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Classical Chromatics

Clare Martin curates Classical Chromatics and is a singer, teacher, conductor, music writer and erstwhile radio broadcaster. Love the diversity!

Based in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland, Clare sang in classical music for 20 years and switched into contemporary.

06/10/2025

CONCERT REVIEW BY CLARE MARTIN - A Tale of Two Stabat Maters: Rossini Meets Kelly.
Last Friday evening at the Auckland Town Hall we witnessed something special - a musical conversation across centuries. Under conductor Valentina Peleggi, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra presented Rossini's Stabat Mater alongside New Zealand composer Victoria Kelly's bold 2025 commission bearing the same name. The pairing revealed not just contrast, but collision—and from that collision, revelation. This programming wouldn't exist without the NZSO's commitment to new works or Rossini's 19th-century masterpiece that provoked Kelly's response. Thank heavens for both.

And without the talent and experience of conductor Valentina Paleggi, pairing such contrasting Stabat Mater’s would not be possible. Raised on bel canto opera in Italy, she possesses both the DNA and deep understanding required for Rossini's Italianate form. Yet her breadth extended equally to Kelly's contemporary language, straddling both works with assurance. She created an alchemy between choir and orchestra, exploiting the Town Hall's resonant acoustics. I understand this allowed Kelly's work to breathe at a slower tempo than its premiere in Wellington's drier Michael Fowler Centre—a crucial advantage for the piece's poetic sweep.

The choral forces of Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir, drawn from some of New Zealand's finest choirs, commanded the stage for both works. They projected a staggering emotional range—from red-hot drama to breath-taking pathos—with the authority of musicians who understand what's at stake.

It has been too long since I've heard the NZSO in full flight. Sunday night reminded me why I should hear them more often. They created masterly canvasses for both works, with principal oboist Robert Orr bringing particular sweetness and warmth, while the brass section blazed gloriously through the Rossini.

Wonderful that three of the four soloists on stage for the Rossini were New Zealanders. Soprano Maddison Nonoa spun starry lines of pure silver, though in "Inflammatus et accensus" the dramatic weight belonged rightly to choir and orchestra. Tenor Filipe Manu, already making waves in Europe, delivered dazzling elegance—his voice perfect for Mozart and Rossini opera, if occasionally lacking the heft required for this Latin mass.

Mezzo-soprano Anna Pierard sang the mother's suffering in "Fac ut Portem" with deep expressiveness and yearning. Australian bass Jeremy Kleeman brought richness and lustre from top to toe in "Pro peccatis suae gentis." The unaccompanied exchange between choir and bass soloist in "Eia Mater fons amoris" proved sweetly moving.

The finale was fabulous, its "Amen" rivalling the profundity of a Bach Passion. Things were emphatically back on track after a slip in tonality during the treacherous unaccompanied quartet. Peleggi danced on the podium with possessed energy as the piece ended in exultant triumph.

Then, without interval and almost without warning, the universe shifted. Crystal tones from a singing bowl spread through the Hall. The oboe sang plaintively. Dissonant moans arose from the woodwinds. Here was sorrow so palpable it became smoke rising from an embittered battlefield. As chromatic notes built, the choir sang: "This Mary does not weep, she sees the future. No child of hers condemns the sun to creep around the earth." Kelly's score reached at times toward the spiritual profundity of Arvo Pärt, while carrying the chill of Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale."

The choir embodied Kelly's manifesto with classical purity: "…no choirs castrated, no congregations tithed, no people bound and silenced, and no false priests fellated." What a brilliant line that is. The audacity of rewriting a text that has anchored the Latin mass since Christianity's dawn is awe-inspiring. Kelly's own words raged and wept, etched with blade-like precision by the choir.

A devastating crescendo boiled and broke until, with the tolling of a bell, the mood softened: "the hand that stroked her new-born's cheek… now wields a sword." Time's up on the passive martyr at the cross's base. As this resolution rang through the Hall, the orchestra united with the singing bowl's tone. This Mary will stand no longer.

I haven't been so moved since Kelly's Requiem in 2023. We are fortunate to bear witness to the musical wealth that brings such performances into life. If you missed it, seek out the NZSO's next live performance at https://www.nzso.co.nz/ and stream this programme on an excellent sound system at https://www.nzso.co.nz/plus/videos/stabat-mater-livestream .

PHOTOS PHOEBE TUXFORD/NZSO

15/05/2025

CONCERT REVIEW: NZTrio performing their Magnifique programme in the Concert Chamber of Auckland's Town Hall on Sunday 11 May 2025.

A stunning performance of a rarely-heard contemporary composer was the centrepiece for the NZTrio’s “Magnifique” programme in the Auckland Town Hall’s Concert Chamber on Sunday night. And the launch of their new cellist-to be, Matthias Balzat, heralding in the start of a new era of performance for the Trio.

Schubert’s Notturno in E-flat D.897 opened the evening with sotto voce sweetness. Here was a breathtaking ensemble, the strings sang as if with a single voice. It a meltingly beautiful work to start the evening in the glowing acoustic of the Concert Chamber.

Next Pēteris Vasks Episodi e canto perpetuo written in 1985 in the midst of the Russian occupation of Lithuania expresses the “difficult road through evil, delusion and suffering”. Never heard in this country before, this was a shattering work, it cracked wide our ears and opened our hearts.

The opening of Vasks’ work framed worried string lines against extreme piano chords accelerating in a steep Crescendo into a second Misterioso movement with it’s shimmering string sounds and muted piano notes. The mysterious melodic line is almost obscured by scraping string sounds but ascends like a sentence rising up into nothing. Defiance burst out into the odd and jagged Unisono movement with fierce fortissimo and a ragged Burlesca, like an awkward and angry dance.

All ears were on Matthias Balzat’s playing and in the Monologhi movement. His cello line was the voice of tragedy which was then taken up and extended dramatically by Amalia Hall on violin. We could have had even more bite but this was evident in the extraordinary second Burlesca movement. It was busy, noisy, anxious and horrible. As it should be. The cello bow stabbed out rhythms and the violin screeched jaggedly. It was a diabolical frenzy.

What a powerful set-up for the last movement, the Canto perpetuo. Here the lyricism brought tears to my eyes. These strong works have much relevance for our times. And surely Vasks’ work has as much gravitas and power as Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time. What a privilege to hear it played with so much commitment.

In this evening of mighty works, emerging NZ composer Linda Dallimore’s “Self Portrait” was painted with paler brush strokes. Aspects of her life were expressed from cheery tones to the busy sounds of the nearby Los Angeles freeway. It was interesting to hear and always great to include a composer from our own Aotearoa.

Capping the evening was the masterpiece of ‘Romantique’ music, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Piano Trio No.2 in E minor Op.92. Here pianist Somi Kim was in full flight, unleashed on the keyboard in glorious runs and dazzling phrases. Wonderful to see all three NZTrio musicians leaning wholeheartedly into the mighty Romantic style. It was a passionate ride eliciting ‘bravo’s’ from the audience. A delicious encore of Saint-Saëns’ The Swan paid homage to Mother’s Day to send us on our way.

NZTrio continue their Magnifique national tour with performances in Rotorua tonight and Whakatane tomorrow evening.

Bookings and information - https://nztrio.com/ .

NZTRIO in the Concert Chamber of Auckland’s Town Hall on Sunday
Franz Schubert | Notturno in E-flat major D.897
Peteris Vasks | Episodi e canto perpetuo
Linda Dallimore (NZ) | new work
Camille Saint-Saëns | Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor

09/04/2025

Concert Review: BACH MUSICA NZ performing Rodrigo and Bacalov

Bach Musica NZ presented a NZ premier and a rare opportunity to hear classical guitar and piano accordion with choir and orchestra on Sunday evening in the Auckland Town Hall. First up, Joaquín Rodrigo’s Fantasia para un gentilhombre written at the request of the guitar virtuoso André Segovia and composed well after the huge success of Rodrigo’s first guitar concerto, the Concierto de Aranjuez. Each of the four movements were developed from traditional Spanish dance forms and the music of Baroque composer Gaspar Sanz.

The Fantasia opened with Villano y ricercar with sweet pastoral colours and great warmth from guitarist Barkin Sertkaya and the chamber-sized Bach Musica Orchestra. Crisp ensemble from the woodwind and brass sections and rhythmic playing from the strings gave life to the second movement, the Fanfarria. The next Danza de las hachas, a traditional dance performed with torches had fiery Spanish flair. Sertkaya’s every note, chord and flourish had presence and beauty as colours and rhythms danced between guitar and orchestra.

The final movement, the Canario was exquisite. Director Rita Paczian drew heart-melting sounds from the orchestra and the guitar answered with sincere delicacy. With a little gentle amplification, there was a perfect balance of acoustic between guitar and band. A solo encore from Sertkaya of Francisco Tárrega’s Recuerdo de la Alhambra was a spellbinding finish to the first half.

After the interval we heard the NZ premier performance of Misa Tango by Argentinian composer Luis Bacalov. Composed in 1997 Bacalov removed explicitly-Catholic references from the Mass to make it universal to all faiths. Sounds from the streets of Buenos Aires combined with the large choral and orchestral forces creating an almost operatic style. Also scored for baritone, mezzo-soprano and the bandoneòn (an Argentinian piano accordion), it was a unique instrumental line-up.

What a devilish score to tame with wild changes of rhythm and key and dynamics. Rita brought all the parts of the Misa together into a work of power and cohesion. Each section had interest and searing emotion from the plea for mercy in the opening Kyrie to the scorching Credo. Not a long work, at just over half an hour, you could say it’s a Mass for our modern length of focus. But it was full of meaning and often deeply touching.

The work began almost out of nowhere, building from quiet depths to a full dark chord answered sorrowfully by the piano accordion. The second movement, Gloria was triumphant from the start all the way to the final scorching fortissimo. The Credo was almost defiant with it's Milonga-like syncopated rhythm- “I believe in a single omnipotent God”. The Sanctus movement was made more eerie with the hugely accomplished accordionist Stephanie Poole’s extraordinary runs and mercurial phrases.

Soprano Felicity Tomkins sang the mezzo-soprano part with gallons of voice and glowing and emotional phrases. Baritone Andrew Conley gave us intelligent and expressive Spanish with a pleasing lyric tone. In the final duet section of the work, Bacalov writes the mezzo line on a lower pitch than the baritone line, bringing out the soft warmth of the woman’s voice and the fragility and emotion of the upper range for the man’s voice. This was a beautifully compassionate moment.

The final Agnus Dei was stunning, a spacious and searing movement, the orchestra a framework for beautiful solo lines from piano accordion, soprano and baritone. Pianissimo phrases from the voices pleaded - “Cordero de Dios ... Lamb of God have mercy on us” and the tango-like gestures from the accordion deepened the sense of grief, it truly felt that the troubles of the World were being prayed for on the stage that night.

This was appealing programming, a chance to hear less usual repertoire performed with great care and passion performed by wonderful musicians drawn together by the dedicated talent of Rita Paczian, Concertmaster Yanghe Yu and Bach Musica NZ.

📸 Peter Jennings Photography

16/12/2024

Bach’s Christmas Oratorio heralds in Christmas even more festively than the Messiah, you could say. And BACH MUSICA NZ's performance of Parts IV to VI of J S Bach’s Oratorio at the Auckland Town Hall on Sunday 1 December blazed with colour. Intended for performance in church during the Christmas season, each part or cantata of the piece tells a part of the Christmas story. For those of us who are not church-goers, the evening created the theatre and sacredness we seek at this time of year. Music Director Rita Paczian sprang onto the podium with such electric energy, drawing out lively engagement from the orchestra. The band was led with much life and lightness by concert master Miranda Hutton. Bach makes busy work for an orchestra notably Alison Dunlop’s lithe oboe and the vibrant trumpet of Orson Paine. The fabulous Bach Musica NZ Choir was in enthusiastic voice, particularly in Part V “Ehre sei dir, Gott” with clear vocal lines weaving a tapestry of joyous noise. Bach Musica NZ always selects an interesting line-up of vocal soloists. The Evangelist role was championed by tenor Henry Choo with an energetic rendering of the recitative and arias of dazzling vocal runs. Joanna Foote is always elegant with crystal high notes and she gave the text authentic emotive drama. Alto Jessica Wells’ voice had a beauty and warmth perfect for the evening. But the surprise package was bass Jonathan Eyers, returning from studies and awards in the UK to sing. What a voice and presence of quality, delivering the German with intelligence and a beauty of phrasing that was a real treat. Thank you Bach Musica NZ for stepping into December with passionate Christmas spirit.

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Classical Chromatics Radio Programme

Clare Martin curates a programme of classical music. Broadcasting from Auckland, New Zealand on PlanetFM 104.6, Clare is part of the Radio 13 Music Collective - music DJ’s, writers and photographers presenting music news and images on https://www.radio13.co.nz/.

This is an independent and self-funded project. Just a sheer love of music.

Classical Chromatics is one hour of music from Bach to Ligeti, Fauré to Purcell - tune in for over 800 years of incredible sounds. You can hear the programme live every fourth Saturday night at 8:30pm on Planet FM 104.6 or stream it anytime on www.planetaudio.org.nz/classical-chromatics.

Clare has performed as an opera, recital and oratorio artist in UK most notably the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London. In NZ she has performed with NZ Opera and with the NZ Symphony Orchestra but more recently she has moved into a wider range of contemporary genres including jazz and even Leonard Cohen. Since 2008 Clare has been teaching from her own music studio working with professional as well as beginner singers. She coaches and trains choirs and vocal ensembles and in recording studios with singers. In 2017 she was a mentor on TVNZ’s The Naked Choir. She began writing for Radio 13 in 2018.