Music from Star Wars (exc) - Williams
The Planets (multimedia presentation) - Holst
Holst wrote his orchestral suite during a period of the early 20th century when there was a lively interest in multimedia presentation. He never envisaged the music-and-light performances desired by Scriabin, but to modern technology his concepts hand the idea on a plate.
Holst's inspiration lay mainly in the planets' astrological and ancient religious symbolism. The multimedia presentation on Saturday night applied his musical imagery to the new religion, science. Behind and above the National Symphony Orchestra was a large screen, onto which was projected Holst: The Planets Symphonic Film, made by Hatch Productions. It skilfully and effectively uses images from exploring spacecraft, and while it ties these neatly to the music, it avoids dramatisation and lets the images speak for themselves. It inevitably divorces Holst's music from its context, as did Leo Enright's narration between movements.
The first half of the concert was devoted to John Williams's music for the Star Wars trilogy. Like most Hollywood composers, Williams pillages the languages of Holst, Liszt, Wagner and Strauss.
But few do so better than he, and it was interesting to hear the complete versions of music that, on film, usually comes in snippets.
The conductor was Takuo Yuasa, and the Lindsay Singers were a beautifully ethereal off-stage chorus in "Neptune". Yuasa's clear direction and craftsman-like approach, plus the NSO's committed, secure and vividly coloured playing, made the evening's music making lively and faithful.
