Photo by Lona Logan at Wentworth Falls School of Arts with Zohars Nigun and presenters Chris and Meg. See the full event photo album here.
This month it was twice that I was graced with experiencing live the presentation of Szolnok, by Daniel Weltlinger, performed with his Australian quartet "Zohars Nigun"- Daniel Pliner, Simon Milman & Robbie Avenaim at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains at The School of Arts and co-presented by Music Hunter and Chris from Music in the Mountains. The 2nd opportunity was one week later at the regional location of Rylstone, near Capertee Valley, the widest canyon in the world. I had the good fortune to take care of the band while my friend host was called away overseas unexpectedly. Our Mountains gig had a bigger production of lights, sound and tuned grand piano, complete with SMH review by John Shand. Rylstone had a full house of supportive local arts lovers and a pure stripped back acoustic presentation at Number Forty Seven Louee St. Both events had equal showering of audience engagement and appreciation.
It really is an epic story, and one that I'm glad I listened through twice over live, not counting how many times I continue to savour the recordings that you can find to purchase on Daniel's website, never ceasing to hear new highlights each time.
Daniel really is a master on the violin, he could make that old student violin sing, he's full of heart in being prepared to put his favourite quality violin down in order to pick up the old violin from Szolnok, the one that possesses a century of resilience and who's had so many stories to tell of its own experiences and also about the evolution and development of music and history itself.
It's a diversity of distinct cultural locations visited in the presentation of Szolnok and the violin is a hero for every musicologist and there is no one better than Daniel to do justice to so many genres across time, since his love and capacity for musical styles is so diverse and his curiosity and respect for his incidental fortune to be a family lineage holder is deeply in place.
As the story progresses we are taken on a journey across time and location into jazz, classical, and folk, culminating into very exciting pieces about the now with experimental jazz influences punctuating the tracks especially "2018", whose title is unofficially updated to the date of the current concert each time, with the vitality of improvisations streaming through.
I too have some affection for violin, dabbled with it's playing in my youth and painted a portrait of the violin belonging to friend Rens van der Zalm of Netherlands from the band Mozaik, who have coincidentally released their third much anticipated CD this month.
Enjoy this live clip from the Blue Mountains events, captured on my ipad and including my study in oils of Rens violin (2007) the original now lives in Rotterdam, NL Europe.
John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald with Daniel Weltlinger Oct 12, 2019.
Join the Music Hunter once again at our next event CLUB TANGO
on November 9 2019 at Wentworth Falls School of Arts
with Gary Daley, Matt Handel, Jane Andino and Amanda Handel
Featuring: *Canto Latino Quartet *Professional Tango Dance Performances by Federico and Zara *Tango social dancing from the Tango Blue Mountains community *Tango Dance party music for freestyle dancing during intermission *Atmospheric Event Styling Delicious Food and 🍷 *Book Tickets Now*