Trilogy Ensemble return to The Green Man Gallery for an evening of Music & Art!
Featuring works by iconic French composer: Ravel, and romantic new works for the ensemble. Explore for yourself why this rich combination of instruments has inspired composers since Debussy, including several of Britain’s top composers today.
Programme to include:
Vivaldi: ‘The Four Seasons’ - our favourite moments arranged by the Ensemble!
Ravel: ‘Sonatine’ - an iconic work for this combination of instruments
Hilary Tann: From the Song of Amergin
Mel Bonis: Scènes de la Forêt
John Hawkins: ‘Romantique’
William Mathias: Zodiac Trio
Miguel del Aguila: ‘Submerged’ - back by popular demand from our Christmas 2021 visit!
Get to know the music:
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: are universally loved for their storytelling - each season is full of scenes from nature, from the blistering sun to teeth chattering in the North Wind. Setting the scene for story-telling in the rest of our programme.
Ravel Sonatine: Originally a piano work, Ravel composed the first movement for a competition, which sadly was pulled, but he most likely would have won! He often toured the first two movements, leaving out the third as he considered himself not proficient enough a pianist to perform it. Here’s our recording of the first movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TE9qrE-IYQ
Hilary Tann: “I am a wind: on a deep lake, I am a tear: the sun lets fall, I am a hawk: above the cliff.” The work is based on this setting of the Celtic Calendar by Robert Graves. Each instrument transforms into one of these scenes: harp - wind/lake; viola - tear/sun; flute - hawk/cliff. Here, words, art and nature combine for a beautiful musical work.
Mel Bonis: Melanie went under several names in order to publish her works under the social norms of her time, but is mostly known as Mel. We discovered her music recently - lush late Romantic sounds fit perfectly for harp, flute and viola. Her ‘Scenes from the Forest’ tell just as much a story as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. What will you encounter in this tale?
John Hawkins: John is based down in Brighton and has become a favourite composer of violists. Henri was delighted he decided to compose this new trio - it is as romantic as its name suggests!
William Mathias: Bethan introduced William’s world to us. Long much-loved in Wales, we adore his Zodiac Trio. Three contrasting movements written with the star sign of the original players in mind, and featuring their instrument. Pisces - Aires - Taurus. This work is much loved in concerts by audiences with Pisces’ water world revealing the viola’s warm voice in Aires and finishing with Taurus’ fiery dance.
Miguel del Aguila: A Latin-American toe-tapping story based on a poem all about the sea. We start gliding above the blue ocean, then descending into the depths among sea-creatures. A music-box brings us back to the surface for the return of the dance. This work uses so many extended techniques to create whole new sounds of different instruments. The flute is transformed into a wooden pipe - the viola has to play like the ‘charango’ a South American guitar and the harp does everything you are told not to do at music college to create effects and sounds of the deep ocean. Back by popular demand from our last gallery visit. You’ll leave with a huge smile!
