Britain’s leading clarinetist, Matthew Hunt, joins Pekka Kuusisto and ACO Collective as the soloist for Brahms’ soulful Clarinet Quintet.

Brahms came out of retirement to write the Clarinet Quintet after hearing Richard Mühlfeld play. Brahms modelled his quintet on Mozart’s, to create a work that is clearly written from the heart. The clarinet’s mellow and haunting sound suited Brahms’ musical temperament and it was perfect for expressing the autumnal mood of his later years.

Bartók too was writing from his soul. But rather than stripping it bare, his Divertimento was a diversion from the pervasive gloom of his surroundings.

In Cairns, ACO Collective will perform with the Cairns Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, as part of a multi-year collaboration with Gondwana Choirs.

Concert Program

LUKE BYRNE       Storm Bird

LUKE BYRNE       Birinyi

MOZART Divertimento in D major, K.136

BARTÓK Divertimento for Strings, Sz.113

Interval

BRAHMS (arr. strings)     Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op.115

Trad. (arr. Lyn Williams & Owen Elsley): Sager Ina Gabu Tharema

Trad. (arr. Lyn Williams & Owen Elsley): Ngai Bubu Ya