Outside the Sydney Opera House’s sails were lit with a black and white image of a smiling Queen Elizabeth, while inside Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Scottish Principal Guest Conductor Sir Donald Runnicles had changed the program to include his own homage to the late monarch, one of the greatest English symphonies in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Fifth.

Augustin Hadelich performs Brahms with the SSO under Principal-Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles. Photo © Jaimi Joy

Bruckner’s Symphony No 3 was ditched in favour of the wartime work, which the critic Neville Cardus said “contains the most benedictory and consoling music of our time”. It proved an ideal way to close a concert staged on the eve of Australia’s day of mourning for the Queen.

The occasion also marked the Australian debut of 38-year-old German-American violinist Augustin Hadelich playing the Brahms Violin Concerto. Born in Italy of German parents and raised on a winery, Hadelich suffered dreadful burns to his face, abdomen and bowing arm at the age of 15 in a fire on the farm, and for some time his career was in doubt.

After his recovery he took out several prizes and awards, and his...