Performance on 3 - 24/11/2008

Martin Handley presents a concert given at London's Wigmore Hall by the Emerson Quartet with cellist Ralph Kirshbaum, featuring chamber works both written at the end of their composers' lives. Shostakovich's final string quartet was written in 1974 and is a meditation on his own mortality, complete with funeral march. Schubert's Quintet in C was written two months before his untimely death at the age of 31, and is unusual in using two cellos instead of two violas. Emerson Quartet Ralph Kirshbaum (cello) Shostakovich: String Quartet No 15 Schubert: String Quintet in C, D956 Plus Composing Today: nominations from the 2008 British Composer Awards in the liturgical and choral catagories: Judith Bingham - Missa Brevis “Awake My Soul”; Kyrie and Agnus Dei with accompanying anthem “The Shepherd” Bromley Parish Church Choir Thomas Corns, conductor James MacMillan - Mitte manum tuam from “The Strathclyde Motets” (written for St Columba’s, Maryhill, Glasgow) Howard Skempton - Locus Iste and Beati quorum via from Three Motets Exon Singers Matthew Owens, conductor Colin Matthews - Alphabicycle Order Halle Halle Youth Choir Michael Zev Gordon - This Night Includes Jewish chant King’s College Choir