Classical Chamber Nights

Categories: concerts

Date: 06 October 2006 13:33:17

A very pleasant evening at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with the Brandenburg Ensemble for their Classical Chamber Nights concert. Having, at most, five instruments played for a piece gave an altogether different feel compared to the usual large size orchestra present in their performance. Verbrugghen Hall, where the concert took place [and what an organ! I'd love to hear it played one day], is also a bit more intimate than the City Recital Hall where I usually see the full Brandenburg Orchestra. You can see some seats on either side that have single seats: I was at the lower level, right-hand side, six from the front: and thus had quite a good view.

The pieces performed were:

Boccherini - Fortepiano Quintet in E minor G.415 Op 57 No 3
Mozart - Flute Quartet in D Major K285
Rossini - String Sonata No 2 in A Major; and
Mozart - Clarinet Quintet in A Major K581

My favourite was definitely Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, though I rather liked Boccherini's piece as well. They were all marvellous though. Of particular interest was the reproduction of Stadler's basset clarinet used for the final piece -- as the photo on that page shows it is a rather odd looking instrument! The Brandenburg Orchestra use either period pieces or replica pieces: and if you watched The Worst Jobs in History, which recently screened here, you'll be familiar with the violin string maker -- the string instruments used by the orchestra do have strings made from sheep guts.

As well as the pieces, Musicologist Alan Maddox introduced each piece and gave some history on the composer, the piece and the instruments, which I found very interesting and informative.

A lovely start to the weekend: but unfortunately it will be downhill from here. Work calls. For most of the weekend. Oh well: can't be helped.

Hope you all have a good weekend.