Brisbane Reviews

Musical advocacy is becoming an international trend. Australia has the fourth worst record worldwide for deforestation and composer Ross Edwards’ Vespers for Mother Earth, first performed this year, was written as a response to our ecological crisis. Similarly, John Adams’ trilogy ‘Become River’ is an exploration of this American conductor and composer’s profound connection to nature and the world’s changing climate.

Paco Peña’s Requiem for the Earth celebrates the natural world with an exhilarating flamenco physicality, imaginative combinations of colour and moments of lyrical tenderness yet it’s also a gritty wake-up call. Exploring a diverse mosaic of influences for instance the conventions of a Latin mass and the freer folk traditions of Spain, the lyrics alternate between Latin and the Spanish language.

Before the show began the forces on stage looked too meagre to convey a protest work rooted in a passionate love of nature and deep concern for its demise. Four singers, three guitarists and percussion including djembe, an African hand drum, and cajon, a large box shaped drum used in Latin American music were onstage with the Queensland based Resonance of Birralee, an adult choir standing behind them. Incidentally, the formidable percussionist, played with a take-no-prisoners zeal and astonishing skill often supplemented by vigorous hand-clapping.

It took a while to accustom the ear to the intensity of flamenco singing because of the melismatic approach, this is where each syllable is decorated with melodic flurries and there are microtonal reaches in which the intervals are smaller than a semitone and, Flamenco has a direct and declamatory intensity.

The vocal quartet’s improvised contributions scolded, implored and reproached the responsive packed-to-capacity crowd. There was a palpable dynamic between performers and audience, the latter frequently bursting into spontaneous applause which spurred the performers on. Often the man or woman’s voice was stretched to capacity in the manner of ‘cante jondo’ deep song which uses a diverse range of distinctive tone production. The sincerity and authenticity coming from the stage was irresistibly engaging,

Flamenco uses improvised approaches, there was no sheet music in front of any of the Spanish ensemble and, there were imperfections, a mistimed entry and a guitarist’s stray chord but overall the performance had such meaning these tiny slips had no bearing on the Requiem’s ultimate success.

Pena’s direction raised the emotional temperature to boiling point and then suddenly switched to an interlude of serenity often contributed by the excellent adult choir which effectively met all the musical challenges. Halfway, this vocal force was joined by Voices of Birralee, the thoroughly rehearsed award-winning children’s choir who delivered one of the most poignant moments when they sing, Foolish mankind. What have you done to the earth?

Requiem for the Earth received a spontaneous standing ovation with the entire audience rising to their feet in unison.

Gillian Wills’ memoir Elvis and Me: how a world-weary musician and a broken racehorse rescued each other, Finch Publishing was released in Australia, NZ, Canada, America and the UK in 2016. Her debut novel Big Music, Hawkeye Publishing is released on the 1 October.