Bach Akademie Australia and its audience braved the crowds of Vivid Sydney on Friday evening to meet in the wonderful 200 year old St James Church King St. Featuring an instrumental ensemble of 10 plus 2 soloist singers, the program was created around an extraordinary fact that is rarely noted. There are three highly popular classical composers whose music is still in high circulation some 300 years later. Each of them were born within a few hundred kilometres of each other in the year of 1685. How extraordinary! You know them already. They were Domenico Scarlatti, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.
Divided into two concert halves of around 40 minutes each, the program comprised of a tasteful selection of sacred music, orchestral suites and vocal works.
Visually, the presentation was impeccable. The church looked magnificent with bouquets of white and pink fresh flowers, the new church organ shining brightly in the background. The musicians were perfectly dressed and the two singers chose concert dresses that matched the venue completely. Hence, the over all impression was a well planned synthesis of harmony and order.
The program opened with Scarlatti’s Salve Regina in A major performed by mezzo-soprano Hannah Fraser. Scarlatti was near the end of his life when he wrote this. It’s possibly even one of his last works. The instrumentation is lush and gorgeous while the vocal line is kept very simple. Fraser kept her whole performance simple and humble, allowing the music to speak for itself. Some movements were grand and solemn, others were politely celebratory.
There was a nice little interlude to the class of 85 with a piece from Rameau who was born only 2 years before the others. Flute and Bassoon joined the ensemble for a piece from Rameau’s Les Boréades. A slight delay was caused due to the loss of a piece of manuscript. Musical Director Madeleine Easton educated us about the composers’ lives until all was found and ready to go which only took a few minutes. The musical unison of the group suffered a little due to this interruption to the flow. However, all quickly fell back into place for the rest of the performance and all was forgiven.
To complete the first half of the concert, Bach’s magnificent BWV 1068 Orchestral Suite No. 3 was performed with pipe organist Nathan Cox standing up like a boss. This well known work had the audience swaying in their seats. They were enjoying it so very much. The famous “Air on a G String” felt a tad rushed with not a lot of communication between first and second violins. Nevertheless, it was still greatly appreciated. The Gavottes, Bourrée and Gigue were all perfect tempi and received much grateful applause.
The over all setting seemed to create a completely perfect moment in time. A divine venue, outstanding musicians lead by the very talented Easton and the glorious music of Bach. It was enough to make you swoon.
After interval, they performed with Handel’s Concerto Grosso HWV 325. Easton lead the ensemble through the movements, each with perfectly chosen tempi. The musicians were clearly enjoying the moment as well.
Bach’s Cantata “Non sa che sia dolore” completed the concert featuring soprano Susannah Lawergren wearing a stunning gown of black and liquid gold. She is generally very quiet with her facial expressions entering and exiting the stage but completely comes to life when singing. Easton pulled back the strings so the expert playing of Mikaela Oberg on baroque flute could be clearly heard. The cantata starts simply and then, becomes more embellished as the work progresses. Lawergren handled the challenging musical phrases beautifully.
The audience gave much generous applause. One could tell there are many fans of Bach Akademie Australia in the audience. Their following is growing each year and for good reason. Thanks to Easton’s choices, the ensemble consistently offers high class music that makes for blissful entertainment and spiritual upliftment.
Subscribe on their website to hear about their next performance. They are highly recommended.
Photography by Keith Saunders
Related Links
More about Bach Akademie Australia: https://www.bachakademieaustralia.com.au/the-orchestra-and-choir
Program
SCARLATTI: Salve Regina in A major
RAMEAU: Entrée de Polymnie from Act IV, Scene 4 of Les Boréades
BACH J.S.: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068
HANDEL: Concerto Grosso in B flat major HWV 325 (No. 7 from Twelve Grand Concertos, Op. 6)
BACH J.S.: Non sa che sia dolore – Cantata BWV 209
Music Artists
Musical Director / Concertmaster: Madeleine Easton
Soprano: Susannah Lawergren
Mezzo-soprano: Hannah Fraser
Musicians: James Tarbotton, James Armstrong, Michelle O’Young, John Ma, Daniel Yeadon, Pippa Macmillan, Mikaela Oberg, Ben Hoadley, Nathan Cox
