Inspired by Debussy: The Mercury Quartet presents new work

By Paul Kilbey, 03 December 2012

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Reviewed at Kings Place: Hall Two, London on 26 November 2012

Debussy, Flots, palmes, sables for piano, harp and soprano

Debussy, Cello Sonata in D minor

Jaskot, Aeshna

Sammoutis, Metioron

Maltis, Nocturne

Oehler, Cirrus

The Mercury Quartet

Vlad Maistorovici, Violin

Colin Alexander, Cello

Harry Cameron-Penny, Clarinet

Antoine Françoise, Piano

Ana de la Vega, Flute

Claire Iselin, Harp

Patricia Rozario, Soprano

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

Arthur Keegan-Bole, 29th May

Not being a French national and having only just heard about their excellent series of Tuesday night concerts, this was my first visit to the Institut Français, Kensington. This was the last in a series of concerts focusing on French music, moving chronologically toward contemporary/modern composers over the course of the series.

****1

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

London Contemporary Orchestra Soloists at the Royal Albert Hall

Paul Kilbey, 10th July

Contemporary classical music is happening in all manner of unexpected venues in London at the moment, from Peckham car parks to pubs. But it isn't just getting edgier – it's also getting more respectable, if last night's suave affair in the Royal Albert Hall's Elgar Room is anything to go by.

****1

Masterly Boulez from Shibe and friends at the BBC Proms in Gateshead

Nick Butters, 27th July

Intimate playing from Sean Shibe, a deconstruction of Maria Callas’ vibrato and a deeply committed Boulez mid 20th-century masterpiece.

****1

Masters of the Queens Music at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

David Fay, 27th October

Judith Weir's music didn't have the pride of place it deserved at this miscellaneous collection of music from past and present Masters of the Queen's Music, presented by the Park Lane Group at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

**111

Tarmo Peltokoski conducts the Hallé in Mahler and Vaughan Williams

Leighton Jones, 16th April

Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder provide an apt, if somewhat unexpected, partner to Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

****1

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Paul Kilbey

Paul was Reviews Editor at Bachtrack from 2012 to February 2014. He has written on music and culture for publications including Culture Wars, the Huffington Post, the Independent and the Guardian. He holds BA and MPhil degrees in music from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and is particularly passionate about contemporary music of all types. His website is here.