An enchanting performance of considerable
skill and splendour. (Review by Keith Millar)
Baroque 2000’s 2018 Concert Series got off
to a smashing start at the Mariannhill Church of the Monastery last Sunday
morning, with an outstanding programme of inspiring music.
Bookended by Handel’s superb Water Music the programme also included
Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No 1 and Johan Joseph Fux’s Turcaria Sinfonia a 3
in C major, possibly the first time ever this delightful piece has been heard
in this part of the world.
The Baroque 2000 Ensemble was enhanced by
the addition of three oboes, three horns, a bassoon, and, in the final work,
two trumpets.
Led with a great deal of charm and panache
by Concertmaster Ralitza Macheva, the ensemble delivered an enchanting
performance of considerable skill and splendour.
Made up mainly from members of the KZNPO,
the Baroque 2000 orchestra is a seriously good combination and makes an
important contribution to Durban’s vibrant classical music scene.
George Frederic Handel’s (1685 - 1789) Water Music is considered to be among
the composer’s most popular instrumental works. He composed the music for a
royal excursion by King George l and his guests on the river Thames in 1717.
The concert kicked off with the Suite No.1
in F major and ended with the Suite No.2 in D major. Both are colourful,
celebratory and ceremonial pieces with rich, warm tones from the oboes, horns,
bassoon and, in the case of D Major Suite, the trumpets. The interaction
between the horns and trumpets is particularly exciting in this piece.
The Baroque era offers a vast repertoire of
music. It is the stated aim of Baroque 2000 to explore this repertoire and
unearth lesser-known works which are worthy of a performance. The Sinfonia a 3
in C Major “Turcaria”, K 331 by Johann Joseph Fux (1660 – 1741), an Austrian
composer and music theorist, is one of these works – and in this case, they
have unearthed a gem.
Performed by four violins, cello, bass and
harpsichord it is a, cheerful; optimistic and melodic work which was greatly
enjoyed by the audience. It may be the first time this piece has been heard in
Durban, but one can only hope it is not the last.
Completing the programme was Johann
Sebastian Bach’s (1685 – 1750) Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BMV 1046.
The Brandenburg Concertos are a collection of six instrumental works presented
by Bach to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, in 1721. They are
widely regarded as some of the best orchestral compositions of the Baroque era.
The Concerto No.1 is a glorious and complex work and was performed with aplomb
by the ensemble.
Baroque 2000 Season Opener was an
exhilarating and memorable concert and bodes well for what is to come for the
rest of the year.
The next Baroque 2000 concert will take
place at the Mariannhill Church of the Monastery on April 8, 2018, at 15h00.
For more information and bookings contact
Michel Schneuwly on 031 312 5539 or 0823035241 or email: sursouth@iafrica.com –
Keith Millar
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