Name: Jonathan Powell piano
Start: 2024-11-20T19:30:00
Location: Wigmore Hall

London's vibrant music scene is set to be illuminated by a series of exceptional performances, featuring acclaimed works by Alban Berg. From the eloquent strings of the Castalian Quartet at Wigmore Hall to the evocative orchestral pieces at the Southbank Centre, these events promise to captivate and inspire. Highlights include Malin Byström's sweeping soprano tones, Jonathan Powell's unique piano interpretations, and a powerful orchestral showcase by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Musical Wonders in London: A Journey Through Alban Berg's Masterpieces

From the grandeur of Chopin and Mahler at the Barbican to the intimate chamber music at LSO St Luke's, London's classical music scene is set to shine with a series of exceptional concerts. Highlights include Karol Szymanowski's masterpieces performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Antonio Pappano, Quatuor Arod, Peter Jablonski, and more. Don't miss these unforgettable musical experiences on 19th September 2024 and beyond!

Celebrating Karol Szymanowski: Memorable Concerts in London

London's Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre are set to host a series of mesmerizing concerts celebrating the works of Isaac Albéniz. From Javier Perianes' finesse on Debussy and Iberia Book 3, to Marouan Benabdallah's cultural fusion of Iberia Book 4, and Jonathan Powell's rare repertoire in Navarra, each event promises a unique musical journey. Don't miss the 'Sketches of Spain' at Barbican Centre, a tribute to Paco de Lucía featuring Albéniz's Suite Española and more.

Celebrating Isaac Albéniz: A Cultural Fusion of Piano Concerts in London

Jonathan Powell

Wigmore Hall

Internationally-acclaimed soprano Sonya Yoncheva joins pianist Malcolm Martineau for a radiant evening of Italian and Spanish song. From Puccini’s lyrical gems to Verdi’s intimate miniatures and Albéniz’s sultry Tango, this programme reveals Yoncheva’s expressive depth in repertoire that spans operatic passion and poetic introspection.

Sonya Yoncheva soprano; Malcolm Martineau piano

Renowned for the intense focus of his music making and what the Guardian calls ‘the gentle, unshowy authority of his stage manner’, Konstantin Lifschitz combines the best of the great Russian tradition with tremendous poetic refinement. He begins with the Romantic music of Robert Schumann, before plunging into the headlong drama of Liszt’s First Mephisto Waltz and the striking contrasts of Brahms’s late Fantasien, which recall the fluctuating moods of Schumann’s youthful Kreisleriana.

Konstantin Lifschitz piano

Pieter Wispelwey, acclaimed by Gramophone as ‘a daring interpreter with thought-provoking ideas’, has twice recorded Britten’s First Cello Suite, testimony to his deep affinity for one of the greatest of works for solo cello, a rich 20th-century counterpart to the cello suites of JS Bach. The Dutch cellist is joined by his duo partner Paolo Giacometti in Dmitri Kabalevsky’s Cello Sonata, another majestic work inspired by and written for Mstislav Rostropovich.

Pieter Wispelwey cello; Paolo Giacometti piano

Veronika Eberle’s exquisite artistry, heartfelt, fearless and immaculate in execution, transcends the demands of virtuosity to reveal the core of the music in her broad repertoire. She and Dénes Várjon form an ideal partnership in three emotionally-diverse works, spanning the exuberance of Schubert’s youthful Sonatina, the Beethovenian gravity of Busoni’s Second Violin Sonata and the passionate, complex three movements of Bartók’s Violin Sonata No. 1.

Veronika Eberle violin; Dénes Várjon piano

Anja Mittermüller mezzo-soprano; Richard Fu piano

Adrian Brendel’s eloquent artistry, praised by the Guardian for its ‘quiet, unobtrusive musicality,’ will be familiar to Wigmore Hall audiences, thanks not least to his performances as a long-serving member of the Nash Ensemble and frequent collaborations with like-minded artists. He is joined this evening by Hungarian pianist Dénes Várjon, a consummate chamber musician renowned for the clarity and singing line of his playing.

Adrian Brendel cello; Dénes Várjon piano

The Chiaroscuro Quartet is named for the Italian term for light and shade in art, an apt description of their refined phrasing and ability to illuminate familiar works with their subtle period-instrument tones. The ensemble’s recording of Mendelssohn’s Op. 13 prompted the Observer to conclude that its ‘unadorned sound is a shock to the ears of the best, most arresting kind’. It begins this morning with the intricate musical argument of Beethoven’s final string quartet, considered by the composer Robert Simpson to contain ‘the most sensitively coloured quartet writing in existence’.

Chiaroscuro Quartet

From the roots of choral singing to the flowering of a tradition. Embark on a captivating vocal journey with The Gesualdo Six as the singers curate a collection of exquisite vocal consort pieces. Experience lyrical Renaissance works celebrating nature and love by Byrd and Gibbons. Discover how contemporary composers breathe life into verses by Christina Rossetti and Kathleen Jamie. Immerse yourself in skilful re-imaginings of traditional British folk songs that beautifully tie the sequence together.

The Gesualdo Six

Admired for the strength and conviction of his individual interpretations and phenomenal technical command at the keyboard, George Xiaoyuan Fu has been hailed by The Arts Desk as ‘one of the most exciting young pianists of our time, no question’. The American musician, a seasoned composer as well as performer, presents a programme that reflects the breadth of his artistry and profound feeling for the piano’s tonal colours and textural nuances.

George Xiaoyuan Fu piano

Broken Branches takes its title from Karim Sulayman and Sean Shibe’s eponymous album, a cornucopia of musical and literary treasures drawn from East and West. Their programme touches on the mystical nature of being, something innate that connects different cultures, religions and regions with deep bonds of common kinship, and the universal stories and emotions that bring people together in union.

Karim Sulayman tenor; Sean Shibe guitar

Three exceptionally fine piano trio partners offer a richly flavoured banquet of pieces in the first half of their programme before entering the infinitely broad imaginative world of Schubert’s Piano Trio in E flat, complete with the introspective agitation of its exalted slow movement and vast sweep of a finale that begins with the most innocent of ideas and expands to encompass every shade of emotion.

Alena Baeva violin; Kyril Zlotnikov cello; Vadym Kholodenko piano

Renowned guitarist Morgan Szymanski explores the elegance of Ponce’s Suite in A minor, where Baroque forms meet Mexican lyricism, and the atmospheric sound world of Brouwer’s Paisaje Cubano con Campanas. Expect clarity, nuance and expressive depth from an artist celebrated for his refined tone and imaginative interpretations.

Morgan Szymanski guitar

The British pianist and composer has shown a predilection for rare repertoire, especially from the Romantic period and the 20th Century, which has seen him champion such figures as the Austrian Egon Kornauth (1891-1959) and the Ukrainian Felix Blumenfeld (1863-1931). International Record Review found his interpretations on CD of the former ‘most engaging and enterprising ... [he] is a most perceptive advocate of this music.’

Jonathan Powell piano

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