Fresh interpretations of baroque music

The Alberta Baroque Ensemble celebrates its 35th anniversary season and after this kind of longevity, it could be forgiven for taking it easy.

However, with his encyclopedic knowledge of the baroque era, founder and music director Paul Schieman always dials up a sense of freshness to its varied repertoire.

Alberta Baroque closes its season with Haydn and Company this Sunday at Robertson-Wesley United Church. Like international renowned chamber orchestras, Schieman has recruited five brass and reed players to complement the string instruments.

In addition Edmonton Symphony concertmaster Robert Uchida, a brilliant violinist in his own right, is slated as guest soloist.

“He’s a fantastic player and he fits perfectly into the program. It’s a repertoire he’s played before,” said Schieman.

The program opens with Mozart’s Symphony No. 10, a three-movement work the precocious musician wrote when he was just eight years old.

“It’s really well written, fun and imaginative. But some of the elements are very simple. It almost sounds childish, but it’s typical Mozart. It’s energetic, graceful and refined,” said St. Albert cellist Ronda Metszies, an ESO musician and ensemble musician for a decade.

In addition to Metszies, former resident Neda Yamach, a top-tier violinist with the ESO, joined the baroque family several years ago and will also participate.

Haydn’s Concerto in C Major for Violin and Orchestra highlights Uchida’s expressiveness and generosity of spirit.

Czech composer Jiri Antonin Benda’s Sinfonia No. 3 in C Major veers away from the rest of the Austrian and central European repertoire.

“I included this one because it works well for the ensemble. They can play it well. It sounds good and I try to get a different collage of sounds, styles and textures,” Schieman said.

Mozart’s five-minute Rondo for Violin and Orchestra once again puts focus on Uchida’s eloquence as he plays a theme and develops new ideas from it.

The big close is Haydn’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major.

“It’s one of his early pieces, but I like it because it’s full of character, exuberance and it’s so well crafted. Did you know that Haydn came up with the idea of a string quartet? He had amazing compositional chops,” Metszies said.

Alberta Baroque Ensemble was founded in 1979 when Schieman moved from Montreal to take up a position with the ESO in the oboe section. At the time, there was a dearth of baroque music played in the area.

Since its inception concerts have attracted audiences with “standing room only” and the group has developed a reputation as a highly acclaimed chamber ensemble.

The top-level musicians perform a broad repertoire and are known for their subtle and homogeneous sound. And the group’s charisma and spontaneity thrill the public.

Metszies closes by saying, “One of the things I love best is the audience. It is so warm and intimate. It feels like a family.”