Tag: Jean-Philippe Rameau

Adam Walker & Mahan Esfahani, Wigmore Hall, 24 June 2016

These “Wigmore Hall Lates” always seem like a good idea when we book them, but unless we are out and about that evening, they always seem like a big effort late in the evening just for an hour long concert.

I placated Daisy for this one by preparing a dinner from Big Al DeLarge’s Emporium, Tavola.  A veal ragu pasta preceded by a cold spinach soup.

Anyway, after the shock of the referendum result, we really didn’t much feel like going out but we did need some sustenance for the soul as well as for the body. This concert did the job.

It is only a few weeks since we last saw Mahan Esfahani at Saffron Hall with John and Mandy. I don’t think we’d seen Adam Walker before, at least not as a soloist.

Anyway the concert – set out in all its piece-by-piece glory here on the Wigmore Hall archive – was truly lovely and just what we needed. We both slept a little during the concert, but in a good way.

The positive thing from the Wigmore Hall’s perspective, is that these late concerts do seem to be attracting a younger crowd, which must be part of the purpose. The not such good news is that, in the absence of a big name, the hall is far from full for these.

Anyway, Janie and I both agreed that, in the end, it had been worth the effort to go out for a one hour concert starting at 10:00. But then, my flat is mighty close to The Wig.

 

Fantasticus, Sonnerie and other Portraits, Wigmore Hall, 19 June 2015

This was one of those late night concerts at The Wig.

We rather enjoy these, although sometimes find it an effort to go out after eating dinner, even if just to go a couple of miles down the road for a beautiful concert.

This one for sure was worth it. I’m pretty sure I knocked up a Tavola special pasta and salad for dinner before we went.

The full title of the concert was, “Sonnerie and other Portraits: Musical paintings from the French Baroque”. Lesser-known French Baroque composers, although we had heard some Marais and Rameau before, to be sure.

Here’s a link to the Wigmore Hall’s archived stub on this concert, which tells you all about Fantasticus and this concert – click here.

We’d never seen Fantasticus before; they are very good indeed. As was this beautiful concert.

In fact, if you wanted just one contrived adjective to describe our evening, you need look no further than “fantasticus”.

David Greilsammer, Wigmore Hall, 12 October 2007

This concert was sponsored by the Tabor Foundation, so Janie and I went along and hoity-toitied with Michael and Doreen Tabor, plus Angela Broad and I think Catriona Oliphant was also there that evening.

Greilsammer_0002
Better yet, read the Classical Source Piece – click the picture

Anyway, this was a young musician concert and a very impressive young pianist is/was David Greilsammer. I can only find one preview of this concert – in the Telegraph – click here.

This review in Classical Source is enthusiastic and helpful – click here.

Jubilate Deo, Southbank Sinfonia, St George’s Church Hanover Square, 14 April 2007

The weekend after Easter, we visited the London Handel Festival for this tasty Baroque concert by the (then) fairly new Southbank Sinfonia.

We heard:

  • Handel’s Overture to Giustino HWV37
  • Rameau’s Grand Motet: In Convertendo Dominus
  • Vivaldi’s Concerto Con Molti Istromenti RV 576
  • Lully’s Suite from “Isis”
  • Handel’s Te Deum for the Peace of Utrecht

Janie couldn’t complain that it was cold this time – we were having a bit of an April heatwave in London. But still she felt that St George’s was austere as a venue…

…”it’s bum-aching, like sitting in Church”…

…”it IS a Church”…

…so she reiterated her strong preference for the Wigmore Hall.

We both agreed that the music was lovely, though.

Below is a delightful later performance by the very same orchestra (under Julian Perkins) of the Giustino:

Below is a beautiful video of the Rameau In Convertendo with William Christie conducting but no identification of the orchestra ( Les Arts Florissants presumably) nor the wonderful soloists – perhaps some of the Early Music Group aficionados can help with the identification of those:

If you click through this link instead, you can then also hear the other parts in YouTube.

I have the whole festival programme, but here is the one-pager with most of the relevant information about that particular, excellent gig.

Wigmore Hall Concert With Sonnerie, 23 September 1999

Excellent concert, this. Sonnerie was a superb but fluid ensemble, led by the indomitable Monica Huggett.

On this occasion they comprised Monica Huggett, Gary Cooper, Wilbert Hazelzet, Pamela Thorby, Catherine Latham, Katherine McGillivray, Catherine Martin, Emilia Benjamin, Alison McGillivray and Sarah Groser.

Here is the playlist from the gig:

  • Jean-Philippe Rameau – Pieces de clavecin en concerts No 3 in A major
  • Georg Philipp Telemann – Concerto for Flute, Oboe d’amore, Viola d’amore, Strings and Continuo in E major
  • Antonio Lucio Vivaldi – Concerto for Violin, Strings and Continuo in D major (“Il Grosso Mogul”) RV208
  • Georg Philipp Telemann – Concerto for Flute, recorder, Strings and Continuo in E minor
  • Johann Sebastian Bach – Sonata No 1 for Violin and Harpsicord in B minor BWV 1014
  • Johann Sebastian Bach – Concerto for Harpsicord, 2 Recorders, Strings and Continuo in F major BWV 1057

Here is a clip from an earlier but lovely recording of the E major Telemann piece, which includes Monica Huggett with the Academy of Ancient Music

While here is a lovely video of Ensemble Odyssee playing the Bach concerto we heard that evening:

We both went straight from work and both had early starts the next morning, so I guess we supped light at Sandall Close after the gig.