THE MENDELSSOHNS

FELIX MENDELSSOHN String Quartet No. 6 in F minor Op. 80 ^ together with other music by Felix Mendelssohn^, Fanny Mendelssohn, Ludwig van Beethoven, and incidental music by Bryony Marks^

Dramaturg/director: Richard Piper

^ These works comprise the St Johns Southgate 60 min concert program

ST JOHN’S CHURCH, FLINDERS • SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER, 2.30PM BOOKINGS
(approx 120 min performance, including interval)

MONTSALVAT BARN GALLERY • SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER, 2.30PM BOOKINGS
(approx 120 min performance, including interval)

ST JOHNS SOUTHGATE • TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER, 1PM BOOKINGS
(approx 60 min performance, plus post-concert Q&A)

PRIMROSE POTTER SALON • WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER, 7PM BOOKINGS
(approx 120 min performance, including interval)

Also touring to Sydney and regional Victoria - check back on this page (or our What’s On) for details and to find program notes and other content.

Visit FQ Digital to relive the works in this concert program, on demand viewing from Wednesday 13 November.

“Ever since we performed Fanny Mendelssohn’s string quartet in 2021 and learned of her letters to her brother, Felix, we knew there was the nucleus of an idea that could help illuminate Felix and Fanny’s world for us today. Given Felix’s very successful and much loved incidental music for the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, we thought it would be apt to commission our own incidental music for this project. Bryony Marks is the perfect conduit for connecting these characters and the music that defines them.

Felix Mendelssohn was heavily influenced by Beethoven’s string quartets, becoming infatuated with Op. 132 and copying it out note by note in his journal. Like Beethoven, Mendelssohn’s string quartets track his life - from the optimism of his first string quartet, Op. 12, to the tragedy of last, Op. 80, which was written in response to the death of Fanny. Both composers penned their final notes in their string quartets.

Our adventures with Richard Piper are always insightful, and we love to be gently taken out of our comfort zone with his innate musicianship and theatrical sensitivity.”

ZOE KNIGHTON, CELLO

BRYONY MARKS • Composer

Bryony Marks is one of Australia’s most sought-after screen composers. She brings classical rigour and an insider’s perspective to her compositions.

She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English and Fine Art. She then completed a Graduate Diploma in Music Composition for Film and Television with First Class Honours from the University of Melbourne’s Conservatorium of Music, following which she attended the inaugural Composers’ Program at the Australian National Academy of Music.

Bryony composes in other disciplines beyond film and TV. Most recently, her duet for violin and piano, Lockdown Birdsong, was performed at the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall in March 2021. She has also collaborated with Alice Topp ⎯ resident choreographer at The Australian Ballet ⎯ on two productions: Patina and Annealing, which both premiered in 2022.

Bryony’s score for Lambs of God was awarded ‘Best Original Score in Television’ and her music for 2040 ‘Best Original Score in a Documentary’ at the 2019 AACTA Awards. Her score for Savage River was awarded ‘Best Original Score in Television’ at the 2022 AACTA Awards.