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Messages Without Words

The Scottish Ensemble joins pianist Gabriela Montero for a compelling programme including Shostakovich, Messiaen, a new work by Montero herself and her trademark improvisations.

As part of Kings Place's year-long exploration of the work of women composers, the Scottish Ensemble joins pianist Gabriela Montero for a compelling programme of 20th- and 21st-century music with a message. The concert includes a new piece by Montero herself (a portrait of her experience as a human rights activist), as well her trademark improvisations, and the sense of a journey is at the heart of Bulgarian-born British composer Dobrinka Tabakova's 2007 string sextet Such Different Paths.

Shostakovich's Chamber Symphony began life as his 10th String Quartet, music full of bitterness, disillusion and defiance in the face of Soviet-controlled life. Philip Glass says his Echorus was 'inspired by thoughts of compassion and is meant to evoke feelings of serenity and peace', and so it shares a similar vibe to Messiaen's ecstatic, suspended-time vision of heaven which ends the concert.

Recorded last week at Kings Place, London, and presented by Natasha Riordan.

Dmitry Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony, Op. 118a
Philip Glass: Echorus

Interval
Michael Tippett: 5 Spirituals from 'A Child of our Time' arr. for chorus
大象传媒 Singers
Stephen Cleobury (conductor)

Dobrinka Tabakova: Such Different Paths
Gabriela Montero: Babel (London premiere)
Olivier Messiaen: Louange 脿 l'Immortalit茅 de J茅sus (from Quatuor pour la fin du temps)

Gabriela Montero (piano)
Scottish Ensemble
Jonathan Morton (violin and director)

Photo credit: Shelly Mosman

2 hours, 28 minutes

Last on

Tue 19 Feb 2019 19:30

Music Played

  • Gabriela Montero

    Improvisation

    Composer: Scottish Ensemble. Performer: Gabriela Montero. Ensemble: Scottish Ensemble. Director: Jonathan Morton.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Chamber symphony Op.118a, arr. Barshai from String Quartet No.10

    Ensemble: Scottish Ensemble. Director: Jonathan Morton.
  • Philip Glass

    Echorus for 2 violins and strings

    Performer: Jonathan Morton. Performer: Tristan Gurney. Ensemble: Scottish Ensemble. Director: Jonathan Morton.
  • Michael Tippett

    5 Spirituals from A Child of our Time

    Choir: 大象传媒 Singers. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury.
    • Tippett: Unto the Hills (Wadhurst).
    • SIGNUM.
    • 11.
  • Dobrinka Tabakova

    Such Different Paths for string septet

    Ensemble: Scottish Ensemble. Director: Jonathan Morton.
  • Gabriela Montero

    Babel

    Performer: Gabriela Montero. Ensemble: Scottish Ensemble. Director: Jonathan Morton.
  • Olivier Messiaen

    Quatuor pour la fin du temps; no.8; Louange a l'immortalite de Jesus

    Performer: Gabriela Montero. Performer: Jonathan Morton.
  • Gerald Finzi

    Five Bagatelles for clarinet and piano, Op 23

    Performer: Michael Collins. Performer: Michael McHale.
    • The Lyrical Clarinet: Michael Collins.
    • Chandos.
    • 2-6.
  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Serenade for Wind

    Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra.
    • EMI.

Broadcast

  • Tue 19 Feb 2019 19:30

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