Let's dance

Just a room or so away was something very different and it started less than 20-minues after Ida finished.  Ida's theme was Introspections with composers into the C20th on a solo piano; Salut! Baroque's theme was dance and its instruments dating back into the baroque (obviously).  And, unusually, Salut! was accompanied by a ... dancer.  And this was not a solo performer but 11 players with that dancer making the dozen on instruments of the era, baroque all (flute, oboe, recorders, violins, viola, guitar, theorbo, bass violin) and percussion and the ever present harpsichord.  The tones were far more gentle that a Yamaha grand played with intensity, although there was intensity here too, sometimes.  Otherwise, bounce and motion and rhythms of dance, even if the rarefied, refined and inviting but discrete styles of the time.  The composers were variously known: Rebel, Graupner, Erlebach, Telemann, Purcell, Oswald, Lully, Roman and the prolific Anon and the tunes or movements were sometimes expressed as tempos but often as dance styles,  In fact, the Jean-Fery Rebel seemed to list them all: Prelude, Courante, Minuet, Bouree, Chaconne, Sarabande, Gigue, Riguadon, Passepied, Gavotte, Sonate, Loure, Musette, although I notice no waltz and I'm assuming they are all dance styles.  So lots of rhythmic pleasure and energy ending with Anon with a rousing Romani folk dance of great pleasure.  These were some lovely musical styles and also some excellent performances from several notable names of the Australian baroque scene.  Thus an fascinating and varied night at Wesley.  Much enjoyed.  And thanks to Aimee for her visual addition to the gig.

Salut! Baroque performed an introduction to the dance at Wesley.  Performers were Aimme Brown (baroque dance), Sally Melhuish and Alana Blackburn (recorders), Sally Walker (flute), Jane Downer (oboe), John Ma and Jared Adams (violins), Brad Tham (viola), Tim Blomfeld (bass violin), George Wills (guitar, theorbo), William Naayan (percussion) and Monika Kornel (harpsichord).