Abu Dhabi Classics strikes a hopeful chord with symphonic start to 2016

Ahead of two UAE performances, the leading man of Spain’s Sinfónica de Galicia talks about the power of music to inspire joy and bridge cultures.

Dima Slobodeniouk leads the 120 members of the Sinfónica de Galicia. Courtesy Xurxo Lobato

Abu Dhabi Classics kicks off the new year this week with a two concerts, in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, by Spain’s Sinfónica de Galicia.

On Wednesday, the 120-strong ensemble will take the stage at the Emirates Palace Theatre in the capital to perform the music of Ludwig van Beethoven (Piano Concerto No 4 in G major) and Gustav Mahler (Symphony No 6 in A minor).

The orchestra, which has represented the northern Spanish region of Galicia for 24 years, has dedicated much of its recent symphonic work to Mahler, the Austrian late-romantic composer. For its first appearance in the Arab world, Russian conductor Dima Slobodeniouk chose Mahler’s sixth symphony because, he says, it seemed such a natural choice for Abu Dhabi.

“Out of all Mahler’s symphonies, this one is very special because it concentrates on a tragedy,” says Slobodeniouk. “For people in all different parts of the world right now, pain and the feeling of not being able to continue – of being forced to a dead end – is very common. It’s great that we can have a chance to express that with musical language, so no words are needed.”

He says the symphony, written between 1903 and 1904, predicted Mahler’s own tragic destiny. The composer’s daughter Maria died at the age of 4, shortly after the piece was written, and his wife, Alma, had an affair and succumbed to alcoholism. “So this is a very spooky subject,” says Slobodeniouk.

But he would like the audience to leave the performance with a feeling of hope, despite the symphony’s despondent feel.

“The music has something in it which makes people think deeply about their lives and the life of this planet, and to feel that there is always a light which comes from darkness,” he says.

“And that light is the strongest light. It takes you to the skies and then puts you down – it is the best example I can think of how a wide scale of feeling can be expressed through music, without saying a single word.”

The symphony also has a unique way of grabbing the attention of the audience, Slobodeniouk reveals.

“We use a hammer, which is not used in any other piece of classical music in the world,” he says. “It is used to describe the sound of putting nails into a coffin.”

The hammer is no ordinary tool. “It’s a gigantic hammer,” Slobodeniouk says. “It’s one-and-a-half-metres long and, therefore, gives a shocking effect. It even shocks all the musicians on stage every time it comes down. It’s quite heavy but is just about possible for one person to handle.”

Was he at all concerned about awkward questions while checking in a massive hammer at the airport in Spain?

“It is all registered and described in a document, so getting through check-in should not cause us any issues – I hope,” he says.

On Thursday night, the grounds of the Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain will host the orchestra for a performance of music from Richard Wagner's opera Tristan and Isolde, followed by Manuel de Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain.

The choice of the De Falla piece seems a fitting tribute to the concert’s green setting, in the heart of the UAE’s Garden City.

“The fact that we are performing it in the gardens of the fort in Al Ain is a beautiful coincidence,” says Slobodeniouk.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, Abu Dhabi Classics seeks to break down the borders between western and Arabic and classical music.

De Falla’s piece, inspired by the Moorish gardens of Spain’s Andalusia region, is one in which this fusion is perfectly achieved, says Slobodeniouk.

“This music acts as a bridge between the cultures of East and West,” he says. “The gardens that the music describes are in southern Spain, and the music has an Arabic feel to it because a lot of southern Spanish rhythms – for example in Flamenco – have some of their roots in the Arab world.”

After the intermission on Thursday, the orchestra will perform Johannes Brahms's Symphony No 4, which Slobodeniouk describes as "the cornerstone of orchestral writing".

“Actually it’s a very similar musical world to Maher’s sixth symphony,” he adds. “It’s a beautiful expression of how a human being loves and desires and experiences tragedy, but in surroundings full of light. It is a very hopeful piece.”

Sinfonica de Galicia will perform at Emirates Palace Theatre on Wednesday at 8pm. Tickets start at Dh150. The ensemble performs Thursday at Al Ain's Al Jahili Fort at 8pm, with tickets starting at Dh100. For more details and tickets, visit abudhabiclassics.ae.