Bristol Ensemble: American Connections
Saturday 14 May, 7.30pm at Trinity-Henleaze URC, Waterford Road, Bristol BS9 4BT
Pre-concert talk with David Bednall at 6.45pm
Barber Adagio for String Quartet
Gershwin Concerto in F
Mozart Piano Concerto No.11 in F, K413
Viv McLean piano
Featuring virtuoso pianist Viv McLean, a firm favourite in Henleaze Concert Society’s seasons of concerts. In this programme, postponed from 2020, he’ll be performing Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, a jazzy, optimistic, richly-textured work packed full of fabulous tunes and toe-tapping rhythms. It was commissioned by Walter Damrosch, conductor of the New York Symphony Orchestra, the day after he had heard the premiere of Rhapsody in Blue. By contrast, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.11 in F is as delicate, elegant and heartrendingly beautiful as you’d expect. Completing the American connection is Barber’s passionate Adagio, in its original version for string quartet.