It’s the first wet, and humid summer afternoon of the season and you are running to get to the church on time. Thus was I last Saturday dashing along Ocean St on my way to St Columba Uniting Church to be “seduced” by the Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra. Fear not, I made it time.
St Columba’s is a beautiful Church ideal for orchestral concerts. I particularly delighted in the fact that the side door was open allowing wafting breezes to bestill my beating heart. I believe it is somewhat acoustically superior to WPOs other venue for this triptych of suites – that being St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church just up the road – though it is crowned with a spectacular dome.
First on the bill was Claude Debussy’s Petite Suite- originally composed between 1886-89 as piano four hands -two players at one piano. The 1907 Paul-Henri Busser version played that afternoon includes harp, piccolo and cor anglais and a lots of percussion. Just my thing!! Comprising four short and different movements the whole piece bounced along through gentle environmental themes, threatening storm motifs and the concluding waltz time ballet.
Before the interval we were treated to Matt Withers appearance for Nigel Westlake’s Antarctica – Suite for Guitar and Orchestra. This haunting piece and extension to the score for John Weiley’s film Antarctica has all the majesty and grandeur that locale conquers up to the imagination. The composition continuously alerted me to the vulnerability of that mysterious landscape. Sharp at times much like jagged ice it is at one moment frightening and then poignant.
Friends and supporters of Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra provided a delightful (and gratis) late afternoon tea, along with raffles, CD sales and information regarding future events. Soon my companion and I were back in those same cool seats ready to be thrilled by the wonders of Mozart’s Symphony No 40 in G Minor. Composed in 1788, its dark qualities no doubt reflect the troubles in Wolfgang’s world at the time. With some 3 years of life left he was in a most prolific mode of composition, all the while fighting illness, family strife and bothersome financial matters. The minor keys in three or the four movements justifying this. Although the piece has moments of light energetic moods the latter part of the music barely lets up its grimness to the end. The result being astonishing and up there with one of my favourites, his Jupiter Suite No 41. Explore these last Mozart symphonies Nos 39-41, then go revisit the film Amadeus and fall in love all over again with the genius.
SUITE SEDUCTION, (Debussy, Westlake and Mozart). Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra. December 2, 2017
Reviewed by Mark G Nagle
