Bach Musica NZ conductor Rita Paczian. Photo / Supplied
Bach Musica NZ conductor Rita Paczian. Photo / Supplied
Bach Musica NZ’s Best of Bach carried with it an underlying theme of rejoicing, climaxing in the composer’s mighty Magnificat.
Two concertos on Sunday night featured soloists from the orchestra, with concertmaster Yanghe Yu giving us Bach’s E major Violin Concerto while Rita Paczian conducted from the harpsichord.
This wasa compact performance, nicely measured at Paczian’s usual crisp pace. Yu’s phrasing was sensitively drawn, the occasional rushed awkwardness more than compensated for by his restrained but effective ornamentation.
A particular delight came in the Adagio, in which both eye and ear could enjoy the interplay of cello and harpsichord.
Bach’s E minor Flute Concerto, patched together from earlier works, has never totally convinced me. However, on Sunday night, its irresistible momentum coupled with Luca Manghi’s effortless cascades of notes made a most convincing case for it.
Punctuating these two concertos, an exuberant opening chorus from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, primed us for what lay ahead after interval.
Bach’s Magnificat is one powerhouse of a piece, introduced with full ceremonial splendour. Its opening chorus was appropriately spectacular, with Josh Rogan’s trumpet riding atop the orchestral wave, and the sheer energy of the choristers bursting out into the hall; an energy that did not dissipate a whit in subsequent numbers.
The four soloists enjoyed Bach’s engrossing and challenging arias. Soprano Elizabeth Mandeno moved gracefully around Alison Dunlop’s oboe d’amore obbligato and, from her first aria, Wendy Dawn Thompson exerted her own authority, even if occasionally one wanted more naturalness in the musical flow.
Lachlan Craig with Bach Musica NZ in a performance of Best of Bach at the Auckland Town Hall. Photo / Supplied
Thompson’s duet with tenor Lachlan Craig was a highlight, harmonised against the sweet tones of Peter Watts’ chamber organ, as was Craig’s relaxed solo turn. Baritone James Harrison, in just a few minutes, provided models of both sculpted line and a confident low register.
The year 2023 looks to be a promising one for Bach Music NZ, with its December presentation of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio giving us the opportunity to hear its opening chorus in dramatic context.
