Llewellyn Hall, ANU, Canberra, 12th March 2009
PURCELL AND HANDEL IN HARMONY
SOPRANO Miriam Allan and the Ironwood ensemble performed works by Henry Purcell (1659-1695) and Geroge Frideric Handel (1685-1759). The first half of the concert was a collection of Purcell's songs - he was a master of the genre. They are beautifully balances: consonance and dissonance, light and shade, and the parts within the ensemble are all in elegant proportion. Allan's voice was lovely, crisp and clear, with a briliant upper register. The second half was all Handel, and began with Ironwood playing the Trio Sonata in G major. It was fantastic - this ensemble is quite something.
Music has to move forward, to draw you along with it. In baroque music this is done with a particular emphasis on harmony (rather than melody). So the performance of this style is all about weight, landing on the harmonies to give emphasis and provide the music with a sense of dynamism. Ironwood are, to say the least, very good at it. Their level of communication was also a joy to watch - particularly between cellist Daniel Yeadon and harpsichordist-extraordinaire Neal Peres Da Costa. This continued with Allan's return for Handel's Silete Venti.
The evening ended with the encore Oh! had I Jubel's lyre from Handel's Joshua - the words appropriately continue, "or Miriam's tuneful voice". It was performed beautifully.
The Canberra Times
Written by Harry White
19 March 2009
2 years ago
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