Copenhagen Soloists offered three big Mozart works in Mørdrup.

Ole Josephsen, music reviewer (Helsingør Dagblad, 18 October, 2018)

Copenhagen Soloists presented themselves with three big works from the Mozart-repertoire in Mørdrup church. The concert, arranged by Espergærde Music Society, included Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola, the motet “Exultate Jubilate” and Symphony nr. 40.

Copenhagen Soloists is originally a baroque ensemble, but it has now expanded the repertoire into the classics. They play on period instruments and strive after a historically authentic sound.

A conversation for strings

Sinfonia Concertante had Jensenka Balic Zunic on violin and Fredrik From on viola as soloists. It is a double-concerto, where the two solo instruments each have solo sections and cadences, yet they also have sections where their lines interweave with each other in blissful harmony. The first movement has a good forward motion, where winds and strings act in concert with the solo instruments. The slow adagio movement called upon the soft tone of both the violin and the viola, which conducted a profound and intense dialogue. In the last movement, there was once again a speedy movement with virtuosic parts for both soloists. Beautifully played.

Crystal-clear song-joy

The soprano Sophie Thing-Simonsen was soloist in the solo-motet ”Exultate Jubilate”, which hails the arrival of dawn. Her voice is confident and crystal-clear, and she radiates a natural joy of singing. In the slow and pacifying beautiful andante movement, the voice sounded soft and agile, and in the final vivacious Halleluja movement the virtuosic coloraturas were precisely placed. An impressive presentation. The organ, played by Gilbert Martinez, was a good support.

Ingenious and dramatic

Symphony nr. 40 in G-Minor is an ingenious symphony, by many opinions Mozart’s best. It is in any case the most dramatic of all his symphonies. The horrid dissonances and heavy rhythms are strong means of expression and comprise in many ways an entry pathway into the modern symphonic music. Copenhagen Soloists portrayed itself at the afternoon concert as a full-blood Mozart Orchestra. With light bowings and strong pulse – and each note was placed precisely where it should. Jonathan Ofir conducted with plasticity and clarity. He embraces the orchestra and makes it breath. After three times Mozart at high level, one went home happy, in the final sun rays of the late autumn day.