Reviewed by Pepe Newton, ClassikOn | Feb 3, 2025 | Ambassador thoughts, Chamber Groups, Ensembles, Harpsichord & Organ, Recorder, Strings

Salut! Baroque | Music to Celebrate
Feb 2, 2025, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, NSW

Baroque music has always been about grandeur and transformation, and Salut! Baroque’s Music to Celebrate was no exception. Marking the beginning of their 30th anniversary season, the ensemble crafted a program that honoured the evolution of Baroque music, moving from its Renaissance roots to the cusp of the Classical period. This was not just a retrospective but a lively, elegant, and deeply expressive tribute to the pioneering composers who shaped the era.

After 30 years Salut! Baroque remains as fresh and engaging as ever. The ensemble’s signature blend of historical performance practice with an infectious sense of joy filled the space with a palpable sense of celebration – not just in the music but in the connection between the musicians, some long-time collaborators, others fresh faces joining the journey.

The concert’s program was beautifully curated, weaving together familiar masters with lesser-known gems. The opening La Lusignola by Tarquinio Merula was a dazzling display of recorder virtuosity (yes, that is a thing, believe me), capturing the essence of nightingale song with four distinct recorder voices blending like a choral SATB ensemble. The musicians’ precision and expressiveness made for a captivating introduction.

Locatelli’s Concerto à quattro in E-flat major brought the full string section and harpsichord into focus, with lush, expressive contrasts in tempo and texture. The languid glissandi and sorrowful suspensions painted the picture of Arianna’s legendary tears, each phrase unfolding like a dramatic lament. The wonderfully full audience at the Sydney Conservatorium’s Music Room responded warmly to this deeply emotive performance.

Johann Christian Schickhardt’s Concerto in G minor proved a delightful surprise. The ensemble’s cohesion was remarkable, they do not perform with a conductor, relying instead on intuitive body language and eye contact. Recorder soloist Anna Stegmann shone amid the interplay of duets, adding depth to an already richly textured work.

A fascinating inclusion was Giovanni Antonio Guido’s Le Quattro Stagioni: L’Este, which predates Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons by nearly a decade. Here, the interplay of strings, harpsichord, and recorder created a vibrant dialogue, culminating in a graceful dance for violin and recorder, beautifully anchored by the continuo section of bass violin and harpsichord.

My highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly Jan Rokyta’s Balkanology, an electrifying departure from the Baroque norm. Composed in 1969 and inspired by Romanian and Turkish folk music, it showcased the quartet of recorders in dazzling form, particularly in the intricate rhythmic structures of Turcească. The lower register instruments added a percussive intensity that was genius. Bold programming choices shone here, proving that Baroque ensembles need not be confined by era.

Vivaldi’s Concerto in D minor, RV 566 was a crowd-pleaser, allowing the full ensemble to dazzle with their technical precision and dynamic energy. The fast, furious string passages and driving rhythms were met with much enthusiastic applause.

Schmelzer’s Balletti evoked a stately procession, capturing the theatrical essence of these courtly dances once performed as interludes in Italian opera. There was a distinct operatic quality to much of the program, a nod to the dramatic roots of Baroque music.

Telemann’s Concerto a quattro in A minor closed the program with a brilliant exchange between violin, recorder, bass violin, and harpsichord. The mirroring of parts between violin and recorder was especially striking, leading to a fiery vivace finale.

While all the musicians deserve mention, Anna Stegmann was the undeniable star of the concert, her virtuosic recorder playing elevating each performance with both precision and charm. For anyone who associates the recorder with primary school music classes, this performance would have been a revelatory experience.

Tim Blomfield’s bass violin added a rich, resonant foundation throughout the concert. As Australia’s leading proponent of this unique instrument, Blomfield’s musicianship and insightful program notes deepened the audience’s appreciation for this lesser-known member of the Baroque string family. Alicia Crossley’s contributions on the bass recorder, amongst others (I counted at least 5 different recorders under her stand) were equally compelling, rounding out an ensemble of exceptional talent.

More than a concert, Music to Celebrate was a reminder of why Baroque music continues to captivate modern audiences. It was an afternoon of discovery and delight, a fitting tribute to an ensemble that has spent three decades bringing the best of Baroque to life. Here’s to many more years of Salut! Baroque’s elegant performances.