‘Exquisite Harmonies’: A delightful afternoon of music
Image: Anthony Abouhamad on harpsichord and Jennifer Eriksson on viola da gamba. Image: supplied
The arts precinct in Walsh Bay is an idyllic location, and the perfect place to enjoy light afternoon entertainment on a Sunday. What Jennifer Eriksson and Anthony Abouhamad gave us with their Exquisite Harmonies recital, however, was more than just light entertainment; it was a mesmerising and charming step back in time.
Eriksson is a virtuoso of the viola da gamba and founder of The Marais Project, named after French viola da gamba master, Marin Marais. She is vibrant and engaging in her performance and very good at creating rapport with an audience.
Abouhamad is a champion of the harpsichord and, while a little more reserved, still has charisma with a crowd.
The two had an obvious musical connection with each other as they performed a hand-picked selection of baroque works in the intimate Choirs Rehearsal Studio on Wharf 4/5 on Sunday afternoon.
The Exquisite Harmonies program included works by Telemann, Abel, Couperin, and Forqueray, among others, as well as a composition for harpsichord by Abouhamad himself. It was a well-considered selection of short works that ranged in mood and style, weren’t too intense but still allowed both musicians to exhibit their prowess on their respective instruments.
There is something special about hearing historical music being performed on the instruments for which they were originally composed. And there’s a visceral pleasure in watching consummate musicians perform gorgeously crafted wooden musical instruments in an acoustic setting.
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