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PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.

GRAND Their performance was at once intricate and beautiful, serious and solemn, sombre and soulful

But it was well worth the wait – the chamber orchestra from Stuttgart, the capital-city of Baden-Württemberg in Southern Germany enchanted music-lovers with their excellent performance.

Performing long pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonin Dvorak, the 1945-founded chamber orchestra, led by violinists Benjamin Hudson and Wolfgang Kussmaul, performed with magnificence and finesse.

Starting off with one of Mozart’s best-loved and most-popular compositions, “Serenade KV 525”, delivered in all subtlety, caused hearts to soar at the expertise and style of the chamber orchestra.

It was intricate and beautiful, crooning and mesmerising, aggressive and forceful, serious and solemn and sombre and soulful – never losing its measured, steady pace.

The bows flew on its own musical journey and the music at once transported you to genteel ballroom dances that bordered on being regal and pompous at times.

The version of the Eine kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music) was fairy-like – buzzing and whizzing with tuneful notes, got on a fine chase before a solid, grand finish of the 45-minute piece.

But one couldn’t help but cringe and shake your head in sheer exasperation when ignorant audience-members felt it dutiful to clap in between each movements of the same piece – breaking and disturbing the continuity and tranquillity of the pieces.

Then Wolfgang Kussmaul and Benjamin Hudson took the stage with Johann Sebastian Bach’s 15-minute “Double Concerto”.

The music just flowed forth from the bows and brimmed over in rhythm. The atmosphere was powerful and musically-charged and the rendition left no musical gaps. And Wolfgang and Benjamin proved to be a remarkable pair.

Bach’s rendition was so soothing that you had to only turn to see everyone sigh in musical bliss – sitting back on the chairs and almost floating in the air. Poignant high notes marked the composition with sombre tunes, with an ever-so-gentle finish.

Later it took on a racy, jaunty pace – full of life and vigour.

Antonin Dvorak’s No. 78 in E major Opus 22 took a different beat altogether, where the music just melted in your ears. Broad, intricate patterns that were light and soft were relaxing and surging – never to lose its overall touch of sobriety.

The second movement had a more forceful undercurrent with bubbling notes creeping in.

The third movement was performed in lighter vein – and seemed youthful and effortless.

You had to catch your breath at their speed and the stalwart musicians plucked and tapped at the strings giving out more rounded, chirpy sounds. It was a grand performance, measured by stupendous energy.

And just when you thought they had finished, they surprised you with a smooth, coaxing end.

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