Rare Bach

Sun Herald

Sunday July 16, 2006

KATARINA KROSLAKOVA

AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA

City Recital Hall, Angel Place. July 21, 22, 26, 28, 29. Tickets $22 to $95.50. Bookings 8256 2222

WHAT'S in a name? Well, plenty if you're the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the next concert tour features four of the very works that inspired your existence.

Artistic director Paul Dyer founded the period orchestra in 1990 due to a shortage of ensembles playing baroque music on original instruments. When it came to choosing the name, he says the choice was simple. "We wanted to pay tribute to the man who we hold with such incredible esteem," he says.

"And most lovers of classical music know Bach's six Brandenburg concertos, they're the pinnacle of baroque architecture in music. They're the height of musical power and genius. I thought if I put Australian in front of it, people wouldn't assume we're German!"

Dyer believes Bach's music is notoriously difficult to perform, but also satisfying. Because of the sheer difficulty of the six Brandenburg concertos, it's rare to hear so many of them performed together. In fact, so rare that this will be the very first time Dyer will perform the fifth with his orchestra - he will both direct, and play the harpsichord.

© 2006 Sun Herald

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