Strings, choirs and organs for local classical music fans
Strings, choirs and organs for local classical music fans
By Gus Kairupan
JAKARTA (JP): "At long last... a chamber orchestra in
Jakarta!"
The above is not my evaluation but Dr. Richard Haskin's, a
prominent personality in Jakarta's classical music circles. The
group he was referring to was the Capella Amadeus String
ensemble, that gave a concert last Thursday, June 8, at Erasmus
Huis.
The latter half of April, and throughout the merry month of
May, has seen an abundance of classical music events, featuring
both home-grown artists and visiting foreign ditto. One could
almost say that all this was getting quite close to
too-much-of-a-good thing.
At any rate, in mid-May, yours truly (who, since early this
year has been involved in a piano audition), began to notice
symptoms pointing to what you could call classical music
indigestion, so I took off for the Minahasa to take (almost)
daily soaks in the hot mineral springs that liberally dot the
region. Returned to Jakarta, refreshed, and in the midst of the
activities which, so far, have not abated a bit. Excellent, of
course, for classical music development, but awful to make a
decision as to which one to attend. So I put all invitations in a
row and went eenie-meenie-mynie-moe.
"Eenie" fell on the Nusantara Chamber Orchestra -- a bit of a
let down, which you may have read about a couple of days ago.
"Meenie" went to the Capella Amadeus ensemble, the cream of the
events; "mynie" took me to Bandung and the concert of the choir
of Parahyangan Catholic University, and "moe" was a performance
at the Theological Institute that featured a bamboo organ. The
lion's share of these scribblings go to the Capella Amadeus
ensemble, simply because their performance was so enjoyable and
showed every sign of musical professionalism.
Capella Amadeus
Dr. Haskin's enthusiastic remark was very much justified. You
only had to hear the applause of the musically knowledgeable
audience to be convinced that the ensemble is on its way to
becoming a leading force in classical music activities in this
city. The group comprises nine musicians, most of them students
of leader Grace Sudargo. In addition there are some more
experienced older members, such as Gaby von der Heyden, who hails
from Germany, and Tommy Prabowo, a nuclear engineer who has
earned his musical spurs as pianist and violinist, and is also
the leader of Jakarta's cathedral choir and orchestra.
Capella Amadeus is just about two years old, and has appeared
several times. That the group has advanced enormously need not be
doubted, and kudos go to leader Grace Sudargo. Among the
qualifications she achieved during a study period of almost ten
years in Austria are: violin instructor; assistant concert
master; concert master; and soloist. For Indonesia, the most
important of these is that of violin instructor, because one of
her major fields of study was music pedagogy.
Too often do young Indonesians go overseas with the intention
of becoming performing artists only. There is nothing at all
wrong with that, mind you, but teachers are extremely important
too, and string teachers even more so. Of pianists and piano
teachers there is no dearth in this country because this aspect
of music is already well provided for, as many institutes have
proven. It is other instruments that suffer neglect. I have heard
that at the music department of a major institute, the head of
the percussion section is a cellist!
But to get back to the performance. Sudargo's leadership is
beyond question. The grip she has on the group is firm, and never
wavers. Cues regarding tempo changes, dynamics and coloring are
crystal clear, hence immediately grasped by the members, who were
ever alert to her directions. The result: a smoothness and
cohesion which no other group, large or small, has emulated.
Besides Dr. Haskin's enthusiastic remark, I also heard utterances
like "really professional" and other encouraging comments. One
wonders whether Sudargo will ever consider conducting large
orchestras.
The program included compositions by Handel, Vivaldi, Mozart,
Torelli and Michael Haydn, i.e. late baroque and early classical.
The only minus point (merely a matter of technique) in these
works was the Allegro of Mozart's Divertimento in D (K. 136)
which could have been a bit faster, to make the contrast between
it and the Andante that followed it stand out better.
The highlight of the program was the appearance of 15-year old
violin prodigy Lucas Kudinar. All Vivaldi's violin concertos are
showpieces for that instrument, including Winter from his Four
Seasons cycle which Lucas played. Now, technique is all very
well, and Lucas' handling of lightning fast passages did leave me
and, I bet, the entire audience open-mouthed with amazement, but
it is the slow, second movement of a concerto (isn't it always?)
that determines the soloist's level of artistry. All second
movements are singing pieces and Lucas can really sing, dipping
his musical brush in a vast array of colors and applying them
deftly. Watch that boy.
Another soloist of the evening was trumpeter Eric Awuy, in
Giuseppe Torelli's Sinfonia con Tromba. For years a member of the
Montreal Symphony Orchestra, his performance (on a piccolo
trumpet) was faultless, though he might have missed one note in
the (I think) fourth movement. However, I have to admit that I've
never heard the work before and could only rely on what my ears
perceive as a bit of an irregularity, so I'm not altogether sure
of that missed note.
University Choir
There's only one way to describe this Bandung-based group of
singers: one of the best in Indonesia. It has, during its 30
years of existence, constantly elicited rapturous acclamation
from audiences wherever it performed, and is about to do the same
at an international choral festival in Arnhem, the Netherlands.
They will be conducted by Avip Priatna, a most distinguished
choir conductor, who is continuing his studies in Austria for the
equivalent of a master's degree.
The concert, on June 9, featured compositions by Rossini (his
overture to the Barber of Seville), Beethoven (3rd Piano
Concerto, with Iswargia Sudarno as soloist) and Faure's Requiem.
The orchestra of the Yogyakarta based Arts Institute of
Indonesia, was conducted by Pipin Garibaldi, who is the concert
master of the Nusantara Chamber Orchestra, and also plays for the
Jakarta Symphony Orchestra.
The performance was a mixture of professionalism (on the part
of the choir) and bad playing by the orchestra. Faulty tuning,
unequal entries and inattention to directives (not that the
conductor was in any way clear) pointed to the need for more
intensive practicing and rehearsing. Particularly awful moments
were the obbligato passages for two violins in Requiem. Have you
ever heard two violins, not precisely tuned, playing together?
Painful only half describes it, and if these remarks regarding an
orchestra's performance sound familiar, don't be surprised.
Yogyakarta's Arts Institute is the main source of players for
orchestras, of which there are only three in Indonesia (or
Jakarta, rather): Nusantara Chamber Orchestra, Jakarta Symphony
Orchestra and Twilite. Anyway, the orchestral part of Requiem
isn't really so over important that it cannot be effectively and
satisfactorily transcribed for organ. The choir of Parahyangan
University, as I said, is marvelous, but in combination with the
playing of the Arts Institute's orchestra, the performance of
Requiem was, to put it mildly, substandard.
Bamboo organs
The event took place last Monday, June 12, at the Theological
Institute to mark the close of an exhibition of rare instruments.
I went there mainly to hear what a bamboo organ sounds like.
Several, of different size, were on display, and the one played
that evening was of an enormous size. It produces a very
agreeable tone, and quite like one would expect a pipe organ to
sound. However, I can't say whether it is capable of producing
all the varieties of tone colors of a usual pipe organ, which has
metal as well as wooden pipes, like, for instance, those
exquisite silvery tones. The instrument was played by students
who perhaps have not yet mastered it completely and might
therefore not be able to present it in full force.
The organs, and the one harpsichord on display, were all made
by PT Prajawidya Instrumentalia. The company also sells them, but
if you plan to purchase the type that was played that evening you
would need quite a large room for it measures about 8 metres
high, if not more.
Also taking part in the event was the children's choir led by
Aida Swenson, acknowledged expert in choir conducting, and also a
small group consisting of two violins, a cello, a flute, an oboe
and a harpsichord. The performance of the children's choir was
especially delightful.