A drama of political oppression and the struggle for liberty comes to life in Beethoven’s powerful music.
Nigel Westlake’s Missa Solis is a ‘Mass for the Sun’, but it’s also a powerful tribute to his son, Eli, who was killed in 2008 – a personal requiem. Its texts range from the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying and an ancient hymn by the Pharoah Akhenaten to writings by Galileo.
Some of Missa Solis began life as the soundtrack for Solarmax – its fingerprints are in the larger-than-life sound of voices and orchestra and the filmic character of the music. This is music that's full of colour, says Westlake, and often very optimistic. But there are also moments of great lightness and effervescence, simplicity and quiet – meditative moments that pick up on the existential contemplation of Ives' Unanswered Question.
Goethe’s play Egmont gave Beethoven his favourite themes: the drama of political oppression, the human struggle for liberty. In these concerts we present all of Beethoven’s music for the play with a narration based on Goethe, and actor-musician Eddie Perfect tells the inspiring tragedy of a great hero.
IVES The Unanswered Question
WESTLAKE Missa Solis – Requiem for Eli* SYDNEY PREMIERE
BEETHOVEN Egmont – Incidental music
Richard Gill conductor
Nigel Westlake conductor*
Cantillation
Eddie Perfect narrator
(Tea & Symphony: Ives and Beethoven only)
Pre-concert talk by Genevieve Lang in the Northern Foyer at 5.45pm (19 and 20 October only).
AUDIO PLAYER LISTING
Track 1 – WESTLAKE Missa Solis – Requiem for Eli: excerpt
Soundtrack to Solarmax conducted by Nigel Westlake
ABC CLASSICS 476 176-1
Track 2 – BEETHOVEN Egmont: Overture
Track 3 – BEETHOVEN Egmont: Battle music
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by George Szell
DECCA 475 6780
Audio kindly supplied by Universal Music