2019/20 SEASON - OUTLINE PROGRAMME - Mail me when tickets go on general sale

3 November 2019

Pavel Haas String Quartet

Beethoven & Tchaikovsky

Our season opens with a unique opportunity to experience the world-class Pavel Haas Quartet performing in the intimacy of the Holywell Music Room. Renowned for their outstanding performances and award-winning recordings, they will play two highly expressive works, Tchaikovsky's Quartet no. 3 and Beethoven's Quartet op.59 no.3.

1 December 2019

Mozart Oboe Quartet

Nicholas Daniel and friends

This concert brings a welcome return visit by Nicholas Daniel, one of the world's great oboe players. Accompanied by a string ensemble of his friends, he will perform an attractive and informal programme of works by Mozart and 20th century English and French composers. It promises to be interesting and engaging afternoon.

12 January 2020

Doric String Quartet

Haydn Beethoven & Sibelius

Firmly established as one of the leading string quartets of its generation, the Doric String Quartet receives enthusiastic responses from audiences and critics across the globe. They will be performing Haydn's popular Joke quartet, Sibelius's Intimate Voices quartet, a contemporary work and the first of Beethoven's much-loved op.18 quartets.

16 February 2020

From Bach to Nielsen

Atéa Quintet

The Atéa Quintet is one of the foremost British Wind Quintets. Internationally acclaimed, they became double prize winners at the 2015 Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition and are Associate Ensemble in Residence at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. They will be playing a diverse programme of delights including music by Bach and Nielsen.

22 March 2020

Schubert & Haydn

Maggini String Quartet

The Maggini String Quartet has long been a favourite of Oxford audiences and continues to be much admired by chamber music playing enthusiasts. We're delighted to host the Maggini at the Holywell Music Room again in a programme that includes Haydn's Lark Quartet, Schubert's magnificent G major Quartet and a work drawn from the English quartet repertoire that the Maggini have very much made their own.

26 April 2020

A Baroque Celebration of Spring

Flauti d'echo

Flauti d'echo is a truly outstanding young recorder duo who are joined by leading early music players in a programme that celebrates the arrival of spring with music by Monteverdi, Purcell, Handel, Vivaldi and others. Cheeky cuckoos, blossoming flowers, dancing shepherds and buffeting winds frame a beautiful pastoral aria, 'Awake, Thou Wintry Earth', by J.S. Bach.

17 May 2020

Schumann Piano Quintet

Alasdair Beatson & friends

The highly accomplished pianist and chamber musician Alasdair Beatson is joined by a quartet of his friends, all leading string players, in a festive finale to the season which will include Dvorak's lovely D major Piano Quartet and Schumann's magnificent Piano Quintet.

 2018/19 CONCERTS

3 March 2019

Schubert Trout Quintet

Frith Piano Quartet

Hummel Piano Quintet in E flat op 87
Beethoven Piano Quartet in E flat op 16
Schubert Piano Quintet in A D667 The Trout

The splendid (Benjamin) Frith Piano Quartet with guest double bassist, in a programme of pure enjoyment. 

We all know the Trout Piano Quintet by Schubert, but how many of us know the piece which prompted its composition, the E flat Piano Quintet by the most popular composer of the time, Johann Nepomuk Hummel? Between this interesting pairing we'll have the delight of Beethoven’s Opus 16 Piano Quartet.

The distinguished line up of performers is Benjamin Frith - Piano, David LePage - violin, Robin Ireland - viola, Richard Jenkinson - cello, John Tattersdill - double bass

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24 February 2019

Mozart & Brahms Clarinet Quintets

Endymion

Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A K581
Martinů Three Madrigals for violin and viola
Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B minor op 115

Endymion's members are no strangers to Oxford's music lovers and they number among the best soloists and chamber musicians in Europe. For us they perform two much-loved chamber works for clarinet and strings.  

Martinů's approachable but distinctive chamber music should be heard more often. His Three Madrigals for violin and viola were inspired by Mozart's Duos and they draw on the Bohemian-Moravian folk themes and dances of the composer's roots.

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27 January 2019

Haydn Beethoven & Fanny Mendelssohn

Consone String Quartet

Haydn Quartet in D minor op 103
Beethoven Quartet in F op 18 no 1
Haydn Quartet in D minor op 42
Fanny Mendelssohn Quartet in E flat

This young prize-winning quartet is dedicated to exploring and recreating the sound-worlds of the Classical and early Romantic string quartet repertoire through period instrument performance.  

The Consone bring familiar repertoire as well as the lesser known. These include Haydn's last quartet and a work by Felix Mendelssohn's highly talented sister. 'The players know how to enjoy themselves, they clearly know that Haydn did too'. [Wigmore Hall concert review in 'The Strad']

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13 January 2019

Debussy & Mozart Favourites

Pixels Ensemble

Debussy Cello Sonata
Mozart Flute Quartet in D K285
Debussy Sonata for flute, viola and harp
Françaix Quintet for flute, harp and string trio
Debussy Violin Sonata
Mozart Piano Quartet in G minor K478

This is a programme that ranges from the sensual to the sublime. It's performed by a versatile and flexible ensemble which includes some of the cream of London-based musicians.  

Marking the centenary of the death of Debussy, the music includes his three late sonatas in which the dying composer defiantly upheld the French tradition in time of war. These are contrasted with two Mozart favourites.

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25 November 2018

Beethoven Septet & Schubert Octet

Ensemble Mirage

Beethoven Septet in E flat op 20
Schubert Octet D803

Always on the look-out for the best of the new, we are delighted to bring to Oxford Ensemble Mirage. We can expect splendid performances of some of the most enjoyable music in the repertoire.  

Ensemble Mirage was founded by the clarinettist Matthew Scott and the violist Ugne Tiskute. In these pieces we will hear melody and the pungent timbres of wind and string instruments dancing and singing together, brought to us in all its freshness by these brilliant young musicians.

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11 November 2018

Tákacs String Quartet

Mozart Mendelssohn & Shostakovich

Mozart Quartet in G K387
Shostakovich Quartet no 4
Mendelssohn Quartet in F minor op 80

It's a fair bet that any lover of chamber music will list the Tákacs String Quartet  amongst the world's finest ensembles so we're proud to be able to include them in our 120th season, and with what a programme!  

This well-known Mozart quartet is another of those he dedicated to Haydn. Shostakovich's Fourth Quartet incorporates Jewish folk influences - it had to be hidden away until it was safe for performance. The Mendelssohn F minor Quartet journeys in a darker world than his audience expected but we now know it as his late masterpiece.

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7 October 2018

Mozart Beethoven & Szymanowski

Allegri String Quartet

Mozart Quartet in C major K465 Dissonance
Szymanowski Quartet no 2
Beethoven Quartet op 127

Founded in 1953 and over the years refreshed with the very best musicians, the Allegri has become an integral part of British musical life. Programmed are two of the greatest quartets in the repertoire, sandwiching a lesser known masterpiece of the 20th century. 

Mozart's Dissonance quartet, one of six dedicated to Haydn, is, after the brief 'dissonant' introduction, one of his most cheerful chamber works. Szymanowski's Second Quartet is a personal summing-up by a still underestimated master: the first of the three movements is highly impressionistic and the last two derived from Polish folk music. Beethoven' opus 127 is the first of his celebrated late quartets, a work of significance not only within that context but also in the ongoing development of the quartet oeuvre.

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