With a programme including works by Stravinsky and Shostakovich, it seemed somewhat perverse to entitle a concert “Haydn’s Cello Concerto”. How exciting could it be? As it turned out, very, thanks to the Chinese-Australian soloist Li-Wei Qin and, of course, the Swiss-Australian conductor Elena Schwarz and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. While the regular concertmaster Laurence Jackson’s name appeared in the printed programme, he did not actually appear, the role was shared between Riley Skevington and Semra Lee.
The first item was Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite, his 1922 orchestral distillation of the ballet, itself based on music by Pergolesi and contemporaries. It is often described as Neoclassical, but Neo-Baroque might be more accurate, comprising nine short contrasting movements including dances, albeit unmistakably modern with respect to orchestration and modalities. Schwarz led a buoyant start, which seemed to taper off a little before consolidating into a solid attack. The flutes (Andrew Nicholson, Mary-Anne Blades) in the Serenata sounded a note of melancholy, and the subsequent swerves into different moods and varied instruments was very well handled. Some of latter hardly ever get a solo airing in symphony concerts, and it was refreshing to hear the trombone (Joshua Davis) and double bass (Andrew Sinclair) standing out from the ruck, and the burbling bassoon (Jane Kirchner-Lindner) in the Gavotta was definitely Baroque-like.
Haydn’s Cello Concerto no. 1 in C major was lost to the world for some 200 years after its composition in the early 1760s, but is now a repertoire staple. It requires a much smaller ensemble than Pulcinella, though it also has Baroque stylistic aspects. Li-Wei Qin turned in an electrifying performance from the word go, playing with flamboyant energy and precise technique. While setting a brisk pace, the first movement was nonetheless spacious, allowing the horns to accentuate the bridging passages. Qin concluded this movement with an impressive extended cadenza. The strings-only Adagio was meltingly beautiful, contrasting with the Allegro molto finale, which swept along happily but was not devoid of some interesting internal tension. The performance was greeted with rapturous applause, to the extent that an encore was mandatory. Qin obliged with a virtuosic rendition of Alone by Giovanni Sollima.
After an interval, the orchestra returned in bulked up Shostakovich mode, but first embarked on a very similarly scored piece by contemporary Australian Holly Harrison. Entitled Hi-Vis, this work was prompted by the composer’s exposure to major roadworks outside her home at night. She cites influences of electronic dance music, boot scooting and disco but there were definite jazz elements such as bluesy notes. In any case, it was a lot of fun.
Some people think Shostakovich’s Ninth Symphony is a relatively light-hearted work. Equally, charges of irony cannot be dismissed, composed as it was in 1945. Does one imagine an underlying angst in the Presto middle movement? Again, a variety of instruments took the spotlight, Schwarz conducting with delicate precision and a great sense of pacing. The straightforward opening Allegro featured a lively piccolo (Michael Waye). In the Moderato, clarinet (Allan Meyer), flute (Andrew Nicholson) and oboe (Liz Chee) had their say, while the strings and horns made sumptuous sounds. A bassoon solo marked a highlight of the Largo. The Allegretto brought the work to a traditionally triumphant-sounding conclusion.
