“Chamber music”, wrote Gabriel Fauré “is true music and the most sincere expression of a genuine personality.” For 40 years Music in Great Irish Houses has afforded Irish audiences the opportunity to hear a wealth of extraordinary musical personalities performing a vast range of this “true music” in the magnificent settings of many of our historic buildings. Amongst the hundreds of musical luminaries who have visited our shores under the Festival’s auspices are pianists Vladimir Ashkenazy and Krystian Zimerman, guitarist John Williams, cellist Steven Isserlis and singers Ute Lemper, Frederica von Stade and Dame Janet Baker. The Festival has equally provided both a platform and collaborative opportunities for many of our own Irish artists including Barry Douglas, John O’Conor, Bernadette Greevy, Patricia Bardon and Orla Boylan. This year’s big 4-0 celebrations continues the tradition of presenting great music and great musicians in some of our greatest Irish houses!
Anyone who experienced the wonderful music-making of the Quatuor Ebène (with pianist Philippe Cassard) at the National Gallery of Ireland last year, will not be surprised by my enthusiasm to secure this extraordinary French ensemble’s second visit to Ireland so soon after its début. Consistently playing with such freshness and joie de vivre that the ink on the score might still be wet, this year the Ebènes proffer works by Mozart, Bartók and Debussy in the opening concert of the 40th festival. The following night Festival audiences can experience “the other side of the Ebène” in Dublin’s Sugar Club in a programme featuring a wide array of cleverly arranged works from the worlds of jazz, pop and film by these creative and brilliant young musicians.
The stellar figure of cellist Jan Vogler combines with the brilliant young talents Baiba and Lauma Skride for two concerts in the 2010 Festival. A solo and duo programme of music by JS Bach, Handel/ Halvorsen and Ravel with violinist Baiba in Beaulieu is followed by the European début of the Skride/Vogler Trio in Killruddery House. Piano trios by Beethoven, Brahms and Shostakovich will be performed by these dynamic musicians. The Irish début of the exhilarating Fauré Quartett is a must for chamber music aficionados. Regulars at Martha Argerich’s Festival Buenos Aires, the Fauré’s programme will honour Mahler and Schumann in their anniversary year and will include Brahms’ G minor Piano Quartet from their recent Deutsche Grammophon recording. The stunning German violinst Arabella Steinbacher returns to the Festival with regular chamber music partner Robert Kulek. An enticing programme of sonatas by Brahms and Beethoven’s “Spring” will be performed by the duo in the Festival’s first visit to the US Ambassador’s Residence in over ten years.
Taking their rightful place amongst these international greats are some of our own finest musical talents. The gifted tenor Robin Tritschler, a huge favourite of Irish audiences, performs songs by Britten, Brahms, Bax and Schumann’s stunning Dichterliebe with pianist Simon Lepper in Emo Court. Festival favourites, former Artistic Director Hugh Tinney and Finghin Collins collaborate in an evocative two-piano programme in the RDS’ magnificent Concert Hall on the Festival’s penultimate night.
We finish in Castletown, our founding home, with one of Europe’s finest quartets, the Quatuor Ysaÿe. These engaging French musicians consistently captivate audiences with their subtlety of nuance and exceptional joy in performance. Their programme of music by Brahms, Haydn and Schumann will undoubtedly be a fitting conclusion to the 40th Festival celebrations.
On the education front we continue our “Support Act” programme which offers some of Ireland’s most talented young string quartets the opportunity to work with Laura Samuel of the Belcea Quartet ahead of a performance during the Festival.
I look forward to meeting many of you during the Festival and sincerely hope that you enjoy this very special landmark Festival as much as I have enjoyed planning it!
CIARA HIGGINS, Artistic Director