Soaring way to see out season

THE Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra will finish its 2017 season on a high in Hobart this weekend, with concertmaster Emma McGrath to be the featured soloist in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending.

McGrath is originally from the UK, and said The Lark Ascending reminded her of home.

“It’s a real favourite of mine,” she said.

“I played it a lot when I was younger, but I was in America for 12 years and there weren’t the same opportunities to play it, so it’s really nice to come back to it.

“It’s evocative and very pastoral. You can really conjure up images of rolling hills and the English countryside.”

The work has three cadenzas that will feature McGrath on the violin.

“It begins with a cadenza that just gets higher and higher, and then there’s musical interaction with the orchestra,” McGrath said.

“There’s a mini cadenza in the middle, and it ends with the longest cadenza.

“You finish in the heavens. It’s the highest you can play on the violin while still sounding beautiful.”

The program will begin with Beethoven’s Symphony No.4, and conclude with Brahms’ Symphony No.4.

“The Beethoven is just joyous,” McGrath said.

“It’s a romp, particularly the last movement, which is an excited conversation.

“The Brahms was his last symphony. It’s majestic and has a real gravitas, with an incredible flute solo in the last movement.

“It’s going to be a wonderful concert to finish the season.”

The TSO’s Lark Ascending concert will take place at the Federation Concert Hall in Hobart from 7.30pm on Saturday. Tickets have sold out.