The Rape of Lucretia at Glyndebourne – 14th August 2015
This event has taken place. To find out about similar events in the future please email olivia@thefeastofreason.com to join the mailing list.
The Feast of Reason went to Glyndebourne with Sandy Burnett of Classic Discovery to see The Rape of Lucretia, an opera in two acts by Benjamin Britten, directed by Fiona Shaw. “Britten coined the term ‘chamber opera’ to describe this intimate, haunting masterpiece. It deploys a cast of eight and an orchestra of just 13 players to stunningly colourful and evocative effect.”
Sandy Burnett’s report:
“A tricky post-war piece, written by Benjamin Britten for Glyndebourne in 1946, brought to life in a really fine production by actor/director Fiona Shaw. I liked the central conceit of the Male and Female Chorus, who open the opera, taking the form of modern-day archeologists uncovering the story and bringing it to life. Much of the music and text is dark; the one standout moment for me is the exquisite Slumber Song at the start of the second act, before the opera’s awful main event takes place. A real case of the calm before the storm…”
Theatre Trip to see Golem – Thursday 7th May 2014
This event has taken place. To find out about similar events in the future please email olivia@thefeastofreason.com to join the mailing list.
Pass the time until the results start coming in by seeing Golem, about the dangers of our increasing dependence on technology, from the theatre company 1927. It had rave reviews at the Young Vic in 2014 and now transfers to the Trafalgar Studios on Trafalgar Square. The show starts at 8pm and finishes by 9.30. Afterwards we’ll stroll down Whitehall to have a drink and see the the first results projected onto Big Ben. Tickets £20 – email me on olivia@thefeastofreason.com.
A Short Course on Chamber Music with Sandy Burnett of Classic Discovery – 30th January and 5th February 2014
This event has now taken place. To find out about similar events in the future please email olivia@thefeastofreason.com to join the mailing list.
Back by popular demand, Sandy Burnett of Classic Discovery is running another short course on classical music in partnership with the Feast of Reason.
Sandy says: In this short course I will lead you through the sophisticated world of chamber music – a branch of classical music in which each instrument has one dedicated part to play. A great example of this is the string quartet, renowned in late eighteenth-century Vienna for its sophistication and elegance. Not for nothing did Goethe compare the sound of a string quartet as “four intelligent people conversing.” The session on Thursday 30th January will take chamber music apart and put it back together again, looking in particular at Haydn’s opus 20 no 5, Beethoven’s opus 59 no 2, and Bartók’s fourth quartet, with the help of recordings as well as excerpts played live in the comfort of Olivia’s living room. Then on Wednesday 5th of February we go to hear the exciting young Carducci Quartet perform these three works at the temple of chamber music itself, and one of the most famous classical music venues in the world: the Wigmore Hall in Central London.
Please email Olivia on events@finsharky.com to book your place on this course. Cost – £65 for both evenings, including supper, wine and concert ticket.
Thursday 30th January – Sandy’s talk on chamber music, followed by supper.
Wednesday 5th February – visit to the Wigmore Hall to hear the Carducci String Quartet perform Haydn, Bartók and Beethoven.
Sandy Burnett runs Classic Discovery – courses, lectures and illustrated concerts making connections between intelligent people and classical music.
Carol singing in Brixton – Monday 16th December
This event has now taken place. To find out about similar events in the future please email olivia@thefeastofreason.com to join the mailing list.
Come and drink mulled wine and sing carols, led by Sandy Burnett. He will provide the music and words. Supper afterwards. Cost – £20 including wine and supper.
Sandy Burnett runs Classic Discovery – courses, lectures and illustrated concerts making connections between intelligent people and classical music.
Mr and Mrs Kurtág Concert, Talk+Brunch – Sunday 1st December 2013
This event has now taken place. To find out about similar events in the future please email olivia@thefeastofreason.com to join the mailing list.
Sunday 1st December 2013 at 11.30am for brunch & 3pm for the concert. Cost £40 including brunch and concert ticket.
Brunch and talk by Sandy in Brixton, followed by visit to the South Bank Centre for the concert on the same day.
A rare opportunity to see György and Márta Kurtág play excerpts from György’s Játékok (Games), and some of his four-hand arrangements of Bach.
Sandy says: György Kurtág (b. 1926) is one of the greatest living composers of contemporary classical music, and a living link to some of the core developments in the twentieth century. He studied and later taught at the world famous Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, and has worked at some of Europe’s most prestigious ensembles, including a spell as composer in residence with the Berlin Philharmonic. Kurtág has developed a distinctive technique: building musical structures out of tiny fragments, which we’ll hear in action in this concert, for which he’ll be joined by his wife and regular piano duet partner Márta. Expect music that’s quirky, humorous, thought-provoking and beautiful.
Sandy Burnett runs Classic Discovery – courses, lectures and illustrated concerts making connections between intelligent people and classical music. For more information about the concert the South Bank website.
“Shostakovitch Speaks Out” – 21st and 26th October 2013
This event has now taken place. To find out about similar events in the future please email olivia@thefeastofreason.com to join the mailing list.
Monday 21st October at 7.30pm & Saturday 26th October at 7.30pm. Talk by Sandy Burnett of Classic Discovery in Brixton followed by supper on 21st October, & visit to the South Bank Centre for the concert on 26th October.
London Philharmonic Orchestra play Shostakovich’s Symphony No.13 in B flat minor, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, as part of “The Rest is Noise” season at the South Bank.
Sandy says: The Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovitch’s dilemma was this: how could he write music of lasting artistic value which engaged with the issues of the time, while staying on the right side of the often repressive regime? His Symphony no 13 (1962) is a fascinating case in point: a symphonic depiction of the World War II Babi Yar massacre which represented the composer’s last great brush with the authorities. Thereby hangs a fascinating tale.
Cost – £65 for both evenings, including supper, wine and concert ticket.
Sandy Burnett runs Classic Discovery – courses, lectures and illustrated concerts making connections between intelligent people and classical music.
For more information on the concert see the South Bank website.
Prom Night with Sandy Burnett – Lachenmann and Mahler – July 2013
This event has now taken place. To find out about similar events in the future please email olivia@thefeastofreason.com to join the mailing list.
In July 2013 we met in Brixton for a talk by Sandy about our two Prom composers: the brilliant Helmut Lachenmann (b.1935), who uses conventional orchestral instruments in the most unconventional ways; and Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), one of the greatest symphonists of all, who threw his deepest concerns into his music: life, death, faith, love… as Mahler said, the symphony should be like the world: embracing everything.
On Monday 15th July we headed to the Royal Albert Hall, buzzing with Sandy’s insights, to hear the Symphony no. 5 by Mahler, and the UK premiere of Lachenmann’s piece.
A Short Course on Classical Music in Three Delightful Evenings – March 2013
This event has taken place. To find out about similar events in the future please email olivia@thefeastofreason.com to join the mailing list.
March 2013 we ran a very successful short music course with Sandy Burnett – conductor, bass player, and one of the UK’s most authoritative broadcasters on classical music.
“I wanted to say what a fab, inspiring evening! I felt so privileged to be there. Sandy was ace, as were Dan and Robin, your food was as ever gorgeous, people were really interesting and fun – all in all it was a super evening; it had a really warm, intelligent yet approachable atmosphere and it was such a treat to be inches away from wonderful music-making. I look forward to next week very much. Well done you and a huge thank you.” RS
“It was such a treat to hear music like that in the intimacy of a home.” CS
“Thank you for hosting such a delightful evening on Tuesday it really was special, delicious music and food! Looking forward to next week.” JB
Each evening approached classical music from a different angle. On 12th March we were joined by top musicians Robin Michael (cello) and Daniel Tong (piano) for a session on Beethoven (1770-1827), whose revolutionary compositions changed the face of classical music for ever. Supper afterwards gave us a chance to meet everyone and talk more to Sandy and the musicians.
On 19th March Sandy led an in-depth exploration of musical form, terms, and meaning, again followed by supper. He focused particularly on Schubert’s “Unfinished” and the Brahms Violin concerto, the two works featured at the concert the following week.
On 26th March we visited the Barbican to hear one of the world’s greatest and most exciting orchestras in action – the London Symphony Orchestra with violin soloist Nikolaj Znaider, playing Schubert and Brahms.
Sandy runs Classic Discovery aimed at introducing intelligent adults to classical music. Find out more about what he gets up to at www.sandyburnett.com.