Wednesday, 19 March 2008

Gig-a-Blog™ (Garard McDonald and Martin Knizia, St Anne & St Agnes)

Friday, 7 March 2008

Garard McDonald, recorder and oboe; Martin Knizia, harpsichord. Bach Trio Sonatas Series (I): Bach's organ trio sonatas arranged for various instruments.

1. Bach, Sonata V, after BWV 529. Written in C but transposed up a 4th for this lineup (I think they said).

Allegro: Light and tinkly. McDonald is a monster recorder player. He's one of those musicians who, seemingly without effort, plays faster than I can think. Marvellous, very fluid.

Largo: Lithe, graceful, slinky performance of this satisfyingly sinuous melody.

Allegro: Fast, exciting, jolly.

2. Buxtehude, Partita on "Auf meinen lieben Gott"

My notes start to fall apart here quite badly.

[Unidentified movement] Beautiful, quite restrained

[Unidentified movement] Very slow. Time to think.

Gigue: Short and sweet

3. Bach, Sonata III, after BWV 527. Dm original key. Still in it. Why did I write this down? Oh well.

Chat from the performers - arrangements & borrowings: the answering of 'What if" questions. How well the music fits into the new arrangement.

Andante: Makes a rather good oboe sonata!

Adagio e dolce: Song-like, quite declamatory start. Lovely broad melody

Vivace: Agile, precise, really delightful.

A great gig with some really fine playing ... and that's all he wrote!

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