Fascinating day's concerts Sun 5th Oct 2014

[Alan Howe]

...entitled A Dream of Germany: Music's War-torn World 1914 - details here:
http://www.sjss.org.uk/dream-germany
Venue: St John's, Smith Square, London.

Cellist Joseph Spooner writes:

On Sunday 5 October, David Owen Norris (piano), Mark Wilde (tenor) and I are marking the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War with a series of four concerts – in one day – at St John's Smith Square. Rather than looking at the lives of composers cut short by the war, we are presenting a fascinating slice of musical history – the Anglo-German musical amity that was effectively stopped in its tracks by the outbreak of the war.

There will be wonderful repertoire spanning many decades by a range of composers, some of whom will be familiar, and some – you know me – less so: everything from the sparkling and inventive Sonata Duo by William Sterndale Bennett, to the colossal Sonata by Sigfrid Karg-Elert. Mark sings songs in German by Englishmen, and among many other things, David will be giving the premiere of Sigfrid Karg-Elert's piano transcription of Elgar's Falstaff.

You can here what's in store in the preview here: http://www.sjss.org.uk/dream-germany

Four concerts? You can take the day any way you wish: you can go for all four events and take advantage of the lovely restaurant at the venue, popping out for air and to admire Westminster Abbey. You can just pick one concert – if you have any time that day, you will be able to come to a concert ... and of course you can do any combination.

This promises to be both an adventure and a rare opportunity. I hope you will be able to join us for some or all of it!

[Aramiarz]

Interesting program for remember tragic times. Anyone went?