CALLINO QUARTET
Helena Winkelman, violin
Tom Hankey, violin
Rebecca Jones, viola
Sarah McMahon, cello

Haydn - Quartet Op.33 No.3 'The Bird' [1781]
Helena Winkelman - Papa Haydn's Parrot [2016]
Ian Wilson - In fretta, in vento, string quartet no.6 [2001]
Ravel - Quartet in F major [1903]

Haydn's opus 33 quartets were nicknamed the "Russian" quartets because they were dedicated to the Grand Duke Paul of Russia and, it is said, were all premiered on Christmas Day 1781 at the Viennese apartment of the Duke's wife, Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna. The third quartet, "The Bird" is so called because of grace notes between the repeated notes in the opening melody which give it a birdlike quality. Helena Winkelman's quartet "Papa Haydn's Parrot" is dedicated to Haydn and two of the movements are inspired by his "Bird" quartet. The Parrot in the title comes from a treasured pet of Haydn's that could reportedly whistle melodies that Haydn practised on the piano. Ian Wilson's "In fretta, in vento" is a single movement work bound up with ideas of loss and remembrance, particularly in relation to the 9/11 attacks which took place shortly before he began writing it. Ravel's only string quartet was written in 1903 at a time when he was greatly influenced by Debussy's music, including his 1893 string quartet. Ravel's quartet is considered to be one of his earliest masterpieces and, along with Debussy’s, is a much celebrated part of the quartet repertoire.

Supported by the Arts Council, RTE Lyric FM and Cork County Council