Master Series 9. Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 6 Nov 2015
Entitled Eroica, the ingenious programme was infused with Beethoven. It began with Brett Dean’s Testament, which was inspired by a remarkable and heart rending letter written by Beethoven – the so called Heiligenstadt Testament. (Dean was also the guest conductor for the concert.) This was followed by the version of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.20 that included two cadenzas written by Beethoven, and the programme concluded with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, the mighty Eroica.
Brett Dean chose to reconfigure the usual seating arrangements of the orchestra, and positioned the cellos to the center front of the orchestra, approximately swapping them with the violas. The effect was to provide a mellower sound across the breadth of the stage, which was more apparent to the audience at stage left.
Behind his tight smile wunderkind pianist Benjamin Grosvenor was surely enjoying the abundant applause that was showered on him by a large and enthusiastic audience at the conclusion of the Mozart Piano. Grosvenor at times almost appeared impartial during the concerto, especially during the very popular slower second romance movement, but the simple matter is that he appears to give a wide berth to flamboyant and excessively demonstrative gesture. What is crystal clear is his deep understanding of the music and his technical prowess, and together the result is almost disquieting for someone who is only in his early twenties. Young musical prodigies are not entirely rare, but Grosvenor has something special. His execution of the two Beethoven cadenzas were especially insightful and appealing: seemingly effortless strength tempered by precision, control and musicality.
Brett Dean’s Testament was dramatic, but was more interesting than enjoyable. String players using two bows each – one with rosin and the other without. The former produced thin scratchy tones from the instruments, which Dean explained was a musical interpretation of the anguished sound Beethoven’s quill might have made on the parchment as he wrote his letter.
The performance of the Eroica was intriguing. Brett Dean chose to have the orchestra play standing with the exception of the basses, and he also played and conducted from the viola. I am told there are both advantages and disadvantages with playing from the standing position, but the result was ‘outstanding’! It was pacy, but not too fast, and it was passionate to the extent that many of the audience erupted into spontaneous applause at the end of the third movement.
This concert was just superb. It had everything: both new music and the classics; a conductor who also played and conducted from his own instrument; innovation in staging; and a performance from an emerging giant amongst soloists.
Bravo ASO.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
