Southbank Centre Strings Events

Arditti String Quartet

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Perfect Constructions: the music of Conlon Nancarrow

Conlon Nancarrow was one of the most enigmatic, freethinking composers of 20th-century American music. Ostracised in the US for his communist politics, he moved to Mexico and lived there until his death in the 90s. There he experimented with player-pianos - mechanised instruments that play pre-programmed compositions - and wrote music with a wide range of influences, including jazz.

As part of Southbank Centre's weekend-long celebration of Nancarrow's music, regular visitors to the International Chamber Music Season the Arditti Quartet perform two of his quartets, which are at turns funky and lyrical. The concert also features an arrangement of one of Nancarrow's fearsomely difficult studies for player-piano and the second quartet from György Ligeti, who described Nancarrow as 'the greatest discovery since Webern and Ives... the best of any composer living today'.

Start Date:

Sunday 22 April 2012 - 18:00

End Date:

Sunday 22 April 2012

Ticket Prices:

£15 £12 £9

Concession/Group Prices:

50% off (limited availability)

Performer(s):

Arditti String Quartet

Repertoire:

Conlon Nancarrow: String Quartet No.1
Gyorgy Ligeti: String Quartet No.2
Conlon Nancarrow: String Quartet No.3
Conlon Nancarrow: Player Piano Study No.33 arr. Paul Usher for string quartet

Facility Description:

Queen Elizabeth Hall

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Musicians of the Royal Academy of Music

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Musical fireworks, brilliant instrumental effects and a haunting purity - an opportunity to hear dazzling chamber works by celebrated British composer George Benjamin.

Performed by students from the Royal Academy of Music and introduced by the composer himself.

The concert includes the highly virtuosic Viola, Viola, in which two violas combine to create a 'super' instrument displaying a breathtaking spectrum of range and emotions. Shadowlines is more recent work and exhibits the gorgeous and transformative effects of Benjamin's music. In contrast to these are the beautiful, texturally spare 3 Miniatures for Solo Violin.

Start Date:

Saturday 12 May 2012 - 17:30

End Date:

Saturday 12 May 2012

Ticket Prices:

£12 £10 £8

Concession/Group Prices:

50% off (limited availability)

Performer(s):

Royal Academy of Music Students
George Benjamin

Repertoire:

George Benjamin: Piano Figures - 10 pieces for solo piano
George Benjamin: 3 Miniatures for solo violin
George Benjamin: Viola viola
George Benjamin: Shadowlines for solo piano

Facility Description:

Purcell Room

Borletti-Buitoni Trust Concert

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Pianist Mitsuko Uchida, a trustee of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, speaks about the Trust's work to develop the careers of outstanding young musicians. She then introduces four of the finest artists of the new generation, all Borletti-Buitoni Trust award-winners and all already enjoying major international success.

Beethoven's popular second string trio precedes Chopin's romantic Ballade No.4 and Scherzo No.3 in C sharp minor, Op.39, played by Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili. The four artists then join forces to perform Brahms's first piano quartet, famous for its folk-flavoured Gypsy Rondo finale.

The Front Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall at 9.45pm - Young international chamber group the Aronowitz Ensemble perform a post-concert set. Admission free.

Start Date:

Friday 4 May 2012 - 19:00

End Date:

Friday 4 May 2012

Ticket Prices:

£28 £21 £15 £10 Premium £35

Concession/Group Prices:

50% off (limited availability)

Performer(s):

Viviane Hagner violin
Lawrence Power viola
Christian Poltera cello
Khatia Buniatishvili piano

Repertoire:

Concert introduced by Mitsuko Uchida
Ludwig Van Beethoven: String Trio in G, Op.9 No.1
Fryderyk Chopin: Ballade No.4 in F minor, Op.52
Fryderyk Chopin: Scherzo No.3 in C sharp minor, Op.39
Interval
Johannes Brahms: Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor, Op.25

Facility Description:

Queen Elizabeth Hall

Images

Takacs Quartet

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Southbank Centre Associate Artists the Takács Quartet return to close the International Chamber Music Season with a programme of three great chamber classics.

The first half juxtaposes Haydn's inventive and ever-popular 'Lark' quartet with Ravel's impressionist masterpiece. Considering the melodic inspiration and harmonic flair Ravel poured into this work, it is remarkable that the French composer wrote only one string quartet.

The concert ends with Shostakovich's popular Piano Quintet. The piece is as ironic and expressive as the composer's greatest string quartets, yet - through its commanding piano part - exhibits a sweeping grandeur redolent of his symphonies.

Start Date:

Wednesday 16 May 2012 - 19:30

End Date:

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Ticket Prices:

£28 £21 £15 £10 Premium £35

Concession/Group Prices:

50% off (limited availability)

Performer(s):

Takács Quartet
Aleksandar Madzar piano

Repertoire:

Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in D, Op.64 No.5 (The Lark)
Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F
Interval
Dmitry Shostakovich: Quintet in G minor for piano & strings, Op.57

Facility Description:

Queen Elizabeth Hall

Images