There is a rare kind of magic that occurs when two musicians, separated by oceans but united by a shared musical language, find a perfect synchronicity. For several years, Marshall-Luck and Cartwright have been cultivating such a partnership. On 16 April, this acclaimed duo will bring their latest collaboration, ’Lyric Landscapes‘, to the prestigious Odeion in Bloemfontein for an evening that promises to be as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally resonant.

The duo has been collaborating for quite a few years and looks forward to sharing their approach to piano and violin with the audience. Peter Cartwright joins Yolanda Maartens in the OFM Art Beat to talk about 'Lyric Landscapes', which features compositions by Russian, British, and South African musicians. 

The title of the programme, ’Lyric Landscapes‘, is far from accidental. It serves as a thematic bridge between the abstract medium of sound and the physical worlds that inspired these compositions. The evening is designed to take the audience on a journey through the pastoral beauty of the English countryside, the bold and evocative terrain of South Africa, and the sharp, neoclassical elegance of 20th-century Russia. 

This curated selection reflects a modern trend in programming, blending standard repertoire with works that celebrate the performers' respective home countries, creating a dialogue between the familiar and the fresh.

A Meeting of Virtuosity

The performers themselves bring a wealth of international prestige to the Bloemfontein stage. Rupert Marshall-Luck, praised by BBC Music Magazine for his "handsome tone and laser-like tuning," is a specialist in British music and a dedicated scholar-performer. 

He performs on an exquisite 1899 violin by Charles Jean-Baptiste Collin-Mezin, an instrument often compared to a Stradivari for its tonal flexibility. His presence in South Africa offers a rare opportunity to hear a musician who is as comfortable in the lecture halls of Oxford and Cambridge as he is on the world’s great concert stages.

Rupert Marshall-Luck on violin and Peter Cartwright on piano.

Complementing Marshall-Luck is Peter Cartwright, a double Sama award winner and one of South Africa’s most versatile pianists. Described as "brilliant" by Seen and Heard International, Cartwright has dedicated much of his career to championing South African art music. 

His deep roots in the local musical landscape, combined with his international recording experience, make him the ideal partner for a programme that seeks to find common ground between diverse musical traditions.

The Programme: From Stravinsky to Klatzow

The concert opens with the neo-Baroque charm of Igor Stravinsky’s ’Suite Italienne‘, a work of wit and crystalline clarity. This is contrasted by the rhapsodic intensity of Sergei Prokofiev’s ’Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major‘, a cornerstone of the repertoire known for its driving energy. 

Representing the "landscapes" of the performers' homes, the duo will perform Frederick Delius’s ’Third Sonata‘, which evokes the English countryside alongside jazz-like influences from the composer’s time in Florida. Perhaps most poignantly, the programme includes the late Peter Klatzow’s ’Sonata for Violin and Piano‘, a work that brings the unique sound world of South Africa into a powerful and moving conversation with Western classical tradition.

Whether you are a seasoned concert-goer or a newcomer to the world of chamber music, ’Lyric Landscapes‘ offers a rich variety of musical expression. It is a testament to the power of collaboration and a celebration of the diverse cultures that shape our musical world today.

Event Details:

• Date: 16 April
• Time: 19:00
• Venue: Odeion, Bloemfontein
• Tickets: Available now at Quicket

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