Music / “Cembali”, Limestone Consort. At Wesley Music Centre, February 6. Reviewed by ROB KENNEDY.

HARPSICHORD music was once the most fashionable music of the time. The sounds of the Baroque were well alive in this concert that had two harpsichords and a string quartet performed by the Limestone Consort.

In Limestone Consorts’ first performance of the year and this reviewer’s initial concert for 2022, the performers were Lauren Davis and Michelle Higgs violin; Iska Sampson, viola; Clara Teniswood, cello; Ariana Odermatt, harpsichord and James Porteous, harpsichord. 

The “Concerto in C Major” Op. 6/10 by Charles Avison opened this sold-out concert. In three movements, this bright and cheerful piece let the audience know that glorious live music was back in Canberra for 2022.

Two movements of the “Concerto for two harpsichords in A minor” by the German composer Johann Ludwig Krebs came next. The “Affettuoso” and the “Allegro”. With Odermatt on her harpsichord (Big Red) and Porteous on the French double that belongs to the Wesley Music Centre, their sound filled the room. Odermatt said it had taken some time to get the two instruments to the same pitch, and it was clear they had done a good job. The whole concert was at 415 Hz, which is not what we hear today from standard orchestral instruments at 440 Hz.

The “Affettuoso” is a delicate, stately piece that showed off the subtleties of the instruments and the sensitive playing of the performers. The “Allegro” had some lovely tunes and profound moments. Both players were firm and accurate in their timing and execution.

Purcell’s “Abdelazer” (The Moor’s Revenge) was made famous by Benjamin Britten when he adapted its “Rondeau” to begin his “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”. With only one harpsichord, played by Porteous and the strings, the eight of the 10 movements performed showed just what a fascinating musical mind Purcell had. 

This work maintains interest and a stunning musical clarity throughout. Few pieces conjure up that feeling of Baroque music as this work does. The performance of each player perfectly captured the unique sound of this exciting and emphatic music especially well.

To finish, the “Concerto for Two Harpsichords”, by JS Bach, BWV1061. Bach never ceases to amaze. This work, with its slow movement for just the two harpsichords, is full of bright and sombre moments. Plus, this concerto, like so many of Bach’s pieces, requires switched-on players that can be in time and own the phrasing and solo moments, and they did.

With hopefully many more concerts for 2022 to come, this one was a great start that contained an equal balance of colourful, graceful and vigorous music.