Vivaldi enthrals an appreciative crowd

Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovski, Pachelbel. Presented by the Cologne New Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Church of the Nativity, Friday, February 19.

The breath of gentle spring breezes as interpreted by strings in the first movement of Vivaldi's Four Seasons set the tone for a vibrant concert in Blenheim's Church of the Nativity on Friday evening.

The pews were nearly filled for the Cologne Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, giving the first of two concerts in Marlborough over the weekend during its 25-day tour around New Zealand. There was no conductor to direct the four violins, viola, cello and double bass through the programme, but smiles, nods and eye contact between the musicians resulted in a seemingly faultless performance as they played their way through five classical masters' works.

The 12 movements in Vivaldi's Four Seasons filled the first half of the programme, and solo violinist Sergei Didorenko from the Ukraine dazzled the audience.

Written in 1723, Four Seasons remains one of the classic greats. Watching it being played by these highly trained, young international performers, I marvelled at the composer's skill in writing it and the challenges he set for those who perform it.

Other audience members shared my joy and many broke classical music-concert protocol and thanked the orchestra with appreciative applause after each movement.

The second half began with Australian flautist Lydia Sharrad leading the orchestra in Mozart's Concerto in G Major for flute and orchestra.

Like Didorenko before her, Sharrad needed no musical score to guide her through its two movements.

Eugen Bazijanon cello took the solo spot in Tchaikovski's Nocturne and I loved watching him play. Man and instrument became one, Bazijan often nestling his head against the cello, smiling intensely as if assuring it they could take the next challenge together. Then the next musical phrase would begin and Bazijan would raise his head and look euphoric at the sounds he and the cello were both creating.

The evening finished with Bach's Concerto in D Minor when violinist Pawel Zuzanski joined Didorenko; and finally Canon by Johann Pachelbel.

Jazz influences could be heard in the Pachelbel piece and someone told me they had probably been added by Didorenko, who writes and arranges both classic and jazz music. The same audience member then summarised the concert as world class, but the final word might be left to an elderly man, overheard as he left the venue: "I've been to a lot of concerts and that was the best one ever."

- The Marlborough Express

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