Remember: Sacred and Profane

Even the rain could not deter a sold-out audience attending St Peter’s Cathedral to experience Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s latest concert Remember: Sacred and Profane featuring two legendary composers Richard Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Set in the lofty edifice of the cathedral with its stained-glass windows and high vaulted ceilings, the all too short ninety minutes speed by. Having said that, it is a challenge of sorts for some concert goers – the cathedral is not air conditioned (it was a cool night) and the pews have no cushioning. (I will certainly be bringing a cushion next time)  Standing between the two items was a welcome relief!

Richard Strauss's Metamorphosen (Greek for “transformations”) is a deeply emotional and reflective work for 23 solo strings, composed in the final months of World War II. It is written in a single continuous movement, rich in counterpoint and emotional depth, and is a late Romantic work with echoes of Beethoven and Wagner.

Strauss composed Metamorphosen as a lament for the destruction of German culture, particularly the bombing of cultural landmarks such as the Munich Opera House. It’s often interpreted as a musical elegy for the loss of beauty, tradition, and humanity during the war.

At the end of the piece, Strauss quotes the funeral march from Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, inscribing in the manuscript: “In Memoriam!” This quote reinforces the idea that Metamorphosen is not just personal grief, but a broader mourning for the collapse of a cultural world.

The string section of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra transports us to another world with the rich sonorous double basses and cellos and the multiple layers of violas and violins. The effect is both soothing and disturbing at the same time.

The music sounds deceptively simple, but clearly not so when your eyes focus on the players after lingering over the Cathedral altar with its gold cloth and crucifix.

The effect is ethereal and a display of string technique. Conductor Mark Wigglesworth moves with the music, at times seemingly imploring the strings to give more and urging them on to even greater heights.

Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, K. 626 is one of the most iconic and mysterious works in classical music history. Coincidentally, it is in the same key as his Don Giovanni overture.

Mozart died on December 5, 1791, before completing the work. His student Franz Xaver Süssmayr completed the Requiem based on Mozart’s sketches and instructions. This has led to centuries of speculation and romanticized myths — including the idea that Mozart believed he was writing the Requiem for his own funeral.

The Requiem is rich in choral writing and expressive orchestration. It features the Symphony Orchestra, The Adelaide Chamber Singers, and soloists - Madison Nonoa (Soprano), Anna Dowsley (Mezzo-soprano), Andrew Goodwin (Tenor), Simon Meadows (Baritone), and is conducted by Mark Wigglesworth.

From the haunting first orchestral notes to the Communion at the conclusion of the Requiem, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra play sympathetically to take advantage of the venue and accompany the singers. They are omnipresent and shine in the purely orchestral sections. It was disappointing they were not in clearer sight, but the logistics of the Cathedral layout prevents this.

There are many dramatic contrasts, particularly in the Dies irae and Lacrimosa, expertly interpreted by Wigglesworth.

The Introitus (Entrance) showcases the Chamber Singers and features rich bass and soaring soprano sections. It is powerful singing, particularly in the cadenzas of the Kyrie, eleison.

The Sequenz (Sequence) features strong attack and dynamics, coupled with powerful solo baritone passages and impassioned soprano sections. The four solo voices blend perfectly and rise above the choir. It also features the famous Lacrimosa, beautifully sung and full of tearful yearning. For many of us, it was the highlight of the evening!

The Offertorium (Offertory) sweeps us up into the heavens with sweet harmonies, conveying our renewed confidence that our sacrifices and prayers may be enough to receive a pardon.

The Sanctus (Holy) begins with a brief fugue and then features the four soloists, and ends with a reprise of the Sanctus fugue.

The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) features a contrast of choral texture and vigorous, chromatic string writing and contains some magnificent bass entries.

The Communio (Communion) is a fitting conclusion and blessing with a glorious soprano solo at the beginning, and the reuse of the music of the Introitus featuring the choir.

I would have liked a little more balance from the Adelaide Chamber Singers as the Sopranos and Basses occasionally overpowered the altos and tenors, but this could be due to the acoustics of the Cathedral.

Remember: Sacred and Profane is ninety minutes of orchestral and vocal delight. The ASO continue to make clever choices when deciding programming for the year. The enthusiastic audience response at the conclusion of the performance reflects the orchestral and vocal talent on display in one of Adelaide’s most historic venues!

Barry Hill OAM

Photo Credit Jack Fenby