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Music for piano trio from the Aldeburgh Festival

Violinist Leila Josefowicz is joined by brothers Huw and Paul Watkins for a stellar chamber concert that includes works by Grime, Barber, Stravinsky, Matthews and Shostakovich.

Violinist Leila Josefowicz is joined by brothers Huw and Paul Watkins for a stellar chamber concert that includes the premiere of Colin Matthews’ new piece, Paraphrases, written especially for her.

Shostakovich’s second trio dates from August 1944, evoking the horrors and darkness of war as well as the grief at the death of the composer’s closest friend. It is powerfully angry, defiant, bleak, desolate music that’s among the greatest piano trios, especially in the hands of these masterful players.

It is beautifully balanced with the Barber Cello Sonata, which has a passionate, song-like eloquence that shows a distinctive musical language, even at an early stage of his composing career.

Stravinsky’s The Fairy's Kiss is an abstraction of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, richly passionate and drawing its inspiration from Tchaikovsky’s musical language.

Helen Grime's Harp of the North, inspired by lines from Walter Scott’s folk-inflected poem The Lady of the Lake, is played in this concert by Paul Watkins.

Presented by Martin Handley, live from Snape Maltings Concert Hall.

Barber: Cello Sonata
Helen Grime: Harp of the North
Stravinsky:Divertimento (Le baiser de la fée)
Colin Matthews: Paraphrases (world premiere)
Shostakovich: Piano Trio No.2 in E minor, Op.67 (30’)

Leila Josefowicz violin
Huw Watkins piano
Paul Watkins cello

4 days left to listen

2 hours, 14 minutes

Music Played

  • Samuel Barber

    Cello Sonata

    Performer: Paul Watkins. Performer: Huw Watkins. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra.
  • Helen Grime

    Harp of the North

    Performer: Huw Watkins. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Divertimento (Le baiser de la fée)

    Performer: Leila Josefowicz. Performer: Huw Watkins. Performer: Huw Watkins. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Cabaret Songs

    Performer: Steuart Bedford. Singer: Della Jones.
    • Naxos.
  • Colin Matthews

    Paraphrases (world premiere)

    Performer: Leila Josefowicz. Performer: Huw Watkins. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Piano Trio No.2 in E minor, Op.67

    Performer: Leila Josefowicz. Performer: Paul Watkins. Performer: Huw Watkins.
  • Edward Elgar

    Introduction and Allegro Op. 47

    Performer: Emanuel Hurwitz. Performer: José‐Luis García. Performer: Cecil Aronowitz. Performer: Bernard Richards. Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Benjamin Britten.
    • Decca.
  • Benjamin Britten

    The Last Rose of Summer (Folksong arrangements Vol.4)

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: James Newby.
    • I wonder as I Wander: Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler and Britten.
    • BIS.
    • 20.

Broadcast

  • Wed 25 Jun 2025 19:30