The superstar violinist 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 is one of many artists whose family-like connections with Snape and Aldeburgh are shared by today’s performers, and so it is a particular pleasure to hear her Harp of the North, inspired by lines from Walter Scott’s folk-inflected poem The Lady of the Lake, played in this concert by Paul Watkins.

Leila Josefowicz says that “to give birth to a new piece, to bring a new piece to an audience, has an extra spice of excitement”. It is a particular pleasure for us to present this new piece by Colin Matthews performed by artists who are linked with him and with so many artists of the last century through east Suffolk and the Aldeburgh Festival.

Leila Josefowicz violin
Huw Watkins piano
Paul Watkins cello