Canberra International Music Festival / Timo-Veikko ‘Tipi’ Valve and Helen Svoboda: Cycles and Variations. At Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, May 4. Reviewed by IAN McLEAN.

This concert was a disappointment.  

Perhaps that was due to this reviewer’s lack of personal understanding of the classical improvisation genre rather than fault with the performers. I believe music requires melody to ensure that a listener is satisfactorily engaged, but this concert offered little in the way of a tune on which to hang an audience hat.

This could have been avoided had the performers engaged with the audience and explained the background, ideas, motivation and outcomes of their explorations into the improvisations. Instead, the sounds of each piece rolled on into the next work on the program leaving listeners somewhat dazed and confused.

Production wise, the concert lacked professionalism and polish.

“Tipi” Valve, principal cellist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra did a short introduction at the start of the concert, but his words were barely audible. There were many mutterings from audience members seated close to me lamenting the lack of a simple microphone to ensure that the spoken word could be heard.

Perhaps it may have been better not to hear one particular sentence. Valve stated quite openly that he and his fellow performer, double bassist, vocalist and composer Helen Svoboda, had met for the first time just an hour before the concert. It came across a little like the audience were about to hear a concert which may well have not been sufficiently prepared.

There was no question regarding the musical abilities of the performers. Valve’s cello sound of the JS Bach Prelude WWV1007 in G Major was rich and sonorous and filled the entire performance space with majesty. The variations associated with this piece were quite similar in nature to the Bach Prelude BWV 1010 in Eb Major which appeared later in the program. There was insufficient difference to maintain real interest.

Similarly, the bass playing of Svoboda was quite fascinating as she explored overtones and unusual playing techniques. Her bow often hit the body of the wooden bass and, again, it would have been interesting had it been explained if those percussive sounds were intended or were a slight accident of bow placement.

Performers need to assist their listeners particularly when venturing into new musical territory, solely in order that those listeners might gain a better understanding and appreciation of a style likely to be quite a distance from their “comfort zone”. This could have been quite easily achieved in this concert, but was not so the end result was disappointing.