One of the pleasures of curating Tree of Strings is bringing well-loved pieces together with music you might not have heard before — works that open up new sound worlds, histories and ways of listening.
Let’s meet some of the composers you could encounter across the weekend.
Ernő Dohnányi (1877–1960): Serenade for String Trio
Dohnányi was a towering figure in European musical life in the early 20th century – a pianist, composer and teacher whose influence in Hungary rivalled Liszt a generation earlier. His music sits firmly in the Romantic tradition of Brahms, but with its own Hungarian inflections and a beautifully refined ear for instrumental colour.
His Serenade for String Trio, written in his twenties, is one of his most popular chamber works. It’s lively and elegant, combining classical clarity with folktinged rhythms and lyrical warmth. Each instrument its own voice in music that immediately draws you in. Perfect for Saturday morning’s Hungarian Homage.
Henri Dutilleux (1916–2013): Piano Sonata
French composer Dutilleux is often described as one of the most distinctive voices of the post-war period. He wrote relatively little, revising obsessively and holding himself to exacting standards — but what he left us is extraordinarily vivid and precise.
The Piano Sonata, from the late 1940s, was the first work he felt truly represented him. Across three contrasting movements, it moves between intensity and stillness, lyricism and power. It’s a demanding piece, but also deeply expressive – a landmark of 20th-century piano writing. Hear Khanh Nhi Luong bring it to life in her Solo Portrait on Friday.
Egberto Gismonti (b. 1947)
Egberto Gismonti’s music refuses to sit in one place. A composer and multi-instrumentalist, he moves freely between classical music, jazz, South American traditions and improvisation – shaped by both formal study in Paris and a deep connection to his native Brazilian culture.
He’s known for expanding the possibilities of his instruments – even designing guitars with extra strings – and for music that blends rhythmic vitality with lyrical freedom. The result is a sound world that is open and energetic – and bound to set toes tapping in Friday night’s Tango Nuevo concert.
Kaija Saariaho (1952–2023)
Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho was one of the most influential composers of recent decades. Her music is often described in terms of light, colour and texture, shaped by a fascination with how sound transforms over time.
Her work invites a different kind of listening — slow, immersive, attentive. Rather than dramatic gestures, her pieces unfold gradually, creating atmospheres that feel luminous, meditative and quietly powerful. Perfectly evocative music for Abbotsbury’s medieval Tithe Barn and Sunday’s Invisible Waves.
Dani Howard (b. 1990): Add Oil
Dani Howard writes music that is direct, driven and full of energy. Working across concert music, film and theatre, she brings a physical sense of momentum to everything she writes.
Add Oil, a 2022 work for solo cello, a title that echoes a Cantonese phrase of encouragement — “keep going”. It’s fast-paced and tightly focused, pushing the instrument to its limits in a short, electrifying bursts. Hugo Svedberg will put his bow to the task in Friday’s Stars of Tomorrow.
Leo Geyer (b. 1994): Unfurling
Leo Geyer’s music is often shaped by storytelling — drawing on history, nature and the idea of music as something that unfolds in time.
Unfurling, written for the Elmore Quartet, takes its inspiration from a fern opening in spring. It begins with a simple rocking figure, gradually opening out before returning to its starting point — a compact, quietly evocative piece that will let the quartet’s sound really shine in Friday’s Stars of Tomorrow.
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Whether you encounter just one of these works, or hear several across the weekend, we hope they leave you listening a little differently.
