The concert was an impressively spirited rendition of an attractive programme of Baroque music. Using Chris’s extensive historical research to inform its performance practice, the group succeeded in recreating and communicating well music true to the sound its composers might have had in mind. The period instruments were essential for this, but what was impressive was that local musicians, non early-music specialists, had learned how to use the period techniques in a relatively short space of time. A challenge well met.
Good to hear a range of baroque music from different regions and traditions. The Lully Suite, with its particular stylistic quirks and extensive use of wind instruments, was a good contrast to the rest of the programme.
The soloists, Rachel Stroud and Kate Bennett Wadsworth, brought the standard of the whole performance to a highly professional level. The rendition of ‘Summer’ from the ‘Four Seasons’ was outstanding for not only Rachel Stroud’s astonishing virtuosity but also the immediacy and (intentional) rawness of the ensemble string playing.
The audience responded very warmly to the performances, a sign of the excellent communication between players and audience. The Athenaeum is a good venue for such a concert, the seating arranged so that all of the audience was relatively close to the performers contributed to the audience clearly responding to the music and being engaged with the performances.
Chris and Rosy have done very well to achieve so much in so short a time. On only a day’s rehearsal, and the few study days, they have a really solid base to build on for successful future work.
The concert did exactly what Chris said he wanted to achieve – to take the centuries of dusty performance practice from the music & see what was revealed beneath: a freshness and spirited afternoon of glorious music.
EG 23 May 2025’
