The latest project by orchestra seventeen88 adhered to its agenda to educate and inspire through their enlightened performances. The ideals of historically informed performance (HIP) were followed when presenting two works as they would have been heard in 1800 and 1824.

The featured chamber wind and string soloists were Kate Clark, flute, Nicole van Bruggen, clarinet, Darryl Poulsen, horn, Lisa Goldberg, bassoon, Jacob Lehmann, violin, Caroline Henbest, viola, Daniel Yeadon, cello and Maxime Bibeau, double bass.

Collectively the instrumentalists possessed an immense combined history of education, performance work and research across the globe in historically informed performance. The combination of this experience and period-instrument tone colours entertained with exquisite results.

The programme was comprised of two sprawling septets in the key of E flat major, with slightly different instrumentation. These versions from Franz Lachner and his contemporary Beethoven of the fashionable early nineteenth century wind-plus-strings format illustrated why the new chamber style was so expressive and popular.

The first half of the concert introduced the audience to the originality, equality of part-writing and simply beautiful melodies of Franz Lachner’s Septet in E Flat major for flute, clarinet, horn, violin, viola cello and double bass.

There was some fine solo playing here as the period instrument experts demonstrated in fluid turn their contrasting string or wind hues and capabilities. Especially poignant were the continued successful moments of dialogue and decoration where the clarinet (Nicole van Bruggen) and flute (Kate Clark) shone above and through the delicacies of the texture.

Also well-crafted in the performance of this seldom-heard Lachner work was the number of dramatic and strongly characterised climaxes. These provided the performance of the lengthy work with variety and considerable momentum. The ensemble’s commitment to realising such unique and sudden contrasts in the score also helped create a clear caricature of this composer.

After interval Beethoven’s Septet in E flat major Opus 20 for clarinet, horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello and bass was played. The performance ideals of the early nineteenth century and effective playing of the period instruments were once again to the fore as the ensemble worked through the six movements.

A key component of any orchestra seventeen88 project is the collaboration with a guest artist. In this concert, German violinist Jakob Lehmann, currently the concertmaster of Anima Eterna in Brugge, joined the ensemble of local HIP devotees.

Lehmann’s work in the challenging Beethoven septet was scintillating and smooth. Especially rewarding to encounter was his management of Beethoven’s virtuosic passages. These were at all times well shaped and well balanced against the other five instruments. No aspect of the nicely phrased filigree fireworks was unclear during this work’s  brilliant final Presto .

Particularly full of charm, character and forward direction was the ensemble’s rendering of the  Menuetto and Trio movement in Beethoven’s septet. The jaunty opening phrases of this movement also open the second movement of Beethoven’s later Piano Sonata Op 49 No 2 in G major (the ‘Leichte Sonate’),and it is always good to hear the familiar motifs scored for wind and strings.

This concert gave the followers of orchestra seventeen88 yet another well researched, well explained and exceptionally well-played concert. As a learning event the audience discovered the Lachner work, juxtaposed with well-known Beethoven. The playing keenly communicated the essence of each work’s place in time and performance practice history. Nicole van Bruggen’s post-interval explanation of the group’s goals, instruments, behind the scenes preparation, and her love of HIP was an accessible, interesting and inspiring interlude.

The concert was repeated at Knox Grammar School on Sunday 22 November. The ecstatic ovation for the first concert alone will no doubt ensure much interest in the announcements of next year’s projects, which will not fail to thrill.