Auckland Philharmonia at the Holy Trinity Cathedral

By TARA WERNER

The final concert of the Auckland Philharmonia's Midwinter Masterpieces series focused on two highly nostalgic landmarks - both written to reflect each composer's strong cultural heritage.

Ernest Bloch's Schelomo is unabashedly Hebrew in flavour, portraying the richness of King Solomon's court, and the passion of the Song of Songs, yet having resigned undertones.

And excerpts from Bedrich Smetana's Ma Vlast (My Country) were totally imbued with the atmosphere of the Bohemia of his time.

Yet musical nationalism can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand it signposts very clearly where a composer comes from - literally, as in the case of Smetana.

But an overemphasis on patriotic nostalgia such as folk songs and country dances can seem rather old-fashioned and sentimental today, however well-meaning its original intent.

Conductor Werner Andreas Albert had few problems directing a full on and disciplined performance of Ma Vlast.

The opening, Vysehrad, describing an ancient site near Prague, highlighted some fiery brass and woodwind playing, and the double fortes from the entire orchestra at the start of From Bohemia's Woods and Fields certainly woke everyone up. Yet while the Moldau may have flowed on forever in the finale, Smetana's unashamedly jingoistic score still came across as cloying, even suffocating.

In comparison, Bloch's Schelomo: Hebraic Rhapsody, while just as raucous as sections of Ma Vlast, combined passion with a poignant lament.

Soloist James Tennant appeared to delight in the composer's ardent writing for the cello, at times overwhelming in its intensity. He was aided by some pretty sumptuous orchestration, and the overall impression was one of musical indulgence.

All this romanticism made the opening work on the programme, Mozart's Symphony No 31 (Paris), seem rather domestic in comparison, however elegantly performed.