Page 60 - FULL BOOK Isata Kanneh-Mason Childhood Tales

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Music CULTURE / 41
From 15 May 2023

Claire Jackson

CLASSICAL essence of spring, summer, autumn LISTEN Kanneh-Masons at the Proms. But the
and winter. He’ll narrate the writer is under no illusions of his own
‘It is an honour to words alongside violinist Daniel musical ability. “I took Grade one vio-
lin – and just passed,” he smiles. “It is
Pioro, who has curated the concert
be connected to (May 21, Queen Elizabeth Hall) as an honour to be connected to music
part of his residency at London’s
through words.”
music through Southbank Centre. been sampled and reworked for cen-
Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons have
The Four Seasons is one of the most
words’ recognisable pieces of classical music, Recording of turies – including by the composer
up there with Beethoven’s Fifth Sym-
himself. Astor Piazzolla’s irresist-
phony, Puccini’s Nessun dorma and the the week... ible tangos The Four Seasons of Buenos
Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen. In some Mozart composed Aires and Vanessa Mae’s improvisa-
ways that popularity hasn’t helped – some of the most tions, often performed on electric vio-
you’re more likely to hear a tinny intricate keyboard lin, feature among modern versions.
recording of spring as hold music concertos, Max Richter’s 2012 “recomposition”
on the phone, rather than see it per- passionate arias and splices and slices Vivaldi’s themes with
formed live on stage. Pioro thinks a powerful requiem, original material, looping phrases
that’s a shame: “Vivaldi’s music is but he also wrote one in gently kaleidoscopic turns and
packed with colour and character,” of the most famous twists, creating an electro-Baroque
“More mud than mist these days. he says. “I’ve always adored the viv- nursery songs: masterpiece. But, although Vivaldi
More rain than shine. Leaves to idness of Michael’s words and I was Twinkle, Twinkle, based each movement on a descriptive
scuffle; berries and nuts to squirrel hoping he’d be enthusiastic about Little Star (originally sonnet, words are rarely incorporated
away,” reads a familiar voice. “The writing for Vivaldi’s seasons.” Ah! vous dirai-je, into the concerto. “We want Michael
house hunkers down, heaves and He was – Pioro received a draft maman). Being to be part of the ensemble, rather than
creaks. In the monster gale that shakes almost immediately after the pro- Mozart, he of course a separate narrator,” says Pioro.

windows and doors... it’s not Word- posal. It’s not the first time the violin- went on to embellish That’s because these words are

sworth, but that gives you a flavour,” ist and writer have worked together: the melody, which an integral part of The Four Seasons,
says Michael Morpurgo, smiling out Pioro has performed the stage ver- became a set of drawing out the meaning behind the
from the screen. Occasionally, this job sion of Morpurgo’s The Mozart Ques- variations. These – music. The chattering of nesting birds,
has its perks, and Sir Michael giving tion – the children’s story about a and Ernő Dohnányi’s flower-strewn meadows, joyful har-
an impromptu reading of work-in- violinist’s parents’ experience during version for piano and vests and chilling winters shaped the
progress via Zoom is certainly one of the Holocaust – for over a decade. orchestra – feature society that Vivaldi lived in – some-
them. The War Horse author has writ- Music is important to Morpurgo; in on Isata Kanneh- thing that is under threat in the 21st
ten a new piece to complement Vival- 2021 he wrote new episodic pieces to Mason’s new album century due to human degradation of
di’s The Four Seasons, the evocative accompany Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Childhood Tales. the natural world. “People don’t tend
violin concerto that captures the Animals, which was performed by the The pianist, who has to live the seasons now, they are just
had a Mozartian weather forecasts, which is not the
upbringing herself as same thing,” says Morpurgo. “In previ-
one of the seven ous generations a harsh season would
Kanneh-Mason mean starvation. That’s still the case in
siblings, also includes many parts of the world. In the west,
the programmatic we can get any fruit at any time of year

Debussy’s Children’s flown in from everywhere. But that has

Corner and a knock-on effect. Climate change is
Schumann’s . interfering with the natural rhythm of
the seasons. We’re at risk of destroy-
ILLUSTRATION: KYLE HILTON IMAGE: RAPHAEL NEAL Daniel Pioro ends Daniel Pioro, Michael Morpurgo and
Kinderszenen
ing everything that we love. Vivaldi is
there to remind us.”
London Sinfonietta perform Vivaldi’s
The Four Seasons at Queen Elizabeth Hall
on May 21 at 4pm. southbankcentre.co.uk
his residency at the
Southbank Centre
Claire Jackson is a writer and editor.
with this performance
claire-jackson.co.uk @claireiswriting
of The Four Seasons