The Ballarat Symphony Orchestra’s concert last Sunday at the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts featured a well-executed traditional program. Guest conductor Jenny Going had a clear sense of purpose and direction throughout, confidently leading without excessive gesture.
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The opening work, Ravel’s popular “Bolero”, was given a solid and confident reading. Ravel was the master of orchestration and the desired variations of tonal textures were layered very well. The gradual crescendo created by the orchestration was well prepared, with excellent work from the woodwinds in the early part of the piece. The relentless rhythmic drive was maintained throughout.
Former BSO conductor Hugh McKelvey was the soloist in the Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra Op. 4, a sparkling work by 19th century violinist Ferdinand David. Better known for his violin mastery, he was soloist in the first performance of Mendelssohn’s great concerto, and as a teacher of some of the great violinists of the 19th century, David’s composition is nevertheless a well-structured and economic. McKelvey performed the challenging bravura sections with ease, giving great depth to the Funeral March middle movement. This is a work that deserves to be heard more often.
Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony made up the second half of the program. The four movements cover a broad range of tonal colours, with the justifiably well-known slow movement taking centre stage in most performances despite the thematic integrity of the whole work. With such strong woodwind and brass sections the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra achieved most of Tchaikovsky’s intentions. Despite growing in recent years, a larger string section with the BSO would be helpful in grand Romantic and Post-Romantic compositions. Overall it was a most satisfying performance.