Venue: The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
Date: 3 August 2001
Reviewer: Jane Penistan
This enjoyable and unusual concert comprised classical and romantic music written by composers who had lived in Vienna. Opening and closing with Mozart, it was interspersed with nineteenth-century works whose composers' names are forever associated with crown jewel of the Danube: Johann Strauss, Junior, Richard Strauss, and Gustav Mahler.
The overture to The Magic Flute showed Mozart at his mature best. The full orchestra played with clarity and comprehension of this prophetic piece. Leaping ahead into the Vienna of the nineteenth century, the next offering was the exuberant "Weiner Blut" by Johan Strauss, Junior, a presentation of the elegant, carefree, and slightly decadent life enjoyed by the wealthy of the swinging city. The romance, the gaiety, and the "chocolate cream soldier" militarism were all happily waltzed in this enjoyable Viennese bonbon.
Mahler's Funf Lieder Nacht Ruckert was a tranquil contrast. These five poems set to differing orchestral combinations were exquisitely sung by Susan Platts, to whom Maestro Tovey and the orchestra supplied beautifully sensitive and disciplined support. For the slightly coy sonnet "Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder" Mahler uses a single woodwind, one horn, a harp, and strings without basses. "Ich atmet einen linden Duft," a work of extreme delicacy, employing two bassoons, horns, harp, celeste, violin, and viola, was tastefully and sensitively presented.
The longer contemplative poem "Um Mitternacht" is an austere work for which Mahler uses full woodwinds, horns and brass, with timpani, harp, and piano, but no strings. Beginning thoughtfully, the piece moves to a solid resolution. Through this long crescendo the orchestra was never in danger of overpowering the singer's delightful voice. "Liebst du um Schonheit," a love song Mahler wrote to his wife, was charmingly sung and played.
The last song in this anthology, "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen," treats the then-fashionable theme of withdrawal from the world, is scored for oboe, cor anglais, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, harp, and strings and is said to be Mahler's finest lied. Flawlessly sung, it was a fitting end to the first part of the concert. The perfect partnership of singer, conductor, and orchestra in this lieder section cannot be too highly commended.
After the intermission two compositions by brilliant seventeen-year old composers were played. Serenade for Winds, Op. 7 in E Flat Major for thirteen wind instruments by Richard Strauss and Mozart's Symphony No. 25 in G Minor. Although very much a nineteenth- century musician Strauss's works have a certain elegance reminiscent of the eighteenth century, and, not surprisingly, he was an ardent admirer and conductor of Mozart's opera and symphonies.
The concert concluded with teenage Mozart's happy Symphony No. 25. Elegant and tuneful, the work displays a maturity beyond his years. The orchestra played with suitable style and grace, concluding a most enjoyable evening allegro con brio.
© 2001, Jane Penistan