Katherine Spencer

OAE. Mozart’s World: A Little Night Music

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson

Mozart’s World: A Little Night Music
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Kati Debretzeni, director, Katherine Spencer, clarinet
The Anvil, Basingstoke. 20 January 2026

Kati Debretzeni

Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga:  Overture in F minor Op. 1 (1817)
Mozart:  Clarinet concerto
Michael Haydn:  Divertimento in G (1780)
Mozart:  Eine kleine Nachtmusik

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is opening its 40th anniversary year with a short tour of a fascinating programme that, in inevitable OAE style, merges well-known pieces with little-known gems. They started their tour in the excellent acoustic of Basingstoke’s Anvil concert hall, a space that, although large, coped with the modest chamber-sized band with an appropriate intimacy. The three composers were linked by time, birthdays and friendship. Two of Mozart’s best-known pieces were balanced by music from his friend Michael Haydn and the extensively monikered Basque composer, Juan Crisóstomo Jacobo Antonio de Arriaga y Balzola, born in Bilbao 50 years to the day after Mozart. He was known as the ‘Spanish Mozart’ in honour of his prodigious talent, the birthdate link, and his tragically early death, just before his 20th birthday. Another link, which the concert organisers may not have noticed, is that both Arriaga and Mozart shared the same first two baptismal names (based on their birthdays being the feast of St. John Chrysostom, although Mozart’s first names of Joannes Chrysostomus didn’t last much beyond baptism.

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OAE: Elgar

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson

Elgar
Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment
Dinis Sousa, Frances Gregory
The Anvil, Basingstoke. 6 June 2025

In the South (Alassio)
Sea Pictures
Enigma Variations

The Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment has long since expanded their musical interests well beyond the bounds of the historical (18th-century Age of Enlightenment, not least into the music of the last 150 years or so, on this occasion focusing on the music of Edward Elgar from the years around 1900. Their conductor, the Portuguese Dinis Sousa, was making his debut with the orchestra. This must be a terrifying experience for any conductor, given the extraordinary musical knowledge of the OAE musicians and their willingness, in true Enlightenment manner, to question percived musical wisdom. It was also possibly his debut conducting an all-Elgar concert. Both experiences proved to be memorable for him; his rapport with the OAE players was obvious, as was his refreshing take on Elgar, notably his most famous piece, the Enigma Variations.

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AAM. Transatlantic: Classical Masters

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson

Transatlantic: Classical Masters
José Maurício Nunes Garcia, Haydn, Mozart
Academy of Ancient Music, Laurence Cummings, Katherine Spencer, clarinet
Milton Court, 13 March 2025

Nunes Garcia: Overture in D major; Dilexisti justitiam
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major
Nunes Garcia: Tantum ergo
Mozart: Ave verum corpus
Haydn: Notturno in G major
Nunes Garcia: Litany for the Sorrows of Our Lady

The Acadamy of Ancient Music (AAM) continues its Transformation season with the programme Transatlantic: Classical Masters, focusing on the Brazilian composer José Maurício Nunes Garcia (1767-1830) and his heroes Haydn and Mozart. Nunes Garcia was born in poverty in Portuguese Rio de Janeiro to Afro-Brazilian parents, both seemingly the children of slaves, courtesy of their respective slave owners. An early musical talent was recognised, and Nunes Garcia was soon singing in Rio’s cathedral and, by the age of 12, was teaching music and learning keyboard instruments at the homes of his wealthy pupils. He was composing by the age of 16, and just a year later was sufficiently recognised as a music teacher to be a founding signature to the Brotherhood of Saint Cecilia. His wish to take Holy Orders was finally achieved at age 25 after being excused from the requirement to be “free from any colour defect” and becoming the required “estate owner”, courtesy of the father of one of his students. Shortly afterwards, he was appointed as “public music instructor” and set up a free music school for local children in his newly acquired house.

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