There is real darkness in this programme.

Widmann’s “Chorale” Quartet is inspired by the seven last words of Christ on the cross – his string music is augmented by unsettling sounds of rubbing and scratching that evoke skin and bone on wood. Britten’s music emerges from a mist: fragile, lost and precious. We perform some intensely expressive and sacred music by Carlo Gesualdo, an Italian musical genius hundreds of years ahead of his time. Finally, we conclude with the huge emotional impact of Shostakovich’s Eighth String Quartet, a biographical scream written by a man desperate to create, haunted by fear and political oppression.

Our string quartet concerts are some of the most personal shows that we build. There’s something about that particular lineup which feels terrifyingly intimate – like there’s a direct connection between each of the four players, and every listener in the room.

This music will move you if you let it – it will scare you and inspire you.

LISTEN TO THE PLAYLIST // MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Cries and Whispers is kindly supported by Arts Council England and the RVW Charitable Trust.

BOOK NOW

Liverpool / Fri 6 Mar 2020 / 8:00pm
Invisible Wind Factory Substation

Heerlen / Sun 8 Mar 2020 / 3:00pm
Theatre Heerlen

London / Tue 10 Mar 2020 / 8:00pm
CLF Art Cafe

Leeds / Thu 12 Mar 2020 / 8:00pm
Leeds Town Hall

Manchester / Fri 13 Mar 2020 / 8:00pm
The Stoller Hall

Salford / Sat 14 Mar 2020 / 8:00pm
The White Hotel


PROGRAMME

Widmann "Choralequartett"
Britten String Quartet No. 1
Gesualdo Selected Madrigals
Shostakovich String Quartet No. 8

CREATIVE TEAM

Caroline Pether Violin
Doriane Gable Violin
Ruth Gibson Viola
Jack Bailey Cello

"AN INCREDIBLY MOVING PIECE THAT CAPTURES EVERY HUMAN EMOTION"

★★★★★ NORTH WEST END


Watch Cries and Whispers