Concert Programmes
2024/2025
Programmes for string trio
Visions of Goldberg
Experience the Goldberg Variations by Johann Sebastian Bach in a new and unique way: in collaboration with digital artist Lisette Huizenga, a fascinating combination of image and music is created by means of a stop motion animation film projected as a moving backdrop on a screen during the concert. A performance, inspired by and in the service of Bach's music, with a nod to the work of Escher, a great admirer of Bach, will intrigue and captivate the audience. In a world where everything seems to move fast, and information has to be short and bitesize, this performance offers a welcome contrast. A time out where the audience can sit back and immerse themselves in the beauty of music and art.
Can also be booked purely as a concert, with only the music of Bach.
Johann Sebastian Bach Goldberg Variations (1741)
(arranged by Dmitry Sitkovetsky for string trio)
c.85” without interval. Also possible with interval
Light & Shadow
Schubert and Beethoven need little introduction: after several attempts, Schubert completed only one string trio, while Beethoven left us no less than five. All of them works that belong to the core string trio repertoire. In this programme you will hear Beethoven's glorious opus 3, written only a few years after Mozart's Divertimento, with the same number of movements and in the same key. Beethoven was still at the beginning of his musical career and was experimenting with the genre, Schubert was relieved to have finally completed a string trio; soon after, he devoted himself to composing full-time. Both works are characterised by their lightness, charm and positivity.
Weinberg was a composer with a remarkable life story; he lost a large part of his family, was constantly on the run from war, threats and persecution, befriended Shostakovich and left behind an extensive oeuvre. The Hague String Trio has recorded his string trio on the CD After the Darkness.
Franz Schubert String Trio in B flat major, D. 581
Mieczysław Weinberg String Trio
******
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) String Trio in E flat major, op. 3
The Roaring Twenties
In this program we dive into the turbulent period of 1920s Berlin, Vienna and Paris; breeding grounds of experimental forms in art, music, theatre, etc. Eisler and Gershwin immersed themselves in jazz music, Kreisler travelled the world as the last violinist in the tradition of Paganini, performing his own compositions, and the Hungarians Frid and Hermann wrote their string trios in the prime of their lives, travelling and performing throughout Europe as pianist and cellist.
Röntgen, meanwhile, had built up a name for himself in The Netherlands: one of the founding fathers of the Amsterdam Conservatoire and the Concertgebouw, he left behind more than 600 compositions. Last but not least: Wegener; she was active as a composer for only ten years and left us a beautiful suite for string trio; with their world premiere recording on the CD Celebrating Women! The Hague String Trio hopes that her name will reach as many people as possible!
Emmy Frensel Wegener Suite for violin, viola and cello (1925)
Pál Hermann String Trio (1921)
Julius Röntgen String Trio in A major, no. 13 (1925)
*****
Géza Frid Trio à cordes op. 1 (1926)
Hanns Eisler Scherzo (1920)
Fritz Kreisler Marche Miniature Viennoise (1925)
George Gershwin Three Preludes (1926) (arr. by Martin Stegner)
Concert programmes with pianist
Ksenia Kouzmenko
Leipzig Love Stories
Leipzig, for centuries one of the greatest musical capitals of Europe, has always been a magnet for the most talented musicians. This programme focuses on four exceptional composers who lived, studied, composed, made music and found love in this beautiful city during the 19th century.
Amanda Maier, Swedish violinist and composer, fell in love with Julius, the son of her Dutch violin teacher. Julius, a successful composer and fine pianist, would later prove unmissable in the musical life of Amsterdam being essential in the creation of both the Concertgebouw and the Conservatorium of Amsterdam.
And then, perhaps the most famous love story in classical music: Robert Schumann married the young Clara Wieck, an outstanding pianist and composer, and daughter of Robert’s piano teacher.
You will hear one of Julius Röntgen’s charming string trios, music for piano solo by Clara Schumann and wonderful piano quartets by Amanda Röntgen-Maier and Robert Schumann.
Julius Röntgen String Trio no. 4, ’Walzer Suite’
Amanda Röntgen-Maier Piano Quartet in E minor
*****
Clara Schumann-Wieck Romance op. 11 no. 2 for piano solo
Robert Schumann Piano Quartet in E flat major, op. 47
Mozart & Fauré
The year 2024 will be 100 years since the death of Gabriel Fauré. This is commemorated with his stunning first piano quartet, composed during some of the most turbulent years of his life. In the first half of the programme you can hear the short gem Aubade by the Romanian composer Georges Enescu, student of Fauré, and Mozart’s charming second piano quartet.
Mozart was commissioned by Anton Hoffmeister to write three piano quartets. After submitting the first, the commission was cancelled citing that it was too difficult. Mozart, however, was so intrigued by the genre, he decided, thankfully, to compose this second masterpiece for his own pleasure!
Georges Enescu Aubade
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Quartet no. 2 in E flat major, KV 493
*****
Gabriel Fauré Piano Quartet no. 1 in C minor, op. 15
Concert programmes with oboist
Pauline Oostenrijk
Mozart and his contemporaries
Mozart’s famous Oboe Quartet is one of his most exceptional chamber music works. Mozart’s contemporaries, however, also composed beautiful music for the combination of oboe and string trio. Pauline Oostenrijk and The Hague String Trio would like to introduce you to this treasure trove of wonderful repertoire and Pauline will talk about the lives of the less well-known composers on the programme and their relationships to Mozart.
Johann Christian Bach Oboe quartet in B flat major
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Allegro voor string trio in G major, K. Anh. 66 (K.562e)
František Vincenc Kramář Oboe quartet no. 1 in C major
*****
Christian Cannabich Oboe quartet in B flat major
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Oboe Quartet in F major, KV 370
Phantasy and Glee!
Edward Elgar wrote his charming Andante and Allegro at a young age and yet the manuscript has only recently been published. It was most likely composed for the Worcester Glee Club, a small amateur music group founded by his father and uncle in which Edward both played and wrote music for. Glee meaning originally either a part-song for male voices or delight and joy! Beethoven’s string trio opus 9 no. 3 is the last of the five string trios he composed as a young man, recently arrived in Vienna to study with Haydn. Another youthful composition, Benjamin Britten wrote his colourful and brilliant Phantasy Quartet as a student of nineteen at the Royal College of Music. The concert is brought to a close with the famous oboe quartet of Mozart, one of the highlights and most frequently performed works of the chamber music repertoire for oboe.
Edward Elgar Andante and Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven String Trio in C minor, op. 9 no. 3
*****
Benjamin Britten Phantasy Quartet op. 2
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Oboe Quartet in F major, KV 370
Concert Programmes
2023/2024
Programmes for string trio
(Hidden) Classics
Haydn and Beethoven need little introduction; in addition to these classical masters are two works from The Hague String Trio’s latest CD Celebrating Women!
Enjoy the wonderful, Romantic trio by Dame Ethel Smyth, composed during her studies in Leipzig in the 1880s and five delightful miniatures from the Dutch composer Wegener.
Joseph Haydn Divertimento Hob. XI:109 in C major
Dame Ethel Smyth String Trio in D major, op. 6 (c.1884)
*****
Emmy Frensel Wegener Suite (1925)
Ludwig v Beethoven String Trio op. 9 no. 3 in C minor
Northern Lights
Discover the beautiful, mysterious sound world of largely unknown music from countries of the North, with their magical natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights: music by the well-known Sibelius and his Finnish counterparts, Marttinen and Melartin, as well as one of the three Romantic string trios by the German/ Swedish composer Hermann Berens and the enigmatic and meditative Reflections by the Icelandic composer, Anna Thorvaldsdottir whose “seemingly boundless textural imagination” (NY Times) and “striking” (Guardian) sound world has made her “one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music” (NPR).
Tauno Marttinen Aube op. 216
Jean Sibelius Suite in A for string trio, JS 186
Erkki Melartin String Trio op. 133
*****
Anna Thorvaldsdottir Reflections (2016)
Hermann Berens String Trio op. 85 no. 2 in C minor
Visions of Goldberg
Collaboration with the visual/ digital artist Lisette Huizenga.
The Hague String Trio performs Bach’s Goldberg Variations in the arrangement for string trio by Dimitri Sitkovetsky. In addition, Lisette Huizenga creates a new world inspired by and dedicated to the music of Bach, with a homage to M.C. Escher, a great admirer of Bach who also served as an inspiration for his work.
Can also be booked as concert with only the music of Bach.
Johann Sebastian Bach Goldberg Variations
(arranged by Dimitri Sitkovetsky for string trio)
Concert programmes with pianist
Ksenia Kouzmenko
Czech Romance
The concert opens with atmospheric solo piano pieces by Novák, a highly talented student of Dvořák. Dvořák was teacher, mentor and father-in-law to Josef Suk, his junior by more than 30 years. Suk composed his first piano quartet, his opus 1, under Dvořák’s guidance.
Dvořák’s second and last piano quartet was written in just over a month and has become one of the most loved works in the chamber music repertoire.
Vítezslav Novák Pieces for piano solo (t.b.a.)
Josef Suk Piano Quartet in A minor, op. 1
*****
Antonín Dvořák Piano Quartet no. 2 in E flat major, op. 87
Mozart & Fauré
The year 2024 will be 100 years since the death of Gabriel Fauré. This is commemorated with his stunning first piano quartet, composed during some of the most turbulent years of his life. In the first half of the programme you can hear the short gem Aubade by the Romanian composer Georges Enescu, student of Fauré, and Mozart’s charming second piano quartet.
Mozart was commissioned by Anton Hoffmeister to write three piano quartets. After submitting the first, the commission was cancelled citing that it was too difficult. Mozart, however, was so intrigued by the genre, he decided, thankfully, to compose this second masterpiece for his own pleasure!
Georges Enescu Aubade
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Quartet no. 2 in E flat major, KV 493
*****
Gabriel Fauré Piano Quartet no. 1 in C minor, op. 15
I
Concert programme with oboist
Pauline Oostenrijk
Edward Elgar wrote his charming Andante and Allegro at a young age and yet the manuscript has only recently been published. Beethoven’s string trio opus 9 no. 3 is the last of the five string trios he composed as a young man, recently arrived in Vienna to study with Haydn. Another youthful composition, Benjamin Britten wrote his colourful and brilliant Phantasy Quartet as a student of nineteen at the Royal College of Music. The concert is brought to a close with the famous oboe quartet of Mozart, one of the highlights and most frequently performed works of the chamber music repertoire for oboe.
Edward Elgar Andante and Allegro
Ludwig v Beethoven String Trio in C minor, op. 9 no. 3
*****
Benjamin Britten Phantasy Quartet op. 2
W. A. Mozart Oboe quartet in F major, KV 370
Concert Programmes
2022/2023
Programmes for string trio
(Hidden) Classics
Haydn and Beethoven need little introduction; in addition to these classical masters are two works from The Hague String Trio’s latest CD Celebrating Women!
Enjoy the glorious Fugue in G minor, written in the late Thirties by the African-American composer, Irene Britton Smith,and the wonderful, Romantic trio by Dame Ethel Smyth; composed during her studies in Leipzig in the 1880s.
Joseph Haydn Divertimento Hob. XI:109 in C major
Dame Ethel Smyth String Trio in D major, op. 6 (c.1884)
*****
Irene Britton Smith Fugue in G minor (1938)
Ludwig v Beethoven String Trio op. 9 no. 1 in G major
Hungarian Rhapsody
Feel the Hungarian warmth in Leo Weiner’s romantic string trio and the temperament in Kodály’s Intermezzo and Dohnányi’s Serenade, one of the highlights of the string trio repertoire. Haydn lived for many years in the palace and in the service of the Esterházy family in Hungary during which he produced a substantial number of compositions.
Joseph Haydn Divertimento Hob. XI:109 in C major
Leó Weiner String Trio in G minor, op. 6 (1908)
*****
Zoltán Kodály Intermezzo (1905)
Ernō van Dohnányi Serenade in C major, op. 10 (1902)
Celebrating Women!
Join the trio on a journey of discovery of extraordinary music by female composers! Ethel Smyth was a progressive. She moved in the highest cultural circles in Germany and was a determined social activist, notably as a leading figure in women’s suffrage. Her string trio takes us back to the world and sounds of Brahms. In addition, five delightful miniatures from the Dutch composer Wegener will be heard, an early romantic style trio by the 20th century Australian Hyde, a glorious Fugue by the African-American composer, Irene Britton Smith, and short, punchy pieces of minimal music by the American contemporary composer Reynolds.
Irene Britton Smith Fugue in G minor (1938)
Emmy Frensel Wegener Suite (1925)
Miriam Hyde String Trio (1932)
*****
Belinda Reynolds Husband & TV on the Curb (2016)
Dame Ethel Smyth String Trio in D major, op. 6 (1887)
Concert programmes with pianist
Ksenia Kouzmenko
Czech Romance
Dvořák originally composed his Terzetto for the unusual combination of two violins and viola in order to be able to play it with friends. This arrangement is for the more common string trio combination of violin, viola and cello. His second and last piano quartet was written in just over a month and has become one of the most loved works in the chamber music repertoire.
Dvořák was teacher, mentor and father-in-law to Josef Suk, his junior by more than 30 years. Suk composed his first piano quartet, his opus 1, under Dvořák’s guidance. Novák was also a highly talented student of Dvořák.
Antonín Dvořák Terzetto in C, op. 74, B. 148
Josef Suk Piano Quartet in A minor, op. 1
*****
Vítezslav Novák Piece for piano solo (t.b.a.)
Antonín Dvořák Piano Quartet no. 2 in E flat major, op. 87
Concert programme with oboist
Pauline Oostenrijk
Edward Elgar wrote his charming Andante and Allegro at a young age and yet the manuscript has only recently been published. Beethoven’s joyous string trio opus 9 nr 1 is the third of the five string trios he composed as a young man, recently arrived in Vienna to study with Haydn. Another youthful composition, Benjamin Britten wrote his colourful and brilliant Phantasy Quartet as a student of nineteen at the Royal College of Music.
The concert is brought to a close with the famous oboe quartet of Mozart, considered to be one of his greatest compositions.
Edward Elgar Andante and Allegro
Ludwig v Beethoven String Trio op. 9 no. 1 in G major
*****
Benjamin Britten Phantasy Quartet op. 2
W. A. Mozart Oboe quartet in F major, KV 370
One hour
concert programmes
On request all the above programmes can be adapted to a concert of an hour. In addition we would like to offer two extra programmes for string trio alone which can be found described below.
Viennese Whirl!
A programme perfectly suited for a New Years Concert or a light programme at any time of the year. Beethoven’s delightful Serenade combined with charming vignettes by Kreisler en sparkling waltzes by Strauss will guarantee a concert with a smile!
Ludwig van Beethoven Serenade in D major, op. 8
Fritz Kreisler Alt-Wiener Tanzen
Liebesfreud
Liebesleid
Schön Rosmarin
Johann Strauss II Künstlerleben op. 316
After the Darkness
The trio’s successful CD After The Darkness, released in 2019, was devoted to bringing rarely heard or forgotten works by persecuted Jewish composers back to life. This remarkable programme closes with Kaddish (literally ‘holy’), a hymn and one of the most important prayers in the Jewish liturgy.
Gideon Klein String Trio (Terezín 1944)
Hans Krása Tanec (Terezín 1943)
Dick Kattenburg Trio à cordes
Mieczysław Weinberg String Trio op. 48
Maurice Ravel Kaddish (arr. Marijn van Prooijen)