Aylesbury Lunchtime Music presents

Leora Cohen & Adrian Partington

Print version
18 September 2025

Starts: 12:45pm, Doors: 12:15pm

Duration: 1 hour (approx.)

St Mary the Virgin, Aylesbury

£7 adults on the door (<18s & carers free)

  • Leora Cohen violin
  • Adrian Partington

Programme

  • 1874-1934

    A Song of the Night, Op. 19 No. 1 (Holst)

    Gustav Holst’s “A Song of the Night” was composed in 1905. It is a pleasant and unexpectedly romantic work, showcasing Holst’s talent and confident writing for the solo violin.

  • 1875-1912

    Violin Sonata, Op. 28 (Coleridge-Taylor)
    i Allegro ma non tanto, ii Larghetto, iii Allegro vivo con fuoco

    The Violin Sonata of 1897 found a posthumous champion in Albert Sammons, who must surely have relished its naive charm. Both outer movements nod approvingly towards Dvovák and Grieg in their outdoor modality (some will find the writing uncomplicated to a fault), while the central Larghetto emerges as a cross between the ‘Berceuse’ from Dolly and Salut d’amour. (Source: Gramophone.co.uk)

  • 1872-1958

    The Lark Ascending (Vaughan-Williams)

    The Lark Ascending is a short, single-movement work by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, inspired by the 1881 poem of the same name by the English writer George Meredith. It was originally for violin and piano, completed in 1914, but not performed until 1920. The composer reworked it for solo violin and orchestra after the First World War. This version, in which the work is chiefly known, was first performed in 1921. It is subtitled “A Romance”, a term that Vaughan Williams favoured for contemplative slow music.

  • 1876-1906

    Four English Sketches (Hurlstone)
    i Pastoral, ii Caprice, iii Romance, iv A Revelry

    The Four English Sketches are “miniatures which paint almost idyllic musical portraits of English country life, like scenes on a Royal Worcester porcelain dinner service.” There is an inherent innocence here. The Pastoral is more Edward German than RVW, whilst the Caprice has a beautiful ‘big tune’ in the middle eight. Romance is melancholy but ending enigmatically: a story rather than a love affair? The finale, A Revelry, is the most technically demanding of the Sketches, bouncy and playful. Hurlstone has introduced a bit of a fugal passage in the Trio section.

Performers

  • Leora Cohen

    Violin

    Leora Cohen is a British-American violinist. She enjoys a diverse career, performing as a recitalist, soloist and ensemble musician around the world.

    Read More
  • Adrian Partington

    Piano

    Adrian Partington is an English conductor, chorus master, organist and pianist. He is director of music at Gloucester Cathedral.

    Read More

Key information for concert goers

When

Every Thursday at 12:45pm (except August & over Christmas). Performances last around 60 minutes. Please enter quietly as there is a noon service in the Lady Chapel.

How much?

Entry is £7 per adult (card or cash), under 18s and carers are free. The price includes a programme. Donations are welcomed to subsidise the larger ensembles.

Where?

Performances are at St Mary’s Church in the heart of Aylesbury Old Town. See directions for further details.

Do I need to book?

No, just turn up. Doors open at 12:15 pm. Make sure you arrive in good time to get a seat.

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