Music for cello and piano inspired by fairy tales and folk by Janáček, Medtner, Dvořák and Prokofiev performed by Viv McLean (piano) and Clare O’Connell (cello)

Janacek - Pohadkha (A Tale)

Medtner - A selection of Skazki (Fairy Tales) for solo piano

Dvorak - Silent Woods for cello and piano

Prokofiev  - Sonata in C major Op. 119 for cello and piano

Join us for an exploration of enchanting music inspired by folk stories and fairy tales:

Leos Janáček’s Pohádka is based on an epic poem by the Russian author Vasily Zhukovsky entitled The Tale of Tsar Berendyey which unsurprisingly piqued Janáček's interest in Russian culture, Anton Dvořák’s dreamy lyrical Silent Woods for cello and piano , originally entitled “the Silence “ by Dvorak takes us to a magical place of stillness; Nikolaus Medtner composed Skazki (Tales) throughout his life - his captivating music was inspired by various sources such as literature, nature, and Russian folklore, and Sergei Prokofiev’s miraculous Sonata for cello and piano, composed in 1949 a year after he had been banned by the Soviet authorities touches upon the subject of war and the futility of violence - at times naiive and childlike, at others satirical it won’t fail to fill you with a sense of optimism as it draws to it’s conclusion.