The packed house was spellbound from the opening chord.
They were exultant in their prolonged cheering and stamping at the close of the technically challenging and aesthetically electrifying performance of Tan Dun’s Crouching Tiger by cellist Ashley Brown and the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Umberto Clerici.
This has to be a seminal moment in the history of all who held their breathe in the King’s and Queen’s Auditorium on Saturday evening.
Tan Dun’s translation of the effects an eastern orchestra is capable of to a western orchestra through a retinue of glissandos and harmonics to re-centre the western sense of tonality is no mean feat.
Bringing those translations to a perfect performance speaks to the devotion and bravery of all involved.
Gratitude beyond words goes to cellist Ashley Brown.
Watching the percussionists pivotal dramatic contribution was sadly not possible.
It would have been delicious to watch as well as feel rising up through the floor.
Brown and cellos gave an encore of the Saint Saens’ The Swan.
The evening opened with Biber’s Battalia a 10.
Composed in the 17th century, the work uses a wonderful mix of techniques we mistakenly think of as the 20th century’s invention.
Instruments bodies and strings are clapped, slapped and plucked.
The original score asks that players insert a piece of paper between the violin’s strings and neck to reproduce the sound of a snare drum.
The resulting sound from the double basses is arresting.
In an otherwise fun performance by the Orchestra and the stellar performance by Tessa Petersen of Aria and Der Mars, Die Schlacht failed to fire.
The evening closed with Beethoven’s Symphony No 4.
The Orchestra following Clerici’s swinging rockabilly verve reflected Beethoven’s enthusiastic expression of love.
Unlike Beethoven’s serial romantic endeavours, the work ends on a high note and the audience left the Auditorium replete.
