Bath Mozart Fest

The Assembly Rooms, Bath

AFTER the frustrations caused by Covid, and having to curtail last year’s Fest in quantity – never in quality – and venues, Bath’s Mozart Fest has returned with a full programme of 15 concerts over a nine-day period at three venues.

Sadly, the one person who still has to suffer frustration this year is artistic director Amelia Freedman. Having once again put together a programme of the highest quality, because of a painful back problem she has had to forego the pleasure of attending the live concerts.

If she had been at The Assembly Rooms for the opening concert, she would have undoubtedly agreed with the member of the audience who described the performance of the Takacs Quartet as being immaculate. If you had closed your eyes and just listened to their playing of Mozart’s String Quartet No 20 in D minor and Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, so clear and precise was their timing you could have believed that you were listening to a digital enhanced recording of the works rather than a live performance.

As if to prove that the Quartet was not just a fine group of technically skilful players, but musicians who understood the soul of, and loved, the works they were playing, they finished their programme with a joyous, emotional rendition of Dvorak’s String Quartet No 13 in G major. Technique and the love of music-making were blended together with heartfelt skill.

A very different programme, featuring the skills of cellist Leonard Elschenbroich for Brahms Cello Sonata No 1 and Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No 5, and those of pianist Alexei Grynyuk in Mozart’s Piano Sonata in D major, entertained the lunchtime audience in the Assembly Rooms before the Fest returned to Bath Abbey.

You need a building like the abbey, and the atmosphere it creates, to perform a work of the nature of Henry Purcell’s Welcome Songs and Coronation Music for King James II, and a group of committed performers of the calibre of The Sixteen choir and orchestra, to bring out the many textures in these 17th century words and music.

The Tempest Overture and Coronation Anthem, which opened the evening, had a slightly tentative feel, but under the sympathetic guidance of conductor Harry Christophers both orchestra and singers quickly inhabited the music and words. Once all were comfortably installed, the audience were treated to the full rich flavours of this distinctive work.

Throughout this coming week, and at lunchtime on Saturday, the Assembly Rooms plays host to nine more concerts before the BBC Symphony Orchestra brings this year’s Mozart Fest to a close at The Forum on Saturday evening.

To book, call 01225 463362 or email info@bathboxoffice. org.uk