Programme includes

Tigeneascau: Hungarian traditional melody

Brahms: Clarinet quintet

Kolomeyke: Carpathian traditional melody

Klezmer melody: Hora mit tsibiles (Hora with Onions)

Romanian trad.: Dance from Korond

Carpathian wedding improvisation: Doina

Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1

Nikolaev Bulgar: Moldavian trad.

The Zum Roten Igel quintet is named after the Red Hedgehog tavern where Schubert and Brahms went to hear Gypsy and folk music. Their ability to move from Schubertian intensity to Hungarian gypsy passion and back again without drawing breath make an intoxicating mix.

With musical bonds and friendships stretching back into early childhood, ZRI formed under the direction of clarinettist Ben Harlan. Following launch concerts in 2011 ZRI has toured the UK extensively with its unique versions of both the Brahms and Schubert quintets, releasing its debut disc in 2014. Alongside other major festivals, ZRI have performed at Henley, York, Guildford International, Swaledale and Kings Place. In addition to their Brahms and Schubert programmes ZRI has its Cellar Sessions, a fiery selection of classical and Gypsy favourites as might have been heard at the eponymous Red Hedgehog Tavern. ZRI also tours its own live score to Charlie Chaplin’s early classic ‘The Adventurer’, and made its debut performance of Janacek’s Kreutzer Sonata on Swiss national radio last Summer.

ZRI’s Brahms and the Gypsy features the complete Brahms Clarinet Quintet re-scored with santouri (cymbalom) and accordion to bring out the gypsy and Hungarian qualities of this much-loved piece of chamber music. It was ZRI’s debut program and has toured the UK extensively and recorded to critical acclaim.

For more information about ZRI visit their website