Sunday Concerts:
Dante Quartet & Brian Thorsett + Pre-Concert Talk

The Dante Quartet, one of the UK’s finest ensembles, is known for its imaginative programming and impassioned performances. The Quartet was founded in 1995 and chose its name to reflect the idea of an epic journey. The Quartet has been honoured with the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music and has also received international awards for its recordings.

Their programme begins with Beethoven’s Op.135, his last completed work, which was premiered a year after the composer’s death. They devote the rest of the evening to British music, firstly Ian Venables’ Invite to Eternity, inspired by the works of the Northamptonshire-born poet John Clare (1793-1864). A selection of songs by Gloucester composer Ivor Gurney completes the first half, before the Dante conclude their recital with Elgar’s String Quartet, composed in 1918 during a highly productive period which also saw the composition of the Violin Sonata and the Piano Quintet.

Beethoven | Quartet in F Op.135
Venables | Invite to Eternity Op.31
Gurney | Arr. Ian Venables: By a Bierside
Gurney | Arr. Ian Venables: In Flanders
Gurney | Arr. Ian Venables: Severn Meadows
Gurney | Arr. Ian Venables: Lights Out
Elgar | Quartet Op.83

Brian Thorsett • tenor
Zoë Beyers • violin
Ian Watson • violin
Carol Ella • viola
Richard Jenkinson • cello

“The unflinching integrity of their interpretation and the excitement of their playing were consistently superb” – The Guardian

Pre-Concert Talk with Robert Hugill • 5:30pm

Ian Venables is a English composer based in Worcester, in the tradition of West country-based composers such as Ivor Gurney & Herbert Howells. Venables is particularly known for his song writing, and we introduce his 1997 cycle, Invite to Eternity setting the poetry of John Clare for the relatively unusual combination of voice and string quartet. We will also sketch in the background to the String Quartet by Elgar, another composer much inspired by the West country.

We would like to thank The Ivor Gurney Society for their support of this concert

Age Recommendation

All ages

Price

Standard (advance) £13 | On the door £15 • Concessions/NHS Discount £6 • Members £11 • Under 26 FREE

Access Information

Due to the age and Grade Il listing of the building, there is no lift access to rooms above the ground floor.

All the ground-floor rooms are fully accessible by wheelchair. Main Hall (street access, step-free), Brockway Room (street access, step-free), Bertrand Russell Room (street access, shallow ramp), Hive Cafe (street access, step-free), There is also an accessible toilet on the ground floor opposite the Brockway Room.

If you have any questions regarding your access needs, please get in touch with our team and we will accommodate as best as we can. Get in touch: info@conwayhall.org.uk