Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 7 Oct 2016
Tasmin Little is a passionate conversationalist: throughout her clear and nuanced reading of Delius’ Violin Concerto she moves backwards and between inviolable concentration and almost casual dialogue with whichever section of the orchestra takes her fancy. The result is as good as you can get, and she extracts panoply of finely wrought emotions from her 1757 Guadagnini violin.
Acclaimed principal guest conductor Jeffrey Tate provides Little with great support from the podium. The dynamic balance between orchestra and solo violin is finely poised, but none more so than between the sections of the orchestra. Each and every musical idea that brings one section of the orchestra into prominence over the others is clearly heard, and it is a delight.
Such carefully constructed balance is ever apparent throughout Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll. Tate put to the sword the unfair quip that Wagner is full of beautiful moments but interminable minutes (or words to that effect!). The audience wishes the performance would never end. Tate observes what the piece has to offer, and carries the orchestra along in search of it.
Brahms’ Symphony No.3 is a fascinating composition. The entire four movements end quietly and peacefully, and at its end there is not the immediate and abrupt burst of applause from the audience that is typical of symphonies that end with a flourish. Rather, the audience is lulled into a contemplative state and Tate’s gentle yet persuasive conducting of the Adelaide Symphony certainly has that effect; especially in the inner two movements.
This performance is characterised by delicate and seemingly effortless balance. Bravo Tate!
Kym Clayton
When: 7 Oct
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
