St Mary's Perivale Events details

Sunday 12 January 3.00 pm

The Bridge Quartet

Colin Twigg (violin)
Catherine Schofield (violin)
Michael Schofield (viola)
Lucy Wilding (cello)

with readings by
Christopher Kent (actor)

'Dear Father...'

String Quartets by Mozart

Quartet no 4 in C K157 (12')
Allegro / Andante / Presto

Quartet no 15 in D minor K421 (31')
Allegro / Andante / Minuet and trio / Allegretto

Quartet no 23 in F K590 (Finale) (5')

Come along to St Mary's Perivale
or watch LIVE on YouTube or Facebook
or watch the recording on YouTube

In the latest of their series of acclaimed collaborations, the celebrated Bridge Quartet and actor Christopher Kent return with a ravishing all-Mozart programme. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) was famous as an infant prodigy, performing in public for the first time when he was only six and publishing his first symphonies by the age of eight. But it was his father Leopold (1719-87), himself a minor composer and violin tutor, who shaped and guided young Wolfgang's career, exhibiting his son's extraordinary talents around the cities of Europe throughout the years of his childhood, until their relationship inevitably cooled as the younger Mozart grew into maturity. In 'Dear Father…' the Bridge Quartet present three of Mozart's most striking and original string quartets, which chart the course of this complex and fascinating relationship at pivotal moments in his life, interspersed with narrative and readings by Christopher Kent from the revealing correspondence between father and son, which continued throughout their lives.

The history of the Bridge Quartet has been sprinkled with “discoveries”, As chosen artists for EM Recordings, the quartet members have relished opportunities to research and perform chamber music including neglected works by Norman O'Neill, Sir Hubert Parry, Goossens, Hurlstone and Howells to name a few. Recent explorations on EMR CDs have been Ivor Gurney's twin song cycles, with tenor Charles Daniels and baritone Roderick Williams. As Kirckman Concert Society artists the Quartet received 3 South Bank recital opportunities and has subsequently given several Wigmore Hall capacity concerts. Other notable highlights have included the City of London Festival, the English Music Festival, the “Haydnfest” in Manchester, Jacksonville festival Florida, the Festival du Quatours a Cordes de Fayence, France, Fundacion Juan March Madrid, Musica Eterna Dubrovnik and Sofia Festival, Bulgaria. An unusual asset of the Bridge Quartet is having its own composer “in residence”. Leader Colin Twigg has written works for the CBSO and also composed specifically for the Bridge Quartet. Future plans include a second Arnold Cooke CD for Toccata Classics, concluding the ongoing recording project of his quartet chamber music. The quartet also looks forward to playing for Manchester Concert Society and Huddersfield Music Society in the 2024-2025 season.

Christopher Kent has appeared on stage, screen and radio in a wide range of roles from Shakespeare to contemporary drama. London theatre appearances have included Cyrano de Bergerac with Robert Lindsay at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and The Government Inspector with Timothy Spall at Greenwich Theatre. His live performances of epic story-telling and poetry, often from memory and in partnership with leading musicians, have been widely acclaimed. With his regular recital partner the pianist Gamal Khamis he continues to perform the acclaimed narrative recitals ‘Never Such Innocence' (described by BBC Radio 3 as “an incredibly moving performance"), Tennyson's epic poem ‘Enoch Arden', as set to music by Richard Strauss (now also released on an acclaimed CD by SOMM Recordings) and ‘An Exquisite Harmony' about the lives, loves and music of Robert and Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms. Their new production of Shakespeare's ‘Venus and Adonis' will form the opening concert of the Shakespeare in Music Festival in Stratford-on-Avon in May 2025.

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