1997 l'International Benson & Hedges Montréal Pyromusical Competition Report

Austria Viennese Charm Saturday June 28^th, 1997

Günter Vogler

In complete contrast to the rains last week, beautiful summer weather encouraged a very large crowd to witness newcomer Vogler's debut display in Montréal. This was a ten part display with more than 70% of the fireworks specially made by Vogler for the competition. The aim was to recreate the charm and sophistication of a Viennese Ballroom in fire and music.

Part 1 to the music of the 5^th Symphony by Gustav Mahler. The display opened with multi-break shells of white comets followed by tourbillon candles and firefly shells and titanium salutes. This was followed by more white comet shells and volley after volley of titanium salutes. Next, some really nice multi-break shells of small white comets followed by colour star shells and finally a large volley of firefly shells and more titanium salutes.

Part 2 to the music Introduction aux tambours by Maurice Jarre. This began with lasers and images playing onto the Mirage water screens with red flares on the central platform and at the back of the display area. Small glitter comet candles shooting into the lake were followed by colour star and glitter comet candles with shells of colour stars turning to comets above. This was repeated, using larger and larger shells, then a barrage of colour mines with more glitter comet shells above with whistles as well. Then, really large colour changing to comet shells, followed by glitter shells, shells with twinkling pistils, and finally big weeping willow and yellow firefly shells.

Part 3 to the music The Walkyries - Magic Fire Music by Richard Wagner. This began dramatically with tourbillon mines with huge shells above of charcoal comets turning to white comets filling the sky. Then barrages of screaming whistle tourbillons with large multi-colour changing shells above. Then shells of glitter and crackle comets with spider-shaped comet pistils followed by more colour mines, some gorgeous multi-break shells of blue stars and gold comets and then some weeping willow shells. Next, shells of glitter comets and blue stars, then glitter comets and multi-colour stars, then glitter and blue again followed by weeping willow shells with blue stars as well. This sequence was repeated and amplified and then a barrage of tourbillon mines. Next, shells of charcoal turning to white comets with dazzling comet rising tails and then more huge shells with blue stars, glitter and spider-like comet pistils. Then the same thing but with crackling stars instead of glitter finally ending in a barrage of titanium salutes. By this time, the crowd were enthralled.

Part 4 to the music Annen Polka by Johann Strauss. Screaming tourbillon mines and salute barrage candles opened this segment followed by blue star bombettes. Above this, more of the huge blue and willow shells. Then crackling comet candles and more tourbillons and yet more salute barrages with huge multi-break colour changing shells above. The pace became very rapid with more screaming whistles, almost continual salute barrages, huge willow and glitter shells above, some ring shells and other shapes. The noise from the salutes was deafening and added to by lots of crackling comets. White comet shells above, then blue, pink and then glitter shells. Finally, the segment came to a close with some really big palm-tree shells and then some magnificent multi-breaks which gave the impression of bunches of flowers throughout the sky.

Part 5 to the music Confetti March by Johann Strauss. This began with a flight of rockets bursting into crackling comets and charcoal comets. Then a flight or rockets with white spark tails bursting to white fireflies. Then another flight of the crackle rockets, then a flight of the white breaking to firefly rockets. This was repeated and repeated and repeated until a final whooshing flight of rockets bursting into white and gold fireflies.

Part 6 to the music Ride of the Walkyries by Richard Wagner. This segment opened with a barrage of salute tourbillons, screaming whistles and titanium salutes. Then shells of comets and tourbillons, large numbers of salutes, screaming whistles, crackling comets and glitter shells. This sequence got bigger and bigger and louder and louder building to a mini-finalé of glitter candles and salute barrages.

Part 7 to the music Hungarian Blue by Ch. Kolonvits. This began with a line of glittering fountains playing into the lake. Behind these, fan-shaped comet candles. Above these, crossette comets in glitter with glitter comet shells above these. Then some nice palm-tree shells, big blue and glitter shells with crackling comets below followed by some really nice glitter-frond shells with really big treads. Next, fountains on the centre platform with glitter crossette candles and colour ball candles with really bright stars. Above these, large shells of white comets and glitter comets, followed by a dramatic set of multi-breaks of white comets. This segment climaxed with an enormous weeping willow shell where the falling glitter fronds turned to white at the end.

Part 8 to the music The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss. A flight of rockets bursting to blue and charcoal comets with glitter candles on the central platform opened this segment. Then fireflies from shells and more rockets with white tails. This was repeated and increased upon with comet candles and then rockets bursting into bunches of colour stars and then some unusual delicate charcoal comet stars which glistened and fell slowly in the air. Next, some tourbillons with big whizzy-sounding sparks and firefly shells above. Then shells of glitter turning to fireflies with some ring-shaped bursts as well. This again was repeated and increased upon each time. Next, dazzling white comet candles with some dual-colour shells above. Then some gorgeous willow shells with gold comets in the centre forming a star shape. Then the same but with blue stars and white comets forming the star, then blue and gold again. This sequence was repeated, alternating between blue and gold and blue and white comets and blue and weeping willow. Then just willow shells, then nice willow shells with the charcoal comets turning into colour stars. Then the same but turning into brighter stars which turned into fireflies. This segment climaxed with a mini-finalé of the willow to glitter shells and finally a huge weeping willow shell which made the crowd gasp and completely filled the sky.

Part 9 to the music Radetzky's March by Johann Strauss. This was a very dramatic segment. It began with a barrage of ring-shaped shells and nautic mines in the lake. Then crackling comet candles, crossette comets and tourbillons. Then a volley of screaming tourbillons with crossettes and large colour and glitter shells above. Then shells with pistils and more glitter shells. In the lake, a large number of big comet mines burst loudly into life, dramatically close to the audience and filling the lake area with hundreds of bright comets. Meanwhile above the battle scene which was the lake, many really large colour-changing shells and shells of comets turning to colour stars. The audience were very enthusiastic.

Part 10 to the music Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven. This final, almost 5 minute long, segment is hard to describe due to the impressive scale. It began with crackling comet and colour candles with blue and glitter shells above. Next, crossed comet candles below and multi-break dazzling white comet shells above. Then shaped-burst shells of rings, rings with a central pistil giving the effect of a large flower and some very impressive shaped-bursts of dual-concentric rings and some with triple rings - but the rings linked together rather than concentric. Then shells of weeping willow and the same but with dazzling white comets and multi-breaks of the same. Then colour and glitter shells, blue and gold comet shells. Then some really large shells where the stars changed colour three or even four times. Barrages of mines were happening on the ground whilst the show in the air starts to defy description at this point. As the music became ever more dramatic, the number of shells bursting in the air increased to the point that it is virtually impossible to describe. Shells of all types and colours, crackling comets, glitter, white comets. The sky was completely filled with burst after burst after burst - many per second. Finally a simultaneous barrage of dozens of shells, a slight pause and a final thunderous volley of titanium salutes. The crowd applauded wildly.

This was a truly magnificent display. The co-ordination to the music was superb throughout. Good use was made of the Mirage multimedia facilities. The nautic mines were staggering, the quality of the shells was amazing and great use of rockets. Two weeks ago I said that Brezac would be the display to beat, I think that the Austrians may have just done that tonight. A truly excellent display. The only downside was that five minutes after the end of the display, a small barrage of shells was fired - presumably these had failed to go off at the correct time and were being disposed of before allowing traffic back through the shoot site.