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Franz Liszt, Hungarian pianist & composer, loved gypsy music. He went into the gypsy encampments whever he could, listening to these brilliant, natural, musicians; their music, alternately sad & frenetic, influenced his own compositions, sometimes, in unusual ways.

In "Hungarian Fantasia: Franz Liszt & the Gypsies" David Hood narrates this story and, with Warwick Sharpin, plays Liszt's four-hand piano music, both with, and without, the gypsy shadow. There's also Gottschalk's (the first American "ethnic" composer) Grand Valse de Concert, & some of Liszt's most exciting solo piano music.

Warwick is a 3 MBS-FM broadcaster, presenting "Music for Keyboard"; David also broadcast for 22 years, lately with "The Piano Album" & received the Liszt Medal from the Hungarian Government in 1986.

The Yarra Trio at fortyfivedownstairs (45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne) - the final concert in their inaugural Subscription Series.

Performing: SHOSTAKOVICH Trio in E minor no 2 op 67

MOZART Trio in E major K 542

BEETHOVEN Trio in D major op 70 no 1 “Ghost”

and

The winning composition of the Yarra Trio/University of Melbourne National Composition Award 2008.

Alban Berg wrote two significant operas, Wozzek and the unfinished Lulu. His op 3 quartet has one of the most dramatic openings in the quartet repertoire, thus providing the perfect curtain raiser for this concert.

BERG String Quartet op 3

MOZART String Quartet in E flat major, KV 428

PUCCINI Crisantemi

VERDI – String Quartet in E minor

SCHUBERT Piano Trio No.1 in Bflat, D.898

MESSIAEN O Sacrum Convivium for Piano Trio arr. Yee

SCRIABIN 2 Preludes in Bflat arr. Knoop

Robert Dahm New Work for Piano Trio (World premiere)

Written near the end of a tragically short life, Schubert's momentous B-flat Trio showcases all three musicians at full emotional stretch, alongside Messiaen's choral music masterfully transcribed by regular collaborator Adam Yee. The Australian pianist/conductor Mark Knoop will contribute two Scriabin transcriptions to this concert.

Allocated seating "special seating requests"

This colourful and entertaining group will present the final concert for 2008. It comprises four talented and versatile musicians who have come together to reproduce this lively and entertaining style ofjazz. Django's Gypsies has sought to recreate the original instrumentation and sound of Django's famous Quintet of the Hot Club of Paris.

"A Night at the Opera" Featuring highlights from Carmen, Don Giovanni, Lakmé, The Pearlfishers, La Traviata, The Magic Flute, and more.

Claudio MONTEVERDI Christmas Vespers