The West Australian Symphony Orchestra has presented its final classical concert of 2024 with three triumphal works by Johannes Brahms; this was also the organisation’s last classical performance before its iconic home, Perth Concert Hall, undergoes major redevelopment in 2025. Principal Conductor Asher Fisch led the orchestra through the expressive and rousing program, which included Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture, his Clarinet Sonata No. 1 (arranged by Luciano Berio) featuring Principal Clarinet Allan Meyer, and finally his Symphony No. 4.
It’s been a good few years since WASO invited me to review one of its performances, though I haunt the choir loft as often as I can, as near to the horn section as I can get. I’ll never be able to hide my favouritism when it comes to WASO’s horns, but I will do my best to include the full complement of wonderful musicians that comprise this orchestra in my summary. In any case, I’m grateful to have spent an evening bathed in the glorious sounds of Brahms in this joyful classical conclusion to 2024.
The evening opened with the lively amuse-bouche that is the Academic Festival Overture. The players seemed to revel in its jubilant spirit, bounding through the piece with energy and enthusiasm, and the audience couldn’t agree more. Filled with old student drinking songs, the overture worked its merry magic, eliciting hurrahs and cheers upon its conclusion.
Next was Luciano Berio’s arrangement of Brahms’ Clarinet Sonata No. 1. Soloist Allan Meyer, in semi-casual attire, stood in stark contrast to the stage’s more formal denizens, signaling an unassuming presence that carried through to his performance. Meyer played with finesse, tenderness, and lyricism, though from my acoustic vantage point, he was occasionally subsumed by the orchestration, especially in the third and fourth movements. That said, Meyer’s restrained approach and Fisch’s disciplined leadership kept the piece well in check, even as Berio’s orchestration posed a more challenging sonic balancing act than Brahms’ original for clarinet and piano.
After the interval—during which Principal Flute Andrew Nicholson treated himself (and anyone still milling about in the hall) to the ultimate luxury of noodling around on stage alone—the full orchestra reassembled for Brahms’ Symphony No. 4.
The symphony was a stunning finale to the evening, a rollercoaster of sound and emotion delivered with flair. The first movement swept in like a storm, with luscious strings and dramatic brass setting an intense tone. The second movement offered a moment of calm, its bassoon through-line holding the centre of a tender and reflective moment. Fisch zips straight into the third movement, which bursts to life with playful energy, sudden piccolo, bold fanfares and spirited rhythms practically daring the orchestra to let loose – and one audience member did with a ‘Woo!’ afterwards. The finale was Brahms at his most intricate and intense, with the orchestra navigating its complex passacaglia with confidence and insistent passion. It was the kind of performance that leaves you both in awe of the music and emotionally upended.
As the last notes rang out, the audience erupted in applause, a fitting farewell to both WASO’s 2024 classical season and Perth Concert Hall’s storied stage.
CICELY BINFORD
