The 2019 Festival

The 2019 Festival from 27 to 29 September was organised by local Martinborough music enthusiasts Edward Allen (Chair), Andrew Morrison, Brendan Smyth, Marion Townend, Murray Pashby, Sharon Cuzens and Winifred Bull with artistic direction by Vicki Jones and Wilma Smith.

Michael Houstoun returned for the 2019 Festival, this time with Jenny Wollerman (soprano), Wilma Smith, Vesa-Matti Leppänen and Yuka Eguchi (violins), Christopher Moore (viola) and Matthias Balzat and Ken Ichinose (cellos). They were joined by Amy Brookman and Alan Molina (violins) for a performance of the magnificent Mendelssohn Octet at the final Sunday afternoon concert.

Critic Lindis Taylor described it in Middle C as, ‘A festival of chamber music made in heaven.’

Trustee and Festival Director, Brendan Smyth helps Andrew Morrison put the 2019 sign up on the corner of Kitchener and Princess Streets to welcome visitors to Martinborough.
Trustee and Festival Director, Brendan Smyth helps Andrew Morrison put the 2019 sign up on the corner of Kitchener and Princess Streets to welcome visitors to Martinborough. (Photo: Marion Townend)
The 2019 musicians, from left: Yuka Eguchi (violin) Michael Houstoun (piano), Alan Molina (violin), Vesa-Matti Leppänen (violin), Amy Brookman (violin), Wilma Smith (violin), Ken Ichinose (cello), Matthias Balzat (cello), and Christoper Moore (viola)
The 2019 musicians, from left: Yuka Eguchi (violin) Michael Houstoun (piano), Alan Molina (violin), Vesa-Matti Leppänen (violin), Amy Brookman (violin), Wilma Smith (violin), Ken Ichinose (cello), Matthias Balzat (cello), and Christoper Moore (viola)

The 2019 Music and Musicians

Friday 27 September 7.30pm

Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757) Sonata in A, K.24 Presto
Sonata in F minor, K.481 Andante e cantabile
Sonata in E, K.380 Andante commodo
Sonata in A minor, K.175 Allegro
Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65 (1845–1846)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) Piano Trio in B flat major, Op 97, ‘Archduke’

Saturday 28 September 2pm

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) Viola Sonata No 2 in E flat major, Op 120
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) Piano Trio No 3 in C minor, Op 101
Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) Piano Quartet No 1 in C Minor, Op 15

Saturday 28 September 7.30pm

Benjamin Britten Not even summer yet
Claude Debussy L’Ombre des arbres and C’est l’extase from Ariettes Oubliées
Sergei Rachmaninov Lilacs Op. 21 No. 5
Gabriel Fauré Mandoline Op. 58 No. 1
Sergei Prokofiev Solntse komnatu and Pamyat’o sontse from Op. 27 On poems by Anna Akhmatova
Sergei Prokofiev Prelude in C major Op. 12 No.7, ‘Harp Prelude’
Samuel Barber O Boundless, Boundless Evening Op. 45 No. 3
Gabriel Fauré Clair de lune Op. 46 No. 2
Claude Debussy Recueillement from Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire
Gabriel Fauré En Sourdine Op. 58 No. 2
Sergei Rachmaninov Notshu f’sadu Op. 38 No. 1
Franz Schubert (1797–1828) String Quintet in C major (1828)

Sunday 28 September 2pm

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) Theme and Variations, Op 18b
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) String Sextet No. 1 in B flat Major, Op. 18
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Octet in E flat major, Op. 20

The musicians

Michael Houstoun, piano
Jenny Wollerman, soprano
Wilma Smith, violin
Vesa-Matti Leppänen, violin
Yuka Eguchi, violin
Christopher Moore, viola
Mattias Balzat, cello
Ken Ichinose, cello
Amy Brookman, violin
Alan Molina, violin