Greta Claringbould
soprano
Maartje Sevenster
mezzo-soprano
Peter Young organ and
direction
St. Paul’s Church,
Manuka, 17 December
Reviewed by Len Power
The hot day provided an appropriate Venice lagoon-in-summer
atmosphere in St. Paul’s Church, Manuka for AdHoc Baroque group’s afternoon
concert. Beginning in 2016, the group has
specialised in performing vocal music from the baroque age. This concert focussed on works by the
well-known Antonio Vivaldi and the not so well-known Baldassare Galuppi.
In the 18th century, Galuppi was one of Europe’s
most famous opera buffa composers as well as a composer of liturgical
works. His music is now being
rediscovered. The two Galuppi works presented
in this concert had not been published before.
Commencing with his ‘Confitebor Tibi Domine’ (I acknowledge
you, O lord), soprano Greta Claringbould and mezzo-soprano Maartje Sevenster
sang with confidence and precision. The
blending of their voices in the duets was especially fine.
 |
| Greta Claringbold (left) and Maartje Sevenster (right) |
Next on the program was Galuppi’s ‘Ave Regina Coelorum’
(Hail Queen of heavens), an uplifting and beautiful work sung beautifully by
Maartje Sevenster.
The first of the Vivaldi works on the program, ‘Nulla in
mundo pax sincera’ (In this world there is no honest peace) seemed to have a
richer sound compared to the works of Galuppi.
Maybe we are just more familiar with the sound of popular composer
Vivaldi? Greta Claringbould gave a fine
performance of the work, especially the final section after the recitative.
The second half of the concert was devoted to Vivaldi’s
‘Gloria’, composed in the early 1700’s for the Pietà, one of the four
orphanages in Venice that were famous for their musical training and
performances by female voices.
The soloists were joined by a 10 member female choir and
oboe and trumpet were added to the orchestra.
The complexity of the music made it sound like it was a much larger
choir than it was. The orchestra under
the direction of Peter Young gave a fine accompaniment to the singers.
 |
| Greta Claringbould (left) accompanied on oboe by Chayla Ueckert-Smith (right) |
The solo by Greta Claringbould, nicely accompanied on the
oboe by Chayla Ueckert-Smith, and the solo sung by Maarte Sevenster with the
chorus were the highlights of this sumptuous work, completing a memorable
concert.
Photos by Peter Hislop
This review was first
published in the Canberra City News digital edition of 18 December 2017.
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7’s new ‘On Stage’ program on Mondays from
3.30pm and on ‘Artcetera’ from 9.00am on Saturdays.