Upcoming events
Fauré’s songs represent his art at its most radiant, demonstrating the composer’s exceptional gift for melody as well as his acute sensitivity to the subtleties of the greatest French poets of the day.
In ‘La bonne chanson’, the result is a song cycle like few others: an ecstatic hymn to the beloved (the composer’s mistress) which celebrates the triumph of love. Here, it provides a glorious opening to Nicky Spence, Piatti Quartet and Julius Drake’s all-Faure recital.
Programme to include the widely critically acclaimed Joseph Phibbs Quartet No.4 (2024), Mendelssohn A minor Quartet and other scintillating works.
Programme tba
| Phillip Glass | Quartet No. 3 Mishima |
|---|---|
| Johnny Greenwood | Prospectors Quartet from ‘There Will Be Blood’ |
| Samuel Barber | Adagio for Strings from Platoon |
| Shostakovich | String Quartet No. 8 from Dresden |
Programme tba
‘Whibley Holidays with Music’ host a Schubertiade in the stunning mountaintop village of Évosges, France. Click on the link for the full schedule.
08 May 2025, Lunchtime Recital (1 hour)
MOERAN: Quartet No.2 in E flat major (19’)
BLACKFORD: Spirit of Delight (7’)
MENDELSSOHN: String Quartet No. 6 in F Minor, Op. 80 (26’)
Details TBA
Webern: LangsamerSatz
Ravel: Quartet in F major
Past events
Soundbites series concert series continues with this Valentine’s inspired concert featuring works by Tchaikovsky and Borodin.
Repertoire tbc with clarinettist Sarah Williamson
Fanny Mendelssohn String Quartet in Eb
Borodin String Quartet No. 2 in D
Tchaikovsky String Quartet No.1 in D
A follow up to our first album on Ina Boyle et al is planned- stay tuned for more details!
A story of the love between musical siblings Fanny Hensel and Felix Mendelssohn. Two child prodigies joined not only by blood but by their unwavering love, companionship and musical synergy. In this intimate, narrated programme, Piatti Quartet shine a light on the letters and music of Fanny and Felix, exploring the influences and ultimate story of two musical siblings that changed the face of classical music.
Felix Mendelssohn: Quartet in F minor, Op.80
Fanny Hensel: Quartet in E flat major
Programme TBA
Programme to include:
Sophie Rahman
Britten: 3 Divertimenti
La Bonne Chanson
Nicky Spence, tenor
Julius Drake, piano
| Philip Glass | String Quartet No. 2 Company |
|---|---|
| Joseph Phibbs | String Quartet No. 4 (London premiere, a Piatti Qt & RTF commission) |
| Sophia Jani | Fall, Glow, Dissolve |
| Caroline Shaw | Valencia |
| Grace Evangeline-Mason | A Winter Carol (arrangement commissioned by Piatti Qt– world premiere) |
| Lucy Walker | There is No Rose |
| John Adams | Fellow Traveller |
Schubert: ‘Rosamunde’ Quartet D804
Puccini: Crisantemi
Dvorak: ‘American’ Quartet Opus 9
We team up once again with St. Martin’s Voices for another special night at SMITF.
Jake Runestad – The Hope of Loving
Eric Whitacre – Five Hebrew Love Songs
Sarah Dacey – Love Letter
James MacMillan – The Gallant Weaver
Kerry Andrew – All Things Are Quite Silent
Rebecca Clarke – Philomela
IN MEMORY OF PETER BRICE
The Festival first hosted the Piatti Quartet in 2014 when they were our ‘Quartet in Residence’. Peter Brice brought them to Rye and championed their work. They were able to bring such joy to so many people as they played in the Primary school, held open rehearsals, a masterclass and performed not only in stunning churches but also at The Queen’s Head with a ‘Beer & Bartok’ free concert. They also performed a specially commissioned piece by Joseph Phipps, with whom they have forged a creative relationship. Peter thought they were brilliant and so do we. Come and hear one of the country’s foremost quartets.
Programme
Phibbs: Quartet no. 4 (Piatti 24 commission) Peter Brice helped commission the original Phibbs 1.
Britten: Quartet No.1 (when Peter Brice first heard Piatti Quartet, they played Britten).
Interval
Dvorak ‘American’ (Piatti Quartet played Dvorak in the 2014 Rye Arts Festival and Peter Brice first heard Piatti Quartet with Dvorak).
Charlotte Harding: Kildonan (Piatti and Francis Routh Trust commission 2024, beautiful meditation on Scottish isle)
Ravel: Quartet in F major
Interval
Schubert: Quartet in A minor ‘Rosamunde’
Dvorak: Quartet in F major, ‘American’
Ravel: Quartet in F major
Schubert: Quartet in A minor, ‘Rosamunde’
Benjamin Britten String Quartet No 1 in D, Op 25
Michael Zev Gordon Piano Quintet ‘Kintsui’ (World premiere)
Richard Blackford Spirit of Delight (World premiere)
Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet in F minor, Op 80
Henry Purcell/Benjamin Britten Chacony in G minor
Benjamin Britten Three Divertimenti
Joseph Phibbs String Quartet No 4 (World premiere)
Ernest John Moeran String Quartet No 2 in E flat
A UK premiere of Julian Anderson’s 5th String Quartet, titled ‘Ice’ to be paired with Dvorak’s evergreen American Quartet, his 12th.
A dreamy and unmissable programme consisting of Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht and Brahms’ Sextet No.1 in B flat major.
Eoin Martin-Schmidt, Viola
Jonathan Aasgaard, Cello
An hour long concert featuring favourite works of ours at the wonderful SDSM International Festival in Alfriston
Concerts and masterclasses
Our final recording day of Joseph Phibbs’ String Quartets for Nimbus Records
A recording for the label Resonus with St. Martin’s Voices
Ina Boyle: Quartet in E minor
Charlotte Harding Iorsa
World Première The Holy Isle for solo cello
Kildonan
Mendelssohn: Quartet in F minor, Op.80
Dvorak: Piano Quintet in A major
Thomas Luke, Piano
7th May, 5:30pm
Mendelssohn: Quartet in E flat major, Op.12
Puccini: Crisantemi
Interval
Dvorak: Quartet in G major, Op.106
8th May, 5:30pm
Britten: 3 Divertimenti
Respighi: Il Tramonto (with singer)
Debussy: Dances
Interval
Sibelius: Adagio in D minor, JS 12
Charlotte Harding: Iorsa (2022 Piatti commission)
Moeran: String Quartet No.2 in E flat major
9th May, 11:30am
Ina Boyle: 3 Ancient Irish Airs (vla, harp, sop)
Rachmaninov String Quartet
Interval
Ravel: String Quartet in F major
Chausson: Chanson Perpetuelle (everyone)