Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 15 Aug 2025
The term ‘rhapsody’ has its meaning rooted more in emotional response than it does as a formal label for a particular musical structure. But it’s an apt term, especially for particular compositions. Tonight’s program didn’t include any pieces that go by the title of ‘rhapsody’, but one in particular evoked an emotional response that is easily described as ‘rhapsodic’, and that was Ma Vlast: Vltava better known as The Moldau, composed by Smetana. The entire program was very much enjoyed by the Town Hall audience, although many of them left humming various iconic themes from The Moldau.
The program’s centre piece was Prokofiev’s Concerto for Violin No.2 in G Minor, Op.63, and the soloist was Kate Suthers, who is the ASO’s very own concertmaster. Suthers is a fine musician who can elicit the most sublime sounds from her 100-year-old Italian-made instrument. She is lyrical, dignified, and occasionally showy in contrast to her self-effacing demeanour. Tonight, she was onstage surrounded by her friends from the orchestra and superbly supported by Portuguese guest conductor Nuno Coelho. Between them, Suthers and Coelho brought meaning to the composition’s shifting contrasts, and they purposefully built and released tension while allowing the lyricism and passion (especially in the andante assai second movement) to come through. Coelho’s expressive left hand shaped and moulded wonderful articulation from the orchestra, particularly from the flutes, woodwinds and horns. At the concerto’s end, the audience brought Suthers back for three bows, and she and Coelho warmly embraced. Her unexpected encore with Sharon Grigoryan and David Sharp (celli) was just so sweet, as was Suther’s final acknowledgement to the audience shyly offered from the wings as if to say ‘what’s all the fuss about!! (Kate, you should be fussed over!)
The concert began with Dvorak’s Othello Overture, Op.93 B.174, which is not often performed. Dvorak uses musical motifs to represent the key characters in the Shakespearean play and armed with that information we can sense how the various character arcs play out, as suggested in Dylan Henderson’s comprehensive program notes. Coelho controlled the pace and passion of the piece but loosened his reigns on the orchestra at the overture’s intense climax. It was exciting! One might ascribe the label of ‘programmatic music’ to the composition, but knowing (or not) the story of Othello has little bearing on how it is enjoyed.
The second half of the program began with the ever popular The Moldau. Whereas Dvorak’s Othello Overture might not immediately (or at all!) evoke a programme and bring Shakespeare’s narrative to mind, Smetana’s The Moldau most certainly conjures mental images of a majestic river weaving its way through a dramatic landscape. One simply thinks water! Again, the flutes were at the top of their game, and Coelho took the whole piece at fair pace with acute dynamics to expose its drama.
The concert rounded out with another composition that is not frequently performed. Janacek’s Taras Bulba is a three-movement composition that looks at dramatic and tragic aspects of the life of the fictional 17th century Cossack warrior Taras Bulba (who is likely to be a composite of several historical personalities). Like its subject matter, the music is intense and is scored for a large orchestra, including a wide percussion section, harp and organ. Without knowing the music’s ‘programme’, it is unquestionably rhapsodic, and one clearly senses its drama. There are musical expressions of savagery, nationalistic pride, love and betrayal, despair, and deep sorrow. It has it all. Coelho carefully balanced the forces of the ASO to ensure musical expressions of violence did not dominate, especially in the horn and brass sections. Above all, nobility shone through.
Rhapsody was an unusual concert in the way it was programmed. Some favourites, and some less frequently played gems, with the might of the ASO on full display and with an exciting guest conductor at the helm.
Kym Clayton
When: 15 Aug
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
