DOLCISSIMO - ART SONG CANBERRA

Anna Fraser, soprano

Hannah Lane, Italian triple harp

Wesley Music Centre, Forrest May 19

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

Artsong Canberra’s latest program, Dolcissimo, explored the flowering of Italian vocal music in a program by composers of the late Renaissance through to the Baroque. There were songs by Luzzaschi, Caccini, Rossi, Frescobaldi and others, played and sung by two eminent Baroque specialists, Anna Fraser, soprano, and Hannah Lane on an Italian Baroque triple harp.

Anna Fraser is a versatile soprano specialising in the interpretation of early and contemporary vocal repertoire. She is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the New England Conservatory (Boston) and regularly performs with the Bach Akadamie Australia, Cantillation, Australian Haydn Ensemble, Salut! Baroque, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Ensemble Offspring. She also performed as a core ensemble member of the Song Company for over 10 years.

Anna Fraser

Hannah Lane is the leading Australian exponent of the Baroque harp. She studied in Milan, Italy with renowned historical harpist Mara Galassi. Hannah performs with leading ensembles throughout Australia and Europe, appearing at international festivals. She is a regular guest lecturer in historical harp at the University of Melbourne.

Hannah Lane

Both artists gave informative and entertaining explanations of the music and songs they were performing.  Hannah Lane explained that composers of that era were inspired by the virtuosity of the singer’s voice, giving their works an opulent ornamentation and layers of texture, resulting in a unique and fascinating sound.

As well as the songs accompanied by Hannah Lane, she also performed a number of works for harp only. The distinctive sound of the Baroque harp took you time travelling back to that 16^th and 17^th century period when the music was composed.

Anna Fraser’s singing also captured the period delightfully. The emotions in the songs were conveyed by the intricate ornamentation, creating a fascinating, haunting and often dream-like effect.  Combined with Lane’s playing of the harp, the overall effect was sublime.

While every song and solo harp piece were impressive, two works stood out as highlights. Giulio Caccini’s Dolcissimo Sospiro (sweetest sigh) and Lasciatemi qui solo (Leave me here alone) composed by his daughter, Francesca Caccini. The level of emotion conveyed in these works was extraordinary. This atmospheric concert was unique, entertaining and highly memorable.

 

Photos by Peter Hislop

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.