Academy of St Martin in the Fields

The Concert Hall and Queensland Performing Arts Centre welcomed the musicians from Britain’s Academy of St Martin in the Fields for two special performances, led by multi-award winning violinist and musical director of the Academy, Joshua Bell.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is renowned for their sophisticated and elegant sound. Playing without a conductor, the musicians are incredibly synchronised with one another, producing some of the richest and most well-blended orchestral music in the world. It has been six years since the Academy has graced Brisbane stages and their long-awaited return was exceptionally well-received.

The Academy played works from Mozart and Beethoven at this performance, having played Mendelssohn and Bach the night before. The concert opened with one of Mozart’s most well-known pieces ‘The Marriage of Figaro: Overture’. As the first bars of music floated through the Concert Hall, there was a palpable buzz from the audience. The sounds the Academy produce are so harmonious, unified and sumptuous, even those without a refined ear could appreciate the exceptional talents upon the stage. The lightness of the opening strings and subtle wind instruments erupt volcanically into a fortissimo that encompasses the entire orchestra. The violinist’s fingers dance upon their strings, the now familiar motif gaining in momentum as it travels up and down the scale, ultimately bringing the piece to a rousing conclusion.

Following this, the audience was treated to some fine solo work by Joshua Bell in Beethoven’s ‘Violin Concerto in D’. Opening with subtle percussion from the timpani, the concerto seems subtle at first, almost droning. However, through subtle variations, the piece gains momentum and culminates in an energetic finale. A rather long concerto, Bell’s original cadenzas allowed the audience to appreciate his dexterity and musicality as he took command of his 1713 Huberman Stradivarius and brought the small instrument to life. This concerto allowed Bell to explore not only the lightest of high notes but also the instrument’s rich lowest string in a performance that was dynamic, energetic and spellbinding.

After intermission, the orchestra performed Mozart’s ‘Symphony No 40. in G minor’. As one of Mozart’s last works, there is a definite unsettled feel to the piece, almost mournful. Being in a minor key, the mood is darker than the pieces performed earlier in the night. The division of the strings, playing against each other is almost saddening. The heavy prominence of chromatics in the first movement heightens the emotions even further. The horn eminates from the strings, almost as a sound of reckoning. The moment is lightened slightly in the pastoral section before returning to the chromatic for a rousing ending keeping in the minor key.

The audience was clearly besotted by the performances of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and Joshua Bell. The musicians received several standing ovations throughout the night, culminating in rapturous applause and almost the entire house on their feet.

As an encore, the Academy led by Bell played a rearranged Danny Boy. The house was still and silent as the well-known melody breathed through the auditorium. A wonderfully patriotic ending for this concert from The Academy, whose home is Great Britain.

Overall, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell was a sumptuous night of classical music, played by musicians who are clearly at the peak of their professional expertise. Led by renowned violinist Joshua Bell, the concert was a rare treat for Brisbane to experience some exceptional classical music.

Yasmin Elahi