The Flinders Quartet + Cello
The Flinders Quartet comprising violinists Shane Chen and Nicholas Waters, violist Helen Ireland and cellist Zoe Knighton joined by gust cellist Timo-Veikko Valve, perform the music of Boccherini, Schubert and Sculthorpe.
Included in the programme is Schubert’s Quintet for String Quartet and Cello, voted number two in Australia’s top 100 chamber works by ABC Classic FM listeners.
“Schubert’s music has a humaneness and an honesty that is immensely touching. Everyone has their own unique relationship with his melodies, particularly in his later works. In a large classical work like this, there are often a few moments that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, but this work is crammed full of them. When I first played this at music camp 25 years ago the music was so overwhelming, I had to stop playing – one of the best experiences of my life. We have been itching to play with Tipi [Timo-Veikko Valve] for so many years as we adore his approach to music making. We can’t believe the moment is finally here.”
The addition of Valve’s 1729 Giuseppe Guarneri Filius Andreae cello to Flinders Quartet’s rich sonority in sound promises to be one of the highlights over the quartet’s 17 year history.
Valve will also join the quartet in a version for string quintet of Boccherini’s most popular work – the ‘Fandango’ quintet which Flinders recorded with guitarist, Karin Schaupp, in 2010. This piece famously requires the second cellist to take on a doubling role with the castanets; a job which Knighton takes very seriously.
“I have my own proper set of castanets and I have had a few lessons – the challenge is really quite exciting.”
Recently, Flinders Quartet committed to expanding the repertoire of Australian chamber music it has commissioned by deciding to give them repeat performances. Peter Sculthorpe’s String Quartet No. 18, written for the group for its 10th birthday celebrations in 2010, is the first of these commissions, which the quartet had the great privilege of working on with the composer.
The programme: PETER SCULTHORPE String Quartet No. 18
Jointly commissioned in 2010 by Edinburgh Festival for Tokyo String Quartet and Peter and Leila Doyle for Flinders Quartet
LUIGI BOCCHERINI String Quintet in G major Fandango
FRANZ SCHUBERT String Quintet in C major, D.956 ‘The Cello”
