Bath Mozartfest 2024
What a great festival that was! A vintage year as a critic observed, ‘when once again artistic director, Amelia Freedman, gathered together the cream of chamber musicians {…} to deliver a musical feast’.
From the opening notes (Mozart, of course) of Pavel Haas Quartet’s concert to the final Dona nobis pacem of Haydn’s closing Nelson Mass, performed exquisitely by The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra in Bath Abbey under the baton of Harry Christophers, there was music to delight, uplift and inspire.
Pianist Angela Hewitt brought her Mozart Odyssey to Bath with the London Mozart Players, Sir Andras Schiff introduced his programme from the stage and enthralled a packed house, and Peter Phillips’ Tallis Scholars performance of music inspired by the Sistine Chapel in St Mary’s Bathwick was truly glorious. And, as another journalist observed, the Nash Ensemble, as well as being ‘chamber music royalty’ are practically ‘in residence’ at the Mozartfest, always playing to enthusiastic houses. New faces, the Modigliani String Quartet, and young artists including the award-winning Leonkoro Quartet, made their mark too.
The latter brought our time at Bath’s beautiful Assembly Rooms to a close, for the next two years at least, as it shuts for refurbishment by its owners the National Trust. We hope to return in due course, but next year will be in alternative Bath venues.
We would like to thank everyone who helped to make Bath Mozartfest 2024 such a success: the artists; the small staff team; the tech teams (from piano tuners to lighting engineers); volunteers and, in particular, our wonderful audiences – local, national and international.
We look forward to seeing you again in 2025 when Bath Mozartfest will take place from 7th to 15th November.