ARTS OF FUGUE: Live music returns to St John's Smith Square

St John Smith Square
(Photos Michael Andrews)

During lockdown, St John's Smith Square developed its Digital Exchange project, a series of workshops, concerts and online advice and exchange sessions. These are now extending into live performances at the venue with ARTS OF FUGUE, concerts broadcast on-line from 4 August 2020, examining the development of fugue from its roots in the 16th century through the Baroque and Classical to the Romantic and beyond.

Each concert will feature approximately 25 minutes of music along with a discussion between Richard Heason, Director of St John’s Smith Square and the artists performing. On-line programme notes, providing interactive links, will be available to download from the St John’s Smith Square website before and after each concert.

For the first concert, The Gesualdo Six explore fugue's roots in 16th century Italy, including music by Ockeghem, Josquin des Prez and Jean Mouton, then organist David Titterington performs fugues by Bach, CPE Bach and Robert Schumann, along with a UK premiere from Calliope Tsoupaki. The Revolutionary Drawing Room performs Beethoven's Grosse Fugue, and finally Julian Jacobson performs Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor.

Full details from the St John's Smith Square website.