Conductor Daniel Blendulf and pianist Paul Lewis during Heavenly (Queensland Symphony Orchestra)

Blendulf honoured Mozart’s paradigm, and Lewis acquitted the differing pianistic roles superbly. The conversational interplay between orchestra and piano becomes apparent after the piano’s first entry. The piano solo’s florid eloquence alternates with the orchestra’s rhythmically spiky reply. Lewis’s command was firm but never overbearing, and his interpretative finesse and profound lyricism and synergy with the work were revealed through a pleasing palette of beautifully varied tones.

Lewis's restraint captivated the audience; his control had an edginess that seemed bound to explode. It did midway through, when Lewis navigated a heavily weighted solo outburst. Blendulf gave Lewis space to express his ideas and he brokered an authentic and meaningful delivery of Mozart’s mannered orchestration. The entire musical force was unified and the standard of delivery was high. The glowing string section’s tone was a highlight; the orchestra gave integrated and alert support.

Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 – with its universal themes, dazzling peaks and troughs, reflections of the natural world, and episodic innocence – is one of de la Parra’s favourites. As these elements are voiced in startling combinations of instrumental colour in Mahler’s challenging score, there is plenty for a gifted enthusiast like Blendulf to shape into a memorable performance. The orchestral force is modest; trombones and tuba are absent.

The Finale places the human voice centre stage. The movement’s Das himmlische Leben (The Heavenly Life), set to poetry from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, is designed for a soprano voice. Elements and motives from this movement shapes the entire Symphony; Mahler composed the last movement first. Soprano Morgan England-Jones’s rich, mellow voice is expressive. It’s not the reedy, choir-boy tone Mahler might have craved to reflect the light-hearted charms of childhood fantasy, but England-Jones’s presence and earnest storytelling impressed. To Blendulf’s credit, the meticulous management of balance enabled the soprano to slice through or soar above the orchestral force with ease. Not once did she have to strain her voice.

Soprano Morgan England-Jones during Heavenly (Queensland Theatre Company)

Blendulf could have probed Mahler’s contradictions and undertow of trauma further, but he gave the performance a satisfying coherence and crafted many wonderful, detailed moments, including the glowing calm in the third movement, with long repetitive lines of yearning strings gradually opening out into full bloom.

Refreshingly, the conductor encouraged and trusted the orchestral players, and, in response, the instrumentalists gave their all in the exposed interludes and solos. Concertmaster Warwick Adeney’s gnarly solo on a violin tuned a whole tone higher had convincing menace, and there were accomplished solos across the ensemble in the woodwind, brass, and percussion sections. The French horns played with panache, especially Malcolm Stewart.

Blendulf might have underplayed Mahler’s intense theatre, but on the plus side he highlighted the sonic imagery distinctively; the recurring sleigh bells that open the Symphony is one example that springs to mind. Pacing was steady and reliable. Blendulf eschewed marked tempo shifts either by slamming on the brakes or pushing forward. The players were in this conductor’s thrall, motivated to follow him through stark and spiky plains or stretches of lush romanticism.

Ultimately, the audience enjoyed a vibrant symphonic journey devoid of sentimentality, and it was enjoyable to hear many solos from individual players. Both Blendulf and Lewis demonstrated their respective skills and interpretative ideas with honesty and authenticity. Indeed, the audience was so deeply immersed in Mahler’s sound-realm that the silence lingered after the last notes had sounded for a prolonged time. One man then took the initiative and clapped alone to start the applause.

Heavenly, as part of the Maestro series by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, was performed on 16 February 2019 at the Concert Hall at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

ABR Arts is generously supported by The Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund and the ABR Patrons.