Baroque to strike high note with dramatic melodies
If you’ve travelled to Europe, you’ll likely be familiar with the grandiose and dramatic melodies of baroque music. If not, the style of music at Bach Oboe d’amore might be a new experience for the ears.
An international baroque ensemble will bring their show to the South Island from next week, featuring the music of well-known composers from the period such as Johann Christian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Pachelbel.
Baroque music, composed from about 1600 to 1750, is from a time when orchestra and opera came to life and harmony accompanied melody for the first time.
While on tour, the group will play period instruments, which, although commonplace in Europe, are not often heard in New Zealand.
Bach Oboe d’amore will first show in Timaru on Wednesday, followed by performances in Greymouth, Nelson, Christchurch, Wanaka, Invercargill, Dunedin, and Oamaru.
A relaxed version of the show will be also played to younger audiences at children’s concerts in Christchurch, Wanaka and Greymouth. The Christchurch children’s concert will be on February 24 at Mt Pleasant Community Centre, following the adult show at The Piano, on Armagh St, on February 18.
Cellist Tomas Hurnik is the driving force behind the group introducing Kiwis to baroque music, hosting workshops and master classes and playing in prestigious chamber groups. Originally from the Czech Republic, he fell in love with New Zealand while on tour in 2001 and became associate principal cellist of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra 14 years ago.
He founded the Baroque Music Community and Educational Trust of New Zealand in 2015, working with The Champion Centre, a charity for children with special needs, to give concerts for children. After the first show got such a strong response, including some children dancing and crawling for the first time, he dedicated himself to playing for as many youngsters as possible.
The trust aims to make authentic baroque music accessible to New Zealanders with instruments modelled on those used in the original performances so the sounds match what the composer intended.
Hurnik will play alongside Christchurch-based violinist, performer and teacher Jonathan Tanner, Hungarian violinist Szabolcs Ille´ s, who performs exclusively on baroque violin throughout Hungary and Europe, and Czech harpsichord player Edita Keglerova. American oboe player Brandon Labadie joins the group to play Bach and Handel’s Oboe Concertos.