Curating programmes to shape experiences

The stark contrasts between Light and Dark in this programme take us from Dowland's Seaven Teares - each movement is a dedication to different types of tears some of sorrow and some of joy- to Mozart's deeply moving quintet which has both dark and light. The programme finishes with the radiant, soaring and athletic Brahms quintet with it's inexhaustible Hungarian Dance to finish.This concert is for string quartet and viola.

The inter-war period in Europe was one of fresh approaches and experimental thinking in the arts. Les Six met, revelled and exchanged their ideas with artists, writers poets and musicians such as Satie and Cocteau in Monmatre, Paris. Meanwhile a little known  Czech movement called Poetism emerged embracing the same progressive change in the arts. This programme explores these two fascinating parallels and the extraordinary music from these times.

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For this programme we have chosen music that draws it's influence from the wealth of folk music that is part of the heritage of the British Isles. In 1903 Vaughn Williams collected his first folk song in Essex when he notated the song as it was sung to him by a local tradesperson. It was called 'Bushes and Briars'. RVW went on to collect over 800 songs notating them which meant that they were not lost as traditions of singing folksongs were fading.

We have arranged this folksong for string quartet and it can be heard on our album 'Songs Without Words' on all listening platforms

This traditional programme takes the audience on a wonderfully uplifting musical journey with music from three of the greatest composers for string quartet as well as emerging composer Ben Nobuto's piece 'Skip' which we commissioned in 2021 - an infectiously fun moment in this programme.

This programme explores the impact the Renaissance period had on composers centuries later. 

Herbert Howells is widely celebrated as being an important contributor to Anglican Church Music. He was strongly influenced by his love of Renaissance music. His chamber music is somewhat neglected but as this beautifully structured and emotionally charged quartet shows us, should be more widely performed.

Edmund Finis's first string quartet is described by the Times as "...expressive musings on gravely beautiful polyphony by Byrd.."

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Haydn's magical 'Sunrise' quartet from opus 76 is one of his most loved. Florence Price wrote her folksongs in 1951, although the manuscripts were left untouched in a attic until 2009 so metaphorically this music is once again given a chance to shine. No 5 is based on the  well known song 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' in which the text specifically refers to the Prophet Elijah's ascent into Heaven by chariot. Schubert wrote his quartet 'Death and the Maiden' in 1824, a time when Schubert felt he was near the end of his life