Wigmore Autumn Treats

John Gilhooly announces 2023/24 Season at the Hall

John Gilhooly at Wigmore Hall Picture by Francis Marshall

Last Wednesday, John Gilhooly, director of the Wigmore Hall, launched his 2023/24 season - more or less a continuous festival featuring some of the biggest names in chamber music, solo piano and song repertoire, Baroque and new music ensembles - with a lunchtime “taster” concert: Patrick Allies’s Siglo de Oro choir sang pieces by John Taverner, Arvo Pärt and choruses from Handel’s Israel in Egypt, Messiah and Alexander’s Feast, while members of Hugo Ticciati’s pioneering O/Modernt Chamber Orchestra accompanied the singers and played the Romance and Wiener Walzer from Britten’s Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge.

Presenting his lavish September - December brochure (with a Spring and Summer preview containing fewer programme details), Gilhooly announced several new initiatives as part of a mouthwatering abundance of musical treats this Autumn. He said:

“Recent news has cast a long shadow over the future and well-being of classical music in the UK. While Wigmore Hall's belief in the intrinsic value of music is unwavering and we continue to do what we do best – bringing the best of classical music performed by the finest musicians to the widest possible audience – we will be re-doubling our effort to introduce classical music to young people from the earliest possible age.”

The news he refers to, but, diplomat that he is, does not spell out is, of course the shameful Arts Council cuts to English and Welsh National Opera, Glyndebourne Tour and Britten Sinfonia, and the BBC’s inexplicable axing of the BBC Singers and reduction of some of its house orchestras (allegedly as part of the government’s so-called “levelling up” agenda). As chair of the Royal Philharmonic Society, he has been an outspoken critic of these anti-arts decisions, indeed in his 2023 speech at the RPS - and annual gathering of the UK’s classical music great and good - he made his views clear, sending a message to the government.

“London until now remained one of the world’s cultural jewels, and for the entire nation to prosper we need London to prosper. The levelling-up agenda needs to support equitable investments in culture across the UK but not to London’s detriment. Post-pandemic, there is concern nationally that nobody is listening to us.”

As the Wigmore Hall’s director, Gilhooly has always put his money where his mouth is. His commitment to the Arts Council’s buzzword “accessibility” is undeniable, witness the Hall’s sponsored scheme for under 30s to buy tickets for £5 - visibly rejuvenating the unfairly caricatured audience of grey heads - and his heroic decision to keep the Wigmore open to music-making with live-streams and radio broadcasts when the public was forced to watch and listen from home during the lockdown.

On Wednesday he announced a new £1 subsidised ticket scheme for the Hall’s “For Crying Out Loud” and “Chamber Tots” concerts for mothers with babies and toddlers as a response to the cost of living crisis and the need for music provision for children which state schools - in many areas - no longer provide.

Among a total of 28 world and UK premieres, new pieces by young composers, Stewart Goodyear (September 23), Joseph Phibbs (October 7), and Laurence Osborn (November 25) are featured this Autumn while veteran Brian Elias (born 1948) has written a song cycle, I saw a Peacock, for former Wigmore Hall Song Competition prizewinner, James Newby (December 28). There is a strong emphasis on new work by female composers, including new associate artist, Heloïse Werner and established figures, Sally Beamish and Thea Musgrave.

The baroque vocal/instrumental Solomon’s Knot - who have recently explored liturgical music by older relatives of Johann Sebastian Bach, and his Leipzig predecessor, Nikolaus Kuhnau - are already Wigmore regulars, but the relationship is now formalised with their appointment as “baroque ensemble in residence” - their residency comprising three concerts, including a performance of Handel’s first English oratorio, Esther (December 7, February 4 and May 27).

Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss Picture by Pete Cecchia/Marlboro Music

As always, big name keyboard giants and Wigmore favourites are prominently featured, Stephen Hough plays a characteristically eclectic programme of Mompou, Debussy, Skryabin, Liszt and his own music at the Opening Concert on September 7. Hard on his heels follow Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss in Schubert piano duets (September 8 and 10) Jeremy Denk’s appearance with the Danish Strings Quartet (September 15) includes Book 1 of Ligeti’s fiendish Études (the first concert of another residency) and the legendary Russian pianist, Elisabeth Leonskaya’s plays all three Brahms sonatas in one of her unmissable appearances (September 17). Later, Andras Schiff plays two “surprise” programmes, his own choice of music announced by him on the evening from the stage on October 23 and 25, and Paul Lewis begins his two-programme survey of Schubert’s piano sonatas on December 2 & 4 (with another pair of concerts in March 2024). Angela Hewitt plays Mozart and Schumann on December 19.

The world’s greatest string quartets queue up to perform at the Wigmore: the Takács play Haydn, Stephen Hough, and Beethoven, Haydn, Bartók and Ravel on October 15 and 16, the Pavel Haas Schulhoff, Martinu and Debussy on November 9, Quatuor Ébene Haydn, Bartok and Schubert on December 3, the Jerusalem, Smetana, Bartók and Beethoven on December 16.

Big name vocal recitalists include Lawrence Brownlee (Donizetti songs with Carlo Rizzi, an Opera Rara recording project, September 9), Günther Groissböck (German lieder including rarities by Hans Pfitzner, September 22), Magdalena Kožena - with Uchida her deluxe pianist - in Debussy and Messaien (October 8 and 9) while Norwegian opera star, Lise Davidsen sings Grieg, Berg, Schubert and Sibelius (October 13). Louise Alder begins her three-recital residency in grand style with Fauré, Ravel and Canteloube with a 10-strong instrumental ensemble including pianist Joseph Middleton and the Doric String Quartet (November 23, further concerts in March and June). But the biggest coup is the début appearance of Lithuanian diva, Asmik Grigorian,one of opera’s hottest properties, singing Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov with her regular pianist Lukas Geniušas (September 9) in her Wigmore and UK recital debut. It's an abundance of riches from which it is hard to choose, but here are my top ten concerts.

Hugh’s Pick of Wigmore Hall’s Autumn concerts

1.     Asmik Grigorian/Lukas Geniušas: Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov Songs 9/9

2.     Wigmore Soloists: includes Schubert Trout Quintet 21/9

3.     Vox Luminis: Cavalieri Rappresentazione di Anima e di Corpo 1/10

4.     Nash Ensemble: Dvorak, Suk, Smetana, Brahms 14/10 (two programmes)

5.     The English Concert/Harry Bicket: Handel: Clori, Tirso e Fileno 18/10

6.     Victoria de Los Angeles Centenary concert: Tara Erraught 28/10

7.     Ilker Arcayürek: Richard Tauber A Journey from Vienna to London 12/11

8.     Louise Alder and friends: Fauré La bonne chanson, Ravel Shéhérazade 23/11

9.     Hesperion XXI/Jordi Savall: Elizabethan Consort Music 1/12

10.  Solomon’s Knot: Bach Christmas Cantatas and Magnificat 7/12

Full details: Wigmore-hall.org.uk