(Margrit
Deppe, Aristide du Plessis; Evelien Ballantine, Ralitza Macheva & David
Smith)
There
was a genuine understanding of the Baroque idiom on Macheva’s part. Notable was
the strength of her playing and her great commitment. (Review by Dr Martin
Goldstein)
The third Friends of Music concert of 2020,
which took place on Sunday March 15, 2020, featured the music of the early and
late Baroque eras. It showcased the talent of some of KwaZulu-Natal’s finest
musicians who have come together to form an ensemble called Suite 415.
This ensemble, which is passionate about
Baroque music, comprises of Evelien Ballantine (Traverso), Ralitza Macheva
(Baroque Violin), Margrit Deppe (Baroque Oboe), Aristide du Plessis (Baroque
Cello) and David Smith (Cembalo). They performed 5 Dances (La Volta - la
Canarie - Bransle de la Torche – Ballet - Bourrée) from Terpsichore (1612) by Michael Praetorius (1571-1621); Sonata for
Violin and Basso Continuo, RV759 “Manchester no 5” by Antonio Vivaldi
(1678-1741); Quartet in D minor for Flute, Oboe, Violin, and Basso Continuo by
Fortunato Riedel (mid-18th century?); Sonata for Flute and Basso Continuo in G
major, Op. 2, No. 4 by Pietro Locatelli (1695-1764); Prelude and Fughetta in G
major (harpsichord), BWV 902 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750); Trio Sonata
in A minor for Flute, Oboe and Basso Continuo, FTR 148 by Johan Joachim Quantz
(1697-1773); Prelude - Sarabande - Gigue from Suite No. 1 in G major for solo
cello, BWV 1007 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and Quartet in G major for
Flute, Oboe, Violin and Basso Continuo, from Tafelmusik I by George Philipp
Telemann (1681-1767).
In the Praetorius, there was a good sense
of Baroque syncopation as seen in the compelling drive of the dotted rhythms.
Notable was Macheva’s passion and confidence. Professor David Smith had an
innate keyboard sense on the harpsichord. Ballantine is a mature performer who
produces a crystal clear sound. Du Plessis has a sympathetic touch as a
cellist. The instrumentalists gave helpful explanations about their instruments
and styles.
In the Vivaldi, there was a genuine
understanding of the idiom on Macheva’s part. She almost invested Romanticism
into the Baroque idiom. She and Du Plessis were completely in tune with each
other in terms of the rhythmic motifs. Notable was the strength of Macheva’s
playing and her great commitment.
In the Riedel, melody and motif were
preeminent. The motifs were effectively carried between the woodwinds.
In the Locatelli, there was a quaint
gracefulness and a sensitive interpretation. The sentiment in the flute was
heartfelt.
In the Prelude of the Bach harpsichord
solo, Professor Smith displayed good weight transfer between the fingers. In
both the Prelude and the Fugue, there was an excellent left-hand touch.
In the Quantz, the interactions between the
oboe and the flute were effective. There were lovely suspensions which revealed
the sensitivity of the musicians. The interplay between rhythm and articulation
was realized in the careful bowing of the cello.
In the Prelude of the Bach cello solo, Du
Plessis displayed excellent fingering, great warmth of tone and economic use of
the bow. He had excellent technical control. In the Sarabande, his personality
came through and there was a sense of nostalgia in the music and his interpretation
of it. He displayed a tasteful use of vibrato. In the Gigue, again, his
economic and sensible use of bowing fitted the contrasting articulatory
figures.
In the Telemann, the regal dignity of the
slow introduction was contrasted with great sparkle and lustre in the fast
part. This was one of the highlights of the concert. In the slow movement,
there was great depth and poignancy. Throughout this work and the concert as a
whole, there was enormous enthusiasm and positivity and an insatiable rhythmic
drive.
The Prelude performers were two of Durban’s
finest young pianists, sisters Mingmei and Gongxuan Zhang. They are 13 and 11
years old respectively and have acquired a remarkable degree of technical
proficiency for such young musicians along with a budding sense of musical
maturity.
Mingmei performed the First movement from
Sonata in D, Hob. XVI: 37 by F J Haydn and Prelude from Pour le Piano by C.
Debussy. Gongxuan performed Romance by F Liszt and Play Piano Play by F Gulda.
In the Haydn, Mingmei displayed a mature sense of character and her right-hand
touch was excellent. In the Liszt, Gongxuan displayed a natural sense of the
Romantic idiom. Her left and right hands merged seamlessly and there was a
perfect balance of melody and accompaniment. Together with this, there was a
good sense of phrasing. In the Debussy, Mingmei displayed a sense of the modern
idiom and much agility. Her right hand brought out the melody effectively and
she played with much strength. In the Gulda, Gongxuan displayed excellent hand
coordination. – Dr Martin Goldstein
For more information on Friends of Music visit
http://www.friendsofmusic.co.za/