to evoke a wide range of culinary sensations – textures, colours, aromas, flavours – that arise in association with the joys, anticipations and conversations that are a part of dining with friends and family.
As in my Cellar Door program notes, to whet one’s appetite and complement the sounds, I include a movement summary, recommending that you follow the music with eyes, ears, and taste buds alike… Time to plate up!
First Course – Hors d’ oeuvre
Jalapeno poppers – a mouth-watering and bracing opener of chilli crunch and gooey cream cheese wrapped in deep-fried savoury bacon.
Second Course – Soup
Lobster bisque – a smooth, creamy, and intensely aromatic arousing of the senses.
Third Course – Appetiser
Escargot – the lingering childhood-based ludic hilarity of these snails is always dissolved in those lashings of parsley garlic butter.
Fourth Course – Fish
Teriyaki glazed salmon – a pan-fried sticky, caramelised slab of nirvana.
Fifth Course – Salad
Salade de figues – a picante refresher, fruity ripe figs complement the zing of endive, vinegar and lemon juice.
Sixth Course – Mains
Beef Bourguignon – braised in an excess of red wine with carrots and pearl onions, this is serious comfort food.
Seventh Course – Cheese Platter
After a mouth-watering and theatrical procession of the platter, we indulge in firmly sweet Comté, richly unctuous truffle brie, and biting Roquefort.
Eighth Course – Petit Four
A closing rondo, in which an opening coffee theme (doppio espresso to my taste) returns after episodes of macarons, raspberry tartlets, and finally glacés chocolat.
© Mark Grandison, 2024
Our Artists For This Performance:
The Metropolitan Orchestra – Click Here To Read TMO’s Biography.
Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Sarah-Grace Williams. Click Here To Read Sarah-Grace’s Bio.
This Afternoon’s Soloist : Victoria Jacono-Gilmovich
The Musicians Of The Metropolitan Orchestra On Stage Are:
Concertmasters: ^Dominique Guerbois, ^Victoria Jacono-Gilmovich
First Violin: Caroline Kelly, Breeana Baxter, Elena Tabolkina, Nan Heo, Amanda Scott, Isabel Tzorbatzaki, Fiona Jose, Justin Li, Tali Kuba, Lee Thompson
Second Violin: *Catrina Hughes, Christina Mills, Sandi Oh, Naomi Warr, Amanda Hoh, Jennifer Mee, Clare Fulton, Maria Isaac, Joshua Kok, Kimberley Santos, Celine St George, Amy Cohen-Cipriani
Viola: #Dominic Meagher, Monique Turner, Seola Lee, Jonathan Karanikas, Kirsten James, Liz D’Olier, Joseph O’Reilly, Val Tate
Cello: *John Benz, *Ezmi Pepper, Julienne Guerbois, Sally Schinckel-Brown, Emily Cavey, Karen Cortez
Bass: *Mark Szeto, Jessica Holmes, Carol Jeon
^ Concert Master
* Principal
# Acting Principal
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