One perfect harmony: Bezuidenhouts Ode an Henry Purcell

By Jens Klier, 21 February 2022

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at Kölner Philharmonie, Cologne on 20 February 2022

Purcell, Abdelazer, Z 570: Overture

Purcell, The Fairy Queen Z 629: Hornpipe

Purcell, The Old Bachelor Z 607: Slow Air

Purcell, The Virtuous Wife, Z 611: First Act Tune

Purcell, King Arthur, Z 628: How Blessed are Shepherds

Purcell, Timon of Athens, Z 632: Curtain Tune

Purcell, Love’s Goddess sure was Blind, Z331

Purcell, Hail, Bright Cecilia, Z.328

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra

Kristian Bezuidenhout, Harpsichord, Conductor

Highly polished Mozart from Freiburg Baroque in Melbourne

Sandra Bowdler, 26th March

Melbourne-born soprano Sioghan Stagg returns for a one night stand with Kristian Bezuidenhout and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra as part of their Australian tour.

****1

Dionysian and Apollonian: René Jacobs conducts L'Orfeo in Berlin

Elena Luporini, 18th February

In a concert performance at the Berlin Philharmonie, conductor René Jacobs gives his own – thrilling – take on Monteverdi's L'Orfeo.

*****

Light and shadows in Rattle and Sellars' Médée at Staatsoper Berlin

Elena Luporini, 19th November

Reuniting two old friends and collaborators, the Staatsoper Berlin presents a new production of Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Médée, with mixed results.

***11

Freiburg Baroque brings the Thames to Klosters

Mark Pullinger, 31st July

One of the world's top period instrument ensembles bring Handel's Water Music and other baroque classics to Klosters.

****1

Excellent revival of Claus Guth's Saul at Theater an der Wien

George Jahn, 20th April

“How Excellent.” The first words sung in Handel’s Saul are in praise of God and were first uttered in a performance nearly three centuries ago. But they apply equally to Claus Guth’s interpretation of the work staged by Theater an der Wien.

*****

Aquatic favourites from the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra

Zenaida des Aubris, 5th April

Maurice Steger makes his debut with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra in a concert of Baroque favourites.

*****

More reviews...

Jens Klier

Vor seinem Rechtswissenschafts-Studium in Bayreuth und Bonn widmete sich Jens Klier seit frühester Kindheit musikalisch der Violine (Repertoire vom 17. bis 20. Jahrhundert). Während er zudem mit Gesang und dem Leben im Orchesterbetrieb groß wurde, entwickelte sich ein besonderes Interesse an der sogenannten 'Historischen Aufführungspraxis' und authentischen Instrumenten. Diese Leidenschaft hält sich hartnäckig, sodass er sie mit Vorliebe für das Barocke anstatt mit Finger und Bogen nun in Form der Musikkritik zu Gehör bringt. U.a. Telemann-Fan, Liebhaber J. S. Bachs Genies und Entdecker neuerer, seltenerer 'Alter Musik'.

One perfect harmony: Bezuidenhouts Ode an Purcell mit dem Freiburger Barockorchester