Sacconi String Quartet
Ben Hancox & Hannah Dawson violins
Robin Ashwell viola | Cara Berridge cello
Simon Callaghan piano
Ravel String Quartet in F major
Bliss Piano Quartet, Op. 18
Franck Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 14
The Sacconi Quartet are fast becoming Festival favourites and, considering they have been captivating audiences with their unanimous and compelling ensemble for over two decades now, it is easy to see why. They come this year with Simon Callaghan, whose impeccable playing we last enjoyed with the Greenwich Piano Trio in the 2023 Festival.
For our final concert, this is a true Festival programme in every way: arriving at the culmination of our celebrations of Maurice Ravel and Arthur Bliss, and finishing with one of the greatest Piano Quintets of all time.
Join us after the concert for a celebratory glass of wine!
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9pm
Tickets:
Centre section: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Side sections: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Carducci String Quartet
Matthew Denton & Michelle Fleming violins
Eoin Schmidt-Martin viola | Emma Denton cello
Emma Johnson clarinet
Puccini Crisantemi
Bliss Clarinet Quintet
Emma Johnson Isolation Lament and Dance for solo clarinet and tapping foot
Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A major, K581
The Carducci Quartet first played for Leamington Music in 2009 and this is their ninth concert for us; Emma Johson has also long been an audience favourite and returns to us after a wonderful concert in the 2022 Festival.
Arthur Bliss’s Clarinet Quintet is one of his most notable achievements; it is arguably the finest work in the medium from the 20th century and one that is performed and recorded far less frequently than it deserves. It certainly holds its weight in comparison with Mozart’s Quintet which makes for a wonderful and thought-provoking pairing in this programme.
Generously supported by Jennifer Lorch
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9pm
Tickets:
Centre section: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Side sections: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
A revealing talk by Andrew Burn (Chairman of The Bliss Trust) documenting Bliss’s life and works in a fascinating review.
The finer details…
Interval: none
Estimated finish: 3.30pm
Tickets:
Unreserved Seating
£8 adults / £3 students & children
Leamington Music gratefully acknowledges the support of the Bliss Trust for the Festival (www.blisstrust.org)
Roderick Williams baritone | Andrew West piano
‘A taste of exotic’
Schubert Kennst du das Land (Mignons Gesang), D321
W. Denis Browne Arabia
Bliss Siege
Rebecca Clarke A Dream
Amy Woodforde-Finden Pale hands I loved beside the Shalimar (Kashmiri Song)
Duparc L’invitation au voyage
Sally Beamish Four Songs from Hafez
Harry T. Burleigh Five Songs of Laurence Hope
The return of another Festival favourite (and a National Treasure to boot!). Roderick Williams never ceases to delight with both his performances and his thoughtful programming. This time he features the music of Leamington-born composer William Denis Browne among other works inspired by distant lands.
Generously supported by Helen & Stan Ireland and Diane Holt
The finer details…
Interval: None
Estimated finish: 1pm
Tickets:
Unreserved Seating
£23 (full price) / £11.50 (under-35s)
£3 (students & children)
Bliss Masks
Ravel Sonatine
Bliss Triptych
Poulenc Improvisation No. XV, “Hommage à Edith Piaf”
Poulenc Napoli – suite for piano
Coventry-born, and a noted pupil of Aldo Ciccolini, The Times has called Mark Bebbington “truly a remarkable pianist”. His international career has taken off in recent years, and we welcome this great champion of British music back to Leamington. Mark continues our Festival Ravel celebrations and begins for us those of Arthur Bliss who died 50 years ago this year.
Generously sponsored by Wiglesworth
The finer details…
Interval: none
Estimated finish: 1pm
Tickets:
Centre section: £18 full price | £3 child/student
Side sections: £13 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
