The Star Ship NCC1 Sydney Symphony.
Act 1. The Orchestra introduced itself:
Music into an known frontier. These are the continuing experiences of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Their ongoing endeavours. To explore strange new classical music and to seek out new life forms to play to. To boldly play what no other orchestra has played before…
The performance kicked off without pause with Sunrise from the 2001: A Space Odyssey by Thus Spake Zarathustra. An absolute classic for all things sci-fi. As the music played a video screen above the orchestra showed the scenes when the Enterprise travels into the interior of ‘The Machine’ during the first ST movie ‘ Star Trek – The Motion Picture’. It was a good introduction to the evening’s performance.
This was followed by ‘On the Beautiful Blue Danube’ by Johann Strauss. Although various Star Trek video clips where played during the piece, I think that it would have been more appropriate for the original Space Odyssey experience of weightlessness on the Pan-Am flight into the emptiness of space which should have been screened. Just my thoughts.
The conductor Guy Noble then took the Orchestra into ‘Mars, The Bringer Of War” from Planets by Gustav Holst. What he was trying to do was to demonstrate how the music set the mood of the action being played out on screen. It was very compelling with a lot of the battle scenes from ‘The Motion Picture’, ‘The Wrath of Khan’ and ‘The Undiscovered Country’ playing out over head.
To finish the first section of the performance the arrival of the transformers onto earth was played out. It was a nice piece but I felt that it was just too out of character with the theme of the show. Lets be fair – this was Star Trek for trekkers.
Intermission: This time gave us a chance to enjoy the views that the Sydney Opera House had of the harbour. The comment from my date was that we were looking at the view and the view was looking at us. My date for the evening by the way, was my eldest daughter. She of coarse has endured my obsession for Star Trek over the last 22 years so this was a treat for her.
Act 2. The conductor strutted out onto the dais dressed in a tidy little ST uniform. And about time. Our conductor for the evening was Guy Noble. Apparently he has also been known to appear conducting the orchestra dressed as Darth Vader and even cooked pasta one time with TV Chef Stefano de Pieri. He said that he had watched the odd Star Trek episode but I believe Guy knew a little too much at how to present himself as the captain of the star ship NCC1 Sydney Symphony. I think that Guy is possibly a closet trekker in disguise.
And engage. The orchestra began to play the Trek motion picture music proper. From The first motion picture through to the latest 2009 Reboot covering more than 40 years of Trek music. I have to admit the theme has changed little but is still so recognisably inspiring.
Star Trek The Motion Picture. The New Enterprise. Music written by Jerry Goldsmith.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kkan (1982). The Main Title. Music written by James Horner.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984). Stealing the Enterprise. Music written by James Horner.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986). The End Credits. Music written by Leonard Rosenman.
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989). The End Credits. Music written by Jerry Goldsmith.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). The End Credits. Music written by Cliff Eidelman
Star Trek Generations (1994). The Overture. Music written by Dennis McCarthy
Star Trek: First Contact (1996). The End Credits. Music written by Jerry Goldsmith.
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). The End Credits. Music written by Jerry Goldsmith.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). A New Ending. Music written by Jerry Goldsmith.
Star Trek: Reboot (2009). The End Titles. Music written by Michael Giacchino.
And all of this played out to the movie clips on the giant video screen above.
Trekkie Heaven