Whenever we listen to music we are time travelling, whether we realise it or not. Everything we hear belongs to a particular moment and place – and the music takes us there. Meanwhile, the greatest music also manages to be timeless and to belong everywhere.
Thoughts like these were much in the thoughts of the Hatfield House Music Festival creative team as they worked on the theme for 2024, Musical Time Travel.
The creative team also wanted to celebrate some significant anniversaries such as Fauré, Schoenberg, the BBC New Generation Artists. Another highlight of the Festival is featuring eminent composers from much earlier times who had particular associations with the Salisbury family with namely Dowland and Handel. The Festival also looks to the future and welcomes Guy Johnston’s newly formed Bechstein Piano Trio.
And there’s much more…
Hatfield House, its Park and surroundings resonate with history. Where better to let our imaginations transport us through the ages with Songs Through Time and with chamber music masterworks by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and Dvořák?
Here’s what the critics said about our 2023 Festival:
Review of the Horn Recital
‘There are so many impressive moments: perhaps a word for Tom Poster’s playing, not only throughout but particularly the way he set up the absolutely shimmering atmosphere in the third movement.’
Review of Voices and Viols
‘The result was a refreshing spirit of conviviality and collaboration, the informality of which in no way lessened the ‘seriousness’ of the musicians’ intent or communication.’
Review of Friday’s Festival Family
‘The first movement was tuneful, perky and neo-classical, with the wind instruments to the fore and the piano deftly supporting. This continued in the slow movement, with the three wind lines intertwining over the piano, creating some lovely harmonic textures, whilst the final movement was a perky moto perpetuo with a fabulous climax.’
For the full 2024 Festival programme and to book tickets please see here: programme page.
