(Maggie Deppe, Sandra Bailey, Roberto Palma
& Myfanwy Price)
An exuberant concert. Glorious Vivaldi, glorious music and a glorious
performance. (Review by Keith Millar)
A large audience turned up at the Mariannhill Monastery Church yesterday
for the first of the Baroque 2000 2017 concert series. Celebrating 20 years of
making music together the ensemble has promised something special and exciting
at each of their eight concerts this year.
To kick off the celebrations they presented an all Vivaldi concert which
was entitled, Glorious Vivaldi.
It was a case of glorious Vivaldi, glorious music and a glorious
performance.
Antonio Vivaldi was an Italian Baroque composer, virtuoso violinist, teacher and cleric. Born in Venice, he is recognized as one
of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was
widespread across Europe. He composed over 550 instrumental concertos, for the violin and a
variety of other instruments, as well as sacred choral works and more than
forty operas. His best-known
work is a series of violin concertos known as The Four
Seasons, which are among
the most popular in all of classical music.
Sunday’s concert featured two of his sinfonia and four concertos, for
both woodwind and for strings.
Guest soloist Maggie Deppe from the KZNPO performed the Oboe Concerto in
D Minor – RV 454. She was joined by Sandra Baily, also from the KZNPO, for the
Concerto for Oboe and Bassoon – RV 545. Both players were in fine form and
showed the depth of talent that exists within our superb orchestra.
Roberto Palma joined Baroque 2000 concertmaster Ralitza Matcheva as the
soloists for the Concerto for two violins in A minor – RV 523. I had not heard
Palma play in a solo role before and he certainly impressed. Both violinists
were excellent and elicited an excited little dance of joy from their fellow
violinist, Refiloe Oliphant, at the end of the piece. Oliphant is certainly and
delightfully ebullient personality.
The final concerto on the programme, Concerto for violin, two oboes and
bassoon RV 319 and featured Matcheva, Deppe and Baily along with oboist Myfanwy
Price.
The programme was top and tailed by the Sinfonia in C Major – RV 116 and
the Sinfonia in F major – RV 140.
The Baroque 2000 ensemble along with their guests were in fine form and
they did great justice to the colourful, tuneful and effervescent music of
Antonio Vivaldi.
It was an exuberant concert.
There will be seven more Baroque 2000 concerts in during the year at the
beautiful Mariannhill, Church of the Monastery. They will usually take place on
the first Sunday of each month. Tickets are R150 at the door.
It is not too late to become a subscriber to the remaining concerts in
the 2017 series. Cost is R1,050. Contact Michel at sursouth@iafrica.com or on 031 312 5539 or 082 303 5241.
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