Meny

We thrive best with the larger format of chamber music repertoire, and for this concert, we've chosen to showcase one of the truly great works: Franz Schubert's Octet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, and string quintet. It is Schubert's most ambitious chamber work, drawing its inspiration from Beethoven's iconic septet, but augmenting the ensemble with an additional violin.

The reference to Beethoven's septet is not coincidental; it was commissioned by one of the leading clarinetists of the time, Ferdinand Troyer, who envisioned a new piece following Beethoven's success with this unique blend of instruments. While unmistakably Schubertian, there are both overt and subtle nods to Beethoven's septet. There's something distinctive about these larger chamber music works where the instrumentation hints at the orchestral realm, yet maintains the transparency and flexibility inherent to chamber music. It's as if we're getting the finest of both worlds.

In October, we performed a piece by the Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir. She is one of today's foremost composers, with commissions from many of the world's most renowned orchestras. We find her music exceptionally captivating and have selected one of her chamber pieces to open this concert, before delving into Schubert's sound world.

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