Violin Concerto in A minor - Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No 5 - Bach
Violin Concerto in E - Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No 4 - Bach
The second of the Orchestra of St Cecilia's Summer Sounds series constituted a Bach marathon of sorts. Common to all four concertos, along with Bach and conductor Geoffrey Spratt, was violinist Gregory Ellis, leader of the RTE Vanbrugh String Quartet. He was heard on his own in the two violin concertos; with flautists Madeleine Staunton and Catriona Ryan in the Fourth Brandenburg Concerto; and with Staunton and harpsichordist Gillian Smith in the Fifth.
It may well have been the weight of the workload that took a toll on him, for his intonation was not all it needed to be in the two solo concertos. These were given old-style, sturdily heavy-duty readings, bypassing the lyricism which can be such an attractive feature of that particular approach as well as the airier manners of a more up-to-date style.
The Fifth Brandenburg, with the elaborate harpsichord part solidly relayed by Smith, moved with a lighter tread and a welcome sense of wider-ranging dynamic contrast. The two round-toned flautists matched nicely in a low-key way in the Fourth, where Ellis's negotiation of the most rapid passages showed impressive control.
The orchestral playing was of the style which expects the music to do most of the work - not always tight of ensemble, rarely sharp in articulation, and showing a responsiveness more generalised than specific. It's a safe enough bet in Bach, and the evening offered far greater rewards than the series' opening concert last week.
