BREMF – French Fancies and Italian Imaginations – Flauti d’echo

A well-deserved spotlight focused on the two virtuoso flautists (Tabea Debus and Olwen Foulkes) who had so elegantly embellished the BREMF Baroque operas earlier this week. Now we could concentrate on their musical world, the familiar Blow, Purcell and Handel but also some lovely works by Paisible and Draghi, that I’d never heard before and must now follow up.

The various recorders and their expertly realised harpsichord accompaniment (Benedict Williams) produced a compelling host of textures and mood that was beautifully developed in the increasingly hectic but perfectly synchronised ‘La Follia’ variations by Geminiani. After last year’s success, it’s no surprise there was a large lunchtime audience.

St Nicholas’ Church, 10 November 2018

Rating: