Martinů String Quartet
Lubomír Havlák and Adéla Štajnochrová violins
Martin Stupka viola, Jitka Vlašánková cello
with Vilém Veverka oboe
and Martin Kasík piano
Mozart Oboe Quartet in F K370
Sylvie Bodorová Psalms and Exhortations for Oboe Quintet (Première)
Dvořák Piano Quintet in A Op 81
The Martinů Quartet returns to Leamington for three concerts, two of them with the leading Czech oboist Vilém Veverka with whom the Quartet often works. Mozart’s Oboe Quartet is a gem to be followed by the commission from The Dvořák Society of a new work by Sylvie Bodorová. Martin Kasík joins the Quartet after the interval for Dvořák’s much loved and evergreen Quintet.
Generously supported by The Dvořák Society
£27 | £17
(£1 children / students)
Leamington Town Hall
A talk by David Beveridge
Following The Dvořák Society’s AGM, there will be tea and a 50th anniversary cake served before the talk starts at 3.30pm. David Beveridge is a musicologist and Dvořák specialist who lives in Prague.
Free entry | Donations welcome
Kukal String Quartet
Eliška Kukalová and Klára Lešková violins
Daniel Macho viola, Filip Rufer cello
Coffee Concert
Schulhoff Five Pieces
Sylvie Bodorová String Quartet No 4 ‘Shofarot’
Smetana Quartet No 2 in D minor
Dvořák Cypresses – a selection
The Kukal Quartet is making its UK debut on this visit, having been specially chosen by The Czech Centre. Named after a leading Czech composer, Ondřej Kukal, the Quartet, founded in 2020, was winning prizes at the Prague Spring Competition within a year. The Quartet brings a programme that embraces many of the Festival’s strands, whetting the appetite for Sylvie Bodorová’s première later in the day and building it around Smetana’s last chamber music work, premièred in 1884
The visit by the Kukal Quartet to the United Kingdom is part of the Year of Czech Music 2024 organized in partnership with The Czech Centre London and supported by Czech Recovery Plan, Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, European Union, Arts and Theatre Institute, SoundCzech and Vážný zájem Society.
£18 | £12
(£1 children / students)
Includes coffee available from 10.30am in the Conservatory
Guarneri Piano Trio
Čeněk Pavlík violin | Marek Jerie cello | Ivan Klanský piano
Suk Elegy
Smetana Trio in G minor Op 15
Dvořák Trio in F minor Op 65
The Guarneri Piano Trio, founded in 1986, is one of best in the world and has given several memorable concerts in Leamington over the years. Although the three members also have careers as soloists, playing together for nearly forty years brings another dimension to the Trio’s performances.
The ensemble bears the family name of the makers of both string instruments used by the Trio. Cenek Pavlík plays the famous ‘Zimbalist’ violin by Guarneri del Gesù from the precious collection of Luigi Tarisio, while Marek Jerie plays a cello made by Andrea Guarneri in l684.
The Trio’s stunning interpretation of Smetana’s masterpiece on previous visits absolutely had to be included in this programme, along with these wonderful works by Dvořák and his son-in-law, Suk, and will once again demonstrate the Trio’s complete immersion in the rich Czech repertoire.
Generously supported by Michael & Halldóra Blair
£27 | £17
(£1 children / students)
Smetana Bagatelles & Impromptus
Dvořák Suite in A Op 98
Chopin Ballade in G minor Op 23
Chopin Nocturne in D flat Op 27 No 2
Chopin Scherzo in B flat minor Op 31
Concert given in memory of Iain Smith (Leamington Music Chairman, 2006-15) and Teresa Halikowska-Smith.
Iain Smith had a special regard for the leading Czech pianist Martin Kasík, following performances for Leamington Music as well as the Wigmore Hall, in the Leamington Hastings concerts, and the Festival in Stratford. Martin Kasík was Director of the Chopin Festival in Mariánské Lázně, which Iain and Teresa Smith attended in 2008 and greatly enjoyed. The Fryderyk Chopin Society is based in this Czech spa town where Chopin spent the summer of 1836.
Martin gives performances with the Martinů Quartet and his regular partner on oboe, Vilém Veverka, in the evening concerts on Saturday and Sunday.
Generously supported by Stefan, Milena, and Adrian Smith
£18 | £12
(£1 children / students)
Amici della Musica
Philippe Graffin violin | Elizabeth Wallfisch viola
Raphael Wallfisch cello | Piers Lane piano
Mahler Piano Quartet movement in A minor
Schulhoff Duo for Violin and Cello
Smetana Polkas de salon Op 7 Nos 2 & 3
Smetana Caprice bohemien in F Op 12
Dvořák Piano Quartet in E flat Op 87
Raphael Wallfisch, a favourite and regular Festival performer, brings his newly-formed group to Leamington. Both French violinist Philippe Graffin with Raphael, and Australian pianist Piers Lane with Tasmin Little, thrilled audiences here some twenty years ago, while Raphael’s wife Elizabeth has more often been heard in memorable concerts in Warwick.
The programme sets off the Festival themes admirably with Mahler’s powerful and rare foray into chamber music, Schulhoff’s atmospheric duo from 1925, followed by piano solos from Smetana in his big year, and ending with a glorious Quartet by Dvořák, one of his most attractive chamber works.
Generously supported by Paul & Jane Watts
£27 | £17
(£1 children / students)
FESTIVAL EXTRA!
Martinů Quartet
Lubomír Havlák and Adéla Štajnochrová violins | Martin Stupka viola | Jitka Vlašánková cello
Beneš String Quartet No 2 in F Op 30
Martinů String Quartet No 5
Dvořák String Quartet No 14 in A flat Op 105
The Martinů Quartet will be performing for the thirtieth time in Leamington and Warwickshire since first coming to the Warwick & Leamington Festival in 1998 – by far the most times for any visiting quartet.
The Quartet comes with some new members and a recently re-discovered Czech composer, Josef Beneš, who lived 1795 to 1873. A distinguished violinist, he wrote two quartets towards the end of his life, the second in 1871.
Concert generously supported by Hugh & Jane Beale
£26 | £16
(£1 children / students)
Sacconi String Quartet with Ben Goldscheider horn
Ben Hancox and Hannah Dawson violins | Robin Ashwell viola | Cara Berridge cello
Robin Holloway First Partita Op 62 No 1
Mozart Horn Quintet in E flat K407
Robin Holloway Horn Quintet Op 135
Rachmaninov String Quartet No 1: Romance
Schubert String Quartet in D minor D810 ‘Death and the Maiden’
The Sacconi Quartet returns for its third concert in Leamington for three years and Ben Goldscheider plays here for the first time. Since being a Concerto finalist in the 2016 BBC Young Musician competition, his national and international rise has been meteoric. Chosen by the Barbican for the ECHO Rising Stars, he has performed at the most prestigious venues on the continent and he made his BBC Proms debut last year with the CBSO.
The Festival draws to a climax with two works by Robin Holloway, the beautiful Romance from Rachmaninov’s only completed string quartet, some delightful Mozart and one of Schubert’s greatest chamber works.
Join us in the Conservatory after the concert for a celebratory glass of wine!
Generously supported by Paul & Jane Watts
£26 | £16
(£1 children / students)
Greenwich Piano Trio
Lana Trotovšek violin | Heather Tuach cello | Simon Callaghan piano
Mozart Piano Trio in G K564
Rachmaninov Trio élégiaque No 2 in D minor Op 9
The award-winning Greenwich Piano Trio plays in the Festival for the first time, as we welcome back the Slovenian violinist Lana Trotovšek who thrilled our audience at a lunchtime concert last year, Heather Tuach, the Canadian cellist in the Fitzwilliam Quartet, and pianist Simon Callaghan who last played here in the 2016 Leamington Music Festival.
Opening with the last of Mozart’s six piano trios, completed in 1788, we follow with Rachmaninov’s monumental Trio written in 1893 and dedicated to Tchaikovsky who died in November that year. Earlier in the year, Rachmaninov’s opera Aleko was premièred at the Bolshoi Theatre and was warmly praised by Tchaikovsky. His death must have been a shock as only nine days before he had conducted the première of his sixth symphony in St Petersburg.
£17.50 | £12.50
(£1 children / students)
Martin Baker organ
Lemmens Fanfare in D
Byrd Fantasia in D minor
Robin Holloway Corale-prelude on ‘Alle Menschen müssen sterben’
JS Bach Alle Menschen müssen sterben BWV643
Reger Toccata and Fuge from Zwölf Stücke Op 59
Whitlock Allegretto, Folk tune and Scherzo from Five short pieces
Jongen Chant de mai Op 53 No 1
Jongen Toccata Op 104
Walton Orb and Sceptre
Martin Baker Improvisation on themes by Sergei Rachmaninov
Martin Baker is an Honorary Fellow of Downing College Cambridge, a past President of the Royal College of Organists, and former Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral. He has forged a reputation as one of the foremost improvisers of his day, winning first prize in that category at the St Albans International Organ Festival in 1997 and international renown not only as an innovative recitalist but also in his equally-acclaimed role as a choral director.
Generously supported by the Friends of All Saints Music
Free entry | Retiring collection