Performer: Quatuor Diotima

One notable absentee from the Southbank Centre’s celebration of the post-war avant garde earlier this month was Jean Barraqué, a composer whose tiny catalogue of works, whilst not as well known as those of his contemporaries, is a vivid reminder of just how diverse the period was stylistically.

After a week of big orchestras and big works, Musikfest Berlin took a breath by returning to the Kammermusiksaal at the midway mark of the festival.

Billed as “The soundtrack of the 20th century”, The Rest is Noise season of 2013 has now commenced at the Southbank Centre. Concert programmes scheduled throughout January have focused on the Second Viennese School and its infamous break with western tonality.

Famous violist, composer and lover of the viola d'amore Garth Knox shares his passion for this mysterious instrument, able to play Marin Marais and Olga Neuwirth, Janáček's Second Quartet and Irish folk music.