There could hardly have been a more ideal setting than the delightful St Lalluwy village church in Menheniot for a programme of essentially Baroque music.
Opening with Corelli’s Sonata in B flat, violinist, Rebekka Hartmann, played with great command and sure intonation, and with just sufficient vibrato to ensure a glorious singing tone in the slower sections, but one which never felt out of context, historically.
Caroline Bergius’s harpsichord accompaniment created a flawless ensemble, managing the often difficult question of dynamic balance with a well-studied ear.
Handel’s G minor Harpsichord Suite suited the instrument’s timbre perfectly, where the considered use of registration, especially the lute stop in the Sarabande, and a sparkling finish in the final Passacaglia added to the overall impact of the performance.
Technical mastery and bravura were the order of the day in Vitali’s challenging Chaconne in G minor, which both players despatched with great panache.
In terms of programme planning alone, Ysaye’s Sonata in E proved an absolute winner. The phenomenally difficult piece for solo violin gave Rebekka the perfect opportunity to shine in this full-blooded Romantic writing, attesting to her impressive all-round talent.
Bach’s C minor Sonata and a Geminiani encore closed what was not only a first-class recital, but one where the obvious deep-rooted empathy between the performers was so evident, and something that the packed audience could not fail to have appreciated.
PHILIP R BUTTALL
