(Orchestra Victoria)
On Music and Friendship
Published – 03.05.2018
Sir Malcolm Arnold, the eminent English composer, said that “music is the social act of communication among people; a gesture of friendship, the strongest there is”, and the letters between two of the best-loved Classical composers – Mozart and Haydn – are testament to this message.
It is, perhaps, the human spirit that makes classical music so enduringly relatable. Friendship, and its power to inspire and drive, clarify and comfort, gives and has given artists throughout time the impetus to create some of history’s most powerful works. Historians and audience members alike have taken interest in the impact that artists have on one another, from J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis to Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, but in the musical world, no pair is so greatly admired and looked to as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn.
Mozart and Haydn - both giants of the Classical era in their own right - were also firm friends; championing each other’s work, consoling when projects fell through or writers’ block took over and being, above all, great listeners through the ups and downs of personal successes and failures. In the Italian dedication of his six string quartets, Mozart wrote;
“To my dear friend Haydn. A father, having resolved to send his sons into the great world, finds it advisable to entrust them to the protection and guidance of a highly celebrated man, the more so since this man, by a stroke of luck, is his best friend. Here, then, celebrated man and my dearest friend, are my six sons.”
The two artists inspired each other to keep pushing their own individual boundaries; encouraging one another to explore new ideas and musical concepts. Haydn when asked about his younger counterpart remarked; “He alone has the spirit of making me smile and touching me to the bottom of my soul.”
When they met in 1781, Mozart was a sprightly 25 years old as Haydn turned 49, but the considerable age difference made no difference to their close friendship. Built on an ungrudging mutual respect, the pair’s relationship began when Haydn had already developed a reputation as a famous composer and Mozart’s career was just beginning to flourish across Europe.
A constant source of inspiration for the younger composer, Haydn’s work and support made a profound impact on the development of Mozart’s writing, and the warmth between the two men endured until Mozart’s death; Haydn often speaking with great gravity on the encouragement his friend had given him. Well into his seventies, Haydn insisted that there was no work of Mozart’s that he had heard without learning something. And so, when listening to either great composer’s work, think of course about the technique and talent that has enabled its creation, but perhaps dwell a little on the human nature of the pieces, and the great friendships that built them.
The Long Climb to the Podium,
Limelight Magazine
Published – 06.09.2024
(Articles & Program Notes)
ECHO Rising Stars: Mathis Stier,
Barbican
Published – 04.04.2024
(Journal)
ECHO Rising Stars: Sonoro Quartet,
Barbican
Published – 12.02.2024
(Journal)
ECHO Rising Stars: Aris Quartett,
Barbican
Published – 21.01.2024
(Journal)
Rehearsal Magazine: The Archive,
Rehearsal Magazine
Published – 18.12.2023
(Articles & Program Notes)
On Mothers and Daughters,
Melbourne Recital Centre & Rubiks Collective
Published – 23.08.2023
(Journal)
Review: The Horror of the Avant-Garde(s),
Limelight Magazine
Published – 21.08.2023
(Journal)
Cristina Gomez Godoy,
Barbican
Published – 10.03.2023
(Journal)
Diana Tishchenko & José Gallardo,
Barbican
Published – 10.01.2023
(Articles & Program Notes)
Recent Reviews: August/September,
Limelight Magazine
Published – 07.09.2022
(Journal)
Of Frogs,
Kath Papas Productions
Published – 07.09.2022
(Journal)
Recent Reviews: June/July,
Limelight Magazine
Published – 15.07.2022
(Journal)
On Kunstkamer
Published – 16.06.2022
(Articles & Program Notes)
An Update
Published – 09.06.2022
(Journal)
Recent Reviews: April/May,
Limelight Magazine
Published – 23.05.2022
(Journal)
I Vespri Siciliani,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Published – 19.05.2022
(Articles & Program Notes)
Verdi & Prokofiev,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Published – 19.05.2022
(Articles & Program Notes)
A Collection
Published – 23.03.2022
(Journal)
Crying at Night
Published – 27.08.2021
(Journal)
Jam Tomorrow
Published – 18.07.2021
(Journal)
Rumaan Alam’s Current Enthusiasms
Published – 18.06.2021
(Journal)
A Musician’s Day
Published – 23.05.2021
(Journal)
Creating the Dream Team,
Musica Viva
Published – 20.05.2021
(Interviews)
There are Fairies,
Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Published – 26.04.2021
(Articles & Program Notes)
Konstantin Shamray,
Musica Viva
Published – 14.04.2021
(Interviews)
The Meaning of Alleluja,
Bach Akademie Australia
Published – 26.03.2021
(Articles & Program Notes)
Doing The Work
Published – 07.03.2021
(Journal)
Diana Doherty and Emma Jardine,
Musica Viva
Published – 20.02.2021
(Interviews)
Welcoming the New Year
Published – 07.01.2021
(Journal)
On hard times, for my friends.
Published – 10.08.2020
(Journal)
Luisa Miller,
Intermusica
Published – 22.07.2020
(Interviews)
Singing Violetta,
Intermusica
Published – 22.07.2020
(Interviews)
On Wondering
Published – 29.04.2020
(Journal)
A Couple Quick Things
Published – 05.04.2020
(Journal)
Staying Hopeful
Published – 24.03.2020
(Journal)
Hard Time Reminders
Published – 16.03.2020
(Journal)
Noted, Recently
Published – 05.03.2020
(Journal)
Through Winter, To Spring
Published – 04.03.2020
(Journal)
Poems for Summer
Published – 05.01.2020
(Journal)
Nevermind Review,
The Age
Published – 17.11.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Seraphim Trio Review,
The Age
Published – 17.11.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Stalin’s Piano Review,
The Age
Published – 17.11.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Review,
The Age
Published – 17.11.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Horsely & Williams Duo Review,
The Age
Published – 17.11.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Lina Andonovska Review,
The Age
Published – 17.11.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Brian Cox & MSO,
The Age
Published – 17.11.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Arcadia Winds Review,
The Age
Published – 17.11.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Nevermind Pre-Concert Talk,
Musica Viva
Published – 22.10.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Nicole Car in Recital,
Melbourne Recital Centre
Published – 09.08.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Published – 03.07.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Verdi’s Requiem,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Published – 19.05.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
Requiem Blog,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Published – 20.03.2019
(Articles & Program Notes)
New Year, New Words
Published – 20.01.2019
(Journal)
How To Be Perfect
Published – 06.01.2019
(Journal)
The Year, Gone
Published – 30.12.2018
(Journal)
Relationship to Work
Published – 03.12.2018
(Journal)
French Classics,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Published – 28.11.2018
(Articles & Program Notes)
Everything is Waiting
Published – 15.11.2018
(Journal)
In September, Things That Are New
Published – 29.09.2018
(Journal)
Make the Ordinary Come Alive
Published – 03.09.2018
(Journal)
New Music,
Darmstädter Ferienkurse
Published – 12.08.2018
(Articles & Program Notes)
Notes on Love
Published – 06.07.2018
(Journal)
Remember This Feeling
Published – 05.06.2018
(Journal)
Words in Mind
Published – 18.05.2018
(Journal)
Away From Home
Published – 16.05.2018
(Journal)
The Blank Page
Published – 14.05.2018
(Journal)
On Music and Friendship,
Orchestra Victoria
Published – 03.05.2018
(Articles & Program Notes)
Musical Directions
Published – 24.12.2017
(Journal)
Learning to Sing,
Rehearsal Magazine
Published – 17.12.2017
(Articles & Program Notes)
Behind-the-scenes of The Merry Widow,
Senza Sord
Published – 03.12.2017
(Interviews)
Musical Quirks,
Musica Viva
Published – 06.10.2017
(Articles & Program Notes)
Beauty and Tragedy,
Orchestra Victoria
Published – 24.07.2017
(Articles & Program Notes)
Eighth Blackbird,
The Music
Published – 23.02.2017
(Articles & Program Notes)
Schubert’s Swan Song
Published – 23.09.2016
(Articles & Program Notes)
Songmakers Australia,
Limelight Magazine
Published – 12.04.2016
(Interviews)
On Women in Music,
Ensemble Goldentree
Published – 05.03.2016
(Articles & Program Notes)
Grandma’s Hands,
Hundreds and Thousands
Published – 29.11.2014
(Articles & Program Notes)