Quartet for the End of Time: Mercury Quartet at the French Institute

By Arthur Keegan-Bole, 01 June 2012

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Reviewed at Institut français (French Institute), London on 29 May 2012

Boulez, Dérive 1

Grisey, Talea

Messiaen, Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time)

The Mercury Quartet

Robin Green, Conductor

Inspired by Debussy: The Mercury Quartet presents new work

Paul Kilbey, 26th November

Of the two major composers to have had anniversaries in 2012, maybe it’s ironic that it has been the 150-year-old Claude Debussy, rather than the 100-year-old John Cage, who has largely been celebrated with silence.

***11

Françoise-Green Piano Duo at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival

Simon Rees, 16th May

Piano duo Antoine Françoise and Robin Green perform a challenging, innovative and entertaining lunchtime recital.

****1

Heritage Opera present Jonathan Dove's new opera, Mansfield Park

Laura Kate Wilson, 6th August

It's extremely rare to see a small opera company commission a brand new work, but that's exactly what Heritage Opera, who regularly present chamber operas in the north-west of England, have done.

Steve Reich at 90 celebrated in Liverpool

Pwyll ap Sion, 29th April

A compelling concert at Liverpool’s Tung Auditorium offers a striking Josephine Stephenson’s UK premiere, dazzling John Adams and Steve Reich’s mesmerising Reich/Richter.

*****

Requiem to a troubled genius at the Southbank’s Multitudes

Chris Garlick, 29th April

As part of the Southbank Centre's Multitudes festival, Unnatural Harmony: Sounds of Lee Alexander McQueen offers a multimedia tribute to the life and creative vision of the iconic British fashion designer.

****1

Saariaho’s Notes on Light receives its Berlin premiere

Elena Luporini, 29th April

Sakari Oramo and Annsi Karttunen bring Northern lights and folklore to the Philharmonie, closing on a touch of Czech optimism with Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony.

***11

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Arthur Keegan-Bole

Arthur is a composer currently focusing on opera. His desire to promote contemporary music led him to set up and co-edit The Octogenarian, a light-hearted classical music review pamphlet distributed in Bristol and to curate the annual CMV series of concerts.