For my last Music Discovery Live event of 2016 I shall again be teaming up with pianist brothers Daniel and Joseph Tong and violinist Sara Trickey for three concerts in the Jacqueline Du Pre Music Building, St Hilda’s College. During the two days we shall be exploring differing strands of musical Romanticism in the decades between 1870-1890, with works ranging from haunting late piano music by Liszt, via Dvorák at his most picturesquely Slavonic, to three popular violin sonatas by Brahms, Fauré and César Franck.

I have again reserved rooms in the Mercure Oxford Eastgate Hotel, an attractive 3-star hotel in the city centre, close to Magdalen College. The Jacqueline Du Pre Music Building, situated in St Hilda’s College, off Cowley Place, is a pleasant 10-12-minute walk over Magdalen Bridge. There is ample car parking at the hotel, at a charge of £25 per day (increased since last year). If you’re hovering, you may prefer to travel by train.

The plan for the two days, in outline, is as follows:

WEDNESDAY 7 DECEMBER
1.45-2.15 Arrival at the Mercure Oxford Eastgate Hotel, 73 High Street, Oxford , OX1 4BE (01865 248332). NB Entrance is on Merton St.
3-5 Study session in the Du Pre Building, with coffee break
7.00 Concert in the Du Pre
Fauré: Romance for violin and piano
Liszt: Petrarch Sonnet no 104
Liszt: Mephisto Waltz
Brahms: Variations for piano duet on a theme of Robert
Schumann, Op. 23
Fauré: Violin Sonata in A major, Op. 13

THURSDAY 8 DECEMBER
10.30-1.00 Study session in the Du Pre, with coffee break.
1.15 Short concert in the Du Pre:
Liszt: La lugubre gondola
Dvorák: Violin Sonatina in G, Op. 100