★★★★☆ Crowd-pleasing snippets of JSB prove perfect showcases.

Concert Hall, QPAC, Brisbane
April 9, 2016

Last year Brisbane Baroque binged on Handel for its blockbuster concert. This year it blitzed Bach, another Baroque big-hitter. A series of snippets from the mighty catologue of the German genius proved an excellent showcase for conductor, choir and soloists in an evening of period pops.

Leading the honours was Australian-British maestro Jessica Cottis, a former assistant to Vladimir Ashkenazy in Sydney, and a familiar face to Queenslanders who have seen her conduct regularly in recent years. Not a Baroque specialist as such, her background includes organ studies at ANU, standing her in good stead in this repertoire. Accordingly, she led a select subset of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in considerable style, her every gesture sparking with energy.

Conducting sans baton, her highly watchable physicality on the podium drew some finely crafted results, whether intent on unravelling Bach’s complex textures or conjuring some high-voltage playing and singing with an almost palpable strength of will. The orchestra, playing on modern instruments, were generally excellent, the modern string tone only occasionally obscuring the delicate woodwind writing. A special mention...