Sydney Symphony spends a happy hour with Bach
An hour of Bach played to world-class standards is the latest outing by Sydney Symphony under concertmaster Andrew Haveron.
Local
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- An hour that will grip you
- In with the new and old
- Easy to Handel Italian job
- Simone’s cup cake for Ludwig
A happy hour of Bach played to world-class standards is the latest outing by Sydney Symphony under its concertmaster Andrew Haveron.
Two of the four orchestral suites flanked one of the best-loved gems of the Baroque repertoire, the Concerto for two violins in D minor, which saw Haveron joined by assistant concertmaster Fiona Ziegler in a finely co-ordinated and nuanced performance.
Haveron, directing with his 1757 Guadagnini violin tucked under his chin, was in sparkling form, as was his co-soloist, throughout the deftly interweaving lines of the outer movements and the drop-dead gorgeous lyricism of the famous Largo middle movement.
Other SSO regulars were also on show, with associate principal flute Emma Sholl giving a seamless and seemingly effortless lead in the Suite No. 2 for which the orchestra was stripped back to chamber proportions with Alex Henery’s lone double bass boosting the three cellos led by Catherine Hewgill.
INFECTIOUS
The lovely Polonaise movement was particularly striking, with Hewgill’s cello and Anthony Abouhamad’s harpsichord providing the accompaniment.
Heads were nodding a feet tapping for the famed infectious Badinerie flute solo which closes this suite.
The other suite, the third in the set, requires bigger forces – two basses this time, more strings, three trumpets, two oboes and timpani, all of which lend an air of grandeur to the five movements. As with all the suites Bach starts with a stirring overture, followed by various dance movements.
The trio of trumpets, led by David Elton, gave this joyful music an added sense of occasion, so much so that you could sense the audience’s spirits lifting by the bar.
The concert is repeated at City Recital Hall at 7pm on Thursday, March 4.
DETAILS
●CONCERT SSO: Andrew Haveron Performs Bach
●WHERE City Recital Hall Angel Place
●WHEN March 3
Penrith RL: Multiple sin bins can’t stop heavyweights in epic comeback
It’s an all Saturday affair in round five of the Don Feltis Cup. See how the action kicked off in the early game when Windsor headed to St Marys in what proved a thriller. Full wrap.
Letter to a killer: ‘I was nine when you murdered my mum’
Samantha Kay was just nine when her mum didn’t answer her Mother’s Day call. A quarter of a century later – and with the man who murdered her mum and a friend still not identified – she has bravely addressed the killer in an open letter.