Moving, surprising, extraordinary
Presented by Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
Reviewed 29 November 2025
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s final symphony series concert for this year is the delightful Seasons.
This program gathers three of the early 20th century’s greatest English composers: Frank Bridge; Edward Elgar; and William Walton. It provides a wonderful opportunity to hear the influences of one upon the other, and pick up nuances heard in other English composers such as Britten, who was one of Bridge’s students. Centred on the glorious and (with good reason) hugely popular Elgar Concerto for Violoncello in E Minor, Op. 8, the program opened with Bridge’s beautiful tone poem Summer. Calling for a fairly sizeable cohort, this piece showcased the orchestra’s precision and lyricism. A perfect choice as an opener.
German cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, who concludes his Australian tour with this concert, took centre stage for the Elgar. What ensued was a heart-rending interplay of cellist, orchestra, conductor, and audience, alongside the spirit of Elgar, who is too often softened and sweetened, particularly by English interpreters. Conductor Mark Wigglesworth was having none of that, wringing every last edgy detail out of his musicians. It was a tour-de-force. Met by uproarious applause Müller-Schott treated the audience to an encore of a divine piece of Bach. After interval came Walton Symphony No. 1 in B♭Minor a complex symphonic work, which is difficult and challenging for both performer and audience. Loud, aggressive, almost frenzied, it takes till the third movement for any significant lightness to enter the palette. Yet it remains an arresting and moving work, which Wigglesworth and the orchestra absolutely nailed. In classical music terms, this was a total banger!
We are so lucky to have the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and its current, outstanding, conductor. If you have never been to an orchestral concert, you are missing something very special. And we have world-class exponents right here for your delectation!
Venue: Adelaide Town Hall
Season: 29th November 2025
Duration: 2 hours including interval
Tickets: $30-$109
Bookings: https://www.aso.com.au/
Photo credit: Christina Lauren
