An Alehouse SessionBarokksolistene
Bjarte Eike
Per Buhre violins
Fredrik Bock guitar & theorbo
Mattias Frostenson bass
Håkon Stene percussion
Members of I Fagiolini
Barokksolistene's alehouse session at Village Underground (Spitalfields Summer Festival, 23 June) entertained and moved the audience in equal measure. Part of a growing trend to present "classical" music in more immediate, accessible settings, the event reproduced the alehouse atmosphere of the 17th century, when due to the closure of theatres during the Commonwealth, many alehouses were turned into so-called Musick-Houses, where musicians gathered to play intimate concerts for an enthusiastic and beer-thirsty audience. The combination of live performance, high musical standards and humour made for a wonderful evening in an unusual setting.
The strains of Celtic folk music were instantly recognisable, evoking the mystery of highland landscapes, while England was most ably represented by the, as ever, gorgeous music of Henry Purcell, infused with a little bit of drama and laughter. The English madrigal, usually performed today in formal and, dare we say, rather po-faced settings, took on quite a different meaning in the bawdy atmosphere of the 17th century alehouse, when, apparently, beer consumption averaged 9 pints a day.
Most arresting of all was the sheer enjoyment of the musicians as they performed. Dressed casually, and freely moving about the stage, they let the audience into the secrets of performance, sharing their commitment to the music and to the exhilarating fun of bringing it alive. We left the performance smiling.
The only problem was that for an alehouse session, the beer was really not very good, being canned lager rather than good English ale on tap.
For a taster, see this extract from a similar but more formal performance at Kings' Place last summer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrN2TuazQ6Y
Siham Bortcosh/Peter Simister
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