One of the joys of listening to period instruments is the discovery of the sonic intricacies that distinguish the historic from the modern.
La Follia provided this luxury and more in its season opener last Saturday at First English Lutheran Church. From its meticulous and intelligent performances to its easy audience rapport, this group again showed that it's a class act. Even music substituted at the last minute because of the sudden illness of guest tenor Bruce Fithian seemed only to take on an additional air of spontaneity.
Highlights were many, but particularly enchanting were an elaborate ricercata -- for the subtle shadings of timbre and swells of sound delivered by cellist Gwen Ashba -- and a delightful account by recordist Dell Hollingsworth and guitarist Jon Kulp of John Eccles' terse and simple "Bellamira: Division on a Ground."
Singular kudos goes to mezzo-soprano Stephanie Prewitt, whose elocution and bell-like clarity fit gracefully into the Baroque aesthetic in cantatas by Handel and Monteverdi, and whose heartfelt expression in four Dowland songs left you wanting more.
Michael Huebner
Austin American-Statesman
| Home | Ensemble | Concerts | Volunteer | Links | E-Mail |
Webmaster: Marcus McGuff
Last updated: August 14, 2008 Copyright © 1997-2008 La Follia Austin Baroque |