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).

Delights

In so many ways, this concert by Salut! Baroque was delightful.  It's a throwaway description but worthy and apt in this case.  The music was glorious early baroque music from Telemann and mostly contemporaries and the music often featured lines "stolen" from those contemporaries.  As Picasso said, "Good artists copy; great artists steal".  I thought Miles said that, but so be it.  Certainly Telemann did steal some lines, but it's also the development and more that's relevant and anyway, they get lost amongst his other 3,000 compositions.  Colin Milner appeared as Telemann himself, introducing tunes and some stories of Telemann and singing one piece and generally also being delightful.  Not least in the bird and cat scene.  And John Ma was there as orchestra leader and it was clear to see the respect for his interpretations and leadership amongst the performers.  John is MD for the next Musica da Camera concert and I'm learning tons of the baroque spirit and instrumental interpretation as we speak.  We are lucky to have John and such Euro-experienced musicians in our midst when they quite often return.  And the pieces were short and often essentially danceable, so again delightful, and that's a common aspect of music of this period, the waltzes and bourées and gavottes although often just expressed as Andante or Vivace of Allegro non molto or the like.  It was only one hour, but we heard some great bottom end from bass and cello and that remarkable theorbo, a delightful, quiet harpsichord solo, those lovely strings, 2 violins and a viola, and the winds, two recorders and a flute, often playing off against each other, and Telemann singing of the cat.  And a most unexpected gypsy number to end.  It was just one hour but a work of collection and performance that delighted.  Do I need to say I loved it and got a good few chuckles along the way.

Salut! Baroque performed the music of Telemann and contemporaries at Wesley.  Performers were Sally Melhuish and Alana Blackburn (recorders), Sally Walker (baroque flute), John Ma and Sarah Papadopoulos (baroque violins), Brad Tham (baroque viola), Tim Blomfield (baroque cello), Jude Hill (baroque double bass), George Wills (theorbo, guitar), Monika Kornel (harpsichord) and Colin Milner (historian, vocals) as Georg Philipp Telemann.

Old and new

 

I was pleased to record Salut! Baroque.  S!B is a baroque ensemble, with gut and recorders and harpsichord and theorbo so I was surprised that the first tune was dated 1995 by Karl Jenkins.  He is around these days!  Then into the more expected dates, 1693, 1749, a later one at 1805 but that sounded quite modern being a lament that could be a current ballad to my ears.  And finally to JS Bach but he's a common feature in such company, and the final work, Concerto Dmin BWV1043.  I knew this one but from the first notes I was flustered.  Then I noticed "arr. Terry Bor" with movements Allegro brisko, Lager mit schmalz and Alla mode.  Wow, short and unexpected!  The first movement was swung, then schmaltzy as promised, and a final 12-bar with jazzy 2-feel.  But it was Bach, no doubt, as never heard before.  Otherwise, there were recorders with their period presence, gut strings, the theorbo and a period-looking guitar with, how many ... 10 tuners?  Wikipedia says 5 string pairs.  As for the theorbo...  But some capable  and convincing playing, certainly not least by John with his lengthy history in European and other ensembles.   But it's not just the tones of historical instruments.  This concert was entitled Baroque spirit and the 15 works investigated all manner of styles, dances, cultures, approaches through the era to dispel the interpretation of Baroque as bizarre.  The composers were Erlebach, de Murcia, Rameau, Gow, O'Carolan, Playford, Telemann, Cantemir, Orme, Anon, Pla, mostly somewhat lesser known than Bach, so this was a widespread investigation and even educational.  So, a deserving and fascinating and sometimes confounding musical outing.  Well done by both the musical directors and the performers.

Salut! Baroque performed Baroque spirit at Wesley Church.  The musicians were Sally Melhuish and Alana Blackburn (recorders), John Ma and Julia Russoniello (baroque violins), Brad Tham (baroque viola), Tim Blomfield (bass violin, cello piccolo), Jude Hill (baroque double bass), George Wills (baroque guitar, theorbo), Jack Peggie (percussion) and Monika Kornel (harpsichord).  Artistic directors are Sally Melhuish and Tim Blomfield.