WSO AT THE CONCOURSE

Inset

With the umbrella title AMADEUS: CLASSIC MOZART AND BACH the magnificent Willoughby Symphony Orchestra (WSO) and choir presented us with a tremendous performances featuring Mozart and Bach as well as two wonderful contemporary works. Their final concert for 2014 was performed in front of a full house. It was a privilege to have Gail Giles-Gidney, the Mayor of Willoughby, in attendance.

Special guest conductor Paul Fitzsimon was intense, energetic and fiery. He is currently on the staff of Opera Australia and also has various international conducting commitments. He looked slim and striking in orchestral black.

Australian composer Graeme Koehne’s piece To his servant Bach, God Grants a Final Glimpse : the Morning Star opened the exciting program. Koehene was inspired by and uses Bach as a model, musically and aesthetically. The work was stately and flowing, with quite a bit of repetition of musical phrases. It has a sweetly elegant conclusion with the use of double violins.

We were then treated to a magnificent performance of JS Bach’s Concerto in D Minor for two Violins BWV 1043 with guest soloists Harry Ward and Phoebe Gardner. Curly haired Ward wore a striking plum coloured jacket and ensemble, Gardner wore a long, sleeveless flowing summer dress which had a marbled print design on it.

The first movement was rather stately  and yet lyrical with yearning violins. The second movement was faster, more of a dialogue between the soloists and orchestra. There were some showy solo passages and the playing was vibrant and inspired and the audience roared its approval .

Christopher Pantelidis was presented with the Willoughby Symphony /Fine Music 102.5 Young Composer Award by Mayor Giles – Gidney and then his wonderful piece The Southern Cross was performed with Gardener as violin soloist. The piece featured a beautiful, aching lament contrasted with stormy sections and there was an intriguing use of a xylophone in short, sharp and spiky segments. Towards the end there were surging rhythms like a swirling galaxy and then a spiky, striking finish. Very impressive.

After interval there was a magnificent rendition of Mozart’s Requiem (as completed by Franz Sussmayr), with no Salieri in sight. This was a powerful, stirring, inspired and passionate performance. The four soloists (Clarissa Spata soprano, Emily Edmonds mezzo, David Hamilton tenor and bass Daniel Nicholson) were in terrific form.

Fitzsimon’s conducting was energetic and precise. The choir throbbed during the Lachrymosa and the Offertorium was quite stormy, The choir were also thrilling and chilling during the Introit. There were sharp chords in the Agnus Dei. The only reservation that I had was that the organ on stage was drowned out to a large extent by the orchestra and choir.

The WSO has announced their season for next year- http://theconcourse.com.au/event/willoughby-symphony-2015-season-electrifying-intensity. It looks like it will be another great year for this exciting Company.