12 May, 2014
Stile Antico gives world premiere at Wigmore Hall
Last night Stile Antico was thrilled to give world premiere of Huw Watkins‘ new work The Phoenix and the Turtle, commissioned by Nicholas and Judith Goodison especially for the group to perform at the Wigmore Hall. Huw’s piece, a setting of an enigmatic poem by Shakespeare (with intriguing links to William Byrd), was extremely well received, both in the Hall and by listeners to BBC Radio 3, which broadcast the concert live.
Barry Millington, the Evening Standard’s critic, described the Watkins as “elegiacally beautiful”, and praised the group’s “miracles of precision in ensemble and tuning” in a Treasures of the Renaissance programme which “neatly demonstrated the tonal and expressive variety of which they are capable”, praising their “miracles of precision in ensemble and tuning”.
Stile Antico looks forward to returning to the Wigmore Hall with its new Christmas programme on New Year’s Eve.