The 2022 Cowbridge Music Festival was held from the 16th-25th of September and was a huge success. The concerts in Holy Cross Parish Church were recorded by BBC Radio 3 and are being played on the radio throughout the week.

Mozart, Bartók and Hensel

The first one, presented by BBC’s Nicola Heywood-Thomas, was played on Tuesday 13th December with violinist Elena Urioste and pianist Tom Poster, playing Mozart’s Sonata in B flat. Following this was performances of Bartók from solo pianist Llŷr Williams. The incredibly moving show ended with the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective performing music by Fanny Hensel.

Mozart: Sonata for violin and piano in B flat, K454
Elena Urioste, violin
Tom Poster, piano

Bartók: Evening in Transylvania, SZ 39 No 5 (Ten Easy Pieces)
Bartók: Dear Dance, SZ 39 No 10 (Ten Easy Pieces)
Bartók: A Bit Drunk, SZ 45 No 2 (Four Dirges)
Bartók: Swineherd’s Dance, SZ 42 No 10 (For Children)
Llŷr Williams, piano

Hensel: Piano Quartet in A flat, Op 55
Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective
Elena Urioste, violin
Rosalind Ventris, viola
Laura van der Heijden, cello
Tom Poster, piano

You can still listen to the concert on BBC Sounds here

Fauré, Albéniz and Liszt

On the 14th December at 1pm, we heard the performance of Elena Urioste and Tom Poster’s romantic Violin Sonata No 1 by Fauré. We then had Llŷr Williams perform works from composer Albéniz and Liszt, and Elena Urioste and Tom Poster finish the show with Eriskay Love Lilt.

Violin Sonata No 1 in A, Op 13
Elena Urioste, violin
Tom Poster, piano

Albéniz: El Albaicin (Iberia, Bk3)
Albéniz: El Polo (Iberia, Bk3)
Llŷr Williams, piano

Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody, S244/12
Llŷr Williams, piano

Trad. Eriskay Love Lilt
Elena Urioste, violin
Tom Poster, piano

You can still listen to the concert on BBC Sounds here

Chopin, Boulanger and Dvořá

On the 15th December at 1pm, we can expect to hear a Polonaise performance from Llŷr Williams. Following that will be pianist Tom Poster with music by Lili Boulanger titled ‘Introduction et cortège’ which Poster transcribed himself and will be played alongside Elena Urioste. The Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective will then end the show with Piano Quartet No 2 by Dvořák.

Chopin: Polonaise, Op 44
Llŷr Williams, piano

Boulanger: Introduction et cortège
Elena Urioste, violin
Tom Poster, piano

Dvořák: Piano Quartet No 2 in E flat, Op 87
Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective
Elena Urioste, violin
Rosalind Ventris, viola
Laura van der Heijden, cello
Tom Poster, piano

Worried you might miss it? You’ll be able listen to the concert on BBC Sounds here

Grieg, Tchaikovsky and Mozart

The final played performance of the week will be opened by Llŷr Williams with three works from Grieg’s Lyric Pieces and followed by Tchaikovsky’s Dumka. The concert will end with the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective’s performance of Mozart’s Piano Quartet No 2.

Grieg: From Early Years, Op 65 No 1 (Lyric Pieces)
Grieg: Peasant’s Song, Op 65 No 2 (Lyric Pieces)
Grieg: Wedding-Day at Troldhaugen, Op 65 No 6 (Lyric Pieces)
Llŷr Williams, piano

Tchaikovsky: Dumka, Op 59
Llŷr Williams, piano

Mozart: Piano Quartet No 2 in E flat, K493
Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective
Elena Urioste, violin
Rosalind Ventris, viola
Laura van der Heijden, cello
Tom Poster, piano

Worried you might miss it? You’ll be able listen to the concert on BBC Sounds here

The different concerts will be played live on BBC Radio 3 everyday from the 14th-16th December at 1pm. But don’t worry if you miss it! The performances will be available to listen to later on BBC Sounds.

And the Cowbridge Music Festival will be back next year on the 15th-24th and the programme is still to be confirmed.