The Fitzsimmon Ensemble
Fri July 24, 2026 1:00 pm
Sarah Brandwood-Spencer – Violin
Catherine Yates – Violin
Raymond Lester – Viola
Damion Browne – Cello
Benjamin Powell – Piano
In this concert the Ensemble bring us two cornerstones of the chamber repertoire, beginning with Haydn’s majestic ‘Sunrise Quartet’ No.63 in Bb major, Opus 76, No. 4. It gained its nickname from the rising theme over sustained chords that begins the quartet, which throughout shows Haydn’s genius for this instrumental combination. This will be followed by Mendelssohn’s Piano Quartet No. 3 in B minor, Opus 3, which he completed just before his sixteenth birthday. Though composed at such an early age, the work is vintage Mendelssohn, brilliantly virtuosic, containing clever counterpoint,and strong melodic interest throughout. As always, and especially in the year in which we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Telford’s bridge, it is a pleasure to include works by Mendelssohn in the programme, given that he visited Conwy in 1829 and sketched the Castle and newly completed suspension bridge.
Yn y cyngerdd daw’r Ensemble â dwy gornelfaen cerddoriaeth siambr inni eu mwynhau, Pedwarawd mawr Haydn ‘Sunrise Quartet’ Rhif 63 yn Bb mwyaf, Opus 76, Rhif 4, sy’n agor y perfformiad. Cafodd ei lysenw o’r thema sy’n codi dros gordiau cyson yr agoriad, ac mae’r pedwarawd cyfan yn arddangos athrylith y cyfansoddwr wrth gyfuno synau offerynnol. Dilynir hyn gan Bedwarawd Piano Mendelsshon,Rhif 3 yn B leiaf, Opus 3, a gwblhaodd ychydig cyn ei ben-blwydd yn un ar bymtheg. Er mor ifanc ei oed, mae’r gwaith yn hynod aeddfed, yn llawn o wrthbwynt clyfar gyda melodiau diddorol drwyddo. Fel arfer, ac yn enwedig wrth ddathlu 200 mlynedd pont Telford, y mae’n bleser cynnwys gweithiau gan Mendelsshon yn y rhaglen o ystyried iddo ymweld â Chonwy ym 1829 gan dynnu llun o’r Castell a’r bont grog newydd sbon.
Sponsored by/Noddwyd gan Alan and Jennifer Pearce.
There are no set admission charges to festival concerts. Audiences are invited to contribute to a collection at the end of each performance towards the very considerable costs involved in running the festival. We very much appreciate the generous support which we receive from our sponsors in making this arrangement possible and allowing access to the festival to everyone, irrespective of their financial means. Any profit accruing is carried forward to ensure that the festival continues to flourish in the years ahead.
Ni chodir tâl mynediad i gyngherddau’r ŵyl. Gwahoddir cyfraniadau gan y gynulleidfa ar ôl pob perfformiad tuag at y costau sylweddol o redeg yr ŵyl. Gwerthfawrogwn yn fawr gefnogaeth hael ein noddwyr sydd yn gwneud y trefniant hwn yn bosibl ac yn golygu fod pawb sydd eisiau yn cael mynychu’r ŵyl beth bynnag yw eu moddion byw. Trosglwyddir unrhyw elw a wneir i gronfa arbennig i sicrhau llwyddiant yr ŵyl yn y dyfodol.