Programme:
Schumann: Papillons, Op. 2
Schumann: String Quartet No.1 in A minor, Op. 41 No. 1
Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44
Cadogan Hall’s string quartet in residence the Brodsky Quartet and three of today’s most distinguished pianists present a stunning series celebrating the three great romantic piano quintets, those by Brahms, Dvorak and Schumann.
The series also pays homage to the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Schumann, who wrote the first of the great piano quintets and inspired so many which followed.
Robert Schumann’s love affair with the piano owed much to the brilliance and devotion of his wife, Clara Wieck, who was a celebrated concert pianist. This concert for Valentine’s week opens the Brodsky Quartet’s spring series celebrating the great Romantic piano quintets. Pianist Piers Lane opens the concert with Papillons, a musical representation of scenes from the composer’s favourite novel Flegeljahre by Jean Paul. The first of Schumann’s three string quartets, the A minor, is a brave foray into an unknown world for a pianist: the resulting writing for strings has unusual textures and an elegiac, sweeping beauty, as well as one of the most heart-wrenchingly beautiful slow movements of the quartet repertoire. Himself a brilliant pianist with a promising career ahead of him, prematurely cut short by self-inflicted injuries, Schumann was a troubled soul who attempted suicide and suffered from manic depression. Nevertheless, his music is almost always happy and optimistic, no more so than in the E flat major Piano Quintet with its soaring melodies and triumphant Finale.
Tickets*:
£22, £18, £15
Please note: Online booking is only available up to midnight on the day prior to the performance. On the day bookings via telephone and counters sales only.
*Note: Certain ticket prices are currently only available via telephone.
Special Offers*: Encore: top price tickets for £18
*Note: Certain Special Offers are currently only available via telephone. If an advertised offer in not available online, please call the box office on 020 7730 4500 and we will apply the offer over the phone. (All Special Offers are subject to availability)
