Curating programmes to shape experiences

The stark contrasts between Light and Dark in this programme provide a beautiful contrast.

 

Starting with John Dowland's Seaven Teares - each movement is a dedication to different types of tears; some of sorrow and some of joy.

 

We then move on to Mozart's deeply moving quintet in G minor which has both dark and light.

 

The programme finishes with the radiant, soaring and athletic Brahms quintet in G major 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. We have  included Ravels only string quartet with it's jazzy influences in this programme which we also hear in his pupil Germain Tailleferre's quartet. Tailleferre was the only woman in Les Six.

A much neglected quartet by Les Six member Louise Durey who ws greatly influenced after hearing Debussy's string quartet provides something new for our audiences.

​

​

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 as well as many others which we include in this programme. We have paired our folksong arrangements with Gustav Holst's own arrangement of British Folksongs as well as a stunning pastoral quartet in one movement by Imogen Holst. 

 

 

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 award winning composer Ben Nobuto's piece 'Skip' which we commissioned in 2021 - an infectiously fun moment in this programme.

Starting with Haydn's 'Lark which is such a perfectly balanced work from the father of the string quartet, we then move on to Beethoven's opus 18 no 1, a lyrical early quartet from Beethoven which has a slow movement inspired by Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet. our second half is the unforgettable 'American quartet followed by 'Skip'.

This programme centres around a new work written for string quartet and horn by Peter Fribbins.

 

We commissioned "The Fens' last year and premiered it in June 2024 at Fenlania Festival with the celebrated horn player Ben Goldscheider joining us.

 

This programme will include Beethoven's compact and extraordinary opus 95 "Serioso', followed by  Mendelssohn's quartet opus 13 no 2 in A minor.

 

Glazunov's lyrical and seldom heard Idyll and Serenade for string quartet and horn is a precept way to finish this programme.

​

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. This epic quartet needs no introduction as it is one of the great pillars of the string quartet repertoire