Discover Mozart and Brahms In Unique Mini Festival

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Discover Mozart and Brahms Experience In Unique Chamber Music New Zealand Mini Festival

The New Zealand String Quartet and Grammy-nominated American violist James Dunham immerse themselves in Brahms and Mozart for a unique full day Mini Festival in Wellington in September.

The QuintEssence Mini Festival on Saturday 17 September, featuring three concerts and a seminar, is part of a special seven centre Chamber Music New Zealand tour which runs until Saturday 1 October.

QuintEssence sees the quintet perform concerts in Hawke’s Bay, New Plymouth, Nelson and Dunedin and full day mini festivals in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The QuintEssence Mini Festivals are new for Chamber Music New Zealand with a unique programme of three concerts exploring the best of Mozart’s quintets paired with the complete Brahms’ string quartets allin one day. The day begins with a coffee concert by young New Zealand musicians Pettman Players followed by two performances by New Zealand String Quartet and James Dunham separated by a free seminar with Frances Moore which will explore the influence of the Brahms and Mozart quintets.

This tour is the first time the New Zealand String Quartet has performed with James Dunham. Violinist Helene Pohl says she was taught by members of the Cleveland Quartet, of which James later became a member. “I can't wait to share the stage with this wonderful musician and gracious human being, who shared the stage with some of my most influential mentors!”

Mozart and Brahms are recognised as two of the best known classical music composers, but came from very different backgrounds – Mozart struggling to make a living from his music and dying poor at the age of 36; while Brahms was popular as a composer and was able to devote his time to his music without having to find other employment.

Both composers wrote music for double-viola quintets. When Mozart wrote his first quintet, he created a new sound world that he continued to explore for the rest of his life and his later quintets are considered to be at the pinnacle of the chamber music repertoire. A century later Brahms was inspired to write two of his most eloquent chamber works for the same combination.

The QuintEssence Mini Festival also includes a newly commissioned work by young New Zealand composer Salina Fisher, Tōrino – echoes on pūtōrino improvisations by Rob Thorne.

New Zealand String Quartet violist Gillian Ansell says Fisher is a composer whose music the ensemble has admired for some time. “She has a very strong grasp of colours, textures and atmospheres. The piece is slow and looks haunting, with one of the sections being titled ‘Lamenting’ – just up my alley!”

Gillian adds that the subtitle offers clues about the piece. The pūtōrino is a flute which functions both as a trumpet and as a flute, and can be sung into. “We will be using techniques to imitate the flute and trumpet sounds the pūtōrino can make and telling a story at the same time.”

New Zealand String Quartet cellist Rolf Gjelsten said the Mini Festival gives listeners an opportunity to gain a deeper connection with these great works. “Hearing groups of linked pieces in a concentrated way like this allows each to shed a light on the other. With more exposure and greater understanding comes greater appreciation, so festivals like this can leave a lasting impression on the listener, not to mention the performers!”

The Mini Festival also includes ‘Five On A Musical Adventure’ – a free seminar presented by opera director, writer and teacher Frances Moore who will discuss elements of music around the Brahms and Mozart quintets – who they were composed for, who heard them, how they were received and how the ‘meaning’ of the works has changed over the years.

“When we say we can hear 'Spring' or 'joyfulness' in Brahms and Mozart's quintets, what do we mean? Is it really possible to say that a musical phrase is about a bubbling brook or a stormy night?”

The QuintEssence Mini Festival: The New Zealand String Quartet and James Dunham is at the Michael Fowler Centre on Saturday 17 September. Ticket options include full day or individual concerts and tickets are available through Ticketek www.ticketek.co.nz or phone 0800 TICKETEK (842 538). For details and booking information visit www.chambermusic.co.nz/quintessence
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Mozart and Brahms face off … find out more here

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