TEMS barocking: Vivaldi, Handel and Rameau

[french frank]

This Saturday, 22 Jan, a concert of Baroque music (or rather highlights) performed by the US-based ensemble Apollo's Fire in their London debut appearance at Wigmore Hall. With Sophie Daneman. A mix of chamber/orchestral and opera. Kate Bott in the wings, probably itching to join in ...

[doversoul1]

ff
Just as well. We’ll move over here.
Here is one of The Guardian reviewers trying to make up her mind what to think…

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/dec/02/apollos-fire-review?INTCMP=SRCH

I am looking forward to hear what Katherine Bott has to say.

[french frank]

Here is one of The Guardian reviewers trying to make up her mind what to think…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010...ew?INTCMP=SRCH

I loved this bit: "A British ensemble would at least have had the grace to look grumpy playing it."

This, of course, a review of the concert itself, rather than the highlights which we get. And I suppose it's the kind of of thing that puts R3 on the spot. It should, at all times, be critical (as it seems Andrew McGregor was), not effusive and sycophantic, or enthusing in order to whip up enthusiasm. And Radio 3 should cater for the audience which wants just that.

[Cleveland? My first thought was that they were all Geordies!]

[Flosshilde]

I think that British early music ensembles do generally look as if they are enjoying playing; it's the larger orchestras playing the later stuff that look grumpy!

[Anna]

I would rather it had been a whole programme of Rameau, has he ever been Composer of the Week?

[John Wright]

Rameau? Yes,

18-22 Aug 2008

And look here, Rameau featured on a lovely blog site that no-one posts on (know the feeling).

http://weeklycomposer.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html

On his C.P.E. Bach blog it's a pity he refers to C.P.E. Bach's Concerto in D Minor, PART 1 :)

He links to his youtube clips which do get a good number of 'comments'

Maybe we should all post on his blog and get him excited.

[doversoul1]

Anna
August 2008.

Did you know the CoW website lists the composers’ names by their first names? Can you remember the first names of, say, Frescobaldi or Zelenka? Or do you even know them?

As I wrote on the other thread, does anybody know other US based early music groups? Has it not caught up there yet or am I just ignorant? I am wondering if this is the reason for this ensemble being not too, well, adventurous? If I remember correctly, this group was first introduced (mistakenly) as the Baroque branch of the Cleveland Orchestra.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think that British early music ensembles do generally look as if they are enjoying playing; it's the larger orchestras playing the later stuff that look grumpy!

It's funny. I've always thought the reverse to be the case. Early music performers seem to be very tense when they play, as though resisting their natural instincts in order to do the Right Thing. Orchestras like the BBC SO and the Halle can often be seen smiling at one another. But my sample of experience may not be representative of the bigger picture.

[doversoul1]

Talking about performance, here is one of British early music groups (I Fagiolini) doing something….different. What do you think? I’d rather just listen to the music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maGfTHKeYJY

I expect this will be in full costume for the real thing.

I shan’t object too much to this as this is more music than anything else (Consort of Music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbdpfOPJNFQ

P.S. ff. Should this be a new thread?

[Chris Newman]

I first came to early music through an exciting band called the Manitoba Consort (a Canadian ensemble from Manitoba University) who appeared at Aldeburgh and the Queen Elizabeth Hall in 1966. I heard them on a Third Programme show advertising interesting music on in the next few days, had never heard anything like it and went to the London concert. Apparently David Munrow and others heard them and it took off from there in Britain. They played Machaut, Praetorius, Dufay on long forgotten and unheard of bits of wood, horn and skin. Wonderful evening. It was there that I discovered that at times "classical music" (for want of a better word) has been as much fun as the popular music of the sixties. I am sure there is plenty of early music making in the States though I think Canada got there first.

[kernelbogey]

.... Early music performers seem to be very tense when they play, as though resisting their natural instincts in order to do the Right Thing....But my sample of experience may not be representative of the bigger picture.

Here's Red Priest having fun with an old warhorse!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wL1AR7iqo&NR=1

[David Underdown]

Orchestras like the BBC SO and the Halle can often be seen smiling at one another. But my sample of experience may not be representative of the bigger picture.

BBC SO Smiling, you must have seen them on a very good day!

[doversoul1]

Back to the programme. I am listening to the concert now. Well, I don’t know…. It was a bit unfortunate that this came less than an hour after Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante. I see what Andrew meant by ‘a bit polite’. I thought Vivaldi’s Concerto for four violins was going to come to a halt half way through (but then, what do I know?).

Their mission statement is apparently to move the audience to laugh or cry. Very original…. From the article Mark posted in the other thread, there must be more, well, less polite groups in the US. I wonder how this group came to be invited to perform at Wigmore Hall as one of the few US based early music groups to come over. And did I hear the conductor/director mention the name ‘Roger Wright’?

[ed.] Well, it sounds as if the audience enjoyed it, so it may all to do with the recording.