Lynn Belvedere

The Marais Project launches their new CD Smörgåsbord! at the Independent Theatre

Marais Project-insetFounded in 2000, The Marais Project recently turned 15, and each year presents Early Music with a number of highly regarded concerts making it Australia’s longest continuously running “viola da gamba” ensemble.

The Marais Project have performed more than 80% of Marin Marais’ works for solo, two and three viola da gambas and other fine works for the viola family. Additionally they have commissioned some twenty works by Australian composers and arranged new music for the ensemble. As well they have pioneered the use of the electric viola da gamba.     

Last Saturday evening  at North Sydney’s Independent Theatre the group launched their fifth CD release entitled  “Smörgåsbord!”. In a concert that lasted a very pleasurable two hours, they performed works from the album which features some some of the finest  and most poignant Swedish folk songs ever composed.

The evening was emceed by Marais Project Artistic Director Jennifer Eriksson’s nephew who performed the task in a relaxed, warm fashion.

The Marais Project featured a very strong ensemble on the night.  Tommie Andersson played the theorbo and 1820s classical guitar, Jennifer Eriksson, her much treasured viola da gamba, Fiona  Ziegler on violin and Melissa Farrow on baroque flute. The musicianship was of a high standard, and their playing never lost its warmth and passion.

Tenor Koen van Stade, in very fine voice, memorably  joined the group for some of the works.

My personal favourites from the night … Carl Michael Bellman’s  “Fredman’s Epistel No 2”. This was a lovely, reflective piece; a celebration of all the good things in life.

Listening to “Om Sommaren Skona” I was imagining experiencing the most beautiful summer ever touched with a little melancholy.

“Låt till Far” featured music inspired by the natural beauty of Sweden, with its never ending forests and lakes.

Tommie Andersson’s lovely “Swedish Folk Music Suite” included “Gammal Fäbodpsal”, a piece which is often played in church. Many of the pieces that were performed on the night featured very suitable arrangents by Andersson.

His Excellency Mr Pär Ahlberger, Ambassador of Sweden, was introduced at the end of the concert to offically launch the CD. Mr Ahlberger was  very emotional  in his praise of the performance, saying that it had brought back so many  lovely memories of his home country and the pieces ‘captured the Swedish soul’.

In response Tommie Andersson said that the album had been something that the group had wanted to do for a long time. Both Andersson and Eriksson are of Swedish extraction, and have a great love for their home country. He spoke of  how the project, a labour of love, had taken some five years to bring together.

Recommended, The Marais Project’s new CD  “Smörgåsbord!” can be purchased through the group’s official website, http://www.maraisproject.com.au/

 

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Published by Lynn Belvedere

Once we were old enough, my parents took the whole family to the Sydney CBD cinemas every week. Thus began a lifetime interest, in going to the cinema every week, and became a passionate cinephile by watching all those very heavily edited ''Australian Film Censorship Board'' true cinéaste versions of brand new release ''Cinematograph Films''. Greater Union always gave my father (who worked in Cinema Distribution Exhibition) guest double movie passes, to every first-night ''red carpet Opening Night'' at The State Theatre Cinema at 49 Market Street. Up until his death, my dad always received ''two house seats'' for every Opening Night performance events at the Theatre Royal SYDNEY and at Her Majesty's Theatre SYDNEY. As a child, when mum choose not to go, I often went with him, to those live performance events. As a young child, I remember being taken for each new show, at both The New Theatre at 60 Sussex Street, and the Phillip Street Theatre when located at 150 Elizabeth Street, and for classical music concerts at Sydney Town Hall. = = = ★★★★★ = = = Being happy is a choice, and I have always viewed my life, as material ready be made into a series of amazing tentpole movies. My New Years Resolution is kept every year: ''Get to see/review five new live theatre shows each week, and get to see/review six new cinema movies each week'', plus is one of the Australian Cinema Pioneers, and apparently have seen far too much already, but always wanting to experience more and more each year. I am also able to do almost everything that I enjoy doing. Yes, I do have a great daytime job in I.T. as ''Software Design Project Manager'', PLUS each evening until quite late - - - Australian Cinematograph Films historical censorship consultant - product-placement consultant - mystery-shopper consultant - playwright, writer, author, director, producer, photographer, cinematographer, color-grader, subtitles proofreader - arts/ drama/ music/ film critic and judge, journalist, member FIPRESCI & FCCA & AFCA, member AACTA accredited film reviewer-critic-writer, accredited IMDB.COM critic-reviewer-author, projectionist, plus an innovative iconoclast - - - ★★★★★ LYNN BELVEDERE ★★★★★ - - - [usr 5] - - -