In Brandenburg Echoes, the Auckland Philharmonia paired two of Bach’s well-known concertos with later works that were directly inspired by them. As befitted the scale of the works, a small group of the orchestra’s musicians took on both solo and ripieno parts, playing with wonderful verve and admirable clarity, especially given the acoustically challenging space for such contrapuntally rigorous music.
In the opening Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 in F major, the four soloists showed marvellous virtuosity, although the flute and oboe suffered a little in the first movement from the unforgiving acoustic of the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Initial impressions were that the first movement was taken at quite a risky pace, but it was a tour de force in the hands of this ensemble, imitative phrases echoing between the instruments with impressive transparency and swagger. Richard Blake showed no fear at the formidable technical demands Bach places on the trumpet soloist. He retained a bright and warm tone even in the fastest divisions, especially impressive given that he was a late replacement. All soloists demonstrated charming ornamentation; overall there was a wonderful sense of fun and ease across this whole performance.
Joined by conductor Nathaniel Griffiths, and with trumpeter Josh Rogan taking the place of Blake, the ensemble embarked on Barber’s Capricorn Concerto. Named after the home Barber was able to make his base during his Second World War military service, this work keeps three of the solo instruments (trumpet, flute and oboe) from the previous Bach work and presents them in concerto grosso format and in a somewhat Stravinskian neoclassical style. There was ideal clarity in the initial rather fidgety lines which then developed fugally. Barber’s natural lyricism can’t be held at bay for long, however, with all three soloists given the chance to unfold sweetly his melodic lines. There was some really lovely oboe playing in the tranquil interlude of the second movement, between more chattering lines from the other soloists. Rogan contributed a classy and confident trumpet fanfare to open the final movement, a surprisingly compassionate outpouring in Griffiths’s interpretation. A yearning Andante with gorgeous interplay between the woodwinds led into a third movement that equalled the first in flair and thrilling virtuosity.
Aaron Jay Kernis’s 2009 Concerto with Echoes was directly inspired by the sixth concerto from Bach’s series. As in the Bach, two violas swirl around each other to open the piece, and it is initially scored for a similar group of lower strings, before woodwind, brass and percussion slowly enter the sound world. The musicians are called upon to show extreme virtuosity in the turbulent first movement. This is contrasted with the almost bucolic feeling evoked by the orchestra in the second, complete with glimmering bells. One can also hear echoes of the Baroque in the short finale, with hints of courtly dance that also permeated the following Brandenburg concerto.