According to the tried-and-trusted business model, an appealing orchestral concert can typically look like this: Classical or Romantic overture, concerto, interval, major symphony. In latter years, in place of the opening number, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra successfully introduced its 50 Fanfares Project, offering commissions and exposure to as many composers. Thus, in their latest Masters Series, this concert under Vasily Petrenko began with Nineteen Seventy-Three (commemorating the 50-year anniversary of the Opera House’s opening) by Elizabeth Younan, a truly celebratory work.
Composed with great ambition, a fine sense of orchestral proportions and sounds, it makes astute use of all sections of a large performing ensemble. Younan, with an impressive list of accolades and scholarships behind her, is well past the “promising young talent” stage of her career, although all three words would still correctly characterise her. Her writing is confident and well thought out; a music of our time, challenging perhaps but still engaging and thought-provoking. Petrenko and the orchestra prepared this premiere with impressive professionalism.
German-Canadian Johannes Moser was the soloist in the audience-favourite Cello Concerto in A minor by Camille Saint-Saëns. He threw himself with magnetic energy and a massive tone into its first theme (which the composer, somewhat intriguingly, marked as mezzoforte) and the intensity of his tone remained intact even in the mesmerisingly subtle opening of the second movement. Partly due to his excellent sound projection and partly to the orchestra’s ever-attentive contribution, his playing always remained resonant and clearly audible (not to be taken for granted in Romantic cello concertos.) His choices of brisk tempi and excellent contrasts in the final movement more than comfortably compensated for the occasional technical blemishes. His seductive élan was compelling, aided by a charming, if at times exaggerated showmanship. As an encore, he lovingly performed the Sarabande from Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite in a transcription, magnificently accompanied by the six-member cello section of the orchestra.
Another popular work, The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky, closed the evening. After so many terrific SSO concerts in the last few months, this performance did not quite fulfil expectations. It is a horrendously difficult score with its fast tempi, constant changes of time signature and demanding instrumental solos. Unquestionably, the Sydney Symphony is familiar with all these challenges and can perform this piece to a superlative standard. That it did not happen this time could be due to insufficient rehearsal time, the conductor’s confidence that “you know it, I know it, it will be great” or possibly a combination of these two factors.
On a superficial level, the work sounded robust and together, for example, in the final Sacrificial Dance. However, in general, emphasising the strong dynamic contrasts prevailed at the cost of the blossoming of orchestral colours. The brilliant Introduction, mostly on woodwind instruments, sounded hesitant. A number of entries, such as the ten-part divisi harmonics just before the Dance of the Earth, felt uncoordinated and the divided glorious viola solos in Spring Rounds lacked focus.
Much of the magic of this primeval work hides in its kaleidoscopic colours, constantly changing from morbid to intimate, from triumphant to chilling, as it drives through here on guttural sounds, there in the most lyrical harmonies to its inevitable ending. Petrenko’s conducting was knowledgeable, refined and safe. He gave all the right cues and elegantly too, without, however, appearing to throw himself exuberantly into the throes of these ancient rites.
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