Kentish Express Ashford & District
Top musician opens early music season
Saxon Shore Early Music Kenardington (SSEMK) sees its third season opening in style later this month with a recital by the UK’s leading early keyboard specialist, the fortepianist Linda Nicholson.
Since winning first prize at the first two international competitions for the fortepiano in Bruges and Paris, she has gained an unrivalled international reputation for her performances on the fortepiano, harpsichord and clavichord.
With an unmatched combination of musical experience and historical knowledge of early keyboard instruments, she has amassed one of the major European collections of keyboard instruments ranging from the late 16th to the early 19th centuries.
The benefit of direct contact with these original instruments has given her a unique insight into the particular characteristics and technical idiosyncrasies that each demands.
For her SSEMK recital – on Saturday, September 23 at 7.30pm – she will play a 1797 Viennese instrument by Johann Schantz, who was Haydn’s favourite maker.
The programme entitled First & Last features landmark keyboard works by the three most influential keyboard composers of the late 18th century. Beethoven’s first keyboard sonata was dedicated to Haydn, whilst Mozart is represented by his last sonata in D major, composed in 1789. For Haydn himself, two works will be featured, the emotive Fantasia in F minor, written shortly after the death of arguably his greatest love, Marianne von Genzinger, and his final sonata in Eb major, widely considered his greatest.
The recital is in the recently restored medieval Church of St Mary, Kenardington.
Book online at www.ssemk. org or by calling 01233 721242.