4.5 stars
ARCO’s debut disc is a fitting, ebullient tribute to founder, Richard Gill.
“These live recordings span 2013 to 2020. The earliest, an account of Mendelssohn’s String Symphony No 10 in B Minor (MVW10) sees Beesley and her colleagues bringing respectful empathy to this early student work, investing the opening with requisite sobriety before an outburst of bustling rhythmic activity.
…Gill’s account of Mendelssohn’s “Fingal’s Cave” Overture shows him a consummate sculptor of orchestral tone and texture, encouraging his forces to an unbridled climax, before subsiding to an elegant conclusion.
…Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 in A, Op. 92 is the undoubted highlight of this program. Crackling with dramatic energy throughout, Beesley imbues the music both with a strong sense of architecture, as well a joyful realisation of the work’s all-important rhythmic impetus, resulting in an exciting, adrenalin-charged race to the finish.
At a time when Australia is not lacking for chamber orchestras, nor for those aware of historical principles, ARCO still claims a special place in a busy, dynamic field. These ebullient performances constitute a worthy tribute to and continuation of Gill’s ardent musical trailblazing. “
Limelight 19 November 2022