Australia’s flagship Baroque music ensemble returned to Elizabeth Murdoch Hall for this series of concerts dedicated to music of the Italian Baroque, with three outstanding soloists all emerging from the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra ranks.
Sporting a semi-casual look in smart all-black T-shirts and blazers, the ABO players took their positions around the harpsichord for this performance, which was flanked on either side by the dual theorbos of Tommie Anderson and Nicholas Pollock, with the addition of Baroque harp adding an extra layer of interest and detail in the continuo section.
Before a note had been heard there were laughs aplenty, as ABO’s ever-exuberant Artistic Director, Paul Dyer, managed to swipe the music off the principal cello’s stand with one of his trademark sweeping gestures, but with a quick reset all was well and we then heard the lovely posthumously published Concerto Grosso in D Major, Op. 6 No. 4 by Arcangelo Corelli. The unusually short and sombre introduction quickly gave way to an explosive fugal Allegro, with the violins of Sean Lee-Chen and Matthew Bruce providing an excellent contrast to the main body of strings in a flurry of semi-quavers that were tossed back and forth between orchestra and soloists. The more reserved writing in the Adagio allowed the filigree of the extended continuo section to shine through, providing a listless energy to the music, before a contrasting series of Allegros charged energetically to a dramatic and emphatic finale.
The next offering was the much-loved Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op. 9 No. 2 by fellow Italian Tomaso Albinoni, published in 1722. One of the better-known Baroque concertos for the oboe, this work provided a perfect vehicle for Adam Masters’ fine musicianship, with superb linear phrasing, impeccable intonation, and lovely warm tone throughout. The beautiful legato playing and tranquillity of the famous Adagio was a particular highlight in Masters’ elegant and understated performance.
Perhaps due to its position deep amongst the body of the orchestra, I did at times struggle to hear as much of the harpsichord as I would have liked, with Paul Dyer’s interesting and delicate continue playing often overpowered by the main body of strings.
Next it was the turn of regular ABO concertmaster Shaun Lee-Chen to perform the Concerto for violin in B-flat major by the famous and prodigious Neapolitan composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, who was sadly taken from the world at the young age of just 26 years. One of only a small number of major instrumental works definitely considered to be authentic by modern scholars, this concerto clearly demonstrates the talent that Pergolesi must have had, not only as a composer but also as a leading violinist of his time. From the very outset of the fiery Allegro Shaun Lee-Chen delivered his customary animation and vivacious energy that always engages audiences. The slow Siciliana in the second movement not only demonstrated Pergolesi’s lyricism as a composer, but also Lee-Chen’s sensitivity and technical prowess as a player, and also the impeccable ensemble playing and balance of the ABO strings that are hallmarks of this fine orchestra. After a series of delicate ornaments and trills, the final Allegro was a burst of prosecco-popping tunes, with lively and spirited playing from both soloist and band. There was a lovely rapport between Lee-Chen and his fellow ABO musicians on show in this piece, and notably between a beaming Paul Dyer on the harpsichord and his concertmaster soloist. It was very clear to all present that everyone on stage was having lots of fun!
Often regarded as the founder of modern virtuosic violin performance, Pietro Locatelli wrote a series of short works, which were published in 1735, and we heard the fifth of these, Op.4, No.5. Very much of the sound world of Corelli, the highlight of this piece was the interplay between the ABO’s busy continuo section led by Dyer on Harpsichord and Tommy Andersson’s baroque Guitar, supported by Nicholas Pollock’s theorbo and Hannah Lane on harp, before a driving rhythmically-intense finale led enthusiastically by Jamie Hey’s ever-reliable cello.
Vivaldi’s famous concerto “Alla Rustica” Concerto for Strings in G major, RV 151 is one of his most famous concertos, and well known to Australian TV audiences who used to watch dour newsreader Clive Robertson’s evening program Newsworld. It was given a cracking performance here at breakneck speed, with Baroque guitars adding nice bite and rustic colour. Blink and you’d miss the Adagio, but in a matter of moments all were back on board for a rollicking Allegro finale, Dyer urging on his charges with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.
In what was probably the curiosity of the night, the audience was treated to a rarely heard concerto performed on the big brother of the baroque cello, the violone. A hero of the ABO as its Principal Baroque Bass, soloist Robert Nairn appeared resplendent in a tropical shirt, showing bold disregard for the freezing Melbourne winter outside. Throughout the three movements of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Cello in C minor, RV 401, Nairn demonstrated impressive athleticism and dexterity throughout in handling the much bigger bass instrument, with spectacular semi-quaver passages performed with clarity and razor-sharp articulation in the outer movements, and lovely tone and excellent musicianship a highlight in the work’s more sedate central section. Rarely heard in the context as a solo concerto instrument, it was a fascinating listening experience having the larger violone (Baroque bass) take on the solo part originally intended for the more nimble cello. This intense and moody minor key work, with its unexpected clashing notes and difficult and fast passage work for the soloist, provided a wonderful vehicle for this noble and often under-estimated instrument to shine, and was met with a generous and enthusiastic reception by the near-capacity audience.
In a flash, Nairn was back in black at the back of the orchestra, and with no messing about Shaun Lee-Chen cruised back on to the stage with his usual swagger, as soloist for the evening’s final offering: Vivaldi’s “Grosso Mogul” Concerto for Violin, RV 208. Featuring a spectacular series of dramatic outbursts of impossibly fast semi-quavers, Lee-Chen threw himself into this showstopping finale, which at times sounded like a Baroque “Hoedown”. His technical brilliance was very much on show, with an effervescence and exuberance that was at times breathtaking. After a somewhat languid moment from the harp, we were treated to a series of florid extrapolations from this fine violinist in the unusual Recitativo movement, which continued into the final exciting Allegro, with some seriously impressive solo playing from Shaun Lee-Chen, including some of the most expressive music-making of the night. With some subtle lighting effects putting the orchestra into semi-darkness, Lee-Chen literally took to the spotlight like a shining star. Not surprisingly, the performance was met with a well-deserved and raucous standing ovation.
Once again Paul Dyer demonstrated his uncanny ability to curate an interesting program and take his audience on an interesting musical adventure with his band of merry ABO collaborators in this concert. With an all-Italian program such as this on offer, there was always the chance of audience fatigue setting in based on the similar style of much of the music. But the employment of different instruments throughout the concert, and some nice flourishes insured balance and contrast for the listener, and made for an uplifting and stimulating musical experience on a cold Melbourne evening.
Photo credit: Nico Keenan
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Andrew Wailes reviewed “Baroque Unleashed”, presented by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, on July 28, 2025.
