★★★★★ Double concerto offers delights to match Fisch’s sublime Second.

Perth Concert Hall
August 22, 2015

The West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s Brahms Festival reached second base last night in very much the same style as the opening concert: superlative sound, tight ensemble and inspired leadership. I won’t go into the numerous current virtues of WASO under Chief Conductor Asher Fisch all over again, save to reiterate that this was world-class playing from a band at the top of its game and conducting of a very special kind.

The South African-born cellist Amanda Forsyth joined her husband Pinchas Zukerman for Brahms’ last orchestral work, the Double Concerto, a showcase for the composer’s favourite cellist and an olive branch for his estranged friend, the great violinist Joachim. It’s a lyrical, unpretentious piece that has sometimes had a rough ride from commentators, but in hands of musicians such as these there should be no such cavils. Tonally, Forsyth’s bronze is a perfect match for Zukerman’s gold, while the nature of their personal relationship spills over in communicative music-making of enormous intimacy. A half smile, a nod – there’s always that little something extra going on between them as they bounce ideas around and share the joy in Brahms’ frequent bursts of rapid passagework.

Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsyth

WASO hit the ground running with none of the nervousness of opening night. The first movement – essentially a sunny creation but with a wild summer wind blowing though it – saw soloists, Maestro and orchestra alike move as one through Brahms’ delicately sketched landscape. What started out as smiles broadened to grins as Zukerman and Forsythe approached the final section, their faces clearly appreciating not just each other but the telling orchestral skill and support. The warmly nostalgic Andante with its extended singing lines suited the soloists down to the ground and saw them engage in a flawless duet, first one on top, now the other. There’s a Bohemian feel to much of this work, especially in the ‘gypsy rondo’ Finale, which conductor, orchestra and soloists seized on, powering home with evident delight. After all that hearty German fare, Zukerman and Forsyth offered a delightful Russian palate-cleansing Scherzo courtesy of Reinhold Glière.

It’s always interesting to hear a composer’s particular symphonic thoughts following on from his immediately previous offering, and experiencing Brahms’ Second Symphony a day after his First was no exception. The contrast couldn’t be clearer. Out goes the turbulent workings-through of a long-agnonised over C Minor and in comes a warm, glowing D Major, exuding a new-found calm and confidence. Fisch brought this out clear as a bell, the opening capturing a spaciousness I can’t recall before, the horn calls sounding distant (though they clearly weren’t), the string sound a gossamer whisper. The mapping out of this sunny creation was a thing of wonder, the strings sweet, yet full of solidity and power when required, the flute flitting like a butterfly across the landscape, gorgeous oboe and horn solos. The brass choirs (augmented from the concerto by three trombones and tuba) were magnificent.

The Adagio saw cellos and basses at their most noble (dare one say Elgarian?), as the long opening theme made its way through a twilight landscape shot through with the occasional moody outbursts. Fisch’s superpower it would seem is to finesse these changes from lyricism to drama, from light to dark, and this was an object lesson in orchestral balance. As in the First Symphony, a wind quintet opens the Allegretto third movement and was another opportunity to enjoy the WASO principal line up. This is Brahms at his most Tchaikovskian and the mercurial interplay between strings and woodwind was brought out with dazzling dexterity.

The Finale sketched out its themes with grace and style before Fisch called upon the orchestra to unleash its full power in thrilling, hell-for-leather display of discipline, power and volume. Again, the textural clarity achieved despite the heaviest orchestral fortes was remarkable. The teasing out of every nuance in turn-on-a-dime changes of pace and dynamic was breath-taking at times. The classy interplay between sections and instrumentalists was rendered in each of its subtle details. The final bars of this symphony can be among the most exciting moments in the Romantic repertoire (and therefore, more often than not, a moment ripe for over-imagined anticipatory let down). As the rollercoaster hurtled towards it final destination you felt the spirit soar with the realisation that you were in safe hands. The last time I heard Brahms’ Second Symphony it was care of an excellent Berlin Philharmonic – this was better.

With two more concerts, the WASO Brahms Festival continues until August 29.

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