Bostridge, Isserlis, Carbonare, Oganyan, Nikogosyan, Rowe, Duval

John Tavener (1944-2013): Thrinos for solo cello (1990)

Franz Schubert (1797-1828):  4 Lieder for tenor and piano: 

Die Götter Griechenlands D677

Im Früling D882

Ganymed D544

Im Freien D880

Franz Schubert (1797-1828):  Auf dem Strom, D 943 for tenor, cello and piano (1828)

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Quintet Op. 115 for clarinet and string quartet (1891)

Allegro

Adagio

Andantino. Presto non assai, ma con sentimento

Con moto. Un poco meno mosso

Thrinos for solo cello is a piece by English composer John Tavener (1944-2013), written in late 1990 for the cellist Steven Isserlis. The title of the composition, which can be translated as ‘Lament’, “has both liturgical and folk significance in Greece - the Thrinos of the Mother of God sung at the Epitaphios on Good Friday and the Thrinos of mourning which is chanted over the dead body on the house of a close friend”, as Tavener himself wrote. In fact, this piece was composed for the commemoration of the death of a close friend of his. The piece by Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Auf dem Strom D 943 for tenor, horn and piano dating from March 1824 (the title of the composition can be translated as ‘Along the river’) with a text by the German poet Ludwig Rellstab (1799-1860) seems to be dedicated to the memory of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Within the piece there are some quotations from Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ Symphony, composed between 1802 and 1805, which on the first page of the first edition reads ‘composed to celebrate the death of a Hero’ (London: Cianchettini & Sperati, 1809). In this way, Schubert celebrated a great man (Beethoven) one year after his death on 26 March 1828 with a public concert in which this piece was performed. On this evening, the horn part will be performed by Steven Isserlis on cello. The Quintet Op. 115 in B minor for clarinet and string quartet by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was composed in parallel with the Trio Op. 114 for clarinet, cello and piano in spring-summer 1891 during his stay in Bad Ischl. Both compositions were written for the ducal court in Meiningen with clarinetist Richard Münfeld and the famous Joachim Quartet as performers. The first public performance took place with the same performers in Berlin on 12 December 1891 and, from the dress rehearsal held two days earlier, the pieces were such a success that the audience had to be restricted. The Quintet was met with great critical acclaim and was published the following year by the publisher Simrock.