Virtuosi Tasmania Inc

5th Nov
6th Nov
7th Nov
18th Nov
21st Nov

Meadowbank Estate, Cambridge
'Cascades', Koonya
Home Hill Winery, Ranelagh
The Nant Distillery, Bothwell
'Mountford', Longford - Two concerts 1pm & 3pm

Scandinavian Splendour

Scandinavian Splendour

Dag Wirén (1905-1986)

Serenade for Strings, Op 11

I Praeludium: Allegro molto II Andante expressivo III Scherzo: Allegro vivace – Trio: Poco meno molto IV Marcia: Tempo di marcia, molto ritmico

This Swedish composer's compositions encompass most musical forms with symphonies, concertos, instrumental and vocal works, and operas to his credit. Dag Wirén's music is always well crafted, with influences ranging from Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen to Arthur Honegger. In spite of this, he remains a 'one work' composer outside Scandinavian countries, represented by this charming 'Serenade for String Orchestra', Op 11 from 1937.

The opening movement, fluent and layered, is followed by a slow movement, at once nostalgic and elegiac, with a distinctive pizzicato bass line. The brash and rhythmic Scherzo features a contrasting moment of repose. The Finale, an infectious and rollicking March with some ingenious writing for strings, is intended as a parody of military music.

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

Holberg Suite Op 40

I Praeludium: Allegro vivace II Sarabande: Andante III Gavotte: Allegretto – Musette: Un poco mosso - Gavotte IV Air: Andante religioso V Rigaudon: Allegro con brio

Nationalist Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg is internationally remembered mainly for his Piano Concerto in A minor, Op 16 and the incidental music he wrote for Ibsen’s play 'Peer Gynt'. His primary influence was Norwegian folk music and he found an early champion in Franz Liszt. Essentially a miniaturist, much of his finest work is to be found in his songs and 'Lyric Pieces' for piano.

Originally composed for piano and titled 'From Holberg's Time', his Op 40 was later arranged by the composer for string orchestra.

Ludvig Holberg (1684-1754), a Norwegian-Danish writer and playwright, was a major figure of the Enlightenment and is revered to this day in these countries. Grieg’s five movement suite is based on 18th Century dance forms and is basically the composer’s ‘take’ on the Baroque, though imbued with the composer's unique style and gift for gorgeous melody.

Scandinavian Splendour. L-R: Stephen Martin, Double Bass. Rodney McDonald, Viola, Ivan James, Cello, Yue Hong Cha, Rohana Brown, Lucy Carrig-Jones and Laura Thomson, Violins. Missing is Jo St Leon, Viola.

Here is what Stephen Martin had to say about the program, "Griegs Holberg Suite is perhaps one of the most loved pieces for strings in the entire repertoire. It was originally composed for piano and titled From Holberg's Time, in reference to the 18th Century Scandinavian writer and playwright Ludvig Holberg. Grieg later arranged the piece for string orchestra.

"The five movements are based on early dance forms and are basically Greig's take on the Baroque, while still being imbued with the composer's unique style and gift for georgous melody.

"Serenade for Strings is Wirén's most well known piece and is a work of melodic delight. His music is always well crafted, with influences ranging from Sibelius and Nielsen to Honegger.

"The opening movement is fluent and layered and is followed by a slow movement which is both nostalgic and elegant and has a distinctive pizzicato bass line.

"The scherzo is brash and rhythmic with a quiet interlude, and the final in an infectious, rollicking march, with some ingenious writing for strings, parodying military music", Maritin said.

Read Peter Donnelly's review of the concert at Home Hill Winery, published in the Mercury on 8th November.

The performers

Lucy Carrig-Jones, Laura Thomson, Yue Hong Cha, Rohanna Brown, Violins; Rodney McDonald, Jo St Leon, Violas; Ivan James, Cello; Stephen Martin, Double Bass

22nd Oct
23rd Oct
23rd Oct
24th Oct

Meadowbank Estate, Cambridge
Swansea Town Hall, Swansea
'Clarendon', Evandale
Home Hill Winery, Ranelagh

String Quartet

String Quartet

The String Quartet. Daniel Kossov and Rohanna Brown,Violin, Luke Spicer, Viola and Ivan James, Cello.

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)
String Quartet No 4, Op 22

I Fugato: Sehr langsame Viertel II Schnelle Achtel. Sehr energisch III Ruhige Viertel. Stets fliessend IV Massig schnelle Viertel V Rondo. Gemächlich und mit Grazie

While his early compositions were expressionist in character, German composer Paul Hindemith later turned to neo-classicism while using expanded harmonies and modern influences including jazz. As a performer, he mastered most instruments, especially the violin and viola.

This quartet comes from the transition period and was composed in 1921 for his own ensemble, The Amar Quartet. It was premiered on the 4th November 1922 and achieved 127 performances in its first year. The quartet was known as No 3 until the previously unknown first Quartet in C major, Op 2 (1915) was published in 1994.

In five short movements with an arch-like structure, some of the work's notable features are the slow fugato of the first movement, the furious scherzo, and the gently rhythmic slow movement. The last two movements have baroque influences. The first and second movements merge, as do the fourth and fifth.

When interviewed Danial Kossov said, "I love playing chamber music, It's a lot of fun. It also provides the opportunity to meet and play with people on a more personal basis.

"Hindemith's early compositions were Expressionists in character and he later turned to Neoclassicism, using expanded harmonies and modern influences including jazz.

"The Opus 18 was written in the transition period and composed for his own ensemble, the Amar Quartet.

"Hindemith has a unique style which I find very attractive", Kossov said. "This quartet is Neoclassical and sounds like Mozart with a twist and perhaps with a touch of Prokoviev.

"It is in five short movements, and each has one central musical idea. They are all quiet different and each could stand on its own. He says what he has to say in each movement, and when it's over, its over. You enjoy each one separately, but in the end they all kind of go together".

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
String Quartet No 3 in D major, Op 18, No 3

I Allegro II Andante con moto III Allegro IV Presto

This quartet was one of six written between 1798 and 1800, published in 1801.While numbered this third, it was actually the first quartet he composed. Understandably the form and style of the piece largely conforms to that established by Haydn and Mozart, with Haydn still around and composing at this time.

It is always tempting with great composers to see fingerprints of their later and greater works in their early pieces, perhaps sometimes finding more than is there. Certainly the first movement includes melodic and harmonic intervals characteristic of the later Beethoven, along with an individual freshness and power. The second movement sails serenely by while the third movement scherzo has a briskness and energy similar to that in the first symphony. The final presto heads off in several directions in an experimental way.

The performers

Daniel Kossov and Rohanna Brown, Violins; Luke Spicer, Viola; Ivan James, Cello

7th Aug
7th Aug
8th Aug
8th Aug

Meadowbank Estate, Cambridge
The Priory, Bothwell
Hans Vonk Music House, Spreyton
Fitzpatrick's Inn, Westbury

Trout Quintet

The Trout Quintet

The players Andrew Metaxas, Viola; Laura Thomson, Violin; Stephen Martin, Double Bass and Lynette Smith, Piano. Photograph courtesy of 'The Mercury', Hobart.

Schubert's celebrated "Trout" quintet was recently voted number one in the Australian Broadcasting Commission's (ABC) Classic FM Top 100 Chamber Music Survey and will be the featured work in Virtuosi Tasmania's August concerts.

Schubert is perhaps most famous for his Chamber Music and Songs, in fact Schubert's chamber music occupied the first three places in the ABC Classic survey. The Quintet acquired the title because the composer used the melody from his song "The Trout" as the theme for the Air and Variations movement of the work. Vekram Seth's novel "An Equal Music" made the "Trout" even more popular in recent years as the piece is a key part of the book. The Daily Telegraph newspaper proclaimed the book as "The finest novel about music ever written in English".

Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
Piano Quintet in A major, D667 'The Trout'

I Allegro vivace II Andante III Scherzo:Presto IV Theme and Variations:Andantino V Finale:Allegro giusto

In the summer of 1819, the 22 year old Schubert was holidaying with his friend and patron Michael Vogl at Steyr in the Austrian countryside. The story goes that the local iron-master Sylvester Paumgartner, who also happened to be an amateur cellist, suggested a work based on the song Die Forelle (The Trout) which Schubert had composed two years previously.

The resulting A major quintet, a great example of the composer’s lyrical genius, is unusual for a piano quintet in its instrumentation, with a double-bass replacing the second violin of the normal string quartet accompaniment.

The use of Austrian peasant rhythms gives the outer movements a relaxed charm. An andante featuring some surprising harmonic moves and the vigorous scherzo provide contrast. The heart of the piece, though, is the wonderful "Theme and Variations" on that famous song. For your enjoyment however, play the Scherzo we recorded at Fitzpatricks Inn.

Perhaps you would prefer to enjoy the first movement of the Trout Quintet (it's just over nine minutes) played by Virtuosi Tasmania at the Hans Vonk Music House last August.

The performers

Laura Thomson, Violin; Andrew Metaxas, Viola; Dale Brown, Cello; Stephen Martin, Double Bass; Lynette Smith, Piano

The chamber players at Fitzpatrick's Inn, Westbury.

Franz Schubert (1797–1828)

String Trio in B Flat major, D471

Many of Schubert's works are unfinished like the String Trio in B flat major. This incomplete composition comprises of a first movement and just 39 bars of the second movement. Dispite this, the piece is still popular. Schubert wrote the work at the age 19 and it reflects the influence of the Vienese masters he so much admired.

For more details visit Classical Archives.

The performers

Laura Thompson, Violin; Andrew Metaxas, Viola; Dale Brown, Cello.

The players at Hans Vonk Music House, Spreyton.

3rd July
3rd July
4th July
4th July

Peppermint Bay, Woodbury
Nant Distillery, Bothwell
Devonport Regional Art Gallery
Academy of the Arts, Launceston

Two Horns and Strings

Two Horns and Strings

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–47)
String Quartet No 2 in A minor, Op 13

The string players Rohanna Brown, Laura Thomson, violins; William Newbery, viola and Dale Brown, Cello.

I Adagio – Allegro vivace II Adagio non lento III Intermezzo : Allegretto con moto – Allegro di molto IV Presto – Adagio non lento

This quartet, completed on October 26th 1827, in fact pre-dates No 1 in E flat Op 12 by two years but was not published until 1830. The slow introduction to the opening movement contains a quote from one of Mendelssohn’s songs – Ist es wahr? (Is it True?). While there had been speculation that this quote hints that some youthful love may be an inspiration, it is the spirit of Beethoven that one encounters in the stormy allegro with its carefully crafted sonata form.

The Adagio non lento 2nd movement repeats the quote but also makes reference to a phrase from Beethoven’s String Quartet Op 130 and features a slow fugal middle section clearly modelled on Beethoven’s Op 95 quartet.

The Intermezzo is pure Mendelssohn, though more lyrical and less lively that his more typical scherzos.

The cyclic form of the quartet is satisfyingly rounded off in the concluding movement incorporating references to material from the first two movements.

The performers

Laura Thomson and Rohanna Brown, Violins; William Newbery, Viola; Dale Brown, Cello.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Sextet for 2 horns and string quartet in E flat major, Op 81b

The horn players Greg Stephens and Wendy Page

I Allegro con brio II Adagio III Rondo Allegro

Written in 1794-5, this early work comes from the period soon after Beethoven had moved to Vienna, but was not published until 1810. Interestingly, it shares the same opus number as the much later Piano Sonata No 26 in E flat Op 81a (Les Adieux), but, unlike that work, Op 81b is rarely heard today. This is a pity because, as you will hear, it is a most enjoyable piece, open and uncomplicated in its structure.

The opening movement is light hearted, with the hunting horn effects of the instruments reminiscent of the chase. The Adagio that follows, while simple in form, is reflective, even serious, giving more of an impression of depth to the work. The final Rondo Allegro, exuberant and robust, brings the piece to a brilliant conclusion.

The performers

Greg Stephens and Wendy Page, Horns; Laura Thomson and Rohanna Brown, Violins; William Newbery, Viola; Dale Brown, Cello

For your enjoyment you can hear the first movement of the Beethoven Sextet for two horns and quartet, filmed at the Devonport Regional Art Gallery, below.

30th Apr
2nd May
2nd May
9th May

Home Hill Winery, Ranelagh
Holy Trinity Church, Cressy
Jessy Vonk, Spreyton
Koonya

String Quartet

String Quartet

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
String Quartet No 11 in F minor, Op 95 'Quartetto serioso'

I Allegro con brio II Allegretto ma non troppo III Allegro assai ma serioso – Più allegro IV Larghetto espressivo – Allegro agitato – Allegro

The Quartet comes from 1810, in the latter part of Beethoven's 'middle period', from where the majority of his most popular works derive. With a style at once taut and often violent, it was composed at the same time as his "Egmont' music.

The mood of the quartet, highly intense and disturbed, derives from the aftermath of Beethoven's failed love for Therese Malfatti. In spite of this, a sense of victory permeates final "allegro" of the last movement.

Antonín Dvořàk (1841-1904)
String Quartet No 12 in F major Op 96 'American' B179

I Allegro ma non troppo II Lento III Molto vivace IV Finale. Vivace, ma non troppo

Throughout his adult life, Dvořàk had a fascination for the indigenous music of this own country. It was logical therefore that he should absorb some of the musical culture of the "Red Indian" and "African" races that he encountered during his period in America from 1892 until 1895.

His String Quartet No 12 indeed contains elements derived from those influences, especially rhythmically, and some touches ultilising pentatonic minor scales. However, the overall style remains firmly "Slavonic".

With its wonderful lyricism and exciting rhythms, it deservedly remains one of the composer's most popular and attractive scores. The quartet received its premiere in Boston on 4th January 1894.

The performers

Chris Nicholas, Rohana Brown (violins); Willian Newbery (viola); Ivan James (cello).

Virtuosi at Home Hill Winery Restaurant

Jessie Vonk with Madeleine Dyer.

The concert at Home Hill Winery Restaurant was great. Read Peter Donnelly's review published in the Mercury.

Home Hill is a wonderful venue with welcoming hosts. The changes made to the barrel room make playing there all the more enjoyable. Its a delightful outing to relax with a chamber music concert followed by fine dining with a bottle (or two) of Home Hill Sauvignon Blanc or fine Pinot Noir.

Virtuosi at Spreyton

It was a delight to play in this new venue at Spreyton. Jessie Vonk's vision for her property is exemplary. We felt privileged to play there. Our viola player on his Facebook site said, "Jessie's music studio is brilliant. I hope I get to do more playing there". We share his sentiments. Thank you Jessie for having us there.

Jessie dedicated the opening Beethoven String Quartet to her late husband, conductor Hans Vonk (1942-2004) who felt this piece of Beethoven said all there is to say about the string quartet in the romantic period. Enjoy a snippet from the concert (see below).

Between the Beethoven and the Dvorak quartets, Madeleine Dyer entertained the appreciative audience with a recital of three Chopin waltzes. Thank you Madeleine.

From outside looking into the lounge with the magnificent view enjoyed by the audience at Koonya, reflected from the glass.

Virtuosi at Koonya

This was the third new venue Virtuosi have played at this year. The setting is lovely; a grand venue with the audience enjoying panoramic views beyond the musicians over hills and valleys toward Norfolk Bay. A big thank you to the Foster's opening their home for us to bring quality chamber music to the Tasman Peninsula.

Chris Heyward was there to allow us to sample the delights of the nearby Norfolk Bay Vineyard. Thanks Chris.

We are looking forward to playing there again in 2011.

Beethoven's String Quartet No 11

Enjoy a little of the Allegro con brio from Beethoven's String Quartet No 11 in F minor, Op 95 'Quarteto serioso'. This was from the Virtuosi performance at Jessie Vonk's music studio.

5th Feb
6th Feb
7th Feb
8th Feb

Meadowbank Estate, Cambridge
St Lukes, Richmond
Belmont Vineyard, Pooley Wines
Meadowbank Estate, Cambridge

Baroque Splendor
String Trio
Jazz in the Barn
Romantic Strings

The Coal Valley Chamber Music Festival

The festival will begin with a concert of Baroque music at 7pm on Friday February 5 in the lovely acoustic of Meadowbank Estate, a picturesque vineyard just out of Richmond. The program includes JS Bach's Cantata No 199, featuring the beautiful voice of well-known Tasmanian soprano Jane Edwards, and Vivaldi's dynamic Concerto for Oboe and Strings in F major with soloist David Nuttall, Principal Oboe of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

The second concert of the festival will take place at 11am on Saturday February 6 in historic St Luke's Church in Richmond village. The Trigon Ensemble will present a program of delightful string trios including Schubert's famous trio in Bb major, a trio by French composer Jean Françaix and Leo Weiner's trio in G minor.

The Trigon Ensemble is also very much a family affair. Violinist Barbara Jane Gilby is well known to Hobart audiences as past concertmaster of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and soloist with the Tasmanian Symphony Chamber Players on their ARIA award-winning recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Barbara Jane is currently concertmaster of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra her sister Janet Rutherford is Principal Viola with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Janet's husband, Brett Rutherford is also a cellist in the TSO.

The third concert will take place at 11am on Sunday February 7 in the barn of the historic grand house 'Belmont' overlooking Richmond village. This venue is the home of Pooley Wines. Ticket prices for this concert include a light gourmet lunch in the courtyard.

This concert, 'A Tribute to Brubeck', features jazz, which can be considered the chamber music of the 20th century. No group exemplified the intimate chamber music style of jazz more than the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The ensemble will be led by Fred Bradshaw, a great alto sax player in the style of the legendary Paul Desmond, long-time member of the Brubeck Quartet. The other performers in the quartet are Daniel Sulzberger (piano), Steve Martin (bass) and Eric Johnstone (drums).

On Monday February 8 at 7pm the Festival concludes with a concert of great Romantic music for string ensemble at Meadowbank Estate. Considered to be one of the period's finest compositions for strings, Tchaikovsky's 'Serenade for Strings' will be featured, along with the Elgar's beautiful 'Elegy' and the 'Little Suite for Strings' by Scandinavian Romantic master Carl Nielsen.

The performers

Baroque Splendor: Elinor Levy, Rohana Brown, Anthea Hetherington, Laura Thompson (violins); Rodney McDonald (viola); Dale Brown (cello); Stephen Martin (double bass); David Nuttall (oboe); Jane Edwards (soprano).

String Trio players: The Trigon Ensemble.

Jazz in the Barn players: Fred Bradshaw (alto sax); Daniel Sulzberger (piano); Stephen Martin (double bass); Eric Johnstone (drums).

Romantic Strings players: Elinor Levy, Rohana Brown, Anthea Hetherington, Laura Thomson (violins); Rodney McDonald, Anna Larsen (violas); Dale Brown (cello); Stephen Martin (double bass).

And a special treat from Virtuosi

Relax and relive a moment of the Coal Valley Chamber Music Festival Concert held at Pooley's Vineyard this year.