Willoughby Symphony | Parisian Rhapsody
8 Oct 2022, The Concourse, Chatswood
On a saturated Saturday, those brave enough to venture out into the rain were able to escape with the Willoughby Symphony, under the baton of Sam Weller as they presented Parisian Rhapsody.
As an expectant hush filled the auditorium we were transported to a graveyard as the tolling of the midnight hour on the harp and rattling bones from the percussion in Camille Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, Op.40 filled the concert hall. Maria Lindsay deftly transitioned between the dual role of concertmaster and soloist as the sinuous violin melody evoking the devil and his fiddle left the audience on the edge of their seats.
The orchestra was then joined by clarinet soloist Oliver Shermacher for Claude Debussy’s Première rhapsodie. Shermacher seemed to dance with the music, effortlessly spinning melodic ideas and tossing these to the orchestra to be re-caught and reimagined.
An unscripted surprise followed, with composer-in-residence Alice Chance taking to the stage to share the long creative process leading up to the world premiere of her new work Êchappsodie. From 2020 through to 2022 the work “matured” before becoming “immature again” as good friends Alice and Oliver met to explore and create the work that used the Debussy Première rhapsodie as a launching pad for creativity. Full of curiosity and wondering, the audience sank back into their chairs and were transported into a playful world full of tongue-in-cheek musical humour (think the odd “wrong” note, playful glissandos, and extended technique of the clarinet “squeaking”) and soaring melodic lines. Chance showed her flare for composition with elements of romanticism, jazz, and Australian art music clearly present. Shermacher once again shone as a soloist in Êchappsodie. His range as a musician clearly on display as he deftly navigated long lyrical lines and brilliant cadenzas. As I left the auditorium for intermission, I overheard one patron say, “I couldn’t stop smiling”, I had to agree.
After intermission, we were seated for Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, Op. 48. I was initially confused about how this work would fit with the first half, however, was expertly guided by conductor Sam Weller. Similar to the earlier Saint-Saëns tone poem or lush instrumentation of Debussy and Chance we entered a new sound world. Mezzo-soprano Cassandra Doyle floated as an angel in the Pie Jesu whilst Baritone Simon Lobelson pleaded for humanity in the Libera me. Whilst the choir’s intonation may have wavered at times, their passion and joy for music-making allowed you to become enthralled by the music.
As we left the concert hall and headed out into the rain I was smiling again, glad to have been able to escape into such contrasting but complementary music.
Review by Guest Ambassador: Wilhelmina Brown
