Programme

L. van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)                         7 Variations from Mozart’s The Magic Flute

                                                                           (for Viola and Pianoforte)

                                                                            Allegretto from Symphony no. 7 in A Major op. 92

                                                                            (arr. Hans Sitt (1850 – 1922))

                                                                            Scherzo – Etude from Symphony no. 9 in D Minor op. 125

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Theme and Variations from Septet op. 20

                                                                             ‘An die Freude’ from Symphony no. 9 in D Minor op. 125

 F. Chopin (1810 – 1849)                                     Adagio sostenuto op. 8

                                                                           Ballade no. 1 in G Minor op. 23

R. Schumann (1810 – 1856)                                Märchenerzählungen for Trio op. 132               

                                                                             III. Calm with tender expression

Primrose Duo got together in 2017 and since then they have performed extensively, even recording their first CD for Continuo Classics. Their repertoire explores works from the early Baroque to the contemporary, with quite a few works being written specifically for them. Pierre Henri Xuereb is equally versatile on the viola d’amore as well as the 5-string viola/violin, while Ruixin Nui is as accomplished on a 3D printed 5-string viola/violin as she is on the classic viola. Concerts have taken the Duo to Europe, China, the USA as well as Egypt. This October, Pierre Henri and Ruixin will inaugurate a new music Festival in Paphos, Greece while also recording a new CD of music from the ‘Maritime Silk Road’ ranging from works of the seventeenth century to the present time for Indesens-Calliope. An interesting work on this CD is the oldest extant piece composed for 4 violas by Lodovico Beretta (Venice 1625), which the Duo found in the course of their research two years ago at the Archive of Mdina Cathedral after performing in the Victoria International Arts Festival.

After finishing her Master’s degree in pedagogy in Liège, Ruixin is now a PhD candidate enrolled in an interdisciplinary programme at the University of Maine in the USA. Ruixin has been assistant professor to Pierre Henri in the Summer Music Academy in Lasalle en Cévennes since 2020. Pierre Henri Xuereb is internationally recognised as one of the leading violists of his generation. He has just released a CD of Vladimir Cosma’s Viola Concerto, dedicated to Pierre Henri, with the Orchestra de Turin as well as Bach’s 6 Suites BWV 1007-1012 for Indesens-Calliope, which received excellent reviews. Pierre Henri has also published a book about viola technique with Cnsmdp éditions, Paris, which discusses ’24 recipes for viola players’. The book has been translated into English, Japanese as well as Chinese. The latter translation was made by Ruixin Niu.

Pascal Mantin started his pianoforte studies at the young age of five, moving on to the National Conservatoire de Saint Etienne from where he won the top prize in pianoforte at just fifteen years of age after studying with Rolland Meillier. Deciding on a professional pianistic career, Pascal was accepted at the legendary Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique, Paris, again winning the first prize after studying with the equally famous Yvonne Loroid-Messiaen. He also obtained top marks in chamber music performance. Furthering postgraduate studies at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris ‘Alfred Cortot’ with Michelle Boegner, he obtained a distinction as a concert pianist. He is the winner of prestigious competitions, most notably in Barcellona, Luxemburg, Rome, and more. Pascal has performed extensively both in his native France as well as internationally, including Mexico. He is a regular performer at the Church of Saint Ephrem in Paris. He is the Dean of the Pianoforte Faculty at the Conservatoire de Sartrouville.