Words

Pidcock paves the way to concert gems

Review by - Tony McGee

September 2, 2019

Music / Tchaikovsky and Haydn Cello Concerti with Chris Pidcock, Canberra Sinfonia, at Wesley Uniting Church, August 31. Reviewed  by TONY MAGEE

One of the many delights in attending a concert of well prepared and played classical music, is the prospect of hearing some undiscovered jewel.

In playing the “Symphony in G minor” by one Antonio Rosetti, (1750 – 1792), Canberra Sinfonia brought to the audience a little known work of substance and quality which reflects very much the style of contemporaries Mozart, Haydn and Salieri.

Born Franz Anton Rösler in Bohemia, he had by 1773 Italianised his name in the belief that this would further his acceptance and credibility as a serious European composer. Ironically, Mozart achieved a great deal of his fame and success and launched many major works in Prague, which helped greatly in establishing that city as one of the great musical and cultural centres of Europe.

Cellist Chris Pidcock.

The concert opened with Pidcock as cello soloist in the “Cello Concerto No. 1” by Haydn. After a slightly tentative beginning, the orchestra came together as one, as Pidcock paved the way and swept his players along with a commanding presence, tone and sonority of such beauty, depth and feeling.

 After interval, we were treated to the highlight of the program, Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme”. The orchestra swelled to its capacity of about 20 players for this work, delivering richness, phrasing and an emotional depth of mature insight. Pidcock’s playing was masterful, confident and a joy to listen to and behold.

 As an ensemble, Canberra Sinfonia have progressed a great deal since inception in July 2018. Further refinement awaits in rhythmic accuracy during entries and cadence points. But Canberra now has a chamber orchestra of which we can be proud.

The concert closed with a contemporary work by Giovanni Sollima entitled “Hell II”. A title at odds with the setting in which we were all gathered, the music itself was reflective and gentle, wavering between harmonies of beauty and discord, which were resolved through sliding, glistening string work.

Part of the success of this event was the choice of instrument itself. Leaving his own German Schnabel cello behind, Pidcock instead gained access to an Italian period instrument from 1710, made in Bologna by Guidante. Its dark, almost mysterious tones in the lower and middle registers ravished the ear, whilst its high register delivered sounds of such a delicate nature.

The instrument is currently for sale, and Pidcock fears it may go to an overseas buyer. He would like to see it remain here in Australia, so audiences and the best players alike can enjoy it and marvel at its secrets.

With such an instrument in the hands of one so skilled as Chris Pidcock, history speaks and we all marvelled and cherished the moments.

Making a dream a reality… Call to investors to help bring a very rare Italian cello to Australia!

Being a cellist in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, I am dedicated to the highest level of artistry. My role as a musician is to inspire my audience in every concert that I give through my commitment, passion and the sound I create on my instrument. For a long time I have been looking for a cello to match the sound quality of instruments in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. At the conclusion of our European tour last December, I was notified about a very special cello that had just become available for sale.

The cello, which was made in 1701, is currently being kept in a small violin workshop in Mainz, Germany. I spent two full days with the cello, barely able to put it down. The cello has a brilliant and clear sound, and the 300-year old story attached to its tone production is quite amazing. In fact, this cello is regarded as one of the finest late-period cellos of Giovanni Battista Grancino I (1637–1709), who is placed among the top makers of string instruments in Italy at the turn of the 18th century.

I have uploaded a video of me playing the cello here

Unfortunately, the prices attached to these instruments are not within the reach of a full-time musician’s salary, and there are currently no foundations to support musicians in purchasing fine instruments in Australia. Despite the significant price tags attached to these instruments, the seemingly immortal longevity of these instruments makes them a strong financial investment, and throughout history, their value has never depreciated.

If you feel you are in a position to give a donation towards this amazing cello, please contact me at Chrispidi.cello@gmail.com immediately. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. This is a serious investment opportunity (more stable the gold, property… and bitcoin!). Don’t delay if you feel this is something you would like to do, as it is extremely rare for a cello of this quality to be for sale.

Recently i attended The Internationales Musikinstitut in Darmstadt (Germany), a Summer festival for contemporary classical music

There were some big changes for the festival this year, in particular, the festival made it compulsory that 50% of composers performed and attending had to be female, which was wonderful to see.

I discovered many interesting composers, and I hope to play many of their works back here in Australia and abroad.

I was bowled over by their sensitivity, extremely high intelligence, and their ability to describe music and the expressions behind gestural music in particular. It was a truly powerful experience for me, and I am excited for the future of music and how much sound is still to be notated and performed.

I was also greatly impressed by the advocacy of the instrumentalists attending the festival. What I really noticed, was a vivid servitude that instrumentalists have towards composers, being supportive of them and always going out of their way to create the sounds and expressions they were searching for. It really touched me that this cooperation was present, it seems everyone has a dignified role to play in the process of composition and there was a complete lack of ego in every musical encounter I found! I hope to continue working with composers in this spirit, and I recommend all serious musicians consider attending this festival when it returns in 2020!