Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 28 May 2025
The third concert in the ASO’s Brahms Symphonies series included the ever-sunny Strauss waltz On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op.314, Grieg’s iconic Concerto for Piano in A Minor, Op.16, and Brahms’ Symphony No.3 in F, Op.90.
Mark Wigglesworth took the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra to new levels of artistry, and Sir Stephen Hough made the Grieg concerto sound newly minted, and he almost didn’t need a conductor!
The entire concert was unhurried, and whether it be the Strauss, the Grieg or the Brahms, every phrase was meticulously crafted, and every note was painstakingly enunciated. It was like listening to the three pieces for the very first time, and each seemingly shouted out ‘listen to me, really listen to me’!
What does one look for in a live music concert? There are likely numerous answers, but it is surely not to hear something performed the exact same way it has always sounded: predictability can be mind numbing, but extreme novelty can be aggravating. There’s a middle way in there somewhere, and Wigglesworth and Hough both found it, and their collaboration, mutual respect, and artistry was quite remarkable.
They have collaborated on previous occasions, both live and recorded, and performed concertos by Brahms, Rachmaninov, and recently Hough’s own piano concerto (which will feature in the fourth and final concert of the current Brahms Symphonies series).
Their previous collaborations have produced richly detailed and stimulating interpretations, with fresh and heartfelt insights, and tonight’s Grieg has added to that achievement. Hough performed with muscularity and careful use of the sustaining pedal, and the first movement cadenza was astonishing in its musicality. The audience burst into spontaneous applause when the movement ended, and Hough’s eyes slightly widened as he acknowledged the great joy he’d created. The second movement felt pacy and Hough embodied a free spirit at the keyboard as he wrested every distinctive rhythm and crafted new meaning into every carefully articulated phrase. This was a mere prelude to the final third movement and Hough and Wigglesworth’s body language enhanced the dance-like structures that pervade it. They lived the music – they were both lyrical and impactful.
The program began with the Blue Danube waltz, which has been heard countless times before by countless people, but it too sounded fresh. The bowing from the double basses was imposing, and the woodwinds were almost seraphic. Wigglesworth toyed with rubato, and every member of the ASO hung on every one of his beats. He smiled at them, encouraging them to enjoy the majesty of the moment, and they smiled back at him.
Brahms’ third symphony is a masterpiece and is well known for the bucolic melodies in the poco allegretto third movement. Wigglesworth took the symphony at an almost stately pace, with occasional bursts of pace and dynamism where needed. Throughout the woodwinds, horns, and brass were superlative, especially the clarinets and flutes. Kate Suthers again demonstrated why she is such a respected concertmaster.
This concert has been a real eye opener. The ASO, conductor Mark Wigglesworth and pianist Sir Stephen Hough provided transformed experiences of classical masterpieces! Bring on the next concert in the series!
Kym Clayton
When: 28 May
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
