(Odeion Vocal Consort)
Beautifully
balanced and tight group deliver the music with skill and splendour. (Review by
Keith Millar)
In their second
last concert for 2016 Durban’s first-rate Baroque 2000 ensemble offered a most
enjoyable and varied programme at the Church of the Monastery, Marianhill, on
Sunday.
The highlights of
the programme were three sacred choral works, chosen to celebrate Advent
Sunday, by Johann Sebastian Bach, Hans Leo Hassler and Giacomo Antonio Perti.
This was interspersed with beautiful instrumental music from two masters of the
baroque era, George Fredric Handel and Georg Philipp Telemann.
Providing the
singing was the splendid Odeion Vocal Consort from the University of the Free
State in Bloemfontein. This is their third collaboration with Baroque 2000 and
they have become firm favourites with Durban audiences. Comprising Lance
Philipp (director of music/conductor/tenor), Linda Marais (soprano), Ilané Van
Wyk (Alto) and Werner Stander (bass), they are a beautifully balanced and tight
group who deliver the music with skill and splendour. Travelling with the
Consort was organist Lourie Coetzee who also played the harpsichord for the
concert in the absence of Baroque 2000 regular, Dr David Smith, who is away
overseas.
Bach’s Advent
Cantata, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV61, is one of nearly 200 surviving
sacred cantatas by the composer. It is a delightfully textured and emotional
work which is full of colour and drama.
Dixit Maria ad
angelum by Hans Leo Hassler was sung A Capella by the consort standing at the
rear of the church. It was a harmonically breathtaking performance which
highlighted the Mariannhill Church’s superb acoustic properties.
The final choral
work on the programme was the Magnificat #13 in D major by Giacomo Antonio
Perti. Petri was an Italian born composer who was highly regarded for his
scared music as well as his operas. The Magnificat is a short work but is very
pleasantly lyrical.
I was a little
surprised at the decision to place the Odeion Vocal Consort behind the
musicians on the stage. For me, the balance between singers and instruments was
slightly off throughout the concert. I also struggled to hear the harpsichord. However,
this is nitpicking in what was a superb performance by both singers and the
Baroque 2000 ensemble. Maybe it is just the onset of a bit of old age deafness
on my side!
The first
instrumental work on the programme was George Frideric Handel’s rich and full
Concerto Grosso Op 6 No.1. It is a lively work of much variety and provided an
excellent start to the concert. Handel wrote this set of concertos in one month
– highlighting his sheer genius as a composer.
German composer
Georg Philipp Telemann was one of the most prolific composers of all time, His
Overture Suite TWV 55: D6 in D Major for viola da gamba is a work in 8
movements which offers a pleasing variety of music styles. The performance was
highlighted by some excellent virtuoso work on the cello by Aristide Du
Plessis.
Baroque 2000
organiser Michel Schneuwly shared some exciting news with the audience at the
concert. Generous funding has already been secured from Die Rupert
Musiekstigting for the 2017 Concert Series. This guarantees Baroque 2000’s
survival for at least another year.
Since it will be the 20th year since the founding of the
ensemble there will be a few special surprises in store for audiences.
The final Baroque
2000 concert for this year will take place on December 18 at 11h30 at the
Church of the Monastery Mariannhill.
For more
information, contact Michel at 031 312 5539, 082 303 5241 or at sursouth@iafrica.com
Baroque 2000 is
funded by Dis Rupert Musiekstigting. – Keith Millar
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