That was quite a workout tonight, watching Angela Hewitt leading the orchestra while playing four different concerti on one concert programme with the Toronto Symphony at Roy Thomson Hall. She had a very busy evening, playing note-perfect as far as I could tell.

The two halves of the concert were similar, each one consisting of a Bach keyboard concerto & a Mozart piano concerto.

• JS Bach: Keyboard Concerto #3 BWV 1054
• WA Mozart: Piano Concerto # 9 K 271
  (intermission)
• JS Bach: Keyboard Concerto # 7 BWV 1058
• WA Mozart: Piano Concerto #20 K 466

While the orchestral forces were relatively small tonight, we were watching the A team, the top performers. For the Bach concerti the orchestra was a mere 28 players, including the principals in most of the sections, augmented for the Mozart by four additional wind players in the Jeunnehomme Concerto K271, and a few more for the D minor concert 466.

Leader & pianist Angela Hewitt

Hearing this sort of program had the remarkable effect of making the Mozart sound edgy and new.

Roy Thomson Hall was packed for the occasion, and I think it’s fair to say that Hewitt did not disappoint. The audience reception got stronger with each piece.

The program repeats Sunday November 19th at 3 pm at the George Weston Recital Hall.