Our Journey Peter Roennfeldt
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BRISBANE CHORALE Our Journey Peter Roennfeldt CopyRight Publishing Brisbane Brisbane Chorale – Our Journey First published 2017 © Peter Roennfeldt Published by CopyRight Publishing Company Pty Ltd GPO Box 2927 Brisbane Q 4001 http://www.copyright.net.au [email protected] All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Publisher. ISBN 978 1921452 42 0 Table of Contents Glossary of abbreviations ............................................................................... vii List of Illustrations ......................................................................................... ix Foreword ....................................................................................... xiii Introduction ........................................................................................ xv About the Author ..................................................................................... xviii Chapter 1 – Origins to 1982 ............................................................................ 1 The symphonic choir ............................................................ 1 The Queensland context ...................................................... 3 Queensland Conservatorium of Music and its choral connections ........................................................... 5 The Conservatorium Chorale ............................................. 10 The Conservatorium Chorale after Edward Talbot .......... 15 Appointment of Roy Wales as Conservatorium Director . 18 Chapter 2 – Brisbane Chorale to 1996 ........................................................... 25 1983–1987: Roy Wales ....................................................... 26 1987–1990: Peter Roennfeldt and James Christiansen .... 34 1991–1996: John Nickson ................................................. 41 1996: Emily Cox ................................................................. 49 Chapter 3 – Brisbane Chorale Inc. since 1997 .............................................. 51 1997–1998: Russell Larkin ................................................. 51 1998–2002: Christopher Kiver ........................................... 55 2003–present: Emily Cox ................................................... 61 Chapter 4 – The Members ............................................................................. 87 Why join a symphonic choir? ............................................ 88 Professional or amateur? .................................................... 95 How large is big enough? ................................................... 99 Life members .................................................................... 101 Other member profiles ..................................................... 106 Some final observations .................................................... 111 Chapter 5 – The Musical Leaders ................................................................ 113 Music directors ................................................................. 113 Other music staff .............................................................. 128 Guest conductors .............................................................. 131 Soloists .............................................................................. 136 Chapter 6 – The Repertoire ......................................................................... 147 Oratorios ........................................................................... 148 Choral symphonies ........................................................... 156 Requiem settings ............................................................... 160 Masses ............................................................................... 165 Other sacred works .......................................................... 168 v Brisbane Chorale – Our Journey Secular and theatrical works ............................................ 172 Tradition and innovation .................................................. 176 Chapter 7 – The Performance Contexts ..................................................... 179 Building a concert season ................................................. 180 Festivals ............................................................................. 184 Special events .................................................................... 187 Recordings and broadcasts .............................................. 192 Venues ............................................................................... 195 Collaborations ................................................................... 212 Performances outside Brisbane........................................ 217 Chapter 8 – Behind the scenes .................................................................... 223 Governance ....................................................................... 223 Vision ................................................................................. 228 Committee operations ....................................................... 231 Inner workings .................................................................. 237 Public image ...................................................................... 241 Funding ............................................................................. 244 Touring ............................................................................. 248 Postscript ...................................................................................... 253 Appendix 1 The Dream of Gerontius 1983 Choir list .............................. 259 2 Repertoire and Performances by the Brisbane Chorale 1983–2016.................................................................... 261 3 Works by Category and Years of Performance ............... 289 4 Brisbane Chorale Committee Structures and Members 1985–2016.................................................................... 293 Bibliography ...................................................................................... 297 Index ...................................................................................... 301 vi - CHAPTER 2 - Brisbane Chorale to 1996 s outlined in the Introduction, this account of the Brisbane Chorale1 is intended to be much more than a chronological narrative. At the Asame time, since human experience is largely determined by how one set of circumstances influences what happens and with whose involvement, a timeline-based approach does serve a useful purpose. In the case of a musical organisation the expertise of its leader is also a key element in shaping what occurs, both in terms of the repertoire performed and the outcomes achieved. The director’s personality and approach to leadership are also significant in terms of how an ensemble’s energies are deployed, and how the members’ innate enthusiasm for choral music is garnered to produce the best collective results. This chapter provides a broadly sequential overview of the Chorale’s journey since 1983, with a focus on the tenure of each musical director in turn.2 The timeframe for this chapter is significant in that after 1996 the Chorale became an independent organisation. Until then it continued to function as part of the Queensland Conservatorium. 1 Henceforth referred to as the Chorale, except for citations from the press and other sources. 2 The author is indebted to the input of the publication advisory panel, particularly in relation to the sections dealing with his tenure with the Brisbane Chorale. 25 Brisbane Chorale – Our Journey 1983–1987: Roy Wales By selecting Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius as his first project under the banner of the Brisbane Chorale, Conservatorium Director Roy Wales was making a clear statement. In contrast to its predecessor ensembles, this choir would be of a size and standard capable of performing the largest works in the symphonic repertoire. The institution would also continue expanding its profile, by presenting major repertoire that had become unfamiliar through a lack of recent exposure. Edward Elgar’s music had suffered a downturn in popularity since mid-century and perhaps because of this Gerontius had not been heard locally for three decades, despite being still admired as a masterwork.3 By the late twentieth century Elgar was being re-evaluated worldwide, so on several counts a ‘new chapter in Brisbane’s musical history opened’4 with the Chorale’s ‘landmark’5 performance of the oratorio at Mayne Hall. The Chorale also first presented itself to the public with a complement of around 150 voices, accompanied by the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra. The Conservatorium’s orchestra also supported the Brisbane Chorale during 1983 in two performances of Carmina Burana, the first being within the annual Gala Concert. This season also saw the first of many ABC engagements with a Beethoven Symphony No.9, under Georg Tintner. Various recurring themes had their beginnings in these performances. In terms of repertoire some iconic works would henceforth appear periodically, as might be expected with a symphonic choir. With regard to the performing resources the orchestras, soloists and conductors for Chorale concerts were either drawn from the Conservatorium or provided by an external professional or community-based presenting organisation. Above all, what mattered most during 1983 was that the foundations were being set for the Chorale’s