WQXR Live from Carnegie Hall: Arcangelo

WQXR broadcast another live concert from Carnegie Hall yesterday evening, this time from Zankel auditorium.  The performance was given by Arcangelo, a Baroque ensemble from the UK making its North American debut, and included works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Christoph Bach and Handel.

The first work on the program was J.S. Bach's Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041.  The exact dates of composition for this piece are disputed and range from 1717 when the composer arrived in Cothen to his work with the Collegium Musicum in Leipzig in 1730.  The concerto was heavily influenced by the Italian tradition, particularly the music of Vivaldi, in its use of ritornello and its placement of the soloist within the structure of the ensemble itself.  In an attempt to achieve authenticity, Arcangelo used catgut fiber strings on its instruments as had been common practice in the eighteenth century. This resulted in a much deeper and richer sound on the violin part.

The next piece was J. Christoph Bach's Mein Freund ist mein from the Cantata Meine Freundin, du bist schon (circa 1679).  The Bach family produced a number of highly esteemed composers in Germany in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.  J.C. Bach was the first cousin once removed of J.S. who knew the former well and held him in great respect.  But J.C., though a church organist and successful composer, ended his life in debt and dishonor.  The cantata is written for tenor, soprano, alto and bass and is based on the biblical Song of Songs.  The text accordingly includes very explicit expressions of desire to be sung by the soprano.

There were two works on the program by Handel, his Concerto Grosso in D minor, Op. 6, No. 10, followed after intermission by his cantata Apollo e Dafne.  The Op. 6 concerti, written in the style of Corelli, are among the best known works of the Baroque era while the cantata, begun in Venice in 1709 and completed in Hanover in 1710, closely followed the huge success of Handel's opera seria Agrippina in 1709.

Arcangelo is a new ensemble that was only formed in 2010 but has already gained a great deal of renown.  The group has released several recordings of which one, Arias for Guadagni, won a 2012 Grammy.  The players are extremely talented and convey a great deal of enthusiasm for their work.  Their sound is crisp and well rehearsed.