The Brandenburg Concertos

New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 934, 5 July 1957, Page 4

The Brandenburg Concertos

MONG the most famous concerti grossi ever written are the six Brandenburg Concertos of J. S. Bach, each written for a different combination of instruments. Though they are popular at recitals, it is not too often that concertgoers have the opportunity to hear all six, as well as other Bach

works, in the space of two nights. Such an opportunity, however, will come next week in the two concerts to be played in the Wellington Town Hall by the National Orchestra, with guest artist Valda Aveling (left). Each of these concertos, which Albert Schweitzer has called "the purest products of Bach’s polyphonic style," gives scope and emphasis to different instruments or combinations of instruments, in alternation with the strings or with the orchestra as a whole. Thus the First has an extremely difficult passage for the two horns among its solo instruments; the Second an exacting part for solo trumpets. Sir Henry Wood’s_ favourite was the Third Brandenburg, with its animation and sweeping power; and the Fourth gives two usually almost submerged instruments — the flutes — the solo parts. The. Fifth has an extended harpsi-

chord cadenza in the first movement; while the Sixth has its own particular character due to the absence of violins. Besides playing the continuo parts. on the Goff harpsichord, and appearing as soloist in the Fifth Brandenburg, the guest artist Valda Aveling will also

play other Bach works in the two con-certs-the Italian Concerto on Friday, July 12, and the Suite for Harpsichord the following evening, July 13. The other soloists taking part in these two concerts are Vincent Aspey (violin), James Hopkinson (first flute), Cyril Ainsworth (second flute), Eric Lawson (violin), Francis Rosner (violin), Alex Lindsay (violin), Norman Booth (oboe), and Ken Smith (trumpet). As a pianist, Miss Aveling has performed often with the Halle Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli, and she was, incidentally, the first soloist to play a concerto on British Commercial TV.

In addition to this side of her work, she has also become a_ recognised authority on both the clavichord and the harpsichord. Her clavichord recitals in London and throughout Britain, and her frequent broadcasts in the BBC Third and TV _ programmes, have created a revival of interest in early keyboard music. Two years ago she was appointed Professor of Piano and Harpsichord at Trinity College of Music, London. All YCs, 8.0 p.m., Friday, July 12; 9.0 pm., Saturday, July 13 (second half of concert); 7.45 p.m., Sunday, July 14 (first half of Saturday concert).