Oooh'ing and Aaah'ing over The OAE

Just one example of the many techniques to create a 'buzz' with potential audiences, The Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment is always open to new ideas. One of the plethora of classical institutions in London, and relatively small in comparison with the modern orchestras in the city, the OAE has done much to "cut through the noise," as Communications Director William Norris puts it.

The Tempest in a Teapot Turns 10

Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Philadelphia, second largest city on the eastern sea board and home to a busy music scene.

Though most of the attention has recently been drawn towards the Philadelphia Orchestra, the local baroque orchestra has some news of its own.  Celebrating its tenth birthday this season, Tempesta di Mare will be offering four concerts over two weekends in March as part of its "opus 10" celebrations. The concerts will feature works which have been catalogued by the number 10, such as Vivaldi's op. 10, Bach's BWV 1010, Leclair's op. 10, and so on.

One of the youngest period orchestras in North America today, the little tempest in a tea pot has developed a strong following in the city, seeing a budget increase of 1000% since its conception. The two directors, flutist Gwyn Robinson and Lutenist Richard Stone, have worked hard to see their project successful. "For a number of years," says Gwyn, "Robert and I volunteered our time to get all of the work done behind the scenes." Today, the orchestra has a full-time staff member and four other part-timers (of which two are the directors) who do all of the administrative work. "It's nice to have people we can trust [with this work]!" notes Gwyn. It must also be nice being paid for it, too.

The PdK Eichentopf, first half of the 18th C.

This post is the sixth in a series under the tag "Baroque Bassoon". Click here to see all of the posts under this tag.

The PdK/Eichentopf
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An instrument which has been in high demand for the past few years, the waiting list for the Peter de Koningh Eichentopf is long. Though few baroque bassoons have survived in good condition, the two J.H. Eichentopf instruments in Nuremberg and Prague have weathered the ages better than most. Interestingly, a few have mentioned to me that the two originals "weren't that great", but the copy produced from the workshop in Hall shows no sign of any possible defects in the originals.

The instrument's walls are quite thick which give it a bit more of the 'cannon' feel common to those trying new Heckel instruments. This instrument, like the HKICW and Prudent, also features an 'innie' low Eb key.

This instrument is probably the most recognizable as the original has been copied by many makers. Also, this particular model is used heavily by one of the most visible bassoonists, Sergio Azzolini. This video features him and Ensemble L'aura soave in a performance of the Fasch Sonata in C Major.

The 'innie' low Eb key

Stay tuned for the next pair of instruments, copies by Laurent Verjat of a Prudent and an Eichentopf bassoon.

Concert Review: Thirteen Strings Trapped in Tradition?

The Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra

Handel's Giulio Cesare

Dominion Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper Street, Ottawa

Friday, April 27, 2012

Last night, the Thirteen Strings presented their most ambitious program it has ever produced in its nearly 40-year history. With 8 singers, a stage director, stage manager, and an enlarged orchestra, the ensemble performed a semi-staged version of Handel's Giulio Cesare. No doubt one of its better performances in recent memory, however the opera was an excellent example of baroque music performance during the 1980s.