The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s latest offering of “Masters” came in the form of two handsome imports; American conductor Eugene Tzigane and German cellist Alban Gerhardt performing Concerto for Orchestra.
The eclectic program of the fifth concert in the series opened “poco misterioso”, with the glorious and shimmering Sun Song by Australian living treasure Peter Sculthorpe AO OAM, who celebrates his 85th birthday this year. Tzigane commandingly emphasised percussionist Steven Peterka’s driving drumming against bright trumpeting, to wonderfully convey the composer’s “estatico” direction.
Antonin Dvořák’s hotly anticipated Cello Concerto saw the massively popular Gerhardt and his 1710 Matteo Gofriller cellotake to the stage in a dramatic deep red shirt and black trousers, to perform one of the best concertos for orchestra ever composed. For forty heavenly minutes, Gerhardt and Tzigane, as if connected telepathically, struck the perfect balance between soloist and orchestra. Passion, delicate trilling, and exquisite timbre were some of the reasons for the rapturous applause; Gerhardt’s calm stage presence belying the remarkable performance.
Gerhardt treated us to a non-programmed encore bonus of the Prelude from Bach’s Suite No 6 in D major BWV 1012; the audience and orchestra sat transfixed by Gerhardt’s magnificent performance.
After interval, Sculthorpe’s dramatic music-scape, From Oceania was performed for the first time by any of the state symphony orchestras. The short percussive piece fabulously featured a rarely-seen-in-an-orchestral-setting conch shell.
The headlined Concerto for Orchestra by Béla Bartók brought a new appreciation for how much hard work must have gone into the challenging, intricate and magnificent orchestral event. Tzigane conducted the stellar first movement, Introduzione with vigour and passion; utilising the light and shade complexities of the movement to maximum effect. The journey to and from the central movement Elegia (with splendid piccolo ending by Julia Grenfell) gave individuals and groups of instruments, stages on which to shine; and shine they did. The Finale brought the show to a thrilling conclusion.
As lengthy applause resulted, Tzigane gently threw his presented bouquet to a front-row patron; evoking the response of “nawww”. This was Tzigane’s Australian debut; if applause will get him to return, the audience certainly gave it a good try.
See, hear and feel dynamos Alban Gerhardt, Eugene Tzigane, and the ASO at tonight’s concert as history repeats, 6.30pm. Tickets at Bass.
Alban Gerhardt also performs solo for Recitals Australia at Elder Hall on Sunday 27 July. Tickets at Bass.
Reviewed by Gordon Forester
@GordonForester
Venue: Adelaide Town Hall
Season: 25-26 July 2014
Duration: 125 minutes
Tickets: $20 – $109
Bookings: Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
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