Echoes of Elegance: Candlelight Concerts
Written by Amani Rizwan
Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Fever
Candlelight Concerts by Fever have taken Halifax by storm in the past year or so, sweeping through the city and leaving an indelible mark on the local music scene. The intimate venues, lit with flickering candles, alongside the talented musicians, create a serene atmosphere with performances that feature tributes to everyone from Queen to Taylor Swift. The concert I had the pleasure of attending was a homage to the cinematic genius of Hans Zimmer, reinforcing the notion that within this musical phenomenon, there truly is something for everyone.
It was rainy when I arrived at the Spatz Theatre on Trollope Street in the heart of Halifax. I quickly bid my Uber driver goodbye, and rushed into the building with the rest of my now slightly soggy concertgoers. It was an odd sight seeing so many adults, all clad in suits and dresses, standing around in a colourful highschool building, waiting to get their tickets scanned. After getting my ticket scanned, I was ushered into the theatre that couldn’t be any more different than its exterior. Suddenly engulfed in a warm, buttery yellow glow, I made my way down the row littered with candles down to the very front row.
The air buzzed with quiet anticipation and hushed conversations whilst we waited for the clock to strike 6:30. After a couple of pictures and debates on which songs they’d play, the Listeso String Quartet, composed of a cellist, two violinists, and a violist finally made their way to the stage where they sat in a circle at their respective instruments. Before even introducing themselves, they played Time from Inception, a grandiose piece that swelled around the room, instantly captivating the audience. I heard a tiny gasp from the little girl sitting next to me, her eyes fixed on the musicians, and suffice to say, that’s what everyone was feeling. Their next two songs featured Zimmer’s efforts in the world of animation with This Land from The Lion King and Zooster’s Breakout from Madagascar. On account of the musicians’ talents and the acoustics of the room, it was as though nostalgia had flooded the room, transporting myself and everyone else back to the good ole days that were spent sitting in front of the TV, hoping Mufasa wouldn’t slip.
In between sets, the musicians chatted with the audience, making the whole experience a lot more personal. And after their set of Zimmer’s work in war movies, they moved onto my personal favourite — the superhero movies. As the first notes of A Dark Knight from The Dark Knight filled the room, I waited with bated breath, and to no one’s surprise, it was the highlight of the show. The intense thrum of the strings filled my chest, and all I could do was sit back and watch with awe. The first violinist, Mark Lee, deserves special recognition for his astounding performance; he really was the glue that brought the whole show together to create real magic. Next on the list was the Wonder Woman Suite, and being one of Hans Zimmers’ most recognisable pieces, you could practically feel everyone at the edge of their seats. It was impressive how just four string instruments managed to encapsulate the loud, roaring nature of the piece with the intensity you’d expect to feel with a full orchestra.
Photo by Fever
One thing came abundantly clear as the night went on, and it was that the musicians had real passion and held respect not just for their instruments but for one another as well. Subtle nods and amicable smiles passed around the four all night, nicely contrasting the high-sounding and sometimes harsh music they were playing. They showcased this in their next set, which consisted of Zimmer’s ventures into the sci-fi genre with Cornfield Chase from Interstellar and the Dune Suite. The soundscapes of the two songs are so different, one taking place in the green-yellow fields of Colorado and the other in the sandy dunes of the fictional planet, Arrakis, and yet the two played out seamlessly one after another. It truly did feel like the movies were playing right in front of us.
Their set ended with Discombobulate from Sherlock Holmes and the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite, which, like the rest of the sets, was received with nothing but thunderous applause. The former, known for its energetic and unpredictable tempo, resonated with sharp and intense crescendos, reflecting the chaotic genius of the iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes. The musicians navigated through the intricate melodies with precision, creating an atmosphere of suspense that had the audience enamoured. Closing the evening was the "Pirates of the Caribbean Suite," a medley of themes from the swashbuckling film series. And as the final notes of the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite rippled through the theatre, it marked the culmination of a night filled with musical and cinematic brilliance, a testament to the enduring power of Hans Zimmer's compositions in the hands of such skilled performers.
Exiting the venue into the quietude of the night, I was left with a sense of fulfilment and warmth. Beyond the melodies, I carried the shared warmth of a stellar experience. The transformative power of Hans Zimmer's compositions, coupled with the exceptional skill of the Listeso String Quartet, created an evening that transcended the boundaries of a traditional concert, leaving the audience with a collective memory of a night where music and cinema converged to create pure magic.