Beethoven's Eroica review: MSO shines ahead of China tour

05.11.18
Sir Andrew Davis
The Age

Leaving imminently for a whirlwind tour of China, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra gave its home audience the opportunity to hear some major components from the three programs it will present in cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Beijing. Under Sir Andrew Davis, the MSO will support Moye Chen in the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 as well as offering Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony No.3.

Both works featured on this pre-tour demonstration, but Thursday night opened with a remarkable score by the MSO’s composer in residence, Carl Vine.

Written for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in 2014, his Concerto for Orchestra is a splendid, light-filled showpiece that gives each group of players – and some first desk principals – a moment in the spotlight, notably some powerful passages for brass and percussion.

It’s an eminently approachable construct, polished in detail and built on clever, undemanding melodic cells.
 
Read the rest of the review here