Music / Haydn’s Miracle, Australian Haydn Ensemble. At Wesley Uniting Church, August 21. Reviewed by GRAHAM McDONALD.

The Australian Haydn Ensemble returned to Canberra for their fourth visit this year, this time as a string quartet with the addition of flautist Mikaela Oberg for the final work of the concert.

The concert opened with a Haydn quartet, as they are wont to do, the Fantasia, Op 76, No 6 dating from 1796. The start was a little hesitant and seemed a bit unfocused, but by the last two movements it all came together and they looked like they were at least starting to enjoy themselves.

From there on things improved with each successive work. The second offering was Franz Schubert’s Quartet Op 29 in A minor Rosamunde from 1825. This is less than 30 years after the Haydn but demonstrated how much music had changed in that period. It is a slow, almost subdued work full of delightful little melodic ideas. Even the final movement cruised rather than rollicked.

After the interval was a short Fantasia by Henry Purcell which recalled a 17^th century viol consort. Quite different for the AHE, who rarely delve back to the baroque, but it fitted in well before a Haydn symphony.

The symphony, No 96 in D major, the Miracle, is one of 12 reduced by London-based promotor Johann Salomon for performance by a quintet of four strings plus a flute. The AHE have been working their way through these symphonies for a few years now (along with other condensations such as Beethoven symphonies) and they are always entertaining.

Flautist Mikaela Oberg blended flawlessly with the strings and the five clicked into gear for this final work of the concert. There were smiles and eye contact and the ensemble seemed much more animated for this final work of the concert.

A group to be celebrated and encouraged.