Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival

Decoding an Enigma

Bringing the 2024 festive to a rousing and energetic close are works by Ligeti, Beethoven and [Robert] Schumann. Ligeti’s Five Pieces for piano four hands is suffused with Hungarian timbre and rhythm, whilst Beethoven’s first ‘Razumovsky’ quartet famously closes with an allegro titled ‘Thème Russe’ in honour of the work’s commissioner Prince Razumovsky. Schumann’s towering piano quintet is dedicated to his wife Clara, who was supposed to perform in the premiere but fell ill and was replaced at the last minute by Mendelssohn who pronounced the piano part ‘fiendish’.

Ligeti Five Pieces for piano four hands

Beethoven String Quartet in F major Op. 59 No. 1 ‘Razumovsky’

Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat major Op. 44