★★★★½ First-rate performance of symphonic repertoire’s central pillar leaves an overwhelming impression.

Llewellyn Hall, Canberra
May 12, 2016

Despite its detractors, amongst whom was Stravinsky, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony still remains the central pillar of the symphonic repertoire and any reasonable performance of it will make an overwhelming impression, as it did on the rapt, attentive and finally wildly enthusiastic audience at Llewellyn Hall. And the performance was more than reasonable, it was first rate. The orchestral playing was excellent, with a real sheen on the strings, the balances between the chorale and instrumental choirs were well maintained and the conductor, Stephen Mould, had a firm grip on proceedings from start to finish. Australia is never short of singers and the contribution from members of Opera Australia in the last movement, Emma Castelli, Brad Cooper, Anna Dowsley and Andrew Moran, was more than adequate, as was that of the CSO Community Choir conducted by Tobias Cole. The conductor’s tempi were traditional and sensible, although his faster than usual pace for the slow movement robbed it of the celestial atmosphere it should have had. A disturbing feature was the loudness of the percussion which drowned all the other instruments in the...