William Dart review: Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at the Holy Trinity Cathedral

APO / Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra performing Eight Seasons, the second in the Baroque & Beyond concerts, at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell, October 26. Violinist Andrew Beer. Photo / Adrian Malloch

There was an inevitable Kiwi connection to tonight’s Eight Seasons, the second of Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s Baroque & Beyond concerts, pointed out by violinist Andrew Beer after the music had worked its wiles on a most appreciative audience.

Back in 1992, Neil and Tim Finn immortalised our country’s meteorological unpredictability in the song Four Seasons in One Day; tonight, by programming Vivaldi’s Four Seasons alongside Astor Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, we had experienced twice the number of seasons in just the one evening.

The Italian Baroque and Argentinian tango blended well. Interweaving the two composers meant that the concert began and ended with the optimism of Spring.

Vivaldi’s version was a vernal delight, the first of four vigorous and compelling concertos. Beer’s well-judged improvisation in its Largo was impeccably lyrical; occasional ruffles in fiery solos — the first being an unexpected dip into the minor during a musical thunderstorm — never detracted from the highly energised momentum.

The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra performed Eight Seasons, the second in the Baroque & Beyond concerts, at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell. Photo / Adrian Malloch

Indeed, Vivaldi’s Autumn, with its first movement of staggering contrasts, was effectively sustained by the sheer orchestral ensemble, along with some astonishing flights of freedom for Beer’s violin, scampering over Ashley Brown’s equally spruce cello.

Leonid Desyatnikov’s hip arrangements of four seasonal Piazzolla tangos are a hugely successful piece of musical alchemy. Without a bandoneon in sight, the spirit of the tango is wonderfully caught in a scintillating showcase for strings and solo violin.

Piazzolla’s Summer brought forth extensive and brilliant cadenzas from both Beer and Brown while moody and lustrous lower strings introduced a sombre Winter. If the tensile fugato that launches Spring did not quite register as it might have, enchantment came within minutes, with a world-weary interlude.

Piazzolla’s Oblivion provided a charming encore with the company joined by accordionist Grayson Masefield, who just happens to be a member of the new tango quintet, Aotango, alongside Beer and Somi Kim of NZTrio. Watch out for their upcoming concerts next month.