Italian baroque violinist Stefano Montanari has wowed audiences in the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s latest concert Celebrazione! now at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place.
His violin sang, danced and cried as Montanari, dressed in tight leather pants and boots, delighted both the audience and the orchestra with his charismatic and passionate performance.
During the two-hour concert the orchestra played rare concertos of Veracini, Handel, Brescianello, Telemann and Geminiani. The world-famous Milanese violinist, nominated in 2012 for a Grammy award, gave a warm welcome to the audience and proudly announced that some of these concertos were being performed for the first time in Australia.
Montanari was the guest director and soloist on baroque violin, with the orchestra’s artistic director Paul Dyer on harpsichord and soloist Melissa Farrow on baroque flute.
The first half of the concert was stunning: Veracini, Concerto a otto stromenti in D major 1st movement; Handel, Concerto gross D major Op. 3 No. 6 HWV 317; and Brescianello, Concerto No. 4 in E minor & Chaconne in A major.
From the opening notes, the audience was transported by the vivacity and lightness of the music, at times joyful, at others passionately triumphant. Baroque trumpets and oboes highlighted the strings as the orchestra joined in one unique voice.
Montanari absolutely detonated with his rock’n’roll attitude. It wasn’t just his appearance: his dynamic performance included the occasional foot stomp, asking the audience if they were having fun and throwing himself so fully into the music it often seemed he was dancing as he played. He looked certain, determined and magnificent.
His adroitness with his violin was also incredible, almost hypnotising during his mighty solos: the emotion was in its beautiful intensity and accuracy. The shades, from soft to strong, from dark to light, made the violin speak and sometimes even cry.
And the audience also enjoyed the warm rapport between Montanari and the orchestra. After each piece he singled out musicians, shaking a hand, giving a kiss, as he praised their performance.
Handel was one of the best pieces with the outstanding harpsichord solo by Paul Dyer; the vintage sound clearly transported the audience back into the seventeenth century.
The flute in the Telemann, Concerto in E minor for flute, violin and strings was too soft compared to the dynamism of the violins, which overwhelmed it. This piece was followed by Geminiani, Concerto grosso No. 12 in D major La Follia and Veracini, Concerto a otto stromenti in D major 2nd & 3rd movements.
This wonderful baroque concert ended with an unexpected encore, “Dreams”, and Montanari’s words: “Life without music is nothing. Life without dreams is nothing.”
Don’t’ miss this unique concert.
Celebrazione! is at City Recital Hall, Angel Place Wednesday July 24 and Friday July 26 at 7pm; and at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Saturday July 27 at 7pm and Sunday July 28 at 5pm.
