Music From Bach to Birtwistle

Four generations of leading artists perform the music of four centuries in the second concert of HarrisonParrott’s anniversary series 50 Years in a Day.

Trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin Vary, praised by Concertonet for her ‘masterful technique in... smoothly delivered trills and arpeggios’, raises the curtain with Duke Ellington's smooth In a Sentimental Mood

Violinist Leticia Moreno introduces a Spanish flavour to the evening with a selection of the Canciones Populaires espagnolas followed by accordionist Ksenija Sidorova, called ‘superbly subtle and virtuosic’ by The Arts Desk, who takes the stage with cellist Alban Gerhardt for a special arrangement of Piazzolla’s Grand Tango.

The starry line-up continues with soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan who joins pianist Tamara Stefanovich in songs from her prize-winning album Vienna: Fin de Siécle (Alpha Classics) which features music from Wolf, Zemlinsky, Alma Mahler and members of the Second Viennese School.

The purity of a solo Bach cello suite (Alban Gerhardt) opens the second half and then, changing the mood, Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Pekka Kuusisto, ground-breaking star violinists, combine in a wild selection of virtuosic duos. This includes the first performance of a short piece by Peter Eötvös written specially for the HP50 anniversary entitled For Lydia and based on the Lydian mode.To conclude, Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich perform the London premiere of Keyboard Engine, written especially for them by Sir Harrison Birtwistle. The San Francisco Chronicle commented: ‘the overarching metaphor of a whirring, clacking machine helps illuminate the music’s rhythmic force...’ In their US premiere of the work Musical America said: ‘this was playing of jaw-dropping virtuosity, infused with that ineffable quality that raises less than one-in-a-hundred musical experiences into the realm of the sublime.’

Enjoy the tastes and talents of some of HarrisonParrott’s charismatic artists, celebrating the music management company’s 50th anniversary with music spanning from Bach to the present.

The evening also marks the launch of the HP50 Charitable Foundation.

Performers

Lucienne Renaudin Vary trumpet
Leticia Moreno violin
Ksenija Sidorova accordion
Alban Gerhardt cello
Barbara Hannigan soprano
Tamara Stefanovich piano
Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Pekka Kuusisto violin
Pierre-Laurent Aimard piano
Repertoire

Duke Ellington: In a sentimental mood
Falla: Suite populaire españole arr. Kochanski for violin & piano
Piazzolla: Le grand tango arr. for cello & accordion
Songs from the album Vienna Fin de Siècle: .
Interval
JS Bach: Prelude from Suite No.6 in D for solo cello, BWV.1012
Selection of violin duos: .
Péter Eötvös: For Lydia for 2 violins (World premiere)
Harrison Birtwistle: Keyboard Engine for 2 pianos (London premiere)