PRIMROSE PIANO QRT

Inspired music played with complete control, imagination, and deep insight.

The Primrose Piano Quartet was formed in 2004 by pianist John Thwaites and three of the UK’s most renowned chamber musicians (Dorothea Vogel, Andrew Taylor, Susanne Stanzeleit). The quartet has established a reputation for superb performances and award winning recordings. Alongside much loved repertoire of Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, Faure and more, The Primrose have received acclaim for reviving unjustly neglected works by early 20th century British composers such as Dunhill, Quilter, Bax and Frank Bridge. They have commissioned leading composers of our time, including the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies whose piano quartet was written for them in 2008. Their double CD of the complete Brahms piano quartets on period pianos was the culmination of years of research into Historically Informed Performance Practice and has been hailed by critics as “revelatory”. A similar disc of French works will be released in 2024.

The Quartet enjoys a busy performing schedule throughout the UK and abroad with recent tours taking them to Denmark, Germany, Romania, Portugal and Bulgaria, in addition to regular appearances at London’s Kings Place, Wigmore and Conway Halls.

PROGRAMME
W.A. Mozart – Piano Quartet in E flat, K493
Jean Francaix – String Trio
INTERVAL
Pablo Casals – Song of the Birds for Cello and Piano
Camille Saint-Saens – Bacarolle for Piano Quartet
Faure – Apres un Reve for Viola and Piano
Bizet/arranged by Pablo Sarasate – Carmen Fantasy for Violin and Piano
Johannes Brahms – Hungarian Dance No1 arranged for Piano Quartet

“The playing is selflessly beautiful… everything seems to be just right.” The Strad

“their performance at Kings palace this evening was a glowing testimony to this well-deserved reputation, in an exhibition of mature artistry and sophisticated music making”. Seen and Heard International

LISTEN