Toad Lane Concerts: Telemann Baroque Ensemble

Telemann Baroque Ensemble

The Telemann Baroque Ensemble has become a regular feature of the Toad Lane Concerts, St Mary in the Baum’s weekly midday music. It is a variable combination of experienced musicians who each play with several music groups, such as the Wilmslow Symphony and Northern Baroque Orchestras.

Wednesday 16 November's line up was a sizeable group of six players: essentially a string quartet with solo oboe and the obligatory harpsichord for that distinctive Baroque sound.

Peter Collier directed his troupe from the harpsichord with aplomb and functioned as compère providing us with witty, informative background and context for the music. With Roger Bisby on cello these two form the baroque ‘basso continuo’ that plays fundamentally throughout.

With the other highly skilled string players Elaine da Costa and Sarah Snape on violins, and John Goodstadt on viola, we had glorious performances of Telemann’s Concerto in B flat and Trio in C minor, Corelli’s Trio for two violins, and Handel’s masterpiece in variation, the Passacaille Opus 5 no 4.

The excellent oboist Alfred Pollard teamed up with them, first with an unusual but highly effective pairing with the viola by Telemann, then finally, the whole ensemble played Marcello’s splendid Oboe Concerto in D minor. The Adagio (ornamented by JS Bach himself) in the church acoustic, produced the most sublime musical expression you could wish for.

All extremely able and enthusiastic performers and soloists, their playing certainly lifted the music off the page and their ensemble work was superb.

Yet again, wonderful music-making in the fantastic acoustic of St Mary in the Baum. The next appearance of the ensemble will be on 22 March 2023.

The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. No refreshments available now, but the venue is Covid-19 compliant. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

To see details of forthcoming Toad Lane Concerts, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson