Youthful enthusiasm marked the fourth and final program in the Melbourne Youth Orchestra 2012 Concert Series. With guest conductor Paul Fitzsimon at the helm, the 15 to 25 year old members of the orchestra rose to the challenges presented by three major Romantic works, responding confidently to clear, well-shaped musical direction.
Fitzsimon was an excellent choice of conductor. At only 29 years of age himself, he is already establishing a notable reputation both in Australia and abroad. That he was able to establish a close rapport with his young players was evident throughout the program.
After a stirring rendition of Brahms’ Tragic Overture, notable for some thrilling full orchestral sound, the orchestra was joined by dramatic contralto, Liane Keegan. Despite the vocal indisposition caused by an attack of sinusitis, which was announced prior to her appearance, Keegan’s performance of Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder was invested with an uncommon warmth and beauty of tone. Her voice has the depth of a contralto sound without being unduly heavy or ‘mannish’ and her soft singing was nuanced and affecting. Wagnerian colour and amplitude were at the service of musical and poetic expression. The orchestra produced some fine, sensitive playing, especially in the atmospheric ‘Im Treibhaus’, but lacked the experience to relax the rhythm sufficiently at some points. The last of the five songs, ‘Träume’, suffered most from an overly four-square or safe approach.
In Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4, which constituted the second half of the program, the orchestra was well and truly put through its paces. Strong, confident playing from the brass characterised the fanfare representing Fate at the beginning of the long, demanding first movement. While the horns sometimes had trouble initiating chords cleanly, there was much to admire in their playing. The rest of the brass line-up was generally secure with some exciting moments coming from the trumpets in the outer movements. Louis Sharpe’s efforts on the timpani also contributed significantly to a number of exhilarating climaxes.
Not surprisingly, the string section of the Melbourne Youth Orchestra contains the most variation in age and level of ability. While there was sometimes unevenness in the quality of the playing, the sound was generally full, with a satisfyingly rich tone coming from the lower strings, particularly in the second movement. There was also some lovely flute playing in this movement. Matthew Chan proved to be an effective Concertmaster, leading the strings in a suitably playful pizzicato for the Scherzo. The concert sped towards a triumphant conclusion in the final movement and was rewarded with a deservedly enthusiastic response from an appreciative audience.
With Michael Kieran Harvey’s spirited presentation for the 2012 Peggy Glanville-Hicks address still reverberating in the atmosphere, the complete absence of Australian music in this program struck a worrying chord. Nevertheless, the learning of Romantic repertoire provides important nourishment for young musicians and immersion in a whole program of similar music can be a more productive learning experience than a diverse one, especially when it is only one concert in a series. Besides which, Lords of the Loch, a modern string piece by Australian composer Stephen Chin will be featured on Saturday 10 November as Melbourne Youth Music celebrates its 45th birthday. Long may it continue!
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Melbourne Youth Orchestra
2012 Concert Series, concert no. 4
Guest Conductor: Paul Fitzsimon
Dramatic Contralto: Liane Keegan
Brahms – Tragic Overture, Op.81
Wagner – Wesendonck Lieder
Tchaikovsky – Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36
Iwaki Auditorium, Melbourne
4 November
