The Bach Festival at St Ann's, Dawson Street, which runs until Sunday, March 21st, opened last Sunday with a performance of all three of the composer's sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord. It's something of a commentary on the underdevelopment of the early music scene in Ireland that there is no obvious candidate to play these works on the viola da gamba itself, and Sunday's performances were given by cellist William Butt, accompanied by Gillian Smith.
"Accompanied" is not the word that Bach lovers will expect in this context, as the pieces are mostly conceived in three independent, contrapuntal voices. But accompaniment is what Ms Smith provided, in a context where the extra volume of the cello over the viola da gamba may have made her task in some respects an insuperable one.
William Butt is an engaging player, articulate in phrasing, generally light in tone, and sparing of vibrato. His sharp awareness of micro-detailing - putting hairpin accentuation on slurred pairs of notes, or working out precise terminations for staccato - can distract him from broader issues of overall balance and shape within a phrase.
But, in spite of the shortness of breath implicit in his style, the underlying earnestness and belief in the music shared by both players, coupled with the ever-nourishing substance of Bach's invention, made for a rewarding experience.
Next Sunday's Bach Festival concert at St Ann's will feature baroque violinist Maya Hom burger, playing two works for solo violin, the Sonata in A minor and the Partita in E.
