★★★★½ Kristian Bezuidenhout paints a portrait of Amadeus in his own time.

City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney
September 11, 2015

If there’s one thing that musos could teach the pollies it’s that the team that plays together stays together. Nothing demonstrates that as clearly as when the conductor (to quote Malcolm Turnbull) is first among equals, and nothing epitomises that philosophy quite like the orchestras of the 18th century. Acknowledged virtuoso and genius composer though he was, Mozart probably never stood in front of an orchestra, let alone sat in an audience for his music. No, dutifully tucked away at his keyboard he would have coaxed and cajoled his ensemble forward, much as Kristian Bezuidenhout does in this Australian Brandenburg Orchestra programme of Wolfgang Amadeus and his contemporaries.

The concert opened by contextualising the main compositional draw with works by a pair of Bach’s sons and musical heirs. Johann Christian, the English Bach, was JSB’s youngest son and a huge influence on the young Mozart. An uncomplicated sinfonia, written two years before the famously reported meeting where the young Wolfgang perched on his knees, revealed JC’s warmly melodic style. With its gorgeous Andante (the ABO strings on terrific form)...