Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra
June 15, 2022, City Recital Hall, Sydney
To recreate the Sounds of Vienna from the nineteenth century, the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra assembled eight specialists in historical music performance from around the world. Clarinettist, Nicole van Bruggen, the orchestra’s co-artistic director and general manager, was joined by Anneke Scott, a leading expert historical horn player from the UK; Niels Coppalle from France on bassoon; two violinists – Jenna Sherry from London and Peter Clark from New York; Simon Oswell on viola, from Melbourne; cellist Daniel Yeadon from Sydney; and Rob Nairn on double bass from Adelaide. Each musician played either an original instrument from the period, or a modern copy.
Nicole van Bruggen introduced the concert on this beautiful winter’s night in the City Recital Hall. She told us about Joseph Eybler and the String Quintet in D major they were about to play.
Although virtually unknown to audiences today, Eybler was a very successful musician and composer in his time. He was taught by Albrechtsberger, who also taught Beethoven, Mozart and Hummel. Albrechtsberger considered Eybler as a musical genius, second only to Mozart. Eybler and Mozart became lifelong friends after they were introduced to each other by Haydn.
In 1824 Eybler succeeded Salieri as imperial Kapellmeister in the court of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria. He wrote many choral works, which were popular during his lifetime. He also wrote many chamber works with the confidence to break away from Haydn’s ‘rules’. His String Quintet in D major, HV.186 is more like a serenade, with seven charming movements. He quite sensibly replaced the second viola in a conventional string quintet with a double bass, giving the quintet a richer, deeper sound.
The quintet, represented by Jenna Sherry, Peter Clark, Simon Orwell, Daniel Yeadon and Rob Nairn, played with sparkling enthusiasm. The music ranged from elegant adagios to lively Minuettos, the second of which reminded me of a ‘Ländler’. The performers’ enjoyment and rapport were evident, particularly the lower strings, when it was their turn to take a lead role. Each performer got a chance to shine in solo passages – and shine they did!
After Interval, we were treated to the very well known Octet in F major by Franz Schubert. It was commissioned by his friend, Ferdinand Troyer, a minor noble, who played the clarinet. The work was to be in the style of Beethoven’s extremely popular Septet. Schubert added an extra violin to Beethoven’s line-up of players. He retained Beethoven’s idea of the six movements, again making this piece like a serenade. Written in 1824, it has remained a source of delight to audiences for very nearly two hundred years.
This time the eight performers stood around in a semi-circle, emphasising the repartee between the strings and the wind instruments. For obvious reasons, the clarinet featured largely in this work, especially in the second Adagio. The Andante was like a wander in the Viennese countryside with another beautiful; clarinet solo, so Nicole van Bruggen played a starring role. The horn, with a narrower internal bore than the modern instrument, displayed the distinctive brassy note of this period instrument, which Anneke Scott played with expertise. Rob Nairn was beaming with enjoyment as he played his double bass. During the Menuetto, Jenna Sherry was almost tapping her feet as her fingers danced on the violin. The final movement, with its feelings of impending storm, ended in joyful triumph.
What a way to experience the Sounds of Vienna – from newly rediscovered to old favourites, and played by experts from around the world. The audience exclaimed their appreciation in whoops, cheers and enthusiastic applause. We went out into the glittering winter’s night, with Schubert in our hearts and minds. Thank you Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra!
Photography: Robert Catto
Sketches: Heidi Hereth
