REMEMBRANCE, a most luxurious concert based on the theme of mourning and remembrance , marking the centenary of the end of World War 1 . Under the energetic , dynamic and precise leadership of Maestro Luke Spicer the Willoughby Symphony gave an impassioned performance.
From the funerals of presidents and princesses, to the inclusion in film and dance works , the concert began with Samuel Barber’s iconic Adagio for Strings – here performed at a very slow tempo in a hushed, rich tone. With the pacing and timing you could almost hear the pauses for the tears cascading. It built in momentum to a shimmering , haunting conclusion .
Noel Cislowski , Deputy Chair of the WSO Advisory Committee introduced the next work , Composer-in-Residence Nigel Westlake’s The Glass Soldier : an orchestral suite in five movements , based on Don Farrands book about ANZAC Nelson Ferguson ( copies of the book were available before and after the concert). The work is one of the largest privately commissioned orchestral works in Australia ( it was commissioned by Ferguson’s grandson) .
In five movements, the work was originally written for Hannie Rayson’s 2007 play about Ferguson , also called The Glass Soldier, revealing an epic love story, steeped in tragedy , pathos, drama, and the triumph against adversity. Throughout , the trumpet ( played by special guest soloist Sophie Spencer ) represents the spirit of the ANZACS.
The richly textured work opens with a blare of horns then lyrical, flowing strings which develop into the full orchestra being strident , loud and crashing ( trench warfare ?) drums xylophone and triangle are busily played by the energetic percussion team. This is followed by ominous woodwind and buzzing strings in an insistent driven melody ( the strings also use pizzicato) There is a nightmarish whirling feel with sharp choppy rhythms and the drums like cannon fire leading to pulsating hovering strings after all the major explosions.
Fluid, flowing yet aching, lamenting strings follow in the next movement. The following movement is rather pensive and reflective with sudden sharp staccato rhythms and strident, emphatic brass. The final movement features delicate strings at the beginning leading to crashing drums and humming strings all leading to an exuberant, joyous finish.
After interval Noel Cislowski , Councillor Hugh Eriksson and Julie Simonds from Fine Music presented the Winner of the Fine Music 102.5/Willoughby Symphony Orchestra Award to Daniel Dean ( who plays Double Bass in the Orchestra by the way) . Deans’ work is entitled Quadrivial Concertino . In the work you can hear jazz and late nineteenth/early twentieth century Russian composer influences .
The brief for this year’s award was a work specifically for solo oboe and strings. The special guest soloist on oboe was Callum Hogan. Deans’ work is lush and Romantic in style for the strings , while the jaunty oboe bubbles emphatically.( Hogan has a very demanding, charismatic solo ). Another section is more reflective and sombre in mood but this leads to another teasing, taunting oboe solo and a wild whirling circular dance with the Orchestra.
Robert Schumann’s ‘Rhenish’ Symphony (Symphony no. 3 op 97) brought the concert to a dramatic end. It was in five short movements .The opening was blistering and explosive with sudden gambolling horns and galloping strings. The second movement was more flowing and amiable in mood with the melody taken passed around and embroidered by the various sections of the Orchestra. The main theme was repeated , stridently developed but it all lead to a very quiet conclusion .
A stately opening of the next movement followed , a gentle intermezzo, chased by darting strings – this section had an operatic influence and was waltz like. A crashing opening began the next movement – but you could feel the heavy slow flowing of the river .There were ominous undertones throughout especially with the brass section. This was followed by lush , scurrying strings all leading to the dramatic finale of the vigorous , concluding coda.
A most stirring and eloquent concert .
Willoughby Symphony [Facebook] in their REMEMBRANCE concert was at the Concourse [Facebook] 16 and 17 June 2018.