The three events on Saturday 15th May in St. John's, Smith Square were part of this year's Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music, which is subtitled Fountain of the Baroque, Italian Pioneers from Monteverdi to Vivaldi. Not only does the festival (13 May – 22 May) present music from Monteverdi to Vivaldi, but the three events on Saturday also encompassed the entire period.
In the afternoon we were treated to an exceptionally high quality performance and, at the same time, to fascinating entertainment by Baroque Fever, that is by Norwegian violinist Bjarte Eike, Slovakian violinist Peter Spissky, English cellist Thomas Pitt and Danish harpsichord player Allan Rasmussen. Presenting eleven pieces by nine composers – including Henry Purcell among the eight Italians, because Purcell referred to the Italian masters in the preface to his 1683 collection of his sonatas in three parts – the 70-minute long concert without any interval sparkled with brilliance and astonished with varied artistry all way through. Involving the audience without patronising it, Eike introduced the players, as customary in jazz events, while the other players were improvising on Falconieri's Ciaconna. The programme consisted of instrumental playing in various combinations. Each of the players had solos (with accompaniment, except for the Frescobaldi Passacagli for solo harpsichord) while the other players discreetly moved out (and then back, as appropriate) from the centre of the stage.
The two violinists alternated as first/second players and changed their positions on stage accordingly. There was no break between the pieces, the movement from position to position on stage was carefully choreographed and seamlessly stage managed. Last but not least, the performances were memorable for their innate musicianship and technical virtuosity, for their pure unforced cantabile playing and musical dialogues between instrumental parts, for their respect towards the composers and for their sense of humour. It is unlikely that pieces by Falconieri, Castello, Rossi, Uccellini, Vitali, Buonamente, Marini (and Purcell) could be performed better. So, although you will miss the stage presentation, make sure to listen to The Early Music Show on BBC Radio 3 at 1.00 pm on Saturday 29th May when this concert will be broadcast.
Without doubt, Robert Hollingworth – director of the vocal group I Fagiolini – knows his Monteverdi and a great deal more. Nevertheless; his talk 'Monteverdi the Modern Man', delivered as the Festival's keynote speech, fell uncomfortably between several stools. His text was tough on non-scholars, slightly flippant if aimed to scholars and it was short of musical examples if directed to music lovers. Indeed, Hollingworth declared his discomfort: 'Although I often talk at concerts or presenting radio programmes, that's within the context of introducing the music: helping attune people's ears before they hear something. The idea of just talking about Monteverdi seems a bit dubious to me, as a musician. If a picture paints a thousand words, then a piece of music surely sings ten thousand of them. I do have some thoughts to share with you but I'd stress at the start that they're those of a performing musician and not a professional lecture-giver, and that's the context for this little chat'. And here is my Hollingworth quote which, to me, indicates a slightly flippant attitude: 'I think I'm the only UK citizen who earns more than half of his income from singing madrigals, and I named my ensemble after a vegetable, so I think I'm a fully paid-up beany/knitted yoghurt musician'. As Hollingworth's text is displayed on the Festival's website, you may like to read it (and learn a great deal from it in the process).
I was disappointed in the evening concert of Vivaldi concertos given by Adrian Chandler's La Serenissima. As announced by Chandler, the bridge of his violin broke earlier that day and he used another bridge – with the notes slightly differently distributed on the fingerboard – provided by a member of his ensemble. The misfortune with Chandler's bridge cannot explain slovenly orchestral tuning, lack of variety in dynamics and phrasing, too many rough sounds and playing far too often every note in a bar the same way (regardless whether the notes fall on accented or unaccented parts). However, bassoon soloist Peter Whelan delivered his concertos with impressive musicianship and amazing virtuosity. One wouldn't have thought that he used only four keys of his instrument – a modern copy of a baroque bassoon – instead of the customary twenty-four keys. Whelan 'sang' his cantilena sections with great sensitivity and with such clear diction as if he was delivering meaningful words (in the guise of his bassoon notes). His variety in tonal shades also belied his restricted four-key instrument. Recorder soloist Pamela Thorby looked and sounded as if she knew what she was doing. In her virtuoso passages she was playing an enormous number of notes per second. But I missed the gentle side of her bird-like sopranino recorder. On the other hand, I would have been only too happy to forego Chandler's repeated announcements about their CD sales and forthcoming concerts. One announcement within a concert is acceptable, two is slightly overdoing it but the third becomes an irritation (and, arguably, it can feel like contempt for the audience).
As seen, this was a day leaving mixed impressions but, nevertheless, including some magnificent music making.
By Agnes Kory
Photo: Baroque Fever
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Concert Review: I Fagiolini at this year's Lufthansa Festival
News: Review of Reviews of Purcell/Handel double bill
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