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James Lisney's hands playing piano Portrait of James Lisney
       

 

 

SCHUBERTREISE

A journey through the piano sonatas of Franz Peter Schubert

Schubertreise is the fanciful name for an occasional series of concerts that have been held at London`s South Bank Centre since January 2001. The cycle of completed sonata movements by Schubert (performed chronologically) is set within programmes that have included a wide range of repertoire and prestigious artists.

 "Much though I love the music of Schubert," comments Lisney, "when I consider the piano sonatas as a whole I cannot truly say that they create such a satisfying series as the Beethoven cycle. The circumstances of Schubert`s life and his extraordinary speed of development as a composer can create problems: incomplete works or different versions of the same work place great responsibility on the performer to try to do justice to the composer`s intentions and memory. I think, however,  that these `problems` can create a special fascination for interpreter and audience alike and help to ensure that a performance of the Schubert cycle remains a stimulating and creative event.

"The preparation and performance of Schubertreise, with its wide ranging programmes and exciting encounters with colleagues, has proved to me the enduring value of Schubert`s music: time and again I have been delighted by stimulating feedback and dialectic from the audiences that have attended, often finding email comment on my computer by the time that I have returned home from the concert. He is undoubtedly a composer who stimulates the musical, literary and psychological interests of many people. The programmes of the Schubertreise have thrown up many interesting connections between composers and have sought to highlight Schubert`s earlier works in particular. The final five sonatas are still to be programmed."

For more details, including reviews of concerts which have already taken place, click on the dates below.

2001

January 4th - Schubert and Walton
James Lisney – piano, Paul Barritt – violin, Yuko Inoue – viola, Charles Medlam – violoncello

April 4th - Schubert and Brahms
The Coull String Quartet, James Lisney – piano

July 8th - Schubert, Mozart, Schoenberg, Busoni
Paul Barritt – violin, James Lisney – piano

September 19th - Schubert, Chopin, Enescu
James Lisney – piano recital in aid of Muzika in Romania

December 17th - Haydn, Schubert, Beach, Scharwenka, Beethoven
Emma Kirkby – soprano, Paul Barritt – violin, Charles Medlam – violoncello, James Lisney – piano

2002

March 19th - Mozart, Schubert, Strauss
Richard Baker - narrator, James Lisney - piano

May 11th - Dvorak and Schubert
The Coull String Quartet, James Lisney – piano

September 18th - Schubert
Rachel Brown - flute, Simon Nicholls - fortepiano, James Lisney - piano

December 16th - Beethoven, Britten, Schubert, Bottesini, Glinka, McDowall
Yuko Inoue - viola, Duncan McTier - double bass, James Lisney - piano

2003

February 7th - Beethoven, Schubert, Marx
Paul Barritt - violin, James Lisney - piano

April 6th - Brahms, Schubert
Lars Anders Tomter - viola, James Lisney - piano

June 15th - 3pm - Marx, Schubert
Paul Barritt - violin, Louise Williams - viola, Charles Medlam - violoncello, James Lisney - piano

June 15th - 7.30pm - Schubert
The Coull String Quartet, James Lisney - piano

2004

March 14th - 4pm - Schubert
Bela Hartmann - piano

March 14th - 7.30pm - Schubert
Richard Edgar Wilson - tenor, James Lisney - piano
Divertimenti Ensemble

Further information about the Schubertreise project can be obtained by emailing info@jameslisney.com