“I always love returning to Yuin Country. It's full of memories, dear friends and is one of my favourite landscapes anywhere in the world,” former Four Winds Festival artistic director and recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey said. 

Joined by Australian baroque bassoonist Jane Gower and Lars Ulrik Mortensen from Denmark on harpsichord, who are both among the finest players in the world of baroque, the trio will perform music from 18th Century Europe at the renowned Far South Coast venue this Sunday. 

“The 18th Century is the recorder's natural habitat,” Lacey said. 

“It's a time in history when the instrument flourished and the great musicians of the day wrote beautiful works for it.

“Most of my life now is spent creating new works, firmly in 21st Century Australia. But every now and then, it's wonderful to return to this older world, so familiar to my ears and hands.” 

The concert will showcase the variety in musical language and tone colour of music from different European countries at the time, such as France, Italy, Germany, Sweden and England, with Lacey saying music from these countries was as different as the languages were.

“Each place had its own idea of beauty, of what was musically important,” she said.    

“In the 18th Century, there were fantastic international debates between musicians, composers, artists and listeners about whether to privilege melody or harmony, whether it mattered more to have clear, driving rhythms or beautiful floating tunes. Coming to this concert, you'll hear these extremely diverse national styles."

Lacey described her sound with Gower and Mortensen as “rich, vivacious”, saying recorder and bassoon were a beautiful match and the sparkling harpsichord gave their sound a halo.

“My colleagues are specialists in this music, and it's a privilege to play it with them - it's joyful, intimate, incredibly expressive music,” she said. 

“We have a very deep musical affinity, so there's a sense of ease and effortlessness. It's such a joy!” 

The recorder, which Lacey has been playing ever since she was a young girl, attracted her due to its simplicity and directness as well as its pure, clear sound. 

“I love that it takes the same breath to play as it does to speak or sing,” she said. 

“I love that there are no keys, reeds, bows to wrestle - it's a simple wooden pipe, and there's no gap between your thoughts, your feelings, your breath and the sounds you make.”

Lacey, Gower and Mortensen will perform on Sunday, August 19 from 1pm at Four Winds, Barragga Bay. Tickets are $80, 16 years and under free.

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