The Glasshouse

Alasdair Beatson piano
Royal Northern Sinfonia

Beethoven Quintet in E flat for Piano and Winds
Schnittke String Quartet No.3
Beethoven Piano Trio No.6 Op.70 No.2

In his music, as well as his personality, Beethoven was larger than life – and when he tried to out-Mozart Mozart in his youthful Quintet for Piano and Winds, the result simply bubbles over with energy, colour and fun. It’s a terrific contrast to the poetry and sophistication of his Piano Trio No.6: music for elegant salons which constantly, unexpectedly subverts your expectations. Well, this is Beethoven, after all! He’s one of the many composers ridiculed, revered and generally turned inside out in Alfred Schnittke’s astonishing String Quartet No.3: pitch-black comedy from Russian music’s modern master of irony.