Limelight — May 2017

WA’S MIGHTY FISCH SCALES A NSW PEAK

The Israeli maestro leads us up Strauss’s magic mountain without the aid of lederhosen

Live Performances

Every magic

trick in Strauss’s

sorcerer’s box drew

its intended oohs

and ahs

Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
March 29, 2017

★★★★

Australian orchestras sometimes fall down on
sharing the interstate love. Asher Fisch, however,
managestobuckthetrend,havingrecently
helmed the MSO, and now Sydneysiders have
the chance to catch the man credited with the
transformation of the West Australia Symphony
OrchestraintothefinestGermanRomantic
orchestrathissideof–well,Germany–in
signature works by Brahms and Richard Strauss.
BeforeopeninguphisTeutonictrinketchest,
Fischtreatedhisaudiencetoatasteofthenew
withAfterBrahms–ThreeIntermezziforOrchestra,
Israeli-born, US-domiciled composer Avner
Dorman’s take on Brahms’ late piano music.
The firstIntermezzogets off to a disconcerting
start,asiftwopieceshavegotunderwayat
once, ideas emerging helter-skelter. Somewhat
fleeting,it’sfollowedbyaradiantmediationon
ideasfromBrahms’IntermezzoOp.119,No1.A
lovely piece, it’s kind of like imagining a Satie
Gymnopediewaltzing gently on the dance floor
with a pop song by Sibelius, until they’re tapped
ontheshoulderbyTubbytheTuba.Theromantic
thirdIntermezzo is a passionateAdagio with

reflective strings pitted against busy woodwind.

FischledtheSSOinatidyperformancethat

gavethemusicamplechancetospeakforitself.

BitsoftherealBrahmsfollowed,apairof

histoo-rarelyperformedchoralsongs–the

sublimeSchicksalslied(SongofDestiny)and

the impassionedGesang der Parzen(Song of the

Fates). The former is Brahms at his most

Elgarianandopenedwithaheart-

stopping warmth, swelling fondly

towardstheentryofSydney

Philharmonia Choirs. Respecting

thetexts,Fischgavefullfocus

tohissingers,accompanying

thedelicatevocallineswithgreat

sensitivity. They, in turn, responded

with some very graceful singing, diction

anddisciplinebothinevidence.

Fischwasequallystronginthegrandopening

ofthesecondwork,beforethechoralentryand

theinexorabletreadofthemarchunderpinned

withominoustimpani.Pacingwasspoton,the

choir clean and precise over the lengthy span.

Richard Strauss’sAlpensinfonieisaworktoo

oftenpooh-poohedassecondrate,ornon-

cohesive.Perhapsinthewronghandsthatmight

betrue,butAsherFischclearlylovesthework

(as,cardsontable,doI)andwiththeSSOon

blistering form proceeded to show the nay-

sayers a thing or two. The key strengths here

werepacingandblend.First,thiswasabrisk,

energetic traversal of Strauss’s musical mountain

–moreyoungstersintrackie-daksthanportly

Bavariansinbulginglederhosen–anditpaidoff

inspades.ButFischisalsoamasterofthejoins,

ensuring that 22 episodes never felt episodic.

Theorchestralmix,too,waswell-nighperfect,

a tribute to both conductor and band,

ensuring that every magic trick in

Strauss’ssorcerer’sboxdrewits

intended oohs and ahs.

Thedelightsweretoomanyto

mention, but on the way up I’d

singleouttheWagnerianopening

with the mighty mountain

slumbering Fafner-like in the

lowerbrass.Alsothemajestyofthe

cymbal-crashing dawn, the gloomy wallop

of the entry into the wood and the skittering

cascades of Strauss’s joyous waterfall. Fisch’s

operatic experience paid dividends at turning

thishikeintoarealdrama,theimpressionism

ofthebrookandpasturewithitslowing

cattle complete with cowbells done just right.

Woodwind revelled in birdsong, brass were

magnificent all night – nine horns for goodness

sake,fourofthemdoublingWagnertubas!

Thearrivalonthesummitwasbig,boldand

beautiful, Diana Doherty’s unexpected oboe

soloadelight–butthentherewereknockout

woodwind solos all night on cor anglais,

clarinet and bassoon in particular, and how

greatthestringssoundedwhenscaleddown

tosextetoroctetproportions.Comingdown

the mountain, the wonderfully weird mists

with muted trumpets and Wagner tubas were

winninglydone,andthenthestorm...?Strauss

maybeshowingoffjustabit,butwhatablast

it is with wind machine, screaming flutes and

piccolos,peltingstringsandapairoftimpanists

going hell for leather. Less discipline and this

canbeamess,butFisch’smanagementofthe

music’stextureandinnerdetailwastextbook.

AsherFischmaybethoughtofherein

AustraliaasWASO’ssecretweapon,but

he’s also a go-to in this repertoire from

NewYorktoViennaandhisStrausshere

bore favourable comparison with Kempe or

Karajan. In short, if you’ve ever thoughtEine

Alpensinfonieis little more than flash and

fluff,preparetohearitelevatedtothelevelof

a Bruckner or Mahler symphony.Clive Paget

Asher Fisch

86 LIMELIGHT MAY 2017 http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au

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