“The fine ensemble blend and communication between ensemble members in this opening work and the works to follow was a pleasing feature of this concert.”
Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra has been presenting full orchestral or chamber music concerts alongside their signature ‘Voyage of Musical Discovery’ educational discussions for ten years now.
This anniversary year’s first concert tour featured a chamber music programme. Loved and less-well known works for three, four and five instruments by Mozart, Schubert and Hummel were heard in Sydney as well as six regional and metropolitan locations.
As we have come to treasure from ARCO’s programming, this concert introduced us to a less-often heard work or composer. In this programme, it was a dynamic chamber work from Johann Nepomuk Hummel.
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The clarinet developed during Mozart’s lifetime was an instrument very much in vogue in Vienna and surrounds. Hummel’s inclusion of the inimitable tone of this instrument celebrated the chance for new colorisation in chamber music and a new wind character in any ensemble line-up.
ARCO’s players assembled for the concert exploited this combination as well as Hummel’s keen use of surprise, slow build to climaxes and effective articulation. There was an expert tracing of the shapes, gestures and repetitions on offer during all four movements from this composer.
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This programe’s celebration of the popular clarinet, this time the basset clarinet, continued after interval with the loved Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A major, K581.
Tempo choices were very fitting throughout this work. They made the well-known movements speak with clear personality for the wind soloist and the strings. Nicole van Bruggen’s basset line bubbled over the registers with beautiful agility. The opening movement was imbued with tremendous warmth. The solo line for clarinet emerged over the string tapestry in its second movement song with impressive restraint and seamless rendering of the filigree in conversation with the strings.
I was particulary touched anew by the expressive, reverent treatment of the variations in the final movement. There was plenty of space in the delivery. Simon Oswell’s viola line in the minore variation was particulary plaintive and rang out above the musical fabric. There was efficient and exciting interplay or conversation between Peter Clark and Julia Russoniello’s violin lines in this and all movements…
Paul Nolan, Sydney Arts Guide (19 March 2023)
Image: Teniola Komolafe