The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s Pandemonium, conducted by Marko Letonja, concert took its name from the middle work on the program: HK Gruber’s Frankenstein!!, subtitled “a pan-demonium for chansonnier and orchestra after children’s rhymes by HC Artmann”. Sometimes bizarre, sometimes hilarious, this work captured the imagination. Using his voice as an instrument, Gruber found an astonishing array of timbres and tonalities to bring the verses to life. Mysterious, evil, foreboding and shocking, with touches of maniacal laughter, he took us on a roller coaster of horror and humour.

HK Gruber. Photo © Georg Anderhub

Unfortunately, it was difficult – at times impossible – to decipher the words. The verses were an integral part of the work, often relegating the orchestra to the background; I didn’t want my attention distracted by having to read them, so not being able to understand the text was a loss. Toy harmonicas, kazoos, plastic hose pipe whirlies all took their place beside the more traditional orchestral instruments, giving a feeling of a weird alternative reality that contrasted brilliantly with the straight-faced musicians. Described by Artmann as “a medley of intoxications”, the poems were on one level childlike, but had political...