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'Wallfisch Band in Dutch realms'

'The appearance of the Wallfisch Band in the Dr. Anton Philipszaal was one of the best kept secrets of The Hague. Around 200 music lovers had heard about it and attended. The people who stayed at home really missed something.

The musical leader of this British group is English violinist Elizabeth Wallfisch. She founded the group about three years ago together with some other crack musicians from the early music world in order to guide young players in their first steps on the path of professionalism. This noble aim delivered clearly audible results.

Baroque musicians who can play in tune as well as in a compelling way are nowadays rarely to be found. The warm-blooded sound of the Wallfisch Band is, in this industry, more the exception than the rule, and seldom does an ensemble reach the very essence of this seemingly simple baroque music with such transparent sensitivity.

After the interval, the Wallfisch Band was transformed from a handful of musicians into a complete chamber orchestra. This was conducted by Bruno Weil, and provided with three vocal soloists in order ot perform Stravinsky's ballet Suite, Pulcinella. Stravinsky based his composition on 18th century music, including that of Van Wassenaar, hence the choice. The score was brought to life in a clear, colourful and infectiously joyful way.

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Neuburger Nachrichten:

Baroque music of unspoiled freshness

Elizabeth Wallfisch and her band enchant [the audience] in the Kongregationssaal Neuburg. A sheer bundle of energy, ravishing, intoxicating! This evening was an absolute highlight in 61 years of history of the Neuburger Barockkonzerte

Elizabeth Wallfisch accomplished the feat of combining liveliness and sensitivity, joyous playfulness and finely shaded interpretation. The Allegro already showed Elizabeth Wallfisch's fascinating virtuosity and the elastic, flexible sound of the ensemble, which literally flows round the solo violin.  

The Wallfisch Band plays in a transparent, accurate way, never stiff but always alive, variable and fitting to the musical moment. Each part by itself has a carefully crafted musical line and yet at the same time all the parts are highly alert to the ensemble playing. Attention is paid down to the last little details without getting lost in them. Simply everything is right here. The faces on stage reveal at once highest concentration and almost unrestrained delight in playing, creating a wonderful balance between care for accurate ensemble playing and spirited flow of the music.

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