Wigmore Hall presents

Sir András Schiff and Quatuor Mosaïques

With such epithets as ‘Father of the Symphony’ and ‘Father of the String Quartet,’ the position of Haydn in the history of music is assured. This festival focuses on his Op. 20 string quartets (1772) – a milestone in the genre, with their use of four independent parts – and those from his final completed set, Op. 76 (1797/8); but the composer’s scarcely less crucial centrality to the development of the Piano Trio and Piano Sonata is also amply reflected.

‘Haydn was an astounding composer … The world needs to appreciate him much more: of all the really great composers, he is still the most underrated.’ Sir András Schiff has long championed Haydn, not only as a pianist and conductor but also as a writer and lecturer. With the close involvement of the 18th-century specialist, period-instrument quartet, his festival devoted to Haydn’s music will bring listeners close to the composer through performances of his chamber music, piano music and songs.

Sir András Schiff, piano

Sir András Schiff is world-renowned as pianist, conductor, pedagogue and lecturer. He brings masterful and intellectual insights to his performances which have inspired audiences and critics alike. Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1953, Sir András studied piano at the Liszt Ferenc Academy with Pal Kadosa, György Kurtág and Ference Rados; and in London with George Malcome.

He has performed cycles of complete Beethoven sonatas as well as projects including the complete works of J.S. Bach, Haydn, Schubert and Bartok which constitute an important part of his work.  Having collaborated with the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, he now focuses primarily on solo recital, play-conducting appearances and exclusive conducting projects.  His Bach has become an annual highlight at the BBC Proms and he regularly performs at the Verbier, Salzburg and Baden-Baden Festivals as well as Wigmore Hall.  This season in North America he will perform all Mozart programs in Quebec, Carnegie Hall and Chicago’s Symphony Hall.

He continues to support new talent, primarily through his “Building Bridges” series which gives performance opportunities to promising young artists. He also teaches at the Barenboim-Said and Kronberg academies and gives frequent lectures and masterclasses. In 2017 his book “Music Comes from Silence”, essays and conversations with Martin Meyer, was published by Bärenreiter and Henschel.

Sir András Schiff’s many honors include the International Mozarteum Foundation’s Golden Medal (2012), Germany’s Great Cross of Merit with Star (2012, the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Gold Medal (2013), a Knighthood for Services to Music (2014) and a Doctorate from the Royal College of Music (2018). He was awarded the Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance in 2021 from The Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University.

Quatuor Mosaïques

Quatuor Mosaïques
Photo: Wolfgang Krautzer

Quatuor Mosaïques
Erich Höbarth violin
Andrea Bischof violin
Anita Mitterer viola
Christophe Coin cello

Program
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
String Quartet in C Op. 20 No. 2
Piano Trio in A flat HXV/14
Intermission
Piano Sonata in G HXVI/40
String Quartet in D minor Op. 76 No. 2 ‘Fifths’

This concert will be approximately 2 hours in duration, including an intermission

Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Live stream starts at 3:00pm EST / 8:00pm GMT

To enjoy this concert visit: www.wigmore-hall.org.uk