Rarely heard piano works by Herbert Howells, Olivier Messiaen, and the world premiere of a new work by David Lancaster

De temporum ratione is a collaborative exploration of how historical narrative and conceptual imagery can be translated into distinct musical processes. Inspired by Bede’s medieval Latin treatise De temporum ratione (The Reckoning of Time), each movement engages with a different aspect of the legacy of St Bede the Venerable (672/3–735): the Easter computus, the parable of the sparrow in the hall, and his tomb in Durham Cathedral.

Praised by BBC Music Magazine for his ‘immaculate pianism’, British pianist Matthew Schellhorn enjoys an international career as a performer, recording artist and educator. Following studies in Manchester and Cambridge with David Hartigan, Maria Curcio, Peter Hill and Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, he has become particularly recognised for his advocacy of neglected repertoire and contemporary music. More than 140 new works have been written for or premiered by him, including numerous commissions, while his recordings for Signum Classics and Naxos have received widespread critical acclaim. Gramophone has described his playing as ‘immaculately stylish, raptly concentrated and memorably tender’, and his recordings have featured in the Official Classical Charts. He is currently undertaking doctoral research in piano performance at the Royal Academy of Music.

PROGRAMME

Herbert Howells (1892–1983)

‘Near Midnight’ from Summer Idyls (1911)

Comme le cerf soupire (1963)

Et nunc, et semper (1967)

David Lancaster (b. 1960)

De temporum ratione (World Premiere)

Computus

Sparrow in the Hall

Tombeau

Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992)

Pièce pour le tombeau de Paul Dukas (1936)

Herbert Howells (ed. M. Schellhorn)

Sonatina (1971)

Vivo: Inquieto

Quasi adagio: Serioso ma teneramente

Agile, destro, sempre veloce

Description supplied by the event organiser.