The Vanbrugh and their guests present two of the greats from the extended chamber music repertoire. Beethoven’s Op.29 string quintet, nicknamed The Storm, was written in 1801, shortly after his Op.18 string quartets and combines his mastery of quartet writing with the expansive richness of texture offered by the addition of a second viola. Brahms’ magnificent 1890 string quintet Op.111 started life in the composer’s sketches for a fifth symphony and its final form retains an orchestral grandeur, both in structure and in texture. This is truly one of the finest works in the chamber music repertoire, exuberant, elegant, subtle, original and unmistakably Brahms.

Featuring Keith Pascoe and Marja Gaynor on violin, Simon Aspell and Ed Creedon on viola, and Christopher Marwood on cello.

Supported by the National String Quartet Foundation, the Arts Council and RTÉ Lyric FM.