by Michael Caruso

Tempesta di Mare, Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra, performed a program entitled “A Tale of Two Cities: Chamber Music from Venice and Naples” Sunday afternoon, May 24. The title is taken from the name of the famous 19th century novel by Charles Dickens, pairing London and Paris at the time of the late 18th century French Revolution. That title, however, could also be employed to describe my concert-going experiences over the final weekend in April, during which I not only heard Tempesta’s concert but also one entitled “Brilliant Baroque” given by Camerata Ama Deus Friday evening, May 22. These concerts were, indeed, a tale of two ensembles and their two respective venues.

Camerata Ama Deus presented “Brilliant Baroque” at the Chestnut Hill United Church on Germantown Avenue, just across the street from Chestnut Hill Hospital. Tempesta di Mare performed “A Tale of Two Cities” in the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, just north of the hospital along the same avenue.

The two venues couldn’t be more dissimilar had their respective architects and acousticians set out to make them so. Whereas Chestnut Hill United Church’s sanctuary is small with a low ceiling, Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church’s sanctuary is wide open and spacious. While the United Church’s acoustics are dry to the point of muffled, Chestnut Hill Presbyterian’s are warmly resonant yet sparklingly clear. Although I’m certain that the United Church works perfectly well as a worship site, it doesn’t work at all well as a concert venue. Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, on the other hand, succeeds exceedingly well as both.

Although both programs shared similar repertoire — 17th and 18th century Baroque music by Vivaldi, Legrenzi, Castello, Scarlatti, Falconieri and Mancini for Tempesta; and Scarlatti, Sammartini, Albinoni, Telemann and Vivaldi for Camerata — their respective manner of performance differed greatly.

Tempesta followed the historically appropriate concert mode of not relying on a conductor but instead depending upon the individual players watching and listening to each other with sufficient expertise to maintain ensemble, balance, blend, a broad range of dynamics and interpretive consistency.

Camerata Ama Deus was conducted by Valentin Radu, who stood on a podium and utilized a baton in the fashion of a 20th century maestro. And yet, ensemble was never tight, balance was fitful, blend was nonexistent, dynamics were invariably loud, and there was no clearly defined interpretive personality, at all.

The only performances in Camerata’s sparsely attended concert that came off efficaciously were those featuring recorder soloist Rainer Beckman and trumpet soloist Erin Frazier. Even Beckman’s collaboration with violist da gamba Vivian Barton Dozer in Telemann’s “Concerto for Recorder & Viola da Gamba in A minor” suffered from a lack of direction from the maestro.

On the other hand, all seven scores comprising Tempesta’s program were played superbly. Gwyn Roberts on recorder, Emlyn Ngai & Karina Schmitz on violins, Lisa Terry on cello, Richard Stone on lute & guitar and Adam Pearl on organ all played with consummate musicality and commanding technique. Stone was heard to special advantage during the concert’s second half on a beautifully decorated baroque guitar.

The weekend’s performances were the final ones in Chestnut Hill for the season for both ensembles. Tempesta di Mare, however, will round out its 2015-16 season with “Handel & His Frenemies” Saturday, May 21, 8 p.m. in the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater. Call 215-755-8776 or visit www.tempestadimare.org for more information. The Ama Deus Ensemble will perform music by Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, “The Three B’s,” Friday, May 20, 8 p.m., also in the Perelman Theater, for its season finale. Call 610-688-2800 or visit www.VoxAmaDues.org