Vivaldi’s Summer had strings sighing in the ennervating heat then bursting into frenzied agitation of a seasonal storm as violin and oud matched phrase for phrase in duets and solos returning to the teeming life of the opening as melodic lines scurried like willy-willies in the baking dust of a scorcher.

Pizzicato strings mimicked the plucking of the oud as Tawadros pushed the pace before returning to meditative violin. Permission to Evaporate (Tawadros) went to another place, with Tognetti meditating over a bowed string drone before breaking to dance oud then taking up the theme over theorbo and finger-tapped bendir - a tambour-like hand drum. Just one viola (principal Stefanie Farrands) among five violins lent a light and airy feel, with riq’ joining the party alongside Baroque guitar (Martyn-Ellis) Tognetti’s animated demeanour giving all the direction needed for an elevating, stimulating reading. Camera Icon Richard Tognetti, Simon Martyn-Ellis, Joseph and James Tawadros present Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on tour with Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Strings joined in with percussive then full bowing in distinct Middle-Eastern tonality, the beat of the riq’ lending a dance ambience to the whole.įamiliar strains of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons ran through like a thread of gold, the opening Spring dawning in a playful attack by violins, with crystal clarity and hints of birdsong in high harmonics. Joseph Tawadros’ own Kindred Spirits introduced his brother James on riq’ - akin to a tambourine - with Delta-blues bent notes and a haunting voice from the oud. Silken lines from ACO director Richard Tognetti and his violin cohort flagged a sea change to Vivaldi’s “Grosso Mogul” Concerto, second movement the delivery like chalk and cheese yet sharing elements of inspiration, with Simon Martyn-Ellis’ theorbo carrying the idiom forward.

Vivaldi concerto for violin and cello