Lively start to a summer of music in Warwickshire

THERE’s no stopping the Leamington Music machine! With the hugely successful bank holiday festival weekend still a vivid memory, the summer concerts schedule kicked into operation with a return visit to Snitterfield’s parish church in the company of the five-piece Copenhagen Chamber Ensemble.

Having brought together professionals from the worlds of medicine, law and music, plus a Polish refugee violinist, Steen Lindholm leads from the harpsichord, acts as spokesperson and arranger of pieces originally designed for larger ensembles.

Two examples of Steen arrangements - from Handel’s Oratorio, Solomon, the famous Sinfonia Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and the Suite in D provided a lively start to the programme.

Steen insists Telemann’s work deserves greater recognition, as it is ‘quality music’, with Tafelmusik from 1733 frequently compared as a collection to the renowned Brandenburg Concertos by Bach.

Father and son, Johann Sebastian and Johann Christian – a striking pairing, remind us how many later composers adapted and reworked the Bach family successes. The Quintet in D by son JC uses the harpsichord as a solo instrument and the Sinfonia in F by father JS is his Brandenburg Concerto No 1, less one movement and minus the two horns. On the evidence of Tuesday’s Radio 3 live performance of this concerto from Chipping Camden, we were fortunate to hear the Sinfonia.

Clive Peacock