85th season

Horsham Music Circle’s 85th season concludes with the Coull Quartet who come promised as “one of Britain’s most respected chamber ensembles.”

Spokesman Luca Imperiale said: “Formed in 1974 at the Royal Academy of Music, the group has built an international reputation through extensive touring, a long-established residency at the University of Warwick which was held for over forty years since 1977, and an acclaimed recording catalogue. Their performances are admired for their balance of refinement, authority and expressive insight.

“The programme brings together three cornerstones of the repertoire: Mozart’s String Quartet in C major K465 Dissonance, Shostakovich’s deeply personal String Quartet No 7, and Brahms’s richly expressive String Quartet in A minor Op 51 No. 2. Together they trace a journey from classical clarity through twentieth-century intensity to Romantic depth.

With their unique combination of experience and vitality, the Coull Quartet provide a fitting and powerful conclusion to the autumn series.”

The quartet are: violin I: Roger Coull; violin II: David Alberman; viola: Jonathan Barritt; cello: Nicholas Roberts. The concert is Saturday, 21st November, St Mary's Church, Causeway 7.00pm. Advance booking by phone 01403 252602 (answer machine) or email [email protected]. Also at wegottickets.com/HorshamMusicCircle. Tickets will also be available on the door.

Since the mid-1980s the Coull Quartet has made more than 30 recordings featuring a wide selection of the repertoire closest to their hearts, from the complete Mendelssohn and Schubert quartets to 20th century and contemporary British chamber music.

Their CD of quartets by Maw and Britten on the Somm label received universal acclaim; in addition to being featured in Editor’s Choice in The Gramophone, it was also described as the benchmark recording by BBC Music Magazine.

Their recordings of music by Sibelius, Ian Venables, also for Somm, have received excellent reviews in the major musical publications, as has their recent CD, Treasures from the New World, with pianist Clelia Iruzun. Their wide-ranging list of commissions includes works by Sally Beamish, Edward Cowie, Joe Cutler, David Matthews, Nicholas Maw, Robert Simpson and Howard Skempton. These include string quartets, quintets with piano or wind instruments, works with solo voice or choir, and even a piece for quartet and table tennis players.