This time sublime or what?

 

Three concerts in three days and maybe this is the sublime one.  Dunno.  It featured Bach and two harpsichords, so maybe it's more rollicking than sublime.  Either was, I liked it.  Our local mates Limestone Consort playing Avison, Krebs, Purcell and that feature double harpsichord Bach concerto.  LC normally play with one harpsichord and they play on gut at old-time pitch.  This was A=415 with gut and two harpsichords so there was even more tuning than usual but not unexpected.  I found the Bach my favourite, but there was interest elsewhere.  The Avison was a harpsichord concerto, but just one harpsichord (Ariana).  The Krebs was for two harpsichords, but just two harpsichords, so the strings sat out.  The Purcell was a popular piece, well known and used in films, etc, Abdelazer (the Moor's revenge), again with just one harpsichord (James).  Then the double harpsichord act with strings, the feature work from Bach, BWV1061.  Both harpsichords were busy for three movements; strings sat out on one movement or otherwise dropped in features.  This was the most balanced in volume of the concert, but still the strings overwhelmed at times.  I chatted with Clara and she told me they'd had someone with good ears to check balance, so this was the effect of the audience.  Strange that is had such an effect, but very likely.  Acoustics is a demanding thing.  These harpsichords are really not loud, so cello and violin and viola can overwhelm, even with a pair of harpsichords.  But as with all LC concerts, this was relaxed, friendly, informative (several performers spoke and gave composer background info).  Lauren said Limestone is now in its 10th year and given this outing. I hope they continue.

Limestone Consort performed Avison, Krebs, Purcell and Bach at Wesley Music Centre.  One the day, LC comprised Lauren Davis and Michelle Higgs (violins), Iska Sampson (viola), Clara Teniswood (cello) and Ariana Odermatt and James Porteous (harpsichords).  PS, excuse the pic; not my best!

Getting to normal?

It seems just a little normal to be seeing the second concert of a local ensemble since Covid-19.  This is Limestone Consort and they performed again at All Saints.  Last time was a little turnout next to St Christopher's in Manuka.  This time it was back to All Saints, our superb little church with carved angels and even gargoyles and with a more generous attendance.  All Saints is our touch of the mediaeval, literally here in Ainslie.  A local gem.  So is this group.  Lauren leads with some regular players, Clara, James, Michelle and Iska.  That forms the basis of Limestone, a gut-strung string quartet with harpsichord accompaniment.  Then adding Jennifer on baroque flute for a few tunes and Greta to sing another.  Limestone's music is baroque or early classical: Handel, Quantz, Telemann, Brescianello, Vivaldi, and this time two new names, at least to me, Fasch and Leonarda.  Interestingly, Leonarda was a Mother Superior, so a female composer in early times, apparently composing in her spare time.  The music was various sonfonias (sinfonie?), sonatas and a concerto.  Guest Jennifer's baroque flute was a delight on several pieces,  changing the tonality and effect and bouncing lines with Lauren's violin.  But perhaps the feature was the final piece, Vivaldi Nulla in mondo pax sincera, with Greta singing the soprano part.  She's such a lovely voice and this was such a fabulous piece, not least the elaborations on Alleluia at the end.  Greta carried it out with great effect, although talking after of being concerned she couldn't do a last minute warm-up.  Understandable given the virtuosity of the piece, but she's too hard on herself.  It was wonderful.  Such a lovely repertoire, a lovely, joyous, happy outfit and a second appearance for them in this haggard year.  In case it's not obvious, Limestone are a fave of mine.

Limestone Consort comprised Lauren Davis and Michelle Higgs (violins), Iska Sampson (viola), Clara Teniswood (cello), James Porteous (harpsichord) with Jennifer Brian (flute) and Greta Claringbould (soprano).  They performed at All Saints, Ainslie.

Never enough

Lauren Davis convenes the Limestone Consort. They play Bach and other composers of the period but also, if less frequently, from other periods. This concert featured Telemann, Albinoni and two works by JS Bach. Someone had said they can never have too much Bach. I feel it too. Obviously it's a function of Bach's brilliance, but I wonder if it's also a musical style that suits our times. After all, he was lost at one time to be revived by Mendelssohn, his son JC was more popular in his time and his cellos suites, now considered great masterworks, were also little known before being repopularised by Pablo Casals in the 1936. So Bach has had his forgotten times. But for us and our time, he's a sublime genius. The two works here were his double violin concerto and his Brandenburg concerto no.3. Both are instantly recognisable for several themes even if you can't name them. I'd played Brandenburg 3 so wanted to hear it again, and I was again amused by that diminutive second movement, but this day I was most taken by the double violin concerto. It was a thing of sublime beauty so I could have had more Bach. But the other two were interesting. Lauren had likened Telemann/JS Bach to Art Deco/Nouveau. I guess in that order, even if it's out of precedential order. I think Bach would be the mellifluous one (Nouveau) but then the dignity and order (Deco) might also be with him. The Telemann was his Burlesque de Quixote, a suite of 8 movements telling the Don Quixote story which seemed pretty ordered and simple against the Bach. You could hear amorous breathing and horse galloping and otherwise but it didn't cut to either intellect or heart like the Bach. But then I also have respect for quantity as well as quality and Telemann is apparently the most prolific composer in history: 1,043 church cantatas and 43 passions amongst the rest. Albinoni was no slouch either, penning about 50 operas alone, although many are lost. All interesting and all worthy enough, but Bach remains supreme. The playing was great. I thoroughly enjoyed the pairing of violins in the concerto; Kyle laid down some outstanding bass lines and quick, quippy fills; we were sitting right next to Lauren and could enjoy her lead and phrasing and bowing and the rest. That intimacy is a thing I also greatly love. Give me a decent player in an intimate setting anytime. So, a lovely concert with some outstanding music from one of my favourite ensembles around town.

Limestone Consort performed Telemann, Albinoni and JSBach at All Saints Ainslie. LC comprised Lauren Davis, Michelle Higgs, Claire Phillip and Matthew Witney (violins), Iska Sampson and Elysia Fisher (violas), Clara Teniswood and Nicole Wang (cellos), Kyle Ramsay-Daniel (bass) and James Porteus (organ).