The cognoscenti were out in force at Sydney’s City Recital Hall. A quick 360 degree spin around the foyer and later at interval revealed that in attendance  were Leo Schofield, Ann Sanders, Anton Enus, John Bell and Anna Volska, Helen Wellings, doubtless anonymous captains of industry and of-course the general music loving public.

All were drawn no doubt by the peerless reputation of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the  unique experience of listening to a brilliant harp soloist.

Paul Dyer, Artistic Director,  through Mozart’s Symphony Number 20, C.P, E. Bach’s Symphony Number 1, and Ravel’s  Pavane pour une infante défunte

These pieces  are challenging as most are characterised  by a very fast allegro movement to a delicate andante tempo, and then to a sudden jump into an allegro with forte. The Brandenburg Orchestra transitioned these movements with joy as manifested by the Orchestra’s characteristic smiles and Paul Dyer’s enthusiastic conducting.

The exception to these symphonies was Ravel’s Pavane (a courtly Renaissance dance form). The lower registers of firstly the Bassoon, then the Oboe and the clarinet and finally the strings evoked quite powerfully the mourning over the death of a Spanish Princess.  The piece is played with such a gentle tempo and delicacy that despair and gloom vanished, to be left with the purity of sincere sadness.

The fact that the Orchestra plays with period violins, violas, cellos, and the harpsichord, created a sound that was like  a burnished golden glow so typical of the Baroque era and accentuated by the Recital Hall’s excellent acoustics.

I now come to the main attraction Frenchman Xavier de Maistre on his debut performance on his first trip to Australia. When one thinks of harpist one might think of Harpo Marx thumping out manic and brutal crescendos but usually one thinks of a woman in a flowing gown playing in a demure, very female fashion.

Frenchman Xavier De Maistre is altogether a very different type of harpist. He is tall, slim and hipster like character (tall, dark and handsome comes to mind) oozing Gaellic charm and looking much younger than his forty five years. He seemed genuinely happy to be here and was especially pleased that his pieces were chosen in collaboration with Paul Dyer.

De Maistre’s first piece was the Harp Concerto In C Major by Boieldieu, accompanied by the Brandenburg. This was a very elegant piece with the harp sounding like a dancing harpsichord with Maistre rapidly but delicately utilising the upper register of the harp strings. The danger is this soft sound can easily be overpowered by the Orchestra, but beautiful balances was achieved with the Orchestra being a wonderful accompanist.

The second half of the concert had Maistre playing solo. The audience was either in rude  good health or hypnotically enthralled (I suspect the latter) as not a cough nor throat clearing was to be heard in the full house. One could feel the audience striving to ride de Maistre’s harp notes from the highness and softness to the lowest and loudest.

Unlike most harpists, de Maistre’s harp was not anchored but it pivoted and occasionally he leaned back with it like a rock guitarist does to enhance the dynamic or to be overcome by the emotion of the music.

De Maistre played two Spanish pieces adapted by him  from the guitar – De Falla’s Spanish Dance from  La Vida Breve and Tarrega’s Recuerdos de la Alhambra.

He played with such rhythm  that you could the Iberian Peninsula’s combination of flamenco and moorish melodies coursing through his body and out through his flowing fingers. This was also what is enchanting about de Maistre’s performance. One is listening to one of the most ethereal sounds yet one is mesmerised by his fingers creating this gorgeous sonic experience as he flowingly plucks and hits the strings with his wrist like a drum. His playing was so spellbinding I could swear that as well as the harp I could hear another instrument accompanying him.

The final set piece was Czech composer Smetaba’s Vltava (The Moldau)  from the symphonic poem, Ma vlast. The Vltava is the longest river in former Czechoslovakia. In what de Maistre’s says is his favourite piece of music, the piece evokes the coursing of the river through its surges, eddies and cascades by way of his artistry and dazzling technique.

The encore was another fetching piece called Notte Venezia.

The first to leap to his feet at the conclusion was John Bell, rapidly followed by the full house and as well as my wife and I.

Swooning, captivating and dazzling are attributes that immediately sprung to mind – no harping from me!

Maistre by name, maestro by his ravishing performance. I hope that he comes back soon as he is not to be missed.

Tickets to the following performances at the City Recital Hall are still available;- Friday 4 May at 7pm, Saturday 5 May at 7pm, Wednesday 9 May at 7pm, Friday 11 May at 7pm, and a matinee on Saturday 5 May at 2pm.

http://www.cityrecitalhall.com