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Bach, Vivaldi, Pachebel: Remus Azoitei (violin /director); Yuri Kalnits (violin); London Musical Arts Ensemble. St Martin-in-the-Fields, London. 6.11.2008 (ED)


Any concert dominated by Bach violin concertos needs to bring out the wit and invention in the composer’s writing to sustain interest within an idiom that never strays too far beyond the formal boundaries explored by the composer. This concert achieved precisely this.

An overall sense of balance was given to the proceedings through having the Bach and Vivaldi concertos for two violins, in D minor and A minor respectively, begin and end the programme. The Bach was notable for the blending of the solo lines with Yuri Kalnits producing a slightly brighter tone than the rich sonority of Remus Azoitei’s playing. The merest indication of tempo at the start of each movement and encouragement of subtle dynamic emphases from the chamber ensemble sufficed for the direction that Azoitei offered: but it was all that was needed,  given their clearly projected instrumental lines.

Some contrast between minor and major keys was offered in the two Bach concertos for solo violin - in A minor and E major - the latter being particularly notable for the neatly accentuated first movement, the warmth of the bass-line offered by the five string double-bass in the second movement and the fine shading of the finale. Throughout, a sense of the continuous heartbeat that permeates Bach's writing was clearly perceptible.

As filler items in the second half, buoyant readings of Pachelbel's Canon and Gigue and Bach's Air on the G string were offered by the London Musical Arts Ensemble.

The zenith of the evening was reached in Remus Azoitei's playing of Bach's Chaconne for solo violin. The lengthy monologue found in his hands,  structure finely balanced with controlled emotion to draw out much of the music's intricate content, thus making sense of the piece as a whole. With music clearly of second nature to him, Azoitei's playing had an improvisatory feel about it which allowed a rich palette of tonal inflections to emerge. By itself, this made the concert a memorable experience.

Evan Dickerson


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