Discovering Delius

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TORCH Goes Digital! presents a series of live online events Big Tent - Live Events! This event is part of the Humanities Cultural Programme, one of the founding stones for the future Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities.

Join us for a live performance from ‘Villiers Quartet’ with Professor Daniel Grimley (Music) and Dr Joanna Bullivant (Music).

Frederick Delius completed his first string quartet in 1889, but until recently only the two final movements of the work were known to have survived. Last year, the two missing movements appeared for sale at auction and were purchased by the Delius Trust. Professor Daniel Grimley helped to identify the source, and has since prepared the first edition of the missing movements. The complete work is now receiving its world premiere at the University of Oxford, performed by the Villiers Quartet. Grimley and the Villiers have previously collaborated on the reconstruction of the original version of ‘Late Swallows’ from Delius’s second String Quartet (1916), which led to a critically acclaimed recording on Naxos. Grimley will introduce and explain the significance of this latest discovery, and the performance will be followed by an audience Q&A (via YouTube chat) chaired by Dr Joanna Bullivant (Music Faculty).

This event is the first performance of this reconstruction, live and online from an Oxford venue. Professor Dan Grimley (Music Faculty) will introduce and explain the research and work behind bringing this piece into a performance, and the performance will be followed by audience Q&A (via YouTube chat) chaired by Dr Joanna Bullivant (Music Faculty). The Villiers Quartet is the Quartet-in-Residence at the Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building at Oxford University. Named after Villiers Street in London, the Villiers Quartet encompasses the grand and iconic spirit of the extraordinary music tradition in Britain and has been praised for "exquisite ensemble playing" (Seen & Heard International), and absolute "commitment and virtuosity" (The Sunday Times).

Villiers Quartet
Katie Stillman - Violin I
Tamaki Higashi - Violin II
Carmen Flores - Viola
Rebecca Knight - Cello

www.villiersquartet.com

The Villiers Quartet is the Quartet-in-Residence at the Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building at Oxford University. Named after Villiers Street in London, the Villiers Quartet encompasses the grand and iconic spirit of the extraordinary music tradition in Britain and has been praised for "exquisite ensemble playing" (Seen & Heard International), and absolute "commitment and virtuosity" (The Sunday Times).

Hailed as "Champions of British Music" (The Observer), the Villiers Quartet has developed a reputation as exceptional interpreter of British composers. The VQ released acclaimed recordings of works by Elgar, Delius, Peter Racine Fricker, William Sterndale Bennett, David Matthews, and most recently music by William Alwyn and Kuljit Bhamra, MBE. In 2017 they released their landmark recording of the Delius Quartet (1916), featuring movements in their Original Versions uncovered by Professor Daniel Grimley.

The Villiers Quartet performed live on BBC Radio 3 as part of the Leamington International String Quartet Series and it has also been featured on the radio programme In Tune and on live television for BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show. The VQ was the featured quartet on the score to the BBC film Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

In addition to working at Oxford, the Villiers Quartet has presented masterclasses in the UK and abroad at Duke University, Dartmouth College, University of Nottingham, Syracuse University, Jacksonville University, and Indiana University South Bend. As an ambassador for British music, the VQ most completed a Calfornia tour in 2019 featuring the works of British composers Thea Musgrave, Alexander Goehr, Martyn Harry and Elizabeth Kelly.

The broad curiosity of the Villiers Quartet and its passion for teaching and performing have made the VQ a valuable resource for students and audiences alike. Inspiration comes from the heart of the Villiers Quartet's philosophy: to believe in the art of string quartet.