Great way to start tour

TASMANIA’S Baroque supergroup, Van Diemen’s Band, are setting off on their first mainland tour next month and taking two international artists — Italy-based Australian cellist Catherine Jones and US guitarist/ theorbist William Carter — along for the ride.

The band’s Great Southern Tour, which also includes shows in Hobart and Launceston, will see them perform high Baroque Italian music composed during the Spanish occupation, such as Fandango Quintet by Boccherini, Cello

Concerto RV418 in A Minor by Vivaldi, guitar-based Neapolitan folk tunes by Gaspar Sanz, and Cello Concerto in F

Major by Fiorenza. Jones, who performed and recorded the Cello Napoletano with Van Diemen’s Band for the first time last year, said music of the Baroque was strongly based in dance.

“They have a beat emphasis in each bar, which gives a dance-like groove,” she said.

“The Fiorenza concerti have a fourmovement form usually beginning with a slightly slower movement. The faster movements are more dance- influenced, small rhythmic units interspersed with more virtuoso passagework for the cello.

“The slow movements are a fine example of the Neapolitan bel canto opera style, coming directly from the singing tradition which still exists today.”

Jones is particularly looking forward to the Boccherini Quintet, with Carter playing the solo guitar part.

“Boccherini was a virtuoso cellist, so he writes fantastically difficult music for the cello, but it’s still a lot of fun to play,” she said.

“And Bill is a brilliant musician, so I’m sure this piece will be a big hit.”

Van Diemen’s Band will perform at Hobart Town Hall from 7pm next Saturday (October 6) and Launceston’s QVMAG from 2pm next Sunday (October 7), before taking their Great

Southern Tour to the mainland for concerts in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

Tickets to the Tasmanian shows are $45 for adults, $35 concession and $25 for children, available from www.trybooking.com