TONY COOPER Snape Maltings

TONY COOPER

I don't think that I've witnessed so many baroque instrumentalists assembled in one place before.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra were on the Suffolk coast coaching the Britten-Pears Baroque Orchestra and taking time off to show off their wizardry in a marvellous concert at the Maltings, with their young charges in the audience enjoying every minute.

Rachel Podger (OAE) directed the combined forces in Corelli's D major concerto grosso, op 6, no 1, followed by Gottfried van der Goltz and his band giving a charming account of Jan Zelenka's overture a 7 concertante in F major. A bright, sparkling piece, it called for virtuoso playing.

Then it was the turn of OAE, who played magnificently in Purcell's Suite arranged by its former leader, Catherine Mackintosh.

A grand coming together of both bands let rip in Handel's great fiery showpiece: Music for the Royal Fireworks. It left everyone on a high!