The Wihan Quartet, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2015, is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s finest chamber ensembles. The group is particularly noted for its interpretations of Romantic Czech music, and their programme includes a substantial dose of the music it is best-known for: that of fellow countryman, Antonín Dvorák (1841–1904).
This concert forms part of a series of four over a weekend (13–15 January 2017) devoted to music for string quintet and sextet by five giants of chamber music repertoire: Dvorák, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms.
Dvorák originally scored his eighteen Cypresses, settings of poems by Gustav Pfleger-Moravsky, for voice and piano in 1865, later arranging twelve of them for string quartet. We hear two or three of these at the start of each concert.
The Wihan Quartet are joined by Josef Kluson (viola) and Michal Kanka (cello), members of the Prazak Quartet; the two groups perform together regularly. Josef and Michal studied at the Prague Conservatory, where the Prazak Quartet was formed in 1972.
There is also the option of attending a pre-concert talk at 5.30pm, included in the ticket price. Speaker Richard Wigmore is a Music writer, lecturer and regular broadcaster for BBC Radio 3. He also writes for BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone.
Residential spaces are also available, including accommodation, dinners and afternoon teas. For more information visit www.martinrandall.com.