Having taken over the role of Chair of the Schubert Ensemble Trust this year, this is to help spread the word about the Ensemble’s Wigmore Hall concert on 29 November. This is the second of a two-concert series devoted to chamber works of Robert Schumann and Gabriel Fauré. On 15 July the Ensemble played the Schumann Piano Quintet and the first piano Quintet of Fauré – two great and highly popular works which were received very warmly by the large audience. For me, Schumann’s Piano Quartet is even more special with perhaps one of his greatest slow movements and a finale that somehow brings Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony to mind. The Fauré’s second quintet is also exceptional and the two works make up a superb programme with the Andante Op 25 for violin and piano as a perfect amuse bouche.

Incidentally the Schubert Ensemble’s annual concert for friends which took place on 9 October at Leighton House was a vintage evening with so many close followers present, good wine, the fabulous ambience of the house with Leighton’s paintings there to inspire. Movements of works from Lousie Farrenc, Schumann and Suk were complemented by a complete performance of Brahms’ G minor quartet, another Schubert ensemble ‘special’ with everyone on sizzling form. Keep an eye open for next year’s concert there…..and book early!

I hope to see as many of you as possible at the Wigmore on the 29 November……

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