麻豆社

Georgia Mann introduces recordings made in the 麻豆社 studios featuring the current Radio 3 New Generation Artists. Today, the multi-award-winning Leonkoro Quartet venture into English music with Benjamin Britten's Second Quartet. Written in 1945, soon after his opera Peter Grimes had catapulted him into the limelight, the quartet's last movement Chacony paid homage to Henry Purcell on the 450th anniversary of his death. Also today, Shostakovich's Cello Sonata of 1934, a work which the cellist Santiago Ca帽贸n-Valencia says requires the player 'to delve deep and to play with complete abandon.' And, to bookend the programme, the glorious voice of Irish mezzo Niamh O'Sullivan.

Hamilton Harty: Sea Wrack
Niamh O'Sullivan (mezzo-soprano)
Gary Beecher (piano)

Rob Luft: Blue, White and Dreaming
Fergus McCreadie (piano)
Rob Luft (electric guitar)

Britten: String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 36
Leonkoro Quartet

R. Schumann: Mit Myrten und Rosen from Liederkreis Op.24 and Die Beiden Grenadiere (Op.49 No. 1)
William Thomas (bass)
Dylan Perez (piano)

Shostakovich: Cello Sonata in D minor Op. 40
Santiago Ca帽贸n-Valencia (cello)
Naoko Sanoda (piano)

Schubert: Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen, D.343
Niamh O'Sullivan (mezzo-soprano)
Gary Beecher (piano)

The 麻豆社 New Generation Artists scheme was founded in 1999 to support some of the world鈥檚 finest young instrumentalists, singers and ensembles at the start of their international careers, through performance and broadcast opportunities. The distinguished list of alumni now numbers well over a hundred, among them many of the most exciting musicians working on the world stage today.