‘Hymn’ by Alan Bennett and George Fenton is an affectionate and poignant reminiscence of the author’s early musical influences and experiences.
It was written for the Medici Quartet in 2001 and regularly performed at that time by them with Alan Bennett at various festivals and recorded for BBC records.
On the 22nd May the performance in Shelley’s Barn (The Music , Mind, Spirit Trust) will start at 5 pm although the gardens will be open for visitors to enjoy from 3pm. Tea will be available.
After the performance wine and canapes will be served (from about 6;30pm)
Tickets £20 early booking is recommended.
Alex Jennings and the Medici Quartet meeting HRH Prince Charles following their recent performance of 'Hymn' at Buckingham Palace.
To book seats please e-mail susing the button at the top of the website pages or phone 01403 824034
Biographies;
In 2002 Alex appeared as Henry Higgins in Trevor Nunn’s National Theatre production on My Fair Lady at Theatre Royal, Drury lane and won an Olivier Award as Best Actor in a Musical.
His other National Theatre roles include Albert Speer in Speer, lord Foppington in The Relapse and Leontes in The Winter’s Tale (for which roles he won the Evening standard Drama Award as best Actor), and most recently as Benjamin Britten in Alan Bennett’s The Habit of Art in 2009.
His film appearances include The Queen, War Requiem, and the film version of A
Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Four Feathers. His television appearances include The State Within, Smiley’s People, Inspector Morse, Miss Marple, and Poirot.
He has worked extensively on the radio and recording audio books.
In June 2008 he made his operatic debut at the ENO in Robert Cairsen’s production of Bernstein’s Candide, in which he played Voltaire and Doctor Pangloss, and he has just played Henry Higgins again, this time in Robert Carsen’s production of My Fair Lady, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris
The Medici Quartet
Drawing on nearly 40 years of world class musical performance The Medici Quartet is a leading international ensemble with an extensive distinguished discography.
During their long career they have regularly worked with a wide variety of leading composers and performers and created a recorded discography of more than 40 records which includes a highly regarded Beethoven Quartets Cycle (on Nimbus Records) the seldom heard Saint-Saëns Quartets and many other creative collaborations with saxophonist Barbara Thompson (Virgin Records), Sarod player Wajahat Khan, 'Hymn' by Alan Bennet and George Fenton (BBC Records), George Martin Presents, The Mozart and Brahms clarinet 5tets with Jack Brymer etc.
At the start of their career they were mentored by members of the Aeolian Quartet and shortly after their remarkably successful Wigmore hall debut (1974) were taken under the wing of the formidable manager Mrs. Emmy Tillet.
Shortly after they were signed up to an international recording contract with EMI and invited to play with the great English pianist, Sir Clifford Curzon with whom they learnt most of the piano quintet repertoire. It was Curzon who generously took it upon himself to help these four young musicians become something truly artistic.
It is in order to continue a tradition of such musical 'apprenticeship' that the Quartet now welcome the opportunity to mentor talented young groups by performing with them in Sir John Tavener's remarkable 'Towards Silence'.
In 1996 Channel 4 Television broadcast a three-part series entitled Music & the Mind, performed by The Medici Quartet and presented by their leader Paul Robertson; these programmes combined music and science to explore the power of music in human life, cognitive and emotional development and health.
Renowned for their dramatic programmes for string quartet and actors which revealed the intimate relationship between the composer's work and his life & times through the imaginative conjunction of music and readings were initiated by Paul Robertson, ‘The Kingdom of the Spirit’: Beethoven through his Letters by John Caird and Michael Kennedy's programme about Sir Edward and Lady Elgar at Brinkwells entitled ‘Wood Magic’ have been performed many hundreds of times.
Although the Medici Quartet retired after its final performance at the Harrogate International Festival in 2007 the same core members have since reformed, as the Medici Ensemble, in order to explore a wider repertoire and share its unique history with young professionals and Executive Leaders.
‘The playing is full of virtuosic compulsion and energy, harnessed in the service of a grand and dignified conception of the music’ – Gramophone
‘They are one of the most perfectly balanced quartets in Europe today, each strand wonderfully clear and beautifully focused…yet there is always a feeling of spontaneity’ - The Yorkshire Post
