It was quite a risk to pare back Mahler’s instrumentation for his first symphony, Titan, but playing Iain Farrington’s arrangement was a risk worth taking; it paid off in spades.

Just 15 players made up the orchestra. A string quintet provided the foundation, with the balance making up the bare minimum of  brass, woodwinds and percussion, and a harp.

But percussionist Timothy Constable, taking up the baton instead of a drumstick, led this ensemble, and took the audience on a fabulous romp, at times himself dancing, jumping and foot-stomping, through a glorious, spirited, energetic performance. There was a clean fresh sound all the way through, from the almost inaudible start, to the stormy finale.

Timothy Constable: Australian Festival of Chamber Music 2024. Photo © Andrew Rankin

What was remarkable was that, even when the orchestra was playing tutti and fortissimo, the strings could still be heard, sounding all the world like a full orchestral section. Orchestra leader, Adam Barnett-Hart, played his heart out, inspiring everyone else to do the same.

Another fascinating benefit of this small orchestra was an unusual clarity of sound across the ensemble as a whole as well as through...