★★★★☆ Stanley Dodds caps off AWO concerts with twin titans of symphonic repertoire.

Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall
September 29, 2016

The second of the Australian World Orchestra’s fifth anniversary concerts, while still bedecked in an ambience of celebration (garlands lined the front of the stage and the musicians left tangled in streamers), struck a more serious note than the first, pairing two giants of the symphonic repertoire, Beethoven and Dvořák.

The fullness of the AWO’s sound was on display right from the opening of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, lush tutti accents dividing moments of quiet wind solos. Conductor Stanley Dodds – alongside his brother Daniel as concertmaster – led the ensemble with clear, controlled movements. In addition to their depth of sound, the large forces of the orchestra proved remarkably light on their feet in the first movement, tripping along with poise and clarity – and Diana Doherty’s oboe lines were delightfully conversational.

Dodds took the Allegretto at an unhurried, flowing pace, drawing a rich warmth from the cellos and violas. Alison Mitchell on flute, paired with Doherty, traced smooth arcs while Frank Celata’s clarinet gilded the edge of string melodies and the fugato hummed with energy and a subtle attention...