Sounding Stories, Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall, 1 March 2018
Overture in d minor, N4 (Fux)
Battalia à 10 in D major, C61 (Biber)
Concerto in F major, RV569 (Vivaldi)
Concerto in A major, TWV51:A4 (Telemann)
Concerto in D major, E112 (Fux)
Concerto in D major, RV562 (Vivaldi)
B'Rock Orchestra
Dmitry Sinkovsky (director and violin)
The performance by B'Rock Orchestra was rather forward looking in terms of playing style and effects than other leading Baroque ensembles that I experienced in previous editions of the Arts Festival. The unconventional and exaggerated approach injected the much needed theatrical excitement than a pure technical display. The use of col legno and martellato, which meant using the bow stick to hit the strings, and making a hammered and accented effects, enhanced the rhythmic momentum and colour. I also had the benefit of sitting two rows from the stage with the full visual experience, and saw Dmitry Sinkovsky energetically signalled phrasing to the players through body movement, humming and even stamping the ground loudly.
The selected works too had their humorous jokes like the fugue in Biber's Battalia developed wrong deliberately with clashing harmony, and later pizzicato on the double bass made drumming effect answered by a playful solo violin above. The aria instead pretentiously graceful yet glissando employed on strings made the sound alike cat growls, finished by a coda in sentiments. Whereas Fux's concerto began with a chant played tutti in unison before bursting into a lively response but on a different harmonic key. Later the echoes between lower strings and oboes imitated snoring against the energetic parts on the upper strings. This was rather different from his French overture with heavy ornaments and even being serious musically.
The first and last movement of both Vivaldi's concertos made a flamboyant and heroic display. The winds played fanfare was alike introducing a celebrated singer in opera and the spotlight focused on the virtuosity of the solo violin. Such was the cadenza in the last movement of Vivaldi's concerto in D which Dmitry Sinkosky gave a brilliant technical display. Though the second movement in contrast was mysterious, tragic and even introvert. Sinkosky surprised the audience by singing as countertenor during encores to demonstrate his multi-talented musicianship. He, with Bart Aerbeydt's contribution on the natural horn, gave a fine account of 'Va tacito' from Handel's Giulio Cesare after playing the stormy first movement of Vivaldi's concerto 'summer'.
Ubi caritas et amor (Duruflé)
Pange lingua (Duruflé)
Psalm 141 (Kreek)
Kas on linnukesel muret (Kreek)
Le Lai de Nostre Dame (Machaut)
Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence (Poulenc)
B'Rock Orchestra
Dmitry Sinkovsky (director and violin)
The performance by B'Rock Orchestra was rather forward looking in terms of playing style and effects than other leading Baroque ensembles that I experienced in previous editions of the Arts Festival. The unconventional and exaggerated approach injected the much needed theatrical excitement than a pure technical display. The use of col legno and martellato, which meant using the bow stick to hit the strings, and making a hammered and accented effects, enhanced the rhythmic momentum and colour. I also had the benefit of sitting two rows from the stage with the full visual experience, and saw Dmitry Sinkovsky energetically signalled phrasing to the players through body movement, humming and even stamping the ground loudly.
The selected works too had their humorous jokes like the fugue in Biber's Battalia developed wrong deliberately with clashing harmony, and later pizzicato on the double bass made drumming effect answered by a playful solo violin above. The aria instead pretentiously graceful yet glissando employed on strings made the sound alike cat growls, finished by a coda in sentiments. Whereas Fux's concerto began with a chant played tutti in unison before bursting into a lively response but on a different harmonic key. Later the echoes between lower strings and oboes imitated snoring against the energetic parts on the upper strings. This was rather different from his French overture with heavy ornaments and even being serious musically.
The first and last movement of both Vivaldi's concertos made a flamboyant and heroic display. The winds played fanfare was alike introducing a celebrated singer in opera and the spotlight focused on the virtuosity of the solo violin. Such was the cadenza in the last movement of Vivaldi's concerto in D which Dmitry Sinkosky gave a brilliant technical display. Though the second movement in contrast was mysterious, tragic and even introvert. Sinkosky surprised the audience by singing as countertenor during encores to demonstrate his multi-talented musicianship. He, with Bart Aerbeydt's contribution on the natural horn, gave a fine account of 'Va tacito' from Handel's Giulio Cesare after playing the stormy first movement of Vivaldi's concerto 'summer'.
O Sacrum Convivium, Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall, 3 March 2018
Ubi caritas et amor (Duruflé)
Pange lingua (Duruflé)
Psalm 141 (Kreek)
Kas on linnukesel muret (Kreek)
Le Lai de Nostre Dame (Machaut)
Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence (Poulenc)
Leine Litanei (Pärt)
Morning Star (Pärt)
O sacrum convivium (Messiaen)
Vox Clamantis
Jaanika Kuusik (soprano)
Jaan-Eik Tulve (conductor)
The music style of Vox Clamantis was in opposite of what the B'Rock Orchestra did two evenings ago. Instead of dramatic excitement and virtuosic display, the beauty of blend voices and spiritual meditation formed the focus. The music landscape was vast, smooth and progressed gently. It also featured the root of western music with plainsong being sung between the motets by Duruflé and Poulenc. Machaut's poetic tribute to the Virgin Mary was the only solo item, and Jaanika Kuusik delivered a sublime account in her beautiful timbre with pure tone. The ensemble of 10 singers sustained great clarity and good intonation throughout. There were no sign of strain in the voices and the singing flowed naturally even in the harmonically challenging French works, especially the Poulenc and Messiaen. If one had to be picky, the adopted tempo for both Duruflé works were rather awkward. Ubi caritas was too swift whereas Pange lingua became a slow boiling of chord progression. Works by Cyrillus Kreek and Arvo Pärt instead being lyrical, close harmony and tuneful by comparison. Otherwise, I felt very moved towards the end and appreciated the alternate interpretation.
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