Brett Dean: Pastoral Symphony

With the Aurora Orchestra, conducted by Nicholas Collon. ‘Olivier Messiaen did arguably more than any other composer to draw our attention to the greatest songsters on the planet, namely birds,’ says composer Brett Dean. ‘At the time of composing my Pastoral Symphony I had recently moved back to Australia after living for over 15 years in Germany. I was acutely aware of the incredible source of joy and beauty, not to mention the resource of invention, that was to be found just by opening the windows and listening. Definitely no surprises on my part to read of Messiaen’s utter fascination with the Antipodes and to find kookaburras (Australian tree kingfishers) and magpies popping up plentifully in his scores.
‘But, in wishing to celebrate this wonderful proliferation of treasures in the present day, I found it increasingly difficult to separate my love for the sounds of the natural world from an immense and growing sense of loss. Consider our relentless and respectless rampage through the world’s forests and wilderness areas, all in the name of more shopping, freeways, car parks and convenience. These issues are sadly a part of daily life in Australia. Sure, we all ‘love’ nature, but what we love more are all the trappings of modern living … certainly more than the desire to stop and bask in the glory of a single butcherbird, perhaps the most magical sound found on the whole Australian continent. This piece, then, is about glorious birdsong, the threat that it faces, the loss, and the soulless noise that we might be left with when they’re all gone.’