This exciting programme from Barnes Music Festival regulars Henry Chandler and John Paul Ekins, explores the relationship between music and environment; art and nature. Beethoven’s Sonata in F major is full of joy and simplicity, so much so that it necessitated the nickname Spring to be attributed years later (although not by the composer himself). Ysaye’s, l’Aurore (Dawn), is a solo violin rendition of daybreak, sunrise, and the colours and noises of nature awakening, emerging out of darkness.

Alongside these great works we will hear Prokofiev’s stirring 5 Melodies and Fauré’s exquisite A major Sonata, highly praised by composer Camille Saint-Saens: “This sonata has everything that will seduce the gourmet: novel forms, exquisite modulations, uncommon tone colours, the use of the most unexpected rhythms… brings the masses of ordinary listeners to accept the wildest audacities as something perfectly natural.” 

​