The Late Mix

Helen Papaioannou is a composer studying in Newcastle, and this is the premiere of ‘Lachrimae’. Based on John Dowland’s ‘Lachrimae’ pavane this work was written for Northern Sinfonia’s ‘old meets new’ project in collaboration with Newcastle University composition students in February 2010.

A frenzied flow of movement developing passages and rare moments which suspend the flow of activity, allow us to linger in Dowland’s forlorn melody for a little while. Messiaen’s quartet is one of the most moving testaments to faith to emerge from World War Two.

Written and premiered in a German prisoner of war camp for captured French soldiers, Messiaen wrote for whatever instruments and players he could find there – clarinet, piano, violin, a cello with only three strings.

Northern Sinfonia

Helen Papaioannou
Lachrimae

Messiaen
Quartet for the End of Time

Photography © Mark Savage