Tage Alter Musik – Almanach 2018

andrewbensonwilson.org 11 Tiphaine Gauthier (pictured) and soprano Clémence Montagne. The later afternoon concert was a highlight of the weekend, with the performance of five of Bach’s motets by the outstanding Belgian group vox luminis , in the Basilika St. Em- meram. They opened with the double-choir Singet dem Herrn and Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf , the attractive, unforced, and well-articulated voices of the eight singers bringing a clarity to the texture that was to be the hallmark of the whole concert. Der Geist included instruments doubling the vocal lines. The Sinfonia from the cantata Am Abend desselbigen Sabbats , with its jaunty little hiccup at the end of the first phrase, was followed by an excellent per- formance of Jesu, meine Freude, the differing moods of the various sections explored with sensitivity. The Adagio from the Sinfonia to the Easter Oratorie segued into Fürchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir before the concluding Komm, Jesu, komm. This really was a perfect performance, the balance between the singers and the instrumentalists being par- ticularly well-judged. Lionel Meunier di- rected while singing bass, his subtle indica- tions to his colleagues being an object lesson for more flamboyant directors. Of the singers, three sopranos had particularly prominent solos, Zsuzsi Töth, Victoria Cas- sano, and Rachel Ambrose Evans. Key in- strumentalists were Tuomo Suni, violin, Lucy Scotchmer, cello and Jasu Moisio, Oboe. The main Sunday evening concert was given by the impressive Finnish Baroque orches- tra , under the inspirational and collaborative direction of violinist amandine Beyer (in the Dreieinigkeitskirche, 8pm). Their pro- gramme of suites – concerti grossi – solo- concerti included works by Telemann, Muf- fat, and Leclair, all three composers keen to bring together the varying international styles of the time, notably the Italian, French, and German styles. Apart from the two vio- lin concertos, all but one of the pieces were in the forms of dance suites. Telemann’s de- scriptive opening Hamburger Ebb’ und Fluth set the scene for some excellent playing, the variety of Telemann’s orchestral colour being immediately evident, with key moments for oboe, bassoon, recorders, and a piccolo. Muffat’s 1701 short Concerto Grosso 6 “Quis Hic” represented the style of a slightly earlier era, but he had the last word with the con- cluding Ciacona “Propitia Sydera” one of his instrumental highlights with its delightful little twirling triplet motif. Violin Concertos by Telemann (TWV 51:E3 – not, perhaps, his best) and Leclair (his Op.7/3) allowed Amandine Beyer to demonstrate her un- doubted skills in some energetic playing. A particularly interesting piece was the Suite from Leclair’s 1746 opera Scylla et Glaucus, again with prominent roles for the oboes and flutes. The players that deserve special men- tion are Irma Niskanen, violin, Petra Aminoff and Pauliina Fred, flutes & recorders, Robert Herden and Piia Maunula, oboes, Jussi Seppänen, cello, and Jaakko Lu- oma, bassoon. The two late-night concerts in the Leerer Beutel (the second starting after midnight) saw the return to Regensburg of Barokksolistene , starting with an innovative musical portrait of Henry Purcell under the Mitglieder des Finnish Baroque Orchestra Per Buhre, Judith-Maria Blomsterberg (Violoncello), Berit Norbakken Solset, Steven Player und Johannes Lundberg (Kontrabass) (v.l.)