One of many follies

I felt something awe-fully authentic in this concert.  It was period music, Bach and Bellinzani's take on La Folia, and we hear them often enough with gut strings but recorder and harpsichord presented the works in a milder, quieter form that made you think of sitting in an intimate room, a musica da camera, as it would often have been.  This was not the big event of a concert, but the intimate family event of the sala.  Jane Downer was back and playing on tenor recorder with Ariana on the delicate harpsichord.  First up was Jane playing a bella partita (Dmin), then Ariana playing two movements of another Bach partita (BWV826 Gmin), And finally together playing La Folia and 16 variations by Bellinzani.  Lots have done the La Folia variations (see the page on IMSLP on "List of compositions with the theme "La Folia"").  Apparently, it's "an early medieval Iberian dance accompanied by mime and songs, performed during celebrations of the solstice and New Year festivals" (Collins Dictionary) so obviously referencing good times.  With the delicious nature of Bach's musical invention, this was a good time.

Jane Downer (recorder) performed Bach and Bellinzani with Ariana Odermatt (harpsichord) at Wesley.