A concert that really lived up to its name! The West Australian Symphony Orchestra usually concentrates on the later symphonic repertoire, but here it took a step back in time (albeit on modern instruments) to the first half of the 18th century with works by the French Rebel, the Italian Vivaldi, the German Pisandel and the international Handel in a programme entitled ‘Baroque Brilliance’. It also provided a showcase for local favourites, violinist Shaun Lee-Chen, currently concertmaster for the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, and the seemingly ageless soprano Sara Macliver.
This was a necessarily pared down WASO, currently exiled from its natural Perth Concert Hall home during renovations, performing here in the sympathetic surrounds of His Majesty’s Theatre, a small Edwardian gem. The opening number was the short movement “Chaos” from Jean-Féry Rebel’s ballet Les Élémens, which started with an appropriate, if rather startlingly dissonant, phrase and moves through a whirlwind of bass against high melodies of piccolo and flute (Sonia Croucher and Mary-Anne Blades).
Following this was Vivaldi’s solo motet In furore iustissimae irae, another whirlwind of sound, finding Macliver, visually brilliant in red satin, in fine form. The opening movement embodies divine wrath, demanding virtuosic accuracy and flexibility, which Macliver provided in spades, alongside her trademark crystalline purity and beauty of tone and beautifully projected pianissimi notes. The brief recitative pleads for mercy and in the slow aria the “weeping turns to joy”, with a very exposed vocal line supported by just violin and viola (Daniel Schmitt). The work culminated in more exciting coloratura dazzle in the “Alleluia” from the soprano and a very hard working double bass (Andrew Sinclair). Mention should also be made of harpsichordist Stewart Smith for his convivial contribution.
Johann Georg Pisandel is hardly a household name, but was known to his contemporaries Bach and Vivaldi as a virtuoso violinist, and to us today for a small number of string works including ten violin concertos. We were treated to one in D major (JunP 1.5a), a rather quirky work, but an excellent vehicle for Lee-Chen’s mastery of his instrument, which allowed his expressive personality to shine through. The serene second movement involved some sonorous oboe playing (Liz Chee and Stephanie Nicholls), followed by a jaunty Allegro with fleet passage work for the violinist.
More Vivaldi arrived after the interval in the form of Al santo sepolcro (Sinfonia in B minor, RV 169) providing an understated welcome back from a small group of strings, after which a drum roll signalled the arrival of the rest of the players to take their places and embark on Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks. This was composed for George II in celebration of the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1749, a wonderfully celebratory but never pompous work with lots of winds and percussion. The group launched into the majestic opening Adagio followed by an Allegro played with great energy, followed by a very sprightly Bourrée. The lyrical La Paix was followed by an even more energetic Réjouissance, then the gracious Menuet movements, followed by very warm applause indeed.
