Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 - Varaždin

I performed as one of the soloists in Bach’s Second Brandenburg Concerto [BWV 1047] with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble - Hrvatski barokni ansambl - for the second time this year. Last time, in May, I played in a programme entitled ‘Erschallet, Trompeten!’ in the Croatian Music Institute in Zagreb and I had to isolate for 10 days upon my return. This time I performed in Varaždin as part of the 51st Varaždinske Barokne Večeri (Varazdin Baroque Evenings) festival, for a performance at 20:00 on Saturday 25th September 2021 in the St. Nicholas Church (Crkva Sv. Nicole). This time, the programme included the first four Brandenburg Concertos in the order: 1, 4, 2, 3. The other soloists in the second concerto were: Laura Vadjon (violin), Stjepan Nodilo (recorder) and Georg Fritz (oboe). Georg and I played in Il Gusto Barocco’s recording of the Brandenburg Concertos, so it was great to also play with him again. 

It was fantastic to re-visit Varaždin and to see my friend Krešimir Fabijanić (I stayed in his home on the first night) who plays first trumpet with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble. I have played in Varaždin twice before: once for a televised performance, with the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, in September 2011 of Bach’s ‘Tönet ihr Pauken…’; and again with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble for Bach’s B Minor Mass in September 2018.

The Croatian Baroque Ensemble was in fine fettle, and it was great to get to know several of the players a little better, one of them had even been to the Isle of Man, and spoke about their time there with great passion - which was very pleasing to hear!

Having had both vaccinations, I was able to come back to the UK to segue into a rehearsal on Sunday evening in preparation for a CD recording project later in the week. Covid tests were still required before departing, before returning to the UK, and on day 2 upon return to the UK; plus a form to enter Croatia and a form to enter the UK were required.