REVIEW: Tour de Force | Asher Fisch and
WASO
Cicely Binford
Perth Arts Live
3 October 2016
West Australian Symphony Orchestra is about to embark on tour to the United Arab Emirates and
China, and to give Perth audiences a taste of what they’ll be bringing to distant shores, they’ve
presented Tour de Force. Over two evenings, Asher Fisch conducted four of the works which will be
performed overseas in Beijing and Shanghai: Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Overture
(performed at Friday night’s concert), Sculthorpe’s Kakadu (performed at Saturday night’s concert),
Saint‑Saens’s Piano Concerto No.5 Egyptian, and Mahler’s Symphony No.5. This marks the first time
in 10 years the orchestra has toured overseas, and by the sound of it, the ensemble is primed to
showcase its outstanding talents.
First on Friday night’s program is Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Overture, which sets
the evening off to a lively, playful start. Mendelssohn began writing the piece when he was just 17,
and indeed it is youthful and vivacious, with all the puckishness that a piece inspired by
Shakespeare’s work demands. Part of our enjoyment of the piece comes from matching each of its
sections to the corresponding components of the play: the fleet‑footed scurrying of Puck, the lovers in
the forest, the nuptial celebrations, the ‘mechanicals’ putting on their play, the mix‑ups and mishaps,
and the somnolent, dreamlike state into which the story repeatedly enters and wakes from. The
romantic opener is a light and breezy set‑up for the next piece in the program, Saint‑Saens’s Piano
Concerto No. 5.
After a quick re‑set of the stage, with piano front‑and‑centre, we welcome Jean‑Yves Thibaudet to
the stage to perform Saint‑Saens’ Egyptian concerto, so called because it was wri�趠en while the
composer was in Luxor. It’s a sea voyage to exotic lands, evoking rushing water, the adrenaline of
embarking towards foreign climes, observing the new sights and most importantly, mysterious new
sounds. The influence of middle‑eastern and Eastern scales and tonalities comes into play, and
suddenly we’ve lifted the lid of a sarcophagus, laid eyes on golden treasures, and perhaps got wind of
an ancient curse. Thibaudet makes light work of Saint‑Saens’ rapid tempos and flying
runs; we hold our breath as his fingers make their way up and down the keyboard with furious
impatience. The exhilarating climax of the third movement puts us on a nearly‑capsizing boat, but
adrenaline drives the ensemble right to a triumphant end. After several ovations, Thibaudet returns to
the stage for an encore with a Brahms Klavierstucke of an entirely different character: delicate,
sweeping, and gentle; with this piece, we become aware that Thibaudet doesn’t just play piano, he
plays us. We’re held suspended by the music that moves through him.
An interval then gives us pause and time to mentally prepare ourselves for the juggernaut that is
Mahler’s Symphony No.5, and as the unmistakable herald rings out from principal trumpet Brent
Grapes, Asher Fisch and Mahler take firm command of the room. Seven French horns dominate the
back brass line, and as the funeral march gives way to the Scherzo and the Adagie�趠o and presses
on to the Finale, we are led on an intense hour long journey through the highest heights and deepest
depths of the human soul. You couldn’t ask for a better brass section; they rise to Mahler’s challenge
and excel. Grapes is particularly stunning throughout, as is principal hornist David Evans. The strings
are lush and rich in the Adagietto, and despite some occasional uncharacteristic initial tuning
problems in the woodwinds, the frequently jaw‑dropping and breathtaking piece comes to a rousing
finish.
WASO will take the international stage in top form, and West Australians can be proud to call them
our own.
Asher Fisch & WASO: Tour de Force
30 Sept & 1 Oct
Perth Concert Hall