The Passacaglia Trio
Baroque Ensemble
[ Review extract]
9/11/23
With
aconcert
of
music
from
the
French
courts
of
Louis
XIII
and
the
Sun
King,
Louis
XIV,
Grimsby
Concert
Society
presented
The
Passacaglia
Trio:
Annabel
Knight
-
Baroque
recorders
and
Baroque
flute,
Robin
Bigwood
–
Harpsichord;
Reiko
Ichise
–
Viola
da
Gamba.
Opting
for
a
more
intimate
relationship
with
the
audience,
the
trio
positioned
themselves
on
the
floor,
level
with
the
audience.
The
acoustics
and
simple
splendour
of
the
Assembly
Room
at
Grimsby
Town
Hall
provided
a
perfect
setting for the concert.
A
warm
introduction
by
Robin
Bigwood
set
the
scene
for
the
concert.Opening
with
Montéclair,
the
audience
became
guests
at
a
village
wedding
celebration.
A
suite
of
12
pieces
showcased
the
trio,
and
anticipated
the
variety
that
marked
the
concert
overall.
In
the
lovely
gentle
Overture
framed
by
the
harpsichord,
we
were
serenaded
by
a
wonderful
mellow
treble
recorder,
as
the
equally
wonderful
deep
tones
of
Reiko’s
viola da gamba permeated the air.
Annabel
introduced
her
sweet
descant
recorder
in
a
lively
Pastourelle
after
which
came
the
ultra-mellow
bass
recorder.
Ending
with
a
lively
Contradanse
,
like
the
party,
the
concert
was
in
full
swing.Linked
together
by
the
theme
of
mystery,
a
set
of
three
pieces
was
introduced
by
Reiko.
First
a
beautiful
Couperin
harpsichord
solo,
The
Mysterious
Barricades,
which
displayed
Robin’s
skill
to
the
full
-
defying
the
mechanics
of
the
instrument
Robin
achieved
wonderful
nuances
through
rubato,
ornamentation
and
subtle
use
of
the
double
keyboard.
With
an
unexpected
modern
feel
it
was
easy
to
imagine
its
use
in
a
mystery
film.
Next
the
trio
combined
in
Blavet’s
Maze
-
effectively
contrasting
the
Couperin
with
a
lovely
interchange
between
the
baroque
flute
and
the
viola
da
gamba,
tied
together
by
the
Harpsichord.
The
final
piece
of
the
set
was
a
brilliant
viola
da
gamba
solo
with
harpsichord
-
Marais’
Labyrinth
ranged
from
calm
to
energetic
&
exciting
to
mysterious
–
totally energising the audience.
A
delightful
unaccompanied
flute
solo
Echoes
by
Hotteterre
put
Annabel’s
skills
on
full
display,
with
excellent
contrasting
phrases
and
dynamics
–
particularly
remarkable
because
of
the
flute’s
small
dynamic
range.
Couperin’s
Amusements
followed
-
a
superlative
harpsichord
solo
full
of
counterpoint.
Then
the
amusing
and
at
times
frenetic
Shuttlecocks
(Marais)
-
another
window
for
Reiko,
accompanied
by
Robin.A
suite
by
Danican-Philidor
exploited
the
tender
qualities
of
the
flute
in
a
lamenting
first
piece,
gently
underlined
by
the
viola
da
gamba.
Then
a
lively
flute
led
an
excited
viola
da
gamba
against
a
harpsichord
background.
After
this
we
were
soothed
by
a
beautiful
Hotteterre
piece
Rocks
.
With
the
selection
of
a
single
string
set
on
the
harpsichord,
the
plucking
of
the
strings
came
through
clearly
in
a
more
spaced
accompaniment,
blending
with
Reiko’s
gentle
bowing
and
providing
a
wonderful
harmony
for
the
flute.
Passacaglia
ended
with
three
Couperin
pieces
telling
the
tale
of
a
nightingale
in
love.
From
its
gentle
first
movement
to
the
lively
foot-
tapping finale - this was ensemble at its best. IM
The Passacaglia Trio
Baroque Ensemble [Review extract]
9/11/23
With
a
concert
of
music
from
the
French
courts
of
Louis
XIII
and
the
Sun
King,
Louis
XIV,
Grimsby
Concert
Society
presented
The
Passacaglia
Trio:
Annabel
Knight,
Baroque
recorders
&
Baroque
flute;
Robin
Bigwood,
Harpsichord;
Reiko
Ichise,
Viola
da
Gamba.
Opting
for
a
more
intimate
relationship
with
the
audience,
the
trio
positoned
themselves
on
the
floor
level
with
the audience, in the splendour of the Assembly Room at Grimsby Town Hall.
Opening
with
Montéclair,
the
audience
became
guests
at
a
village
wedding
celebration.
A
suite
of
12
pieces
showcased
the
trio.
In
the
lovely
gentle
Overture
framed
by
the
harpsichord,
we
were
serenaded
by
a
wonderful
mellow
treble
recorder,
as
the
equally
wonderful
deep
tones
of
Reiko’s
viola
da
gamba
permeated
the
air.
Annabel
introduced
her
sweet
descant
recorder
in
a
lively
Pastourelle
after
which
came
the
ultra-mellow
bass
recorder.
Ending
with
a
lively
Contradanse
,
like
the
party,
the
concert
was
in
full
swing.Linked
together
by
the
theme
of
mystery,
a
set
of
three
pieces
was
introduced
by
Reiko.
First
a
beautiful
Couperin
harpsichord
solo,
The
Mysterious
Barricades,
which
displayed
Robin’s
skill
to
the
full
-
defying
the
mechanics
of
the
instrument
Robin
achieved
wonderful
nuances
through
rubato,
ornamentation
and
subtle
use
of
the
double
keyboard.
With
an
unexpected
modern
feel
it
was
easy
to
imagine
its
use
in
a
mystery
film.
Next
the
trio
combined
in
Blavet’s
Maze
-
effectively
contrasting
the
Couperin
with
a
lovely
interchange
between
the
baroque
flute
and
the
viola
da
gamba,
tied
together
by
the
Harpsichord.
The
final
piece
of
the
set
was
a
brilliant
viola
da
gamba
solo
with
harpsichord
-
Marais’
Labyrinth
ranged
from
calm to energetic & exciting to mysterious – totally energising the audience.
A
delightful
unaccompanied
flute
solo
Echoes
by
Hotteterre
put
Annabel’s
skills
on
full
display,
with
excellent
contrasting
phrases
and
dynamics
–
particularly
remarkable
because
of
the
flute’s
small
dynamic
range.
Couperin’s
Amusements
followed
-
a
superlative
harpsichord
solo
full
of
counterpoint.
Then
the
amusing
and
at
times
frenetic
Shuttlecocks
(Marais)
-
another
window
for
Reiko,
accompanied
by
Robin.A
suite
by
Danican-
Philidor
exploited
the
tender
qualities
of
the
flute
in
a
lamenting
first
piece,
gently
underlined
by
the
viola
da
gamba.
Then
a
lively
flute
led
an
excited
viola
da
gamba
against
a
harpsichord
background.
After
this
we
were
soothed
by
a
beautiful
Hotteterre
piece
Rocks
.
With
the
selection
of
a
single
string
set
on
the
harpsichord,
the
plucking
of
the
strings
came
through
clearly
in
a
more
spaced
accompaniment,
blending
with
Reiko’s
gentle
bowing
and
providing
a
wonderful
harmony
for
the
flute.
Passacaglia
ended
with
three
Couperin
pieces
telling
the
tale
of
a
nightingale
in
love.
From
its
gentle
first
movement to the lively foot-tapping finale - this was ensemble at its best. IM
