Striking strings

Glasgow String Quartet are the type of musicians who have  many strings to their bow (excuse the pun!). As well as playing in their own ensemble they are the principle players in the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, how fancy! There is clearly a lot of talent here and their repertoire is composed of two of the most iconic quartets in the twentieth century. I wonder if I will recognise the music to hear as I have found the titles of chamber music pieces to often be quite scientific in their approach.

First off is Leos Janacek's String Quartet No.1 'Kreutzer Sonata'. I found this piece to be quite dramatic and passionate with a lot of crescendos and unusual sounds. There are elements which have an almost metallic, scratchy tone which are contrasted with long drawn out elegant strokes which seems to be a defining feature of this piece. I have to be honest and say that when I heard the scratchy sounds I was welcoming the smooth comfort of the lighter playing. The menacing high pitched, fast paced screech haunts throughout the piece against the backdrop of a calmer, fluid part.

Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No.3 Op.73 had a similar jumpiness to the first piece. The different parts produced an interesting clash at times. The cello has real power in this piece and sounds great when teamed with pizzicato. Tempo changes are regular in this piece and there is a sense of gathering energy throughout. Power and contrast seem to be of the essence in Shostakovich's quartet.

This may be one of the concerts that have as much visual impact as they do musical. Who wouldn't be drawn into the twists and turns of these two unusual pieces being played by professionals at the top of their game?

The Glasgow String Quartet will perform at Cottier's Theatre on the 5th of June. To purchase tickets click here or visit the Cottier Theatre Box Office.

Photo by Jane Reid.

Athenaeum Winds - ones to watch

Composed of five students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, it is safe to say that Athenaeum Winds have had a lot going on recently. They have performed as part of the Cultural Olympics, played several concerts with the RCS and have represented the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. Now in the second year of their residency program with Enterprise Music Scotland you will no doubt hear and see a lot more of them during their upcoming tour of Scotland.

I haven't encountered a wind ensemble yet, pre-expectations are that there will be a light and airy quality to the sounds that they produce and that there will be quite and energetic speed to the chosen pieces. Lets see.....

Athenaeum have chosen to begin with Gyorgy Ligeti's Six Bagatelles, having listened, this seems to translate as six short excerpts. Variety seems key with this particular piece. Beginning with quite a sharp sounding sense of urgency the piece evolves to evoke an almost threatening tone. As a listener I felt a sense of suspense, awaiting the next instalment, almost like the frustrating cliffhanger in your favourite soap. The suspense leads to a pleasant raindrop like sound with a definite lightness that I had pre-empted prior to listening. I'm taken by surprise to hear an off-beat springiness which doesn't seem to follow on from the rest of the piece, it almost seems to belong to a different time and sounds quite South American. The end of the piece absorbs a certain depth with a dramatic edginess, again rousing tension which seems an unusual way to close this chapter.

Beginning as a light and pretty piece, with a delicate elegance, Maurice Ravel's Tombeau de Couperin, soon takes on a jazzy characteristics full of texture and layers. There are different faces to the small segmental components of this piece, really exhibiting the versatility of the players. Ravel takes us from the uplifting sounds of future promise to slow, sultry calm. Tombeau de Couperin finishes with a jumpy, excitable tone, demonstrating the diverse nature of this piece.

Mississippi Five by Jim Parker is definitely my favourite. As a tap dancer I seriously wanted to stand up and shuffle away, someone will have to hold me back at the performance. This is pure 1920s jazz. I felt drawn to investigate and discovered that Parker, who writes many film and TV scores, is one of these sought after 'living composers' who I have heard mentioned from time to time in the chamber music world. This will provide an interesting mix into the equation of what is to be a well-rounded repertoire.

Athenaeum Winds are heading for big things so see them now in the youth of their career before they head off on world tours!

Athenaeum Winds will perform on the 5th of June at Cottier's Theatre. You can purchase tickets here or visit the Cottier Theatre Box Office.

Bailey and Kitchen

Another lunchtime journey through history and back again in time to answer your afternoon emails. Who would have though time travel could be so simple? This particular concert, part of the University of Glasgow lunchtime series, features the romantic flush (descriptive word of the day) of the harpsichord and the velvety tones of the cello. Edinburgh Quartet member, Mark Bailey is a success in his own right having performed throughout Europe as a soloist. He now teaches and lectures in chamber music throughout Scotland while continuing to perform with the EQ. John Kitchen, a senior lecturer in music at The University of Edinburgh, has travelled the world as a soloist and is regarded as an expert in his field as a Baroque keyboard player having recorded with Priory and Delphian Records.

As my regular readers will know I am not familiar with many of the composers who appear in the Cottier Chamber Project series. Bach, however is a household name and before I even begin to listen I have a feeling that this will be a programme that is rather definitive of chamber music.

We begin with Sonata in G BWV 1027. This such an elegant and majestic piece full of beauty and serenity. With light vibrato and the depth added my the cello I might say that this piece almost soars. The middle of the piece (Allegro ma non tanto), although faster still produces a rather sweet sound. The final note is wonderfully drawn out and adds to the ease of the piece, there is a definite air of effortlessness.

Moving into the Sonata in D BWV 1028 and things get a little more complex. I felt there was more intricacy of movement between notes in this piece and there was a slightly darker spirit throughout with particular prominence in the Andante which seemed to be the focal section of this piece. The harpsichord really comes into it's own in parts of the Sonata in D whereas the Sonata in G seems to highlight the cello.

Sonata in G minor BWV 1029, sounds quite familiar, perhaps it is quite characteristic of chamber music during the focal period of this performance, 1650-1750. I have found this particular piece to have more energy. The harpsichord is played at some speed, pretty amazing skills must be required for this piece. I have noticed that the instruments never play the same part, the music links together nicely, producing a lightness of tone without the clashes that seem more characteristic of modern chamber music.

I enjoyed the relative tranquillity of this repertoire and found it interesting to hear three different pieces of music by the same composer. Although they were rather different and provoked a variety of emotions there were some consistent characteristics between all three.

Mark Bailey and John Kitchen will perform on the 5th of June at the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel, part of the ongoing Lunchtime Concert Series. You can purchase tickets here or from the Cottier Theatre Box Office.

#beardlikedaniel

This is one of seven concerts which host ensemble Daniel's Beard will perform during the series. Taking their name from the architect who designed the Cottier Theatre, they reinforce the prominent #beardwatch which has come to be synonymous with the project.

Versatility and a broad repertoire are the name of the game with this 8 person ensemble of professional musicians playing a leading role on the Scottish classical music scene. Drafting  in additional musicians to alter and enhance their sound, the phrase 'music of friends' is at the heart of this ensemble.

This concert witnesses a particularly folky influence and is composed of music which has been undeservedly overlooked before being given a new lease of life in time for the West End Festival.

Beginning with Paul Hindemith's Clarinet Quartet Op. 30 I immediately feel as though I have been thrust into an air full of insects in the height of summer. I have come to find that when listening to  particular pieces of  chamber music I encounter a strong sense of being transported to a very specific scenario or environment. This feeling of claustrophobia soon gives way to calmer, easygoing sound. Wow, just when I was drifting off into a spell of relaxation I am hit with a rush of noise which grows into a powerful crescendo of strings with repetition of the clarinets part. This pattern of calm and ensues leaving me with a feeling of slight disorientation and confusion.

The Piano Trio No. 1 H.193 Bohuslav Martinu is, if I am correct, split into 5 short segments which break up the piece into a variety of showcases, I felt particularly drawn to this, which was a slow, romantic piece with the strings taking centre stage. Each burst seems at odds with the previous and when split up the variation is a lot more tangible. I enjoyed listening to chamber music under this model.

Last but by no means least, my favourite piece of the program, Aram Khachaturian's Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano. This piece had an almost mystical edge to it and the clarinet really triumphed in the 'show off'' stakes! The strings almost seemed to sing alongside the deeper tones of the clarinet. I felt that there was a softness to this piece which will give variance to the overall performance.

It will be interesting to see the variety in the Daniel's Beard performances throughout the series in terms of both musicians and choice of music. There is a lot more to come from this ensemble.

Daniel's Beard will perform at the Cottier's Theatre on the 4th of June. To purchase tickets click here or visit the Cottier Theatre Box Office.

Back to life

Reading that this is a concert that should appeal to the geeks of the music world intimated me slightly, the naive newbie. I have quickly gotten over these feeling having sampled the music of some of the composers who will appear in Concerto Caledonia's lunchtime concert program in collaboration with the University of Glasgow.

Concerto Caledonia, specialise in the early and classical music of Scotland. With numerous CDs behind them the group have been awarded Sunday Times Record of the Year for their album Mungrel and regularly perform on BBC3. As part of our lunch time series they will explore elusive British music, dating from 1550 to 1650, featuring music by Tobias Hume, Orlando Gibbons and John Jenkins.

My initial reaction to this music was that there was a lot of movement between high and low notes, it is not so much jumpy as slightly detached. There are so many historical references, for example, the work of Hume contains some interesting titles, 'Tobacco, sing sweetly for tobacco'. The tracks which I listened to composed by Orlando Gibbons sounded as though they were played by some sort of sitar. This instrument, whatever it may be, had a very distinct, medieval sort sound to it with an almost metallic tone. It sounded similar to something which you might hear in a Royal Court. The works of John Jenkins seem slightly more modern and have more in common with pieces which I have previously heard. What I noticed was that  many of the pieces had 'Fantasia' in their titles. I have discovered that this refers to improvisation during the renaissance period and that a characterisation of this style was change in tempo and clashes of harmony.

In addition to these composers, works from anonymous musicians will also be performed. This is quite a charming touch in the sense that music ,which might otherwise have been lost to history, is being revived in fabulous venues to be played by talented musicians to an appreciative audience. Concerto Caledonia really do perform in context using instruments not found in modern music. I imagine that the venue will serve to heighten the atmosphere and transport the audience back to another era.

Concerto Caledonia will perform at the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel on the 4th of June. To purchase tickets click here or visit the Cottier Theatre Box Office.

Distinguished Brass

Successful and distinguished musicians just keep on coming out of the framework with the Cottier Chamber Project series and this is particularly apparent in the collaboration of Alba Brass and John Wallace, trumpet and cornet soloist .

Alba Brass are a brass quintet from Scotland who have been touring since 2004 and have a broad repertoire of genres under their belts fusing jazz, folk and vocal elements to produce a diverse and variable sound. John Wallace is described as a 'Scottish musical legend' and has an impressive CV to prove it. The Principal of the Royal Conservatoire has played with the prestigious London Symphony Orchestra as well as playing principal trumpet in the Philharmonia Orchestra, not to mention having written and edited books - wow!

The opening piece for this concert is Victor Ewald's Quintet No.3 in D flat major Op.7 (quite a mouthful). This piece has a lot of variety in it, there is a slight darkness which quickly resembles a march. I love the sound of the brass, the tone of it makes me feel quite happy and it has an almost regal edge to it, most likely through association.

Next on the agenda is Shorthand of emotion by Ryan Quigley, an elusive piece which I just couldn't find when searching online. I have a feeling that it might take on a jazzy edge having listened to some of Quigley's recordings. I am intrigued to discover what it will bring to the equation

There are some menacing moments in Sextet in E flat minor by Oskar Bohme. I particularly enjoyed the crescendos and the texture which seemed to be a defining feature of the piece. This was probably my favourite piece of the two which I have listened to as it seems to have more substance to it but I suppose that may just depend upon the players!

Alba Brass and John Wallace will perform at the Cottier's theatre on the 3rd of June. You can purchase tickets here or from the Cottier's Theatre Box Office.

Music played by friends

A running theme which I have encountered during my experiences of chamber music is the significance in the role of 'friends'. Due to the small-scale set up I imagine that the majority of people attending and preforming in chamber music groups were generally acquainted. The ensemble which I am looking into today is a prime example of the sociable nature of this musical genre.

Playing Schubert's Piano Trio in E flat D.929 are pianist Alasdair Beatson, violinist Alexander Janiczek  and cellist Philip Higham  who made the decision to perform together as good friends and regulars of the chamber scene. I imagine that they will have performed together many times and be very aware of the individual styles which merge to produce an exceptional trio with compatibility and mutual understanding. From an outsider perspective I cannot imagine that such complex and intricate music could be performed by passive and disengaged parties. Group dynamics seem to be essential.

Upon listening to this I was initially struck by the focus of the piano. Yes, I am aware that the title is piano trio but the majority of the pieces which I have encountered so far have been centred around strings and wind instruments so I found this to be a nice change. This was an attractive, light piece which flowed beautifully. There was quite a quick pace, highlighting the dexterity of the pianist, again, this seems quite obvious as it is a piano based piece, nevertheless, it appealed to me as I hadn't come across anything similar. Towards the end the piece becomes choppier and more detached, with what seems to be more focus upon the stringed instruments. There is a liveliness throughout and I found the piano trio to be an upbeat and animated piece. I have leaned that this was one of the last pieces that Schubert wrote before his death so there is a lifetime of knowledge and experience behind the notes which are played.

Beatson was critically acclaimed as being "one of the best chamber music pianists in the business" by Herald critic, Michael Tumelty, following his performance as last years Cottier Chamber Project. This is one for the diary and should prompt further rave reviews for the 'band of friends'.

Beatson, Janiczek and Higham will perform at the Cottier's Theatre on the 3rd of May. You can purchase tickets here or from the Cottier Theatre Box Office.