Karl Weigl’s Ein Stelldichein is a remarkable piece for voice and string sextet. This mini-cantata exudes an atmosphere of longing and mystery, befitting the title, which suggests a romantic encounter. The voice intertwines intimately with the six string instruments, which do not merely accompany but engage in an active, polyphonic dialogue. The work demonstrates Weigl’s mastery in combining vocal lyricism with chamber music depth and great emotional intensity. It is an exceptionally atmospheric chamber music work that transports listeners to the intimate salon culture of fin-de-siècle Vienna.

Grażyna Bacewicz was the first female Polish composer to achieve national and international fame. She was a violinist herself, and her Quartet for Four Violins (1949) is a concise, three-part work written for conservatory students. It combines accessible, lyrical Polish folk elements with wit, charm and great technical virtuosity! This promises to be absolutely spectacular in the hands of these four top violinists!

Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 (1944) is a highly emotional elegy in four movements, dedicated to his good friend, musicologist Ivan Sollertinsky. Composed during the Second World War, the work blends both his personal grief over the loss of his friend and the horrors of the Holocaust and the siege of Leningrad, famously incorporating Jewish-inspired melodies in klezmer style.  

This is sure to be a deeply moving concert, music from the heart!