Sublime Baroque:
Corelli, Concerto Grosso op. 6 no. 4;
Albinoni, Oboe Concerto op. 9 no. 2;
Telemann, Viola Concerto in G; Brescianello,
Chaconne in A; Handel, Concerto Grosso
op. 6 no. 7; JS Bach, Orchestral Suite
No. 4; Monique O’Dea, viola, Australian
Brandenburg Orchestra, guest director and soloist,
Alfredo Bernardini, Angel Place Recital Hall, Sydney,
Australia, 6.5.2006 (DB)
The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra (ABO) is a small
period instrument ensemble based in Sydney under the
enthusiastic artistic direction of Paul Dyer, the
group’s harpsichordist and founder. Formed in
1989, it has gradually emerged from the shadows of
the internationally known Australian Chamber Orchestra,
which spreads its wings more widely in terms of its
concerts and programmes. The ABO concentrates on the
Baroque and Classical era, particularly the former.
This was my fourth opportunity to hear the Orchestra
perform, and on each occasion, the most obvious and
immediate impression that one gains is the enthusiasm
and enjoyment that shines from the performers.
The Corelli concerto was described as a “historical
reconstruction” of the familiar work for strings,
by including parts for valveless trumpets, oboes and
bassoons. The basis for this re-scoring was explained
by the guest director, oboist Alfredo Bernardini,
as being a logical explanation of why the accounts
for Corelli’s concerts of the time included
payments to wind and brass players. Was the “reconstruction”
a success? In my opinion, no. Corelli’s delicate
rhythms and textures were rather submerged by the
two trumpeters who at times drowned out the rest of
the orchestra (19 string players in the full ensemble).
Bernardini was the soloist in the Albinoni, and in
the outer fast movements was dextrous and animated
in his playing. However, the sublime Adagio, which
so brings to my mind the theme Geoffrey Burgon wrote
for the TV series Brideshead Revisited, was
less successful, played at a fairly sprightly tempo,
which didn’t allow the plaintive long notes
of the oboe to make their full impact.
Unfortunately, the problem in the slow movement of
the Albinoni was not an isolated one. It is one that
the ABO does repeat on a fairly regular basis in many
works, and is common to many period instrument ensembles
that I have heard on recordings: a reaction to past
excesses in playing Baroque music too romantically
and slowly has led to tempos which seem only to consist
of fast and faster.
The Telemann viola concerto, with the principal violist
of the ABO, Monique O’Dea, as soloist exhibited
the same symptoms. The fast movements were an absolute
joy – spirited, vital and full of verve –
but the slow movements didn’t provide sufficient
contrast. It is almost as though the energy and joy
that courses through the players can’t be restrained.
The name of Giuseppe Brescianello was completely new
to me. It seems that most of his professional career
was spent in various German courts as violinist, composer
and Kapellmeister. His Chaconne was cheerful, tuneful
and didn’t outstay its welcome. The Handel concerto
was more problematic. I have to admit to tuning out
at times, again in the “slow” movements,
but the last movement Hornpipe was dazzling, with
the double bassist Kirsty McCahon featuring prominently
with her entirely pizzicato role making her seem like
a jazz bass player.
There were no qualms with the Bach Suite, with the
full orchestra, including the only contribution for
the evening from the percussion. It is probably no
coincidence that the piece is predominantly upbeat
in tempo. It was full of celebration, complexity and
spirited “conversations” between the choirs
of strings and winds, led by Bernardini (he had no
role in the strings-only works of Telemann, Brescianello
and Handel). In a programme where only Vivaldi of
the Baroque “big guns” was missing, the
towering mastery of Bach stood out in this piece and
the encore, Gigue from Bach’s Third Suite.
So a mixed but predictable response. Disagreements
over tempi aside, an evening with the Brandenburgs
is always great fun.
David J Barker
