By Richard Todd, The Ottawa Citizen
Photograph by: Bill Blackstone
Music and Beyond Opening Gala
Dominion-Chalmers Church
Wednesday, July 4
So the chamber music season is officially underway. Wednesday evening a host of artists launched the Music and Beyond festival with a gala featuring 30 or so instrumentalists and singers in various combinations performing a nice vatiety of repertoire.
It began with Daniel Taylor and his Theatre of Early Music, chorus and orchestra, who presented Handel’s anthem, Zadok the Priest. It was a splendid performance; one can scarcely imagine a stronger way to open a festival.
Next came the Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor, one of the pillars of chamber music. The Fine Arts Quartet and pianist Menahm Pressler were the musicians and their names alone promised a very special rendition. And special it was, though it may not have been to everyone’s taste.
Read more: Music and Beyond: Gala gets off to splendid start
