Violinists Justine Cormack and Benjamin Baker created the At The World's Edge Festival with the aim to help Central Lakes District become a destination for the Arts and Culture in New Zealand. This concert took place at Rippon Hall, which is set on a hill in a vineyard overlooking Lake Wanaka. Behind the stage is an enormous window with a view over the lake and the mountains. It’s quite the dramatic setting, which fits the music in this concert.
The musicians are: violinists Benjamin Baker, Justine Cormack, Wilma Smith and Marike Kruup (Estonia). Viola players are Amanda Verner and Robert Ashworth. Cellists Maciej Kułakowski (Poland) and Ken Ichinose. And there’s a singer as well. Baritone Julien Van Mellaerts.
This concert was held on 09 October 2022.
Julien Van Mellaerts and string quartet on stage at Rippon Hall. Photo: Run in the shadows
Repertoire:
FARR: Four Postcards From The Lakes (World Premiere)
BARBER: Dover Beach
KELLY: Songs Without Words
BRAHMS: String Quartet in A Minor, Op 51, No 2
FARR Four Postcards From The Lakes (World Premiere)
Benjamin Baker and Maciej Kolakowski performing at Rippon Hall, Wanaka. Photo: MIKE DAWSON
The festival commissioned a new work from New Zealand composer Gareth Farr. Never having been to Lake Wanaka before, Farr took inspiration for this piece from his imagination of the scenery.
He was very excited to finally visit Wanaka for the world premiere of his piece at the festival.
The piece is for violin and cello. It's performed here by Benjamin Baker and Maciej Kułakowski.
BARBER Dover Beach
Julien Van Mellaerts and string quartet on stage at Rippon Hall. Photo: Run in the shadows
This is a very early work by Samuel Barber. It was published in 1931 and sets to music the poem by English poet Matthew Arnold.
It's sung here by baritone Julien Van Mellaerts. He is joined by violinists Wilma Smith and Justine Cormack, viola player Robert Ashworth, and cellist Ken Ichinose.
KELLY Songs Without Words
Ken Ichinose and Robert Ashworth. Photo: Run in the shadows
Gareth Farr was very keen to include a work by New Zealand composer Victoria Kelly in this concert. This collection of songs is inspired by Kelly's daughter, who as a baby sang little melodies as if she was conversing with her mother. It is performed by Justine Cormack and Marike Kruup on violins, Robert Ashworth on viola, and Ken Ichinose on cello.
BRAHMS String Quartet in A minor, Op 51, No 2
String quartet plays Brahms. Photo: MIKE DAWSON
The last work is in this concert is by Johannes Brahms. He only wrote three string quartets in his life, but they helped to keep the tradition of string quartets alive as it stagnated after Beethoven and Schubert.
It's performed by violinists Benjamin Baker and Wilma Smith, viola player Amanda Verner, and cellist Maciej Kułakowski.
Lake Wanaka Photo: RNZ
Recorded by RNZ Concert, Rippon Hall, Wanaka, 09 October 2022
Producer: Adrian Hollay; Engineer: Adrian Hollay
