London Chamber Ensemble - Charles Wood, Herbert Howells - and Debussy!

We are delighted to welcome Madeleine, Gordon, Bridget and Joseph (seen here at their recent sell-out concert at the V&A) back to Hampstead Lane for a pre-recording performance of:

• Charles Wood's  Quartet in D Major
  
• Madeleine' arrangement of his pupil Herbert Howell's short Chosen Tune  -  and......
  
• Claude Debussy's  sensual, impressionistic and utterly stunning String Quartet in G minor, his only string quartet.

Madeleine Mitchell - violin
Gordon MacKay - violin
Bridget Carey - viola
Joseph Spooner - cello

Charles Wood

For those who do not know his music, Charles Wood (1866 – 1926) was an Irish composer and teacher. Studying initially in the cathedral school of his home town of Armagh he went on to became one of fifty inaugural class members of the Royal College of Music, learning composition from Charles Villiers Stanford and Charles Hubert Hastings Parry. Continuing his studies in Cambridge in 1889 he attained a teaching position at Gonville and Caius College, eventually becoming their director of music. After Stanford death in 1924, Wood assumed his mentor's vacant role as Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge. His students included Ralph Vaughan Williams and Herbert Howells. According to his successor at Cambridge, Edward J Dent, as a teacher of composition, Wood "was surpassed only by Stanford himself, and as a teacher of counterpoint and fugue he was unequalled".

Wood is primarily remembered as an Anglican church music  composer, but he also wrote songs and eight  string quartets. The later quartets in particular  include echoes of Irish folk melodies and dance tunes.  We will be hearing number 6.

SUPPER:

The concert will be followed by one of Michelle's delicious buffet suppers - which will accommodate carnivores, vegans and everyone inbetween! Red, white and pink wine on tap - or soft drinks if you prefer.   All included in the price of your ticket.

ABOUT THE PLAYERS:

The London Chamber Ensemble have been frequent and welcome guests at Salon Music since we launched in 2019 in Belsize Park.

Despite having busy careers elsewhere the players appear regularly together - most recently at their second sell out concert at the V&A. Their season opener for Kensington & Chelsea Music Society at Leighton House was reviewed last year as 'a superb evening of high quality chamber music-making' by Musical Opinion. They've recently recorded Howells Quartet 'In Gloucestershire' and they will be getting together again shortly to record the Charles Wood piece they are playing for us tonight (influenced by Irish folk tunes) to complete their album for SOMM - all premiere recordings - to be released at Madeleine's Red Violin festival throughout Leeds 11-19.10.24. www.londonchamberensemble.com