Lovers of Robert Schumann’s Lieder – and I count myself among those happy multitudes – will find song in everything he wrote. Judging by this intimate, lyrical performance, Belarusian-French cellist Ivan Karizna, conductor Otto Tausk and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra certainly seem to have done so in the composer’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129.

The song-seed has however already been planted when, following attacca the Overture from Haydn’s Die Schöpfung (The Creation), Sibelius’ The Swan of Tuonela finds Jonathan Ryan’s cor anglais soaring magnificently over WASO’s transparent strings. A standout performance which earns Ryan much enthusiastic applause.

Equally miraculous however is the way Tausk and WASO, with superb dynamic, textural and rhythmic finesse, makes the Sibelius seem to emerge quite naturally out of the Haydn. Creation, indeed.

Jonathan Ryan and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Photo © Daniel James Grant

Equipped with a 1760 Tassini cello formerly owned by Paul Tortelier, Karizna – making his WASO debut – then joins WASO for the Schumann. That conductor and orchestra have already demonstrated such clarity, such precise yet flexible rhythmic control, such transparency...