REVIEW – BEST of BAROQUE
performed by LANCASHIRE SINFONIETTA
with CANZONETTA

The Priory Church, Lancaster
Saturday 25 March 2006

A ravishing evening from one of Lancashire’s cultural gems

Local baroque banishes the blues
Yummy, I thought: an evening of baroque music from England, Germany, Italy and France; what better way to dispel the wintry blues than treat the Godson to a good evening out at the end of his university term.  And, in his own words, “it was great, good music, good wine [that came afterwards – no interval refreshments, alas] and good company, a good combination”. He has been brought up well. …

And his youthful judgement is sound: The Lancashire Sinfonietta is a wonderful asset to the County – not least because the County Council supports them.  They deliver good crisp, clear and stylish playing, and “they were clearly enjoying themselves”, added the Godson, noting the smiles.  A small ensemble of some twenty players (they number about 25 when at full strength for later works) was appropriately directed from the leader’s desk by violinist Bradley Creswick.

Lancashire talent on the world’s stages
The concert kicked off neatly with the Suite no 3 in G major from Handel’s overrated Water Music, which dates from c 1717.  That done, we were now in the much sexier realms of Handel’s operatic output with four arias from his Alcina and Ariodante, both from 1735.  Lancashire lass and Lancaster graduate Jane Irwin (pictured right, pic: John Barr), mezzo soprano, has a wonderful clear and confident voice and a broad repertoire too.  She has worked on the international circuit: it isn’t just anybody who gets to sing at the Carnegie Hall, Covent Garden, Bayreuth and with the BBC Phil.

For her Lancaster audience she sang the four Handel arias with passion, style and sensitivity.  Just like the rest of the band and their director, she has an acutely judicious sense of ornamentation, phrasing, dynamics and pace.  The glorious music came across with sheer drama and ravishment too – just as opera should be. 

“Con molto espressione”
The Godson is often sparing with his praise and not really into opera (yet), but conceded that “I really quite enjoyed these”, and felt the arias were delivered suitably “con molto espressione”.  Praise indeed – I was simply spine-tingled.

Virtuoso viola
Forget the jokes about viola players: David Aspen has a fine technique that is melodious, impassioned, mellow and virtuosic by turn.  The Concerto in G major for viola and strings by Georg Phillip “Honey I’m setting the laundry list for wind quintet” Telemann afforded the soloist ample opportunity which Aspen grasped fully to deliver a near flawless performance.

Venice and Paris
After the interval the orchestra was joined by Canzonetta, a Manchester-based chamber choir of 16 singers, for Monteverdi’s 1630 sensual setting of the psalm Beatus Vir.  They sang with a warm, suitably Italian tone, excellent diction and a real feel for the intrinsic baroque drama of the music.

From Italy to France now, and the court of the ‘Sun King’ Louis XIV, for the last piece, the memorable and colourful Te Deum Laudamus H146 from around 1690 by Marc-Antoine Charpentier.  Equally at home with the Germanic and Italian styles, the combined forces now sang and played the praises of god (or was that Louis?) in the exotic and idiosyncratic idiom of the early French baroque. 

Neat ornamentation, some good tempi and wonderful singing from the eight solo parts (all drawn from the choir) made for a sensitive and dramatic performance which sent the audience home on a real high.  Or to the pub, in our case, to continue the euphoria …

County treasure
All considered, this was an excellent concert from a baroque-sized professional orchestra of mostly Lancashire musicians that can hold its own with any national ensemble.  It was all the more rewarding to know that the Lancashire Sinfonietta is supported by our own and often maligned County Council. 

The nave of the Priory Church was full, and there was no doubt that the audience was bowled over, judging by the foot tapping during the concert and the applause at the end.  So don’t let anyone tell you that people in these parts are not interested in the arts and culture.  Ever.

With playing of this quality, and for the Sinfonietta’s excellent education work  that takes classical music out to the young and into our libraries, Lancashire can be well proud of this rich asset and cultural treasure.

This review is dedicated to our County Councillors who, despite have recently impoverished out cultural life by closing libraries in the Lancaster area, continue to support the arts.

Copyright © 25 March 2006 Michael Nunn, with thanks to Alexander Eyre.

Postscript:
The Lancashire Sinfonietta has brought out two CDs of their work, and is presently recording a third.  The one I have heard features Mozart Symphony no 29 K201 and one of Mendelssohn’s early String Symphonies.  It well demonstrates their talents.  They are a real bargain at only £5, and can be obtained through:
http://www.bluefroguk.com/lancsinf/cds.htm