Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 20 Jun 2013
Guest conductor Rory Macdonald made his debut with the ASO in grand style with an eclectic program that comprised Janáček’s dramatic Taras Bulba, Dvořak’s dreamy Op.40 Nocturne, Elgar’s luscious Enigma Variations and a new, well, ‘quirky’ piccolo concerto by Australian composer Paul Stanhope. Macdonald is only 32 years old but he displayed an understanding of the texts that transcended his comparatively tender years (as far as conductors go).
Taras Bulba is a programmatic work and focuses on three particularly grim scenes from the life of Russian writer Gogol’s eponymous Cossack leader, revolutionary and hero: the death of his younger son at his own hands for treachery, the execution of his older son and his own death at the hands of enemies. Knowing this program allows one to understand and better enjoy the music. Under Macdonald’s baton, the colour, turbulence and high emotion of the music was palpable. The dark trombone and tortured clarinet in the second movement surrealistically captured the dialogue between father and son in the second movement, and the French horn and solo violin section of the third movement depicting Taras Bulba’s capture was sublime.
Stanhope’s Concerto for Piccolo and Orchestra in two movements was commissioned by Symphony Services Australia and had its world première with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra earlier this month. This was the Adelaide première and Stanhope himself was in attendance. I did not particularly enjoy the composition. The musical contour was, in the composer’s own words, “jagged and spiky” and the eccentric orchestration that included strange instrumental juxtapositions such as piccolo against contrabassoon or tuba never allowed a sustained theme to develop. Rather it was episodic and became a vehicle for the soloist to demonstrate their virtuosity and how the piccolo itself can cut through almost any musical muscle that might stand in its way. However, one could only marvel at Julia Grenfell’s technique and all but hold one’s breath in exhilaration as she conquered the extended and dazzling cadenza in the second movement.
The main event for the evening was the Elgar, and the entire audience had patiently waited for the gloriously beautiful ninth variation, the so-called “Nimrod”. The composition comprises fourteen variations but on an original theme that is hidden. Elgar himself has said that the theme is “not played” and he never confided in anyone as to what it was. Needless to say, there has been much academic debate over the years as to the theme that Elgar had in mind, but it is an enigma – excuse the pun – that is likely never to be solved. The composition has been recorded and performed many, many times over the years, and it is difficult to know whether Macdonald’s interpretation has added anything or is any more memorable than what has come before. After all, the composition itself is not so remarkable that it lends itself to idiosyncratic interpretation. Macdonald himself has been reported as saying that “the only way to keep it fresh is just to play it really well”, and he and the ASO did just that.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
