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The strings that connect us…
Enigma Quartet, Brahms and Compassion
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As part of Four Winds’ residency program, Marianne Edwards, first violin
with Enigma Quartet, along with Kerry Martin (violin), Rowena MacNeish (cello) and guest viola Tahlia Petrosian, spent a week with us here at Four Winds in November 2020.
The quartet completely embraced the essence of a residency at Four Winds, rehearsing and performing in the Windsong Pavilion, exploring the area and spending time in nature.
Here we share with you some of the fruits of that intense time, a recording of the Brahms String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51 – one of a series of digital recordings we undertook to address the Covid restriction on audiences.
Something wonderful out of something untimely; a kind of silver linings playbook is growing.
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L-R: Tahlia Petrosian, Kerry Martin, Rowena MacNeish and Marianne Edwards
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Luckily for us all, Marianne Edwards will return to Four Winds to perform in Compassion with Lior and Nigel Westlake this Easter.
Here Marianne reflects in her time here with the quartet, and her imminent return to Four Winds…
“The experience of having a week to rehearse, learn & study the Brahms Quartet in such beautiful surrounds was a true luxury in every sense. The Windsong Pavilion with its state of the art acoustics, beautiful architectural lines and incredible position nestled on the magical bush land of the Four Winds estate was such special treat, it is one we will always cherish.
“The Brahms quartets are a lifelong learning proposition for any string quartet, but to begin our journey of exploring and discovering the complex and nuanced A minor quartet in such a calm and peaceful environment was very special to us. Coffee breaks under the spotted gums listening to native birdsong are pretty hard to beat!
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“I so feel so lucky to be invited to return so soon to this gorgeous corner of the world for the upcoming Four Winds Festival. Having performed Nigel Westlake’s Compassion a few years ago with Lior and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, I am very much looking forward to revisiting this work.
“Lior’s artistry speaks to me on a very deep emotional level, full of sensitivity and humanity. Westlake’s music, which just dances with sparkling textures and gorgeous harmonic progressions also has such a profound and moving depth to it. It is such an interesting project with the ancient texts and has been realised so exquisitely, I think it is a salve for our modern lives and I am grateful for a chance to travel once again to Bermagui to be a part of something so wonderful.”
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Enigma Quartet are united by their passion for chamber music, and each has a pure and joyful love for what they do and how they share it with audiences. They are successful artists in their own right, and hold coveted positions in Australia's top orchestras. They choose to learn, play and perform together because they love to, and it shows.
Marianne will be joining an orchestra made up of some of Australia's best musicians on the Sound Shell stage for the festival's presentation of Compassion, by Lior and Nigel Westlake.
Please enjoy this digital presentation of Brahms and join us at Easter, to immerse yourselves in music and nature.
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Our festival program is live online now here.
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