Beethoven Marathon no. 2 - in Manchester, in aid of Musicians' Benevolent Fund

Martin Roscoe
© Eric Richmond.

Hot on the heels of news of Julian Jacobson's 10 hour marathon playing all the Beethoven piano sonatas in London, comes the news that over in Manchester, Martin Roscoe will be performing all of Beethoven's piano concertos in one evening at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on Saturday 5 October 2013 in aid of the Musicians' Benevolent Fund. Accompanied by members (past and present) of the orchestra of the Royal Northern College of Music conducted by Daniel Parkinson, with John Suchet as guest presenter. Roscoe plays the concertos in numerical order, nos. 1 and 2 at 5pm, nos. 2 and 3 at 7pm and number 5 at 9pm. 

Roscoe points out that the pianist gets a lot of rest in the tuttis, but it is still a marathon feat and tickets are amazingly good value. One mischievous voice in my head does suggest that perhaps they should have included the piano arrangement of the violin concert and the choral fantasia, or would that be too much of a good thing!

Conductor Daniel Parkinson will be joining the MMus Orchestral Conducting programme at the Royal Northern College of Music where he will study with Clark Rundell and Mark Heron. Pianist Martin Roscoe has a repertoire of 100 concertos performed or recorded Martin works regularly with most UK orchestras. Roscoe is also Artistic Director of Ribble Valley International Piano Week and Beverley Chamber Music Festival.

Roscoe comments that 'I have played all the Beethoven concertos many times and always feel very at home in these wonderful pieces. In the last few years I seem to have developed a bit of a reputation for Beethoven, having now recorded all the Piano Sonatas and played many of them in all-Beethoven recitals. And then there are all the Piano Trios, Violin Sonatas and Cello Sonatas, which I have been playing and recording'.

Tickets are priced per individual session, £12 in advance and £15 on the door, with all three sessions for £25 in advance and £30 on the door, available from the Royal Northern College of Music website.

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• Light over Earth - Daniel Bjarnason - CD review
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• A Bold Experiment - Sinfonia Cymru UnButtoned
• A Grand Night for Singing - Co-Opera Co at Hackney Empire
• Heaven Indeed - Monteverdi from the King's Consort - CD review
• Vividly involving - Co-Opera Co's Madama Butterfly
• England's Finest - Sarah Connolly and Tenebrae
• Fascinating synthesis - Rakasha - CD review
• Opera alfresco - Ana Maria Martinez Live by the Lake
• Britten commemorative coin
• Home