Simone Young is a most wonderful conductor who brings an amazing spiritual perspective to the German music she conducts. Last Friday night (August 9) I heard her take the Sydney Symphony Orchestra through a stunningly cosmic reading of Bruckner’s 9th Symphony. She was able to coax out of the orchestra massive brass chorale playing which, in its granite like strength, brought to mind the motion of planets. It was a beautiful and moving performance. The scherzo exploded with bombastic brass rhythms (was this a bit of an inspiration for Holst’s Mars?) contrasting with nervous plucked strings, this whole movement is freakish in its nightmare quality. The final movement (or is it the final movement?) was transcendental in a mahlerian sort of way with beautifully intoned lush strings. I am keen to sample Young’s Bruckner on Oehms classics with her Hamburg Orchestra which is getting excellent reviews.
The concert began with a beautifully sensitive rendition of Wagner’s Wessendonk Lieder sung by Lisa Gasteen who is continuing a gradual return to performances after serious back injury.
I might add that once again it is only the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, not Opera Australia, that is providing recognition to Wagner in his bicentennial year. Here we have two Australian artists who have been significantly associated internationally with the music of Wagner. No sign of any Wagner on stage in Sydney since 2007.
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