City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney
January 21, 2015

Johann Sebastian Bach was an inveterate innovator. The trio sonata, developed from the mid 17th century onwards, and something of an Italian speciality (Corelli’s outings in the form were probably the most influential), was generally seen as a three or four hand affair. Two melodic instruments took the top lines, a continuo (sometimes comprising two separate instruments), sat on the bottom. But, in his organ sonatas, Bach cunningly combined all three parts in one, using right and left hand plus pedals to make of himself a baroque one-man band. Over the centuries, numerous rearrangements of these six works have come to light, many restoring the idea of three players, some going for two or even a small chamber ensemble.

The Italian baroque group Ensemble Arcomelo (from whom Trio Arcomelo derives) have had some success abroad – their founder, harpsichordist Michele Benuzzi has recorded some fine CPE Bach and Benda – so an evening of Bach’s finest promised much.

The opening sally went pretty well. Bach’s First E  Flat Major Sonata with its catchy, hummable opening movement received a spirited performance from oboist Gianfranco Bortolato. Currently a soloist with the Rome Opera Orchestra, Bortolato...