Weaving magic with a common thread

AUSTRALIAN singer Lior will perform his and composer Nigel Westlake’s moving and inspiring composition Compassion with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for Ten Days on the Island in Hobart tomorrow night.

Westlake heard Lior singing a cappella the ancient Hebrew hymn Avinu Malkeinu (Hymn of Compassion) and approached him about an orchestral arrangement.

“Initially it was only meant to be a short work, but we presented it to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, which commissioned a full work,” Lior said.

“So I looked for similar texts with the universal notion of compassion. With the help of my good friend Waleed Aly, I found a beautiful Arabic text which said similar things. I found it exciting to take ancient texts with a common thread from these two worlds with such a tumultuous history, and that was where it began.”

Lior worked on the text and his original melodies, and Westlake orchestrated them to develop the seven-movement song cycle for voice and orchestra.

“It’s a very varied piece that uses the full dynamic of the orchestra and my voice,” Lior said. “It stretches our musical palette.” Lior speaks Hebrew, and Aly helped with the translation and pronunciation of Arabic works.

Initially Lior considered using a second singer for the Arabic pieces.

“But Nigel was adamant I inhabit both the worlds,” he said. “He thought it would be more focused and powerful coming from the one voice.”

Lior said he and Westlake were surprised at how powerful the finished work was. “Nigel’s orchestration is incredible,” he said. “It’s a masterful composition, and I think for both of us it has more resonance than anything we have done in our respective careers. “I think people will find it sacred and uplifting.” The first half of the concert will feature orchestral arrangements of Lior’s own songs.

Compassion will be performed at the Federation Concert Hall in Hobart at 7.30pm tomorrow. Tickets are from $39, available from tendays.org.au