Putting a delightfully positive spin on the performance disaster that has been COVID, the Razumovsky Quartet was formed last year by ‘four close friends, Ellie Fagg, Tom Norris, Orlando Jopling and Dorothea Vogel, whose international careers meant that it was only the seismic events of 2020 that gave them the opportunity to make music together’.
But instead of just playing together, the quartet created the RazClub, ‘a series of sociable, informative and entertaining evenings of great music, food, wine and chat with wine writer Nina Caplan, musicologist Bill Carslake and special guests.’
Next up: Benjamin Britten’s C Major Quartet on 13th March
Creating a much needed ‘event’
As we do for our own salon events, the quartet felt that their performances would be greatly enhanced by being filmed in exciting and unusual locations – and being accompanied not only by a delicious meal and a fine glass of wine, but by some insights into the concert from the players or an appropriate expert. The location and the insights were not too much of an ask – but food and wine?
They decided to recruit their own dining specialists to come up with dinner and wine ideas.
So for the Britten concert there are suggestions for dishes which evoke the windswept Suffolk coast with links to suppliers and to excellent sounding recipes. And to drink? Wine suggestions from the Theatre of Wine who have put together a special case of wine that Benjamin Britten would have enjoyed.
But if you don’t actually feel like all that sourcing and cooking, they have set up a further partnership with London Kitchen Deliveries who, despite their name, can deliver nationwide. LKD have designed a Britten themed menu which they will deposit on your doorstep all ready to roll.
Britten’s C Major Quartet at the Anise gallery
The next concert, to go with all that Britten themed food and wine, is of Britten’s C Major quartet and is next Saturday 13th March. It will be staged at the exciting new Anise Gallery in Forest Hill which lives next door to the 1878 Zion Chapel which the gallery owners are also refurbishing.
Britten specialist and Head of Public Engagement at Britten-Pears Arts Dr Lucy Walker will join the on line audience live for the pre-concert chat. She will bring insights into Britten’s life and music – and maybe even a glimpse of the original manuscript of the quartet…
Cost
If you just want to join the club for the evening, this will cost you £20 and you can book your ticket here. Or go for the bargain offer of all four remaining concerts for £65 – bookable on the same page.
Food and wine suggestions come free with your ticket. The case of wine from the Theatre of Wine will cost you £128 inc VAT; a three course meal from LKD, £55 per head plus delivery.
Check them out?…
And for a sneak preview, not of the Britten, but of the quartet, go to this page where you will be able to listen to them playing Bartók’s String Quartet no. 1 in the delightful and appropriate setting of the Hungarian Cultural Institute last November.
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