MIDSUMMER DREAMS - OUR LATEST ALBUM

Conducted from the violin by Rachael Beesley and recorded live in concert in the brilliant acoustics of The Concourse, Chatswood, on 8 August 2023, Midsummer Dreams captures the dynamic energy of a performance hailed as “dazzling…scintillating” (Australian Arts Review).

The album – ARCO’s fourth – releases internationally on 27 March 2025 under the ARCO label and is available in physical, digital and streaming formats.

From the magical Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Felix Mendelssohn through Beethoven’s radical Symphony No.8 in F major and Mendelssohn’s moody ‘Scottish’ Symphony No.3 in A minor, this album offers both sheer enjoyment for the average listener and a deep dive into 19th-century emotive gesture for those seeking something new.

“Midsummer Dreams is a fascinating exploration into the 19th century,” says Beesley, the orchestra’s internationally acclaimed co-artistic director and one of Australia’s most sought-after HIP experts. “As we interpret the music, we strive for an approach that reflects the aesthetics of the Romantic era. We focus on conversational and rhetorical gestures to inspire a more spontaneous and intuitive performance, inviting the listener on a visceral, emotive journey.”

 That journey begins with ARCO’s detailed research into 19th-century performance practice and how listeners would have heard this music for the first time. Spending time with early recordings and collaborating with violinist and University of Leiden PhD candidate Emma Williams (part of the orchestra’s professional development program), Beesley and her musicians dive into the gestures and declamations of 19th-century actors, using expressive devices such as tempo rubato (fluid time) and portamento (connecting notes) to inspire a radically different sound.

Add in the shimmering, vibrant colours of 41 musicians playing on gut strings, historic winds, natural brass (including a rare ophicleide) and timpani, and Midsummer Dreams stands out as a truly unique vision.

“It is always thrilling to hear our full symphony orchestra performing beloved core repertoire with so many of the world’s most respected HIP specialists,” says co-artistic director Nicole van Bruggen, ARCO’s principal clarinettist, who plays many of the heart-tugging solos on the recording.

The CD comes with thoughtful program notes by Yvonne Frindle and Dr Geoffrey Burgess (including a fascinating essay into the ‘steampunk’ origins of Beethoven’s so-called ‘Metronome’ movement), and beautiful cover artwork by Lisa Goldberg, who is also (impressively) the orchestra’s principal bassoonist.

From piping bird calls to gossamer strings and lonely ophicleide blasts, ARCO’s latest album leads you, like Puck, into a deliciously Romantic dream – whatever the season.

AVAILABLE AS PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL PURCHASE, AND ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS.