Mariss Jansons drives his 120-player musical Porsche into Brisbane with plenty of style and horsepower.

Queensland Performing Arts Concert Hall

November 24, 2013

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is currently celebrating its 125th birthday. What better way to honour this jubilee than to perform Ein Heldenleben op. 40 (A Hero’s Life) by Richard Strauss. A work the composer dedicated to the RCO. And it’s an excellent vehicle to reveal this Dutch orchestra’s mastery and finesse under the legendary direction of Chief Conductor Mariss Jansons.

Like the Porsche 918 Snyder, supposedly the most expensive car in the world, the Dutch superstar band of 120-players strong is fine tuned to perfection – it’s touch sensitive, it has more power than can be revealed within a concert hall. Jansons commands and the players’ response is instant, the sound distinctive, the articulation infinitely variable yet exact. The RCO is an orchestral wonder. You don’t have to agree with its interpretative direction to enjoy listening to it, the musical might is unmistakeable, the sound glorious.

Beethoven had the first word with an account of his Third Piano Concerto Op. 37 in the stormy key of C Minor, a favourite during his so-called “heroic period.” Anyone doubting the RCO’s...