BIOGRAPHY The GALOS PIANO TRIO are a unique group bonded through friendship and music making that has CONWAY spanned three decades. Their engaging and entertaining approach to concerts have seen them perform across the UK and also specially selected for hundreds of concerts throughout the world in partnership HALL with P&O and Cunard. SUNDAY

Their entertaining, fascinating and unique approach to performances have cemented their success to CONCERTS date. James Longford and Felicity Broome-Skelton first played together in youth orchestra on the Isle of Wight and reconnected as professional musicians through a love of chamber music to form the Galos Piano Trio with ‘cellist Heidi Parsons. Patrons The trio has given two recitals at St Martin in the Fields including the chamber music festival in 2014. In - Stephen Hough, Prunella Scales CBE, Roderick Swanston, 2015 the Galos trio was selected to perform in the London Piano Trio Festival; just a few of their many Hiro Takenouchi and Timothy West CBE concerts in the capital and throughout the country to date. Artistic Director - Simon Callaghan

The Galos Trio is passionate about the genre and particularly keeping great British music alive and exploring the work of often neglected women composers; championing the works of Armstrong-Gibbs, Bridge, Stanford, Clara Schumann and Ethel Smyth amongst their repertoire. Sunday April 10th 2016, 6:30pm Felicity, Heidi, and James also perform regularly with internationally acclaimed groups such as the Royal Opera House, Armonico Consort, Welsh National Opera, working alongside musicians including Nicola Benedetti, Dame Emma Kirkby, Anne Murray, Paul Daniel, Lawrence Cummings and Bryn Terfel. GALOS TRIO

NEXT AT CONWAY HALL VIOLIN FELICITY BROOME-SKELTON Sunday April 17th 2016, 6:30pm CELLO HEIDI PARSONS BRIDGE QUARTET & HIRO TAKENOUCHI PIANO JAMES LONGFORD Mozart Piano Quartet in G minor K478 Schubert Quartet in E flat D87 Fauré Piano Quintet No. 2 Op.115

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Conway Hall Sunday Concerts are an integral part of the charitable activities of Conway Hall. Please turn off all mobile phones and electronic devices. Conway Hall’s registered charity name is Conway Hall Ethical Society (n o . 1156033). No recording and photographing allowed at any time. PROGRAMME PROGRAMME NOTES CLARA SCHUMANN TRIO IN G MINOR OP. 17 (1846) Clara Schumann was a highly respected musician and composer in a time when most women rarely matured their musical gifts into a solid career. Her Trio in G minor embraces the mid-century Romantic language Clara Schumann (1819-96) to great magnitude, and is considered to be her finest achievement. The Allegro moderato draws out TRIO IN G MINOR OP. 17 (1846) [28’] a resolute yet lyrical flow that carries through the neatly woven exposition, polyphonic textures of the development and an unambiguous recapitulation. The Scherzo lilts through a gentle Minuetto pulse, I. Allegro moderato yet keeps the essence of its bouncy rhythms and light-hearted melodies alive throughout. By contrast, II. Scherzo and Trio the Andante evokes a nostalgic atmosphere with a soothing melody, moving towards a central section full of grandiose harmonies and dynamics before its homecoming to the opening idea. The Finale is an III. Andante emblem of Schumann’s fine fugal and contrapuntal approach, presented to great effect particularly in IV. Allegretto the development, and drives the music forward with elegance and tenacity.

STERNDALE BENNETT SONATA-DUO FOR PIANO AND CELLO OP. 32 (1852) The shortage of critical acclaim towards William Sterndale Bennett in present day discussions belies his reputation at his time as the most important English composer of the Romantic era. However, recent William Sterndale Bennett (1816-75) interest in the English composer is increasing, particularly this year when we celebrate the bicentenary SONATA-DUO FOR PIANO AND CELLO OP. 32 (1852) [25’] of his birth. Bennett’s reverence for Mozart and Mendelssohn is evident in his Sonata-Duo. The first movement is wealthy in duration and musical colours, opening with a yearning cello melody above I. Adagio sostenuto - Allegro giusto gentle piano chords and figurations before driving through the main Allegro momentum. The middle II. Minuetto caractéristique Minuet is rhythmically bouncy and melodically eloquent in equal measure, with blinks of rich piano and cello passagework. The Finale is marked by a rondo energy full of colourful piano sonorities and bold III. Allegretto piacevole, animato themes from the cello.

IRELAND PHANTASY TRIO IN A MINOR (1906) John Ireland developed a strong understanding of the German Romantic traditions, and was equally INTERVAL influenced by Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky among others. Contrary to the pastoral folk language (15 mins) of Vaughan Williams, Ireland leaned more towards his French and Russian contemporaries thus establishing his particular ‘English Impressionism’ style. His Phantasy Trio was written for the annual Cobbett Competition, a competition that persuaded young British composers to write for chamber forces. Although the piece is in one seamless movement, the musical narrative echoes Sonata form. The trio opens with smooth melodic and harmonic lines, which grow in bold dynamics and are full of passion. Beautifully reflective episodes and rich ensemble statements flow side-by-side in the central John Ireland (1879-1962) part, before earlier thematic ideas return in their authentic form and galvanise an emphatic conclusion. PHANTASY TRIO IN A MINOR (1906) [12’]

STERNDALE BENNETT CHAMBER TRIO IN A OP. 26 (1839) Sterndale Bennett CHAMBER TRIO IN A OP. 26 (1839) [22’] Bennett’s Chamber Trio in A is a creative outcome of his prolonged time spent in Germany with his friend Felix Mendelssohn. However, the intimacy and tenderness of this piece perhaps bodes less of I. Andante tranquillo ma con moto Mendelssohn’s influence compared to his Sonata-Duo heard earlier tonight. Bennett’s decision to name II. Serenade: Andante ma un poco scherzando this piece ‘Chamber’ Trio stems from his strong intention to evoke the intimacy that characterises chamber music in the first place, devoid of any orchestral parallels. The Andante tranquillo and Serenade III. Finale: Allegro fermato glide through scalic and arpeggio passages from the piano, warm melodies and delicate pizzicato phrases from the strings, which realises the serene impression Bennett aspired to achieve. A contrasting Finale awakens a regal nature with a greater rhythmical pronunciation, yet recalls the mellow ambience of the earlier movements. Tonight’s performance will finish at approximately 8:15pm. Programme notes © Isaku Takahashi 2016