THE ENTREPRENEUR

Salut! Baroque

Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest July 18

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

Celebrating 30 years of the best of baroque music, Canberra group Salut! baroque’s latest program celebrated one of the baroque period’s star composers, Georg Philipp Telemann.

The most famous composer in Germany in his day, Telemann composed over 3,000 compositions that demonstrated an uncanny sense of popular musical trends. Skilled on eleven instruments, he also absorbed and incorporated music from throughout Europe and boasted that he could compose in the Italian, French, English, Scottish and Polish styles. He was a brilliant promoter of his own publications, amassing hundreds of subscribers – quite the entrepreneur!

Ten outstanding musicians playing baroque instruments – recorder, flute, violin, cello, double bass, theorbo and harpsichord – presented a large program of works by Telemann and his contemporaries including Handel, C.P.E. Bach, Buffardin, Rameau, Corelli and Roman.

Performers' list from the program

There’s usually a refreshingly different angle to Salut! baroque’s concerts and for this one, Telemann himself resplendent in full costume and wig appeared and offered witty and wise narration for the various works played. He even sang one of his own compositions, an aria from the “cantata for an artistically skilled canary whose death brought the greatest sorrow to his owner”. He even brought the dead canary in a cage as evidence as well as the cat. Canberra actor and singer, Colin Milner, gave a delightful performance as Telemann.

Colin Milner (centre) with Salut! Baroque musicians

Four works by Telemann were played, showing his skill at composing in different styles. The French inspired work, Modéré from Paris Quartet in E Minor, with its beautiful, wistful melodies played superbly by Sally Walker on flute, was one of the highlights of the concert.

Other highlights in this memorable concert included C.P. E. Bach’s Allegretto from Symphony in B minor, Buffardin’s Allegro con molto from Concert in E minor and Corelli’s Concerto Grosso Op. 6 no. 8 Christmas Concerto.

 

Photo by Len Power

 

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 19 July 2025.

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/.