What a night to remember: the world premiere of a heartrending new song cycle The Last Thing by Australian composer James Ledger, and a volcanic account of Beethoven’s last symphony under the baton of charismatic British conductor Alpesh Chauhan.

Beethoven also provided the overture, from his ballet music for The Creatures of Prometheus. After an uneven start, Chauhan and WASO quickly settled in, driving the music towards its triumphant conclusion.

Alpesh Chauhan conducts the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Perth Concert Hall, 2024. Photo © Daniel James Grant

Poignantly, the ballet’s themes of creating life from fire and clay could in the context of this concert be seen as as a counterpoint to the themes of death in Irish poet and playwright Paula Meehan’s three poems as set by Ledger.

According to Ledger’s program note, the title song, The Last Thing, “describes the demise of a father and the last thing he utters”; the second song, Mother, “is a fierce and and spiteful take on a poisoned relationship between child and deceased mother”; and the third song, Child Burial, he found to be “an incredibly difficult read due to the subject matter, yet so rich in its language, imagery, and power.”

Leger’s orchestration is by turns gentle and anguished, generally eschewing naïve word-painting in favour of exploring emotional undercurrents via shifting tonal palettes. The contrasting use of lower-pitched instruments such as the cellos and trombones and the more ethereal sounds of the harp and celesta is especially evocative.

Sara Macliver and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Perth Concert Hall, 2024. Photo © Daniel James Grant

Although it was essential to follow the text while listening, soprano Sara Macliver’s limpid, flexible voice and clear feeling for the words honoured both poetry and music with a profoundly moving performance. This was mirrored in the balance and precision elicited by Chauhan from WASO, especially noticeable in the orchestral “postludes” with which each song ended. One hopes these weekend premiere performances will be very far from the last we hear of The Last Thing.

Following the interval, Chauhan amassed his forces – WASO, WASO Chorus, UWA Symphonic Chorus and soloists Eleanor Lyons (soprano), Ashlyn Tymms (mezzo), Paul O’Neill (tenor) and Samuel Dundas (bass) – for an assault on one of the pinnacles of the choral and orchestral repertoire, Beethoven’s Symphony No.9.

The sense of anticipation evoked by the opening bars of the Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso and the ensuing thunder; the striking Scherzo with its terrifying interjections; the lyrical beauty of the Adagio molto e cantabile – Andante moderato and the sublime power of the final movement: this was all here, and more.

I have never heard such an electrifying climax to this symphony before, and the combined choruses, so well-prepared by Andrew Foote, are to be especially congratulated.

Judging from the audience’s leaping to their feet and clapping and shouting “Bravo!” as the final notes were still lingering in the hall, they would probably agree with me.