Ensemble Hesperi, established in 2019, is a distinguished quartet renowned for their innovative interpretations of lesser-known Baroque music. Tonight’s concert, titled “Handel on the Strand,” features works by Handel and his contemporaries, many of whom were active in London as it emerged as a major musical center in Europe. A highlight of Paxton House concerts is the intimate setting that allows performers to engage closely with the audience, often providing insights about the music and their instruments. Magdalena Loth-Hill, who we previously enjoyed with the Consone Quartet, will showcase a smaller Baroque violin tonight. Alongside her, cellist Florence Petit will discuss their lightweight bows, ideal for the lively rhythms of 18th-century chamber music, much of which is dance-based. Although gut-stringed instruments, which we frequently hear during this festival, can be temperamental, Magdalena finds them “great to play on,” and Florence humorously remarks that they might be in tune by the concert’s end. The program primarily features trio sonatas of varying lengths. These pieces will see the string players joined by Mary-Jannet Leith on three sizes of recorder and Thomas Allery on the harpsichord, a modern replica of a 1637 keyboard. Handel’s “Trio Sonata in F Opus 2 No 4,” composed around 1720, includes lyrical, operatic passages and a charming canon in the fourth movement, concluding with a playful jig with a stop-start rhythm and extended recorder notes. Elisabetta da Gambarini, who sang in Handel’s oratorios and was the first woman to have her keyboard works published in England, is represented by Thomas Allery’s performances of her “Minuet and Variations” and the melodious “Cariglion” from her second collection. Thomas’s harpsichord solos highlight his skill, balancing his crucial continuo role with impressive solo performances.
Scottish music gained popularity in London by the 1740s, and Edinburgh dancing-master James Oswald established a music business in the Strand in 1741. The first half of the concert concludes with his delightful “A Sonata of Scots Tunes” in five movements, featuring catchy melodies that linger despite their obscure titles. The second half opens with John Blow’s Sonata, noted for its cantabile effects. Henry Purcell’s 1683 “Sonata in Three Parts No 2” will be performed in a chamber arrangement for strings and recorder, without the keyboard. Thomas Allery returns with a harpsichord solo of Robert Bremner’s “Variations on Maggie Lauder.” Bremner, a Scot whose music shop, founded in 1761, attracted clients from Europe and beyond, contributed significantly to the music scene. The second Handel Sonata, originally written for flute and violin, features Florence on her largest and deepest recorder, a tenor in D (also known as a voice-flute), showcasing its rich tone and flourishes in the fast-paced allegros. Although Telemann never visited London, his bright “Trio Sonata” closes the program, reflecting his ongoing friendship and correspondence with Handel, with whom he shared a passion for gardening. This concert is a favorite among audiences, and Ensemble Hesperi’s skilled musicians, who impart their extensive musical knowledge with ease and enthusiasm, make it a performance not to be missed.
English