Only at Haddo…
What a thrilling performance we enjoyed on Sunday evening! Ryan Corbett, Matthew Kilner and Neil Birse, three exciting young Scottish musicians coming together for a set of traditional tunes played on accordion, tenor saxophone and piano in the finale of a wonderful concert. A unique combination in a unique venue!
Here’s what Alan Cooper had to say about this one-off event:
Sunday 29th June’s special evening concert in Haddo House Hall was introduced by Dr Roger B. Williams MBE, Chair of Haddo Arts. He explained that the concert was to be in two parts, the first featuring local Jazz Pianist Neil Birse along with Saxophonist Matthew Kilner. After an interval of 20 minutes, the second half of the concert was to be devoted to Accordionist Ryan Corbett whom Haddo Arts had been eagerly awaiting to bring to Haddo. We were promised something really special from this young musician. Yes, and we were certainly not going to be disappointed.
Neil Birse and Matthew Kilner were to perform four jazz pieces of which two each were their own special compositions.
They began with Pictish Fort (Patchwork Fields) composed by Neil Birse. After the performance of this piece, Neil told us that he had been inspired by the landscape viewed from a hilltop. The piano opening was gentle and dreamily reflective. The sax entered with its sweet breathy lower tones, soon moving to its songlike upper sounds. The music had attractive melodic content that floated through Haddo Hall making it seem, I thought, like a delicious New York penthouse, so transformative was the performance. I was impressed by the perfect blending of the two instruments. I have always been amazed at the way jazz performers seem able to read one another’s musical minds. There is a sense of freedom to it, quite different from the rigid control of classical performers.
The second piece, was by Matthew Kilner. It was entitled My Wee Pal Esther, composed for the two – year-old daughter of a friend. She is now five and according to Matthew did not seem that impressed by the piece when she heard it in rehearsal. I thought it was splendid. It had a melodic and rhythmic simplicity matching childhood, but it was playful too and its jazz formula was full of delicious sparkle. I loved it!
The second composition by Neil Birse was entitled Uneven Floors but according to Neil it had at least four different titles. It opened with the sax which led while the piano filled in with rich chording. Both instruments developed melodically. The sax seemed to start dancing to which the piano responded perfectly. There was a solo piano section to which a jazz audience would have applauded. But this was not a jazz audience. The sax poured out a slower insistent melody towards the end.
The duo added an extra piece to their programme in memory of the Scottish jazz pianist and teacher Brian Kellock who sadly passed away in May of this year. For this they used one of the finest of all jazz melodies Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael. I recognised it at once, but I was angry with myself when I could not put a name to it. I play it on the piano but with a different rhythm. My version you could call schmaltzy. Sunday’s performance by Matthew and Neil was far better, so rich and well rounded!
The final composition for piano and saxophone was another composition by Matthew Kilner entitled The Space In Between. It is on his new CD. The sax set to dancing both high and low and it was a rhythmically fascinating piece.
After the interval, Dr Williams introduced Ryan Corbett who he told us had recently played for the King. He suggested playing Bach but King Charles wanted only Scottish music so Ryan played a piece by Phil Cunningham, but apparently managed to slip some Bach into it.
Well we were certainly up for Bach and Ryan played two Preludes and Fugues from The Well Tempered Clavier. Apparently the accordion did not exist in Bach’s day but the pieces could have been played on harpsichord, organ or even lute. Ryan had arranged the music for accordion and it could only have been called nothing short of magnificent. Both right and left hands were on fire as they brought Bach’s counterpoints to life in a way I had never heard so dazzlingly brilliant. The music poured from the accordion like a celebratory display of musical fireworks. The left hand part of the instrument has an extraordinary layout of buttons that could play both chords and melodies. I suspect that if Bach had heard Ryan’s performance he would have said, ‘That’s the way I want my music to be played from now on!
Ryan followed the Bach with the Sonata No. 2 by the Russian composer Vladislav Zolotaryov. He is known as the greatest composer for the bayan which is a Russian chromatic button accordion. During the Soviet period life in Russia could be difficult. You had to be careful who you might upset and Zolotaryov did not get much of his music published. What a pity, because the Sonata No. 2 was absolutely riveting. The two faster movements, the first and third, made me think of traditional Russian dancing, you know, where they crouch down and kick their legs in the air. The music had dramatic chords and whirlwind melodies which sent Ryan’s fingers scampering and capering over the keyboard. It was every bit as exciting to watch as it was to hear. The slower central movement opened pensively and continued into songlike melody. It was delicious.
That idea continued into the next piece, Rachmaninov’s Vocalise. The delicious melodic content was enriched by Rachmaninov’s harmonic writing which Ryan brought to life perfectly.
The final piece in his selection was the Konzertstück by Carl Maria von Weber. There was a story woven into this piece about a Chatelaine who was left alone in her mansion while her husband was away at the crusades. She wonders if he is dead or alive but then a military march enters the music and yes, he is alive and heading home. The music explodes in rejoicing. Once again Ryan’s fingers flew over the right hand keyboard and the chords and melodies of the left.
After this dizzying performance Roger Williams introduced a short question and answer session with all three musicians present. He took a good look at Ryan’s hands to check if he had only ten fingers. Well, with the way they flew across the keyboard it sometimes looked like hundreds of fingers.
After the question and answer session, all three musicians got together to play the Phil Cunningham piece already mentioned. It was awesome, and as Roger said, it is only at Haddo that you will hear these three splendid musicians playing together.
