A first last night and the second of the proms. As a largely classical ignoramus, Vivalidi’s “Four Seasons” is one of the few pieces that I can genuinely claim to know reasonably well .Of Rachel Podger and the Brecon Baroque I knew nothing however. I suspect this is a little like a classical nerd hearing the great Aretha and saying that ‘she’s, you know , OK, have you heard anything else by what I think would be ‘soul singer, if I’ve interpreted the genre correctly‘. Anyway, the “Queen of the Baroque violin” was suitably impressive, assisted by an evening of Vivaldi and a little Bach, helped by it being the only classical music niche with which I’ve had any real familiarity. The second half, which encompassed the Four Seasons, was preferred simply because I’d heard other versions of the same piece, whereas the first half was completely alien. Well received by the audience and Mrs. No Name, I would argue, as some sort of attempt at critique, that amplification, even if muted, would have better brought out the nuance of the music in a hall such as Snape – for me, it proved a little too quiet in some sections of the suite. But great playing by all involved!
