The Manchester Mid-day Concerts Society was first established in 1915, and was initially intended as a way of supporting musicians whose livelihoods had suffered during war-time, boosting spirits at local hospitals, and entertaining city-dwellers and soldiers. The series was so popular that it continued into peacetime, and has since programmed approximately 2,500 performances in Manchester. Today, the Mid-day Concerts are presented in the extraordinary surrounds of The Bridgewater Hall – and they are no longer strictly scheduled for midday, taking place at 1.10pm. The intention behind the series remains the same, however: exceptional music for an affordable ticket price. The Autumn season includes some of classical music’s most testing masterpieces and a musician who played at the most recent royal wedding… Book your seats now.
Salih Can Gevrek began piano lessons at the age of five, and has gone on to have a garlanded career – but perhaps the biggest draw of this Mid-day Concert is the opportunity to see one of the most demanding sets of classical music being performed live. Every pianist is said to have their own personal nightmare within the first book of Chopin’s Études – from relentless left hand semiquavers to challenging cross-rhythms for the right. Here, Salih Can Gevrek performs all 12, alongside Mozart’s Piano Sonata No.12 in F major.
Multi award-winning, Manchester-born brothers Jonathan and Tom perform as Scott Brothers Duo – a virtuosic pair covering the entire keyboard spectrum. Videos of their performances have reached over 12 million views online, and for this Mid-day Concert they are combining orchestral favourites by Mozart, Saint-Saëns and Dukas with a rare original work by the French organist and composer Dupré for maximum audience appreciation. Renowned for finding new ways of blending and contrasting their instruments, the Scott Brothers Duo never fails to give a sensational performance.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason performs on cello alongside his sister Isata on piano after a meteoric rise to fame that saw him win the 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year, appear at the Proms and play at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The latter performance was watched by an estimated one billion people; here, Sheku will present Beethoven and Rachmaninov in the relatively intimate surrounds of the 2,341-seat Bridgewater Hall… not to be missed.
www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk
- Words:
- Polly Checkland Harding
- Published on:
- Wed 2 Oct 2019
The Clouds Harp Quartet presents a hypnotic blend of folk and minimalism, written by Scottish singer-songwriter and harpist Esther Smith. Championed by Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour on BBC Radio 6, Smith’s music has been likened to Kate Bush, Eddie Reader and Joanna Newsom, with songs based on her life growing up in The Scottish Borders. For this Mid-day Concert, the Clouds Harp Quartet will perform an eclectic mix of pieces, including Drunken Sailor and a final section titled Dance Music – although how strictly dance-based this will be remains to be seen. Find out on the day, and treat yourself to one of the UK’s most eclectic quartets.