Monday, October 24, 2016

ACO: Vivaldi and Bach

The Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) present Richard Tognetti ACO Soloists: Vivaldi & Bach, in the Concert Hall, at the Sydney Opera House, Sunday, 16 October.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) under the title of Baroque on this Sunday concert gave performance of works by Vivaldi and Bach, featuring soloists from the orchestra cohort: Richard Tognetti (Violin), Satu Vanska (Violin), Ilya Isakovich (Violin), Maja Savnik (Violin), Nicole Divall (Violin)and Timo-Viekkko Valve (Cello), and a guest, Genevieve Lacey on Recorder.

The orchestral Suite No.1 in C major, BWV1066 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was the opening piece of this concert featuring Ms Lacey on her recorder. Antonio Vivaldi's (1678-1741) work, Concerto for Two Violins and Violoncello in D Minor, RV565 followed. Two other works by Vivaldi: Cello Concerto in E Minor, RV409 and Concerto for Four Violins in D Major, RV549 were given after the interval with the concert concluding with the Bach Orchestral Suite No.2 in B Minor, BWV1067. The final work featured the virtuosic performance of Ms Lacey that was mesmeric in its skill and concentration.

So much Baroque sound.!

It is always a pleasant experience highlighted by my sense of the 'mathematics' of the compositions and the 'games' of the composers in the tasks that they pose for the musicians. The ensemble must needs be alert and empathetic to each other and it is the thrill of the seemingly flawless interaction between the artists that releases a sense of excitement and gratification on hearing it and seeing it played live. The 'daring' of it, the 'cheek' of it is always a bonus. Such detail at speed!

In the program notes we were told that 'the orchestra will play on gut strings'. We were also introduced to a new cello, a 1729 Giuseppe Guarneri fillies Andreae a gift to the orchestra from Peter Weiss.

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