SSO's take on Egmont Overture shines with precision and pacing

After two weekends featuring large-scale symphonies by Richard Strauss and Anton Bruckner, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) returned to a Romantic-era symphony, Johannes Brahms' Fourth Symphony.

- Mervin Beng

CONCERT SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - HAN-NA CHANG & LEILA JOSEFOWICZ Esplanade Concert Hall Aug 1 Another revolutionary work, this used a smaller orchestra, yet pushed traditional contrapuntal technique to the limit.

Brilliant young South Korean cellist Han-Na Chang made a pivotal switch to conducting in 2007, with notable success worldwide.

The opening work was Beethoven's Egmont Overture, from his incidental music to the play of the same name by Goethe. The play centres on the heroism of Lamoral, Count of Egmont, against the tyranny of Spanish rule over the Netherlands. This theme mirrored the composer's own outrage over Napoleon Bonaparte's self-declaration as emperor, and the raw emotions can be clearly heard throughout the overture.

Precision and pacing were utmost in Chang's direction of the Egmont Overture. From the dramatic long opening through the plaintive woodwind reply, she conducted a well-controlled yet gripping performance. There was energetic string playing, and the prominent horn motif was suitably martial. The huge build-up to the climax was excellent, giving the concert a very good opening.