Song to Symphony

Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s long-running Music on Sundays series is a wonderful way for anyone to enjoy classical music. Whether you’re a dedicated orchestra buff or a novice, you’ll appreciate the warm and relaxed atmosphere, the fun and humour. Each show in the series includes orchestral works which are centred around a common theme. The final theme for 2021 is Song to Symphony - Inspirational Folk Melodies.

Usually hosted by the hilarious and clever Guy Noble, this time, it’s up to the players in the orchestra to host their own show. Different musicians take turns at the hosting duties, and they still manage to bring the humour and wordplay we’ve come to love about the Sunday series to the stage.

The show starts with the exciting Overture to Candide by Leonard Bernstein, which scampers along at a lively pace. Dane Lam is a joy to behold he puts such fun, energy, and passion into his conducting. The orchestra appears to relish the chance to keep up the cracking pace. The amusingly satirical "Country Band" March, S.36 by Ives keeps the pace lively. It must take an extra level of skill for such great musicians to intentionally play in the style in which this piece is written. Next, we have a dramatic change in mood with Symphony No.60 in C major (Il distratto) VI. Prestissimo by Hayden. There’s a playful juxtaposition of the lively stings and boisterous horns and oboes in this work.

Then soloist Hyung Suk Bae shines on cello in two Dvořák pieces - Silent Woods (Klid) for Violoncello & Orchestra and Humoresque, Op.101, No.7 (arr. Bae). Proving inspiration can come from anywhere, Australian composer Heather Shannon’s musical palindrome Ricochet from a Distance provides a dreamy differentiation in the program. The short but sweet Stravinsky work Greeting Prelude (Happy Birthday) gives the percussion a chance to rumble our chairs before the orchestra moves on to Bartók’s Hungarian Sketches which is a relaxing and idyllic aural experience. Up next, Copland’s Simple Gifts from Appalachian Spring which was originally created for a ballet and later rearranged for symphony orchestra. Debussy’s romantic Excerpts from La boîte à joujoux (The Toybox) is a delightful penultimate treat. The cherry on the symphonic cake being Brahms Academic Festival Overture, Op.80.

It's easy to feel the joy the orchestra brings to their work and the audience no doubt looks forward to 2022’s Music on Sundays series, which kicks off in February with Dance Around the World – Music to Get Your Toes Tapping. You can find out all about the full program and even snap up one of the five-show season packages at the QSO website.

Kitty Goodall

Photographer: Peter Wallis