Quintessentially Irish! Eamonn Keane and Acacia Quartet at Sydney launch

 in Borodin / Events / Haydn / Music by

Acacia Quartet launch A Distant Prospect at Gleebooks 24 Feb 2013

Acacia Quartet members Lisa Stewart, Myee Clohessy (violins),
Stefan Duwe (viola) and Anna Martin-Scrase (cello)
launch A Distant Prospect at Gleebooks on 24 Feb 2013


Eamonn Keane at Gleebooks launch 24 Feb 2013

Eamonn Keane at the Gleebooks
book launch 24 Feb 2013

Eamonn Keane, Irishman, educator and author, speaking at Sydney’s Gleebooks on 24 February 2013, affirmed the quintessentially Irish character at the heart of Annette Young’s powerful debut novel, A Distant Prospect.

Acacia Quartet performed Haydn and Borodin string quartet movements

Acacia Quartet performed Haydn and Borodin string quartet movements

Deeply ingrained in the Irish psyche, he said, we find music, a strong sense of the transcendentals – truth, beauty and goodness – and a closeness to God’s creation in nature, and this comes across well in this coming-of-age story of Lucy, a 15-year-old Irish emigrant and polio victim in 1928 Sydney.

Rapt audience after the Haydn “Fifths” performance

One of Eamonn’s favourite passages was violinist Phoebe’s visualisation of the opening of Haydn’s “Sunrise” string quartet in Chapter 25:

‘There’s a complete story in this. Here the sun is yawning and stretching. The sun bids hello to everyone and smiles. All the birds and trees sing in chorus and welcome him. First violin and ’cello represent birds, second violin represents the sea which is very still and the viola represents the wind stirring in the trees. Soon, all of creation is wide awake. They are very glad to see the sun after such a long, dark night.’

This passage can also symbolise the world awakening from darkness with the coming of Christ, and taps into the spiritual journey of Lucy and the other characters, and our own life journey.

Not only is A Distant Prospect a satisfying read for adults, but as an educator, Eamonn recommends it as a strong contender to replace less worthy titles on high school reading lists.

Annette Young at her Sydney book launch

Annette Young at her Sydney book launch

The audience was quite delighted by the Acacia Quartet’s polished performance of the opening movement of Haydn’s “Fifths” String Quartet, and the Nocturne from Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2.

A final treat was the Haydn “Fifths” cake, topped with an edible page of sheet music, created by Yvette from Cakey Bakey Art

A big thank you for a wonderful afternoon to Gleebooks, all the presenters and the large crowd (and their many children)!

The Haydn "Fifths" cake from Yvette at CakeyBakeyArt.com.au

The Haydn “Fifths” cake created by Yvette of CakeyBakeyArt.com.au


19377960Borodin: String Quartet No. 2 in D Major, Composed by Alexander Borodin (1833-1887). For String Quartet. Classical. Part. 12 pages. Published by Alfred Music – Digital Sheet Music (AX.00-PC-0005581).