Above : Co-Artistic Director of ARCO, violinist Rachael Beesley, led the orchestra in this all-Mozart concert. Photo credit: Robert Catto
An all-Mozart concert is a formidable undertaking for any group of musicians. It is also a tremendous treat for the audience. The period instruments used by historically informed performance (HIP) superstars Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra (ARCO) dazzled us with their commitment to Mozartean drama and authentic sound as Mozart would have written for, produced at the keyboard and conducted or experienced himself.
This entertainment, with the four works in chronological order, included Mozart works from the age of twenty until three years before his death. Music from the genre of charming outdoor ensemble, from his enterprising piano concerto performances as well as his matured theatre and symphonic voice from 1776 to 1788 was presented in this exciting early music event.
Starting with the least well known work of the four, the Serenata Notturna K239 was a fresh and fun way to begin a concert. In this, the younger brother to Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Mozart’s younger but accomplished voice was joyously revealed to us by ARCO strings.
Above: Joining the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra ranks for this concert were three interns from the ‘Young Mannheim Symphonists’ programme, including double bassist Rio Kawaguchi, (pictured second from left ). Photo credit: Robert Catto.
Rachael Beesley’s charismatic leading of featured string players plus timpani was full of fine characterisation across the four movements with a carefree, innocent nature.
Blend of the string soloists with the rest of the ensemble was seamless. Moments of surprise, humour and playfulness were enjoyed by the musicians and audience.
Even in this early work, Mozart’s penchant for quickly turning the music’s flow a more introspective and darker colour with flashes of stormy drama was well in evidence. As in the rest of this concert, where there were more musical clouds more frequently in the works, Beesley and her outdoorsy-music troupe here seized every opportunity to render the music with exquisite shapes, contrast and colour.
One of the greater moments of refresh came in the presentation of Mozart’s popular Piano Concerto No 23 in A major, K 488, played on the Walter replica fortepiano. This instrument had a smaller tone for its utterances than that of interpretations on modern instruments. Changed here was the modern keyboard tone rising above the orchestra with a reverberant soar in moments such as the slow movement’s bare-skeleton cantabile.
Neal Peres Da Costa’s Historically Informed Performance experience and research brought so many new options and approaches to this slow movement and in the rest of the well-known concerto. The intimate voice of the fortepiano was imbued with arpeggiation, embellishment of line and extra material to push the sound through the fortepiano’s quicker fade in tone.
The F sharp minor slow movement was nicely voiced and ornamented. Its interplay with strings and wind to trace the harmonic contour and surprises was beautifully achieved. The fortepiano tone blended into the sonic tapestry rather than rise above it as it would with a more resonant modern instrument and performance practice.
This concerto, with wind and especially clarinets used in the narrative so much, was in good hands here with the quality contributions from ARCO players. Keen tempi for the surrounding movements worked well. This pianist’s flow of keyboard filigree on the period instrument and placement of each fresh idea ensured dazzling moments of lightness and great forward motion.
Above: ARCO member and fortepiano soloist for this concert, Neal Peres Da Costa. Photo credit: Robert Catto.
Following this concerto was the darker seriousness of the Overture to Don Giovanni , written the following year, 1787. As the orchestra outlined the more direct drama of this theatre music, there were many moments of light and dark in the stormy sky above.
This performance had great theatrical swagger. It also was presented with the reverence that late Mozart deserves. Many moments of fresh shape, contrasts in hue and direction of line in this overture allowed it to bounce to us with a new veneer and carefully variegated gesture.
The full orchestral tutti declamations in this overture were again heard in the final work of the concert. The ‘Jupiter’ Symphony rounded out the substantial programme. There were tempestuous and shifting skies here indeed as Mozart’s final symphonic work was boldly celebrated.
This work concluded the Mozart night with an energetic Molto Allegro finale. Layers of inner detail and direction were unhindered by the rapid speed. Elegance and delicacy graced the third movement’s dance movement and trio. The mighty first movement ebbed and flowed from these Classical Period experts with firm fire and nice moments of contrast or respite.
This compelling programme and ensemble of experts took us on a rocketing journey through Mozart’s lifespan and his developing depth of drama. It jumped from the functionality of his early days to the fiery statements of his late compositions. With the fragments from such a fresh interpretation of these popular hits in joyous repeat in the heads of audience members, a hearty and grateful ovation was given.