BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Hobart Baroque Festival
Ensemble HB
Air in G, BWV 1068; Harpsichord Concerto in D (Allegro, Adagio e Piano Sempre, Allegro) by Bach
Trio Sonata in G minor, Op.2, No.5, HWV 390 (Larghetto, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro); Water Music, Suite No.3, HWV 350 (Sarabande, Rigaudons, Menuets, Gigues) by Handel
Hobart Town Hall, April 3 2014
Hobart’s historical Town Hall was packed to a near full house for Ensemble HB’s magnificent performance of Bach and Handel on traditional instruments. The event certainly carried the reputation of the Hobart Baroque festival as being a world class event and featured some of the nation’s finest early music players. It also marked a homecoming for performer Kirsty McCahon’s double bass, which she explained was brought to the Hobart wharf when it first arrived in the country in 1899 after being built in Italy some 150 years earlier.
The performance opened on somewhat of a downer with Bach’s Air, but harpsichordist Erin Heylard later justified the choice of repertoire as “bittersweet”, in the same vein as the ending of the Hobart Baroque Festival. Because the work is so well known, it allowed the chance to focus on and appreciate the actual sounds of the traditional string instruments which, despite their beautifully dark coloured wood, provided anything but dark tones.
The following Harpsichord Concerto in D showcased the ensemble’s true talents. Bach’s delightfully fresh concerto was performed with impeccable intonation and tightness, the quality more similar to a recording than a live performance. The upper strings sounded almost hollow in the sombre Adagio e Piano Sempre, and when in unison created glorious textures.
Erin Helyard appeared born for baroque – his physical movements as a performer were as subtle and honest as the music itself. While it is often a challenge to hear a harpsichord’s tones under an ensemble, the hall’s acoustics allowed each note to ring clearly and during the jovial Allegro had my head bopping along.
Handel’s Trio Sonata produced no smaller sound despite the absence of double bass, and nor did the harpsichord take a back seat. The mischievously competitive work saw Anthea Cottee’s cello playing truly shine against the equally striking tones of Julia Fredersdorff’s violin.
Water Music heralded the return of a full ensemble, and the conclusion of the concert. Erin confessed that the work was close to him, and as he smiled at his fellow players this was exceedingly obvious. The final pub-styled Gigue took the audience away in high spirits and ended playfully with a stomp and a “hey!”.
The Town Hall’s glistening chandeliers and intricately decorated walls provided the perfect setting for Ensemble HB’s excellent performance, which I felt to be a real gem of the Hobart Baroque festival.
Ensemble HB are musicians from the Orchestra of the Antipodes and include Julia Fredersdorff, Skye McIntosh violin; Heather Lloyd viola; Anthea Cottee cello; Kirsty McCahon bass; Erin Helyard harpsichord
Image supplied.
