SALUT! BAROQUE :’THE ENTREPRENEUR’ @VERBRUGGHEN HALL, SYDNEY

Above: 11 performers presented 11 works by Telemann and contemporaries in this concert. Image supplied.

Being a prolific, gifted composer in any period of history and being a clued-up, successful entrepreneur does not always go hand in hand. Beethoven was competent in this area. Mozart struggled. Telemann, even earlier, was something of a giant.

Salut! Baroque, in the second concert of its celebratory, 30th anniversary year has provided us with an entertaining glimpse into the personality and business persona of JS Bach’s friend, the prolific composer George Phillip Telemann. This tribute/roast/ caricature saw eleven performers present eleven works from Telemann and other German, French and Swedish composers.

Via commentary in costume from Colin Milner in the role of ‘The Entrepreneur’ Telemann, tales of his business success, his networking and influence upon and from contemporaries across Europe were many, varied and nicely received by Salut! Baroque fans and first-time audience members alike.

As has often been the case throughout the Baroque expert ensemble over its three-decade history, special guests were attracted to its ranks. This concert benefitted from the impressive tone, trajectories and talent of Sally Walker on Baroque flute. Also on the birthday party team for this once more very nicely planned pastiche were Alana Blackburn on recorders alongside Co-Artistic Director Sally Melhuish.

Above: Salut! Baroque perform music from the Uhrovska Collection of 1730. Image supplied.

Sarah Papadopoulos on Baroque violin supported John Ma and demonstrated exquisite blend and thoughtful, intricate dialoguing that linked violins with Brad Tham’s solid viola voice. Joining Co-Artistic Director Tim Blomfield in the low strings was George Wills on Baroque guitar and theorbo.

This programming was annotated again so well in the souvenir programme by Tim Blomfield’s detailed and thought-provoking notes. There was a superb variety of compositional type and country of origin across the programme, with effective-if at times brief-introductory gesturing from Colin Milner in full character as the entrepreneur with the contacts, Telemann.

The concert featured a joyous four works by Telemann, covering the composer’s catering to the fashionable French taste with overtures, suites, cantatas and concertos. Milner joined the ensemble in an hilarious re-enactment of the aria from cantata TWV 20:37, where the entrepeneur fulfilled a commission to write a cantata for the benefactor’s dead canary. This strophic song with props was well delivered and the interludes from the ensemble demonstrating the effectiveness of Telemann’s invention regardless of the nature of musical business he attracted and welcomed.

For this reviewer, as often is the case in the contrasted Salut! Baroque concert programmes, one highlight of the afternoon was the chance to hear almost unheard of composers alongside the ‘greats’. Flautist and composer Pierre Gabriel Buffardin’s movement from the Concert in E minor was a wonderful addition to the programme. It also showcased the agility and elegant pointed direction of Sally Walker’s contribution to the concert. Her playing captivated in ensemble and more solo roles alike.

Swedish Baroque composer Johan Helmich Roman’s royal wedding offering of Drottingsholmsmusique BeRI 2 (1744) was another newbie-eighteenth century personality and an extension of familiar repertoire here. Using the resource of guitarist George Wills, the Slovak/ Romani piece to end this event- ‘Iag Bari’ from the Uhrovska Collection (1730) was a colourful, party-feel piece to introduce to us in this anniversary year from the Baroque musicologists behind continued enlightening concert preparation.

Above: Colin Milner (far left) as George Telemann and the musicians who performed in ‘The Entrepreneur. Image supplied.

This conclusion was also a jubilant celebration of the diverse world from which George Telemann emerged to be a successful composer and publisher. The larger ensemble combinations gave us resounding proof of Telemann’s success. The opening Ouverture-Suite in E minor from ‘L’Omphale’ (1720) bristle in the hands, gesturing and joint phrasing of the assembled players. Moving through Concerto Grossi from Handel and Corelli (the Christmas Concerto Op 6 No 8 no less), the ensemble gave a full picture of The Entrepeneur’s influences and musical environment.

Harpsichordist Monika Kornel shone in her solo spot, playing a French suite example by Jean-Phillippe Rameai. As well as being a fine model of the compositions Telemann mirrored in Germany, it was breathtakingly fluid keyboard fare. We hope for many more stepping-out-excellently-from-the-ensemble moments from this musician and core Salut! Baroque member.

CPE Bach’s progressive expressivity was beautifully championed in an excellently chiselled version of the Allegretto movement from his B minor Symphony (1773). In the caricature and mini-biopic created in the concert of Telemann’s persona and public life, the information that CPE Bach was his godson sat very well in the storytelling.

Also, the non-JS Bach-like nature of Telemann’s textures and less-dense approach to expression than JS Bach were here shown to be an important transition to the changing expressive model to follow on from Telemann and father-Bach’s prolific outputs.

We are three concerts in during Salut! Baroque’s birthday year and their exciting, educational programming continues-also it is happily consistent with previous decades. The diverse and colourful nature of their focus era was once more deftly delivered in this programme. The shifting Baroque sound on show was an elaborate Happy Birthday indeed.

Salut! Baroque return to the Verbrugghen Hall on October 26 at 3 pm for this birthday year’s final concert- ‘Voice, Rejoice’