Dear friends, supporters and IMMORTALs,
Whatever the rest of 2021 may hold, the parrots on the apple tree, the woodpeckers in the park and the cats moulting inside the house assure me that it really is springtime. In addition, I'm thrilled to say that some of my "concerts of the novel" of IMMORTAL, along with a few other stage pieces, are once again in the diary. Let's take this slowly, because it feels like tempting fate to plan too far ahead, so for now I will simply offer you the dates in May.
Viv McLean, my dear friend and fabulous pianist performance partner over the past 8-9 years, will be joining me to present the concert version of IMMORTAL. We hope you will relish this mix of words & music, bringing the story of Beethoven and Josephine to life. It will be absolutely wonderful to see you and to share the magic of live music and theatre again, at long last. Please note, booking is ESSENTIAL because seating is socially distanced and therefore limited.
(Above: A Sonata of Beethoven by Emslie, with a demonstration of socially distanced seating...)
The repertoire, alternating with episodes of narration, is all Beethoven:
• Bagatelle Op. 126 No. 3
• Piano Sonata Op. 81a, ‘Das Lebewohl’, first movement
• Andante favori, extract (written for Josephine Brunsvik )
• Piano Sonata Op. 57, ‘Appassionata’, first movement (dedicated to Franz Brunsvik)
• Piano Sonata Op. 78, first movement (dedicated to Therese Brunsvik)
• ‘Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder’ from An die Ferne Geliebte, transcribed by Franz Liszt
• Piano Sonata Op. 110, Arioso and fugue
The concert is about 70-75 mins without a break.
24 May: IMMORTAL Concert of the Novel - the World Premiere. This is at Bob Boas's beautiful salon concert series close to Oxford Circus: Music at 22 Mansfield Street, London W1. Bookings can be made via boasb1@outlook.com.
We are extremely grateful to Bob for including us in his programme, which is habitually the crème-de-la-crème of London's chamber music and recitalists.
Bob Boas says: "From May 17 to June 20 the format will be the same as that we adopted last autumn namely as the distanced audience will be seated in “bubbles” limited to 6 with 1 metre plus distancing. Face masks should be worn during the concert. Drinks plus canapés will be served at seated tables from 7.00 onwards, the music will start about 7.45 and to emphasise that these are concerts and not social events we will not have supper or drinks and canapés after. The price is £30."
26 May: IMMORTAL Concert of the Novel, Barnes Music Festival. Two performances, at 6pm and 8pm, to allow for socially distanced seating. I'm overjoyed to be featured in our "local" top-of-the-range annual musical treat. The concerts take place in St Mary's Church, Church Road, Barnes, London SW13. You can book online here http://www.barnesmusicfestival.com/tickets
You can also buy tickets in person at Chesterton's Estate Agents in Barnes (Castelnau or Barnes High Street branches) and East Sheen (Upper Richmond Road West).
Hope to see as many of you there as possible!
Love and best wishes,
Jessica x