Coming up
Sundays at 11.30 a.m.at the National Museum Cardiff
12 December 2010
Llŷr Williams (piano)
Beethoven: Sonata in E, Op 109 Beethoven: Sonata in A flat, Op 110 eethoven: Sonata in C minor, Op 111
Please note special ticket prices apply to this concert.
During 2010, Llŷr Williams has been giving an eagerly anticipated cycle of all Beethoven’s piano sonatas. His critically acclaimed account of the first three sonatas last February was sold-out. He now returns with a special Gala performance of the three final Beethoven sonatas; revelatory, innovatory and of profound depth. This gala performance is to raise funds to sustain the Cardiff Coffee Concert series into the future. N.B. Special ticket prices will apply. 23 January 2011 Navarra String Quartet Haydn: String Quartet in C, Op 55, No 2 Beethoven: String Quartet in F, Op 59, No 1 (Razumovsky) One of the UK’s leading young chamber groups, the Navarra String Quartet is rapidly gaining an international reputation. They visit Cardiff with one of the Everests of the quartet repertoire – the first Razumovsky Quartet by Beethoven – a work that redefined the string quartet medium. “… the players realize the music's essential intensity ... with their vivid sense of dramatic expression.” (BBC Music Magazine) 13 February 2011 Richard Jenkinson (cello) Benjamin Frith (piano) Stravinsky: Suite Italienne Rachmaninov: Cello Sonata in G minor, Op.19 Cellist Richard Jenkinson and pianist Benjamin Frith give an all-Russian concert contrasting the richly expressive Cello Sonata of Rachmaninov with Stravinsky’s cool neo-classical Suite Italienne. “An accolade too, for the young cellist Richard Jenkinson whose recent recital … showed him to be on a par with the ubiquitous Steven Isserlis.” (The Independent) 13 March 2011 The Bridge Duo Matthew Jones (violin/viola) Michael Hampton (piano) Mozart: Violin Sonata in E minor, K 304 Michael Parkin: Inevitable Inventions Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op 133 Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet (Excerpts, trans. Borisovsky) The Bridge Duo has forged an enviable reputation in recent times through performances of the highest quality and integrity. Their concert continues this season’s Russian theme with music by Prokofiev and also includes music by Michael Parkin, whose 4th Quartet was heard at a Coffee Concert in 2008. “Sensuous and dramatic … charming and persuasive … a performance of much imagination”. The Strad 3 April 2011 Brodowski String Quartet Shostakovich: String Quartet No 8 in C minor, Op 110 Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No 1 in D, Op 11 First Prize Winners of the 2008 Royal Overseas League Competition, the Brodowski Quartet are “the new kids on the London scene” (The Times). Its members, originating from Germany, Wales, Scotland and England, are recognised as one of the UK’s most hotly-tipped young chamber groups. They conclude the season with an all-Russian programme – Shostakovich’s best-known quartet, the intense Eight, and the First by Tchaikovsky.