BY BEN NIELSEN
Ben Folds and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Opera House, 14 November 2014
“You’ve got two kinds of cities: ones that have a symphony orchestra and the kinds that don’t. The kinds that don’t are crap. Civilisation is built on the idea that everyone works together in harmony, and the highest form of that is the symphony orchestra. Politicians talk about it, but these are the only guys actually doing it. The symphony orchestra doesn’t need our support, in fact, we need the symphony orchestra.”
A seemingly impromptu speech was the most surprising item on Ben Folds’ set list, amidst a selection of his most popular songs. Jetlagged and a little incoherent, the American songster provided meaning to his collaboration with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra by way of a five-minute sermon. It might have impressed the industry’s strongest music advocates, but it was drowned by a surge of cheers and applause: the audience’s worship of Folds’ celebrity status transcended the gravitas of his statement. But that did not stop them from enjoying the artistic product of his moral crusade.
For some ten years now, Folds has been performing with the world’s finest orchestras. The collaboration originally occurred to facilitate the integration of two genres, two subcultures, two demographics. Because, as Folds said, “not as many people go out and see the symphony orchestra any more”.
Admirable though it is, the performance was not entirely consumed by agenda, but rather, artistic endeavour. Folds’ pop-rock tunes collided perfectly with the wholesome sound of the orchestra. This alliance provided new brilliance and depth to Folds’ writing – even though the fresh arrangements varied in quality, and noticeably appealed to the orchestra’s most clichéd characteristics.
There were moments of shiveringly perfect orchestral writing, like in ‘Landed’ and ‘Zac and Sara’, however, the smooth discourse between Folds and the orchestra faltered in his self-penned concerto for piano and orchestra. The work seemed under-developed, and there was nothing really special nor great about it. While the audience cheered at the very idea of ‘a Ben Folds concerto’, the musician’s compositional aptitude is clearly confined to pop-rock.
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra was definitely impressive, but in spite of its robust sound, it was tentative and reserved. Perhaps the musicians didn’t truly invest in the music because it is so far away from their normal repertoire. An example of this is the missed opportunity in ‘Steven’s Last Night in Town’ and ‘One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces’ – the brass and wind could really have let rip, but didn’t.
However, this was compensated by the ease with which musical director Guy Noble commanded the musicians. Noble also good-naturedly responded to Folds’ every whim – including ‘Rock This Bitch’, a set that saw Folds ply the orchestra with different musical motives in order to create a spontaneous composition. There was also a group singing exercise worthy of Richard Gill.
A bout of feedback during the opening song, ‘Effington’, hardly marred the technical element of the performance. However, the venue’s normal acoustics might have been preferable to the damping curtains and amplification, given its thin and tinny quality. The lighting aesthetic – a component that is usually neglected at such performances – was well considered.
Just one encore failed to satiate the audience at the performance’s conclusion. Folds’ charisma and music was so enrapturing that they remained seated and cheering until the house lights arose. It was the most fun that many had probably had in a place of starched collars and ‘exclusive’ art music – but judging by their response, the audience would be back. If not for Ben Folds, then for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
“When the rest of us were learning how to soup up cars and to make-out with boys and girls, they weren’t doing that, and that’s why they’re so good,” Folds said of the orchestra. “Come back and see Mahler and Prokofiev and Bach and Brahms, and see Shostakovich and Ravel – see all sorts of things. My music’s pretty good and everything, but that stuff’s better”.
Image supplied.
