JBOVocal and Instrumental BaroqueYMCA AuditoriumJanuary 20 One of Handel's unjustifiably neglected Italian cantatas, In the Flames, was presented by the Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra last week. Anat Edri's bright, flexible, yet somewhat weak soprano was best audible in the recitatives, when the orchestra was silent. Her coloraturas were clear and polished, and her expression was faithful to accepted standards. In his double capacity as conductor and viola da gamba soloist, Roberto Gini's impact was felt most conspicuously in his conductor's role, in Telemann's Suite TWV 55. The composer may have intended this work for a smaller string ensemble and/or for a smaller salon, which would have caused the gamba to sound more distinctly. Finally, pleasant listening though Sammartini's symphonies make, three of them in one program is a little too much of a good thing, especially as they are not so very dissimilar from each other in style and structure. Overall, the orchestra displayed a rich, well-coordinated sound and noticeable joy in playing.
