Brighton Connections series continues with the rich droning harmonies of Guy Richardson

Chamber music can be a great way to get to the heart of a composer in a starker, more intimate setting than a full symphony. Melodies can be easier to wrap one’s head around since they are often singularly played and sound high in the mix compared to the full blaze of an orchestra. If you listen before attending a concert you can really get lost in the music, and the next instalment in BPO’s Brighton Connections series features some stunning pieces to get stuck into.

Dvořák is always reliable for some bold tunes and his gorgeously enveloping American String Quartet no. 12 is no different. The work is generally quite buoyant and ends with a lively final movement that is a great energetic way to end the piece.
Finzi’s Interlude for Oboe & String Quartet is a beautiful piece that recalls the “English pastoralist” style of composers such as Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The single movement showcases a plaintive, evocative oboe voice that achieves a wide range of moods in the space of about ten minutes: an impressive emotive feat.

The Brighton Connections series always features a local composer’s work and this concert will feature Meditation on Gibbons’ 20th Fantasia for string quartet by Guy Richardson (Chair of the brilliant New Music Brighton association). You can hear a sample of the piece on guyrichardsoncomposer.co.uk and the rich droning harmonies sound inviting: I will certainly be attending and look forward to hearing how the scope and power of the full piece unfolds.

Brighton Connections, Sun 31 July, 5pm, Brighton Unitarian Church, £15, www.brightonticketshop.com or 01273 709709