Royal Northern Sinfonia I – Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence

Prokofiev’s Quintet, originally written for a travelling ballet troupe, offers a colourful circus of clashing harmonies, tumbling melodies and unexpected rhythms. In contrast, Shostakovich’s Eighth String Quartet is a haunting, deeply personal piece written in just three days on a visit to Germany in 1960, its mournful tones reflect the shadow of wartime still hanging over the city of Dresden. Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence rounds off the evening - a sun-drenched string sextet bursting with passion and warmth, mixing Italian inspiration with rich Russian melodism.

Royal Northern Sinfonia

Sergei Prokofiev: Quintet in G minor

Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence