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One of the leading violinists of her generation, Susanne has performed worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician, receiving rave reviews for her long list of commercial recordings. In addition to her work with the Edinburgh Quartet and the Primrose Piano Quartet she has performed and recorded extensively as a guest-leader for many of the foremost chamber orchestras, ensembles and contemporary music groups in the UK.
For this exciting and unusual project Sir Andrew Motion was commissioned by the Maggini Quartet and the Ustinov, Bath, to write poetry inspired by Sir Peter Maxwell Davis's majestic Naxos Quartet No.7, to be read between movements. The premiere of the seven new sonnets with Max's towering seven-movement quartet was greeted with tremendous enthusiasm by the capacity audience at the Ustinov on Thursday 19th November 2009. The poems evoke the Roman architect Borromini's buildings, recollected from his own death-bed, and the images conjured from the words created a new and intensely visual dimension, leading the listener deeper into the music and the source of the composer's own inspiration. The intimate surroundings of the recently renovated Ustinov made a perfect setting for a very moving first performance. The Maggini Quartet return to Norway every summer for their annual concert and coaching visit organised by the Norwegian Chamber Music Society. Their time is divided between Nansenskolen, near Lillehammer, and Sund folkehogskole, near Trondheim. The Strad magazine published a major article on the Maggini's visit in the December issue Download The Maggini visited Spain this spring when they gave a very well received concert for the prestigious Sociedad Filarmonica de Bilbao on 17th March 2010. The programme included Elgar's Piano Quintet for which they were joined by Martin Roscoe. Forthcoming trips include the Netherlands, Switzerland and Norway.
The Maggini Quartet are renowned for their authoritative interpretations of English chamber music. Their ongoing series of concerts and recordings for Naxos, 'The Glory of the English String Quartet', celebrates the rich and diverse English string quartet repertoire, much of which has sadly fallen into neglect over the last century. Using their unparalleled experience in this repertoire, the Maggini Quartet offer carefully devised all-English or mixed programmes of classical quartets alongside English works to suit every occasion and venue. Celebrating Frank Bridge The Maggini Quartet is planning a series featuring Frank Bridge, a composer the players greatly admire and whose work has been unjustly neglected. The four string quartets are amongst the finest written in the 20th century and the Maggini has already recorded them for Naxos's award winning British Music series. 'These are exemplary, scrupulously prepared readings from the Magginis', wrote Andrew Achenbach for Gramophone, where the recordings were CD of the Month and Editor's Choice, with Bridge 1 & 3 also nominated for a Grammy Award. Touring with John Ireland's Sextet In February 2011 the Magginis will be joined by Robert Plane (clarinet) and Stephen Sterling (horn) for a concert tour of Northern England featuring Ireland's magnificient Sextet. Inspired by specialist lighting at the Mazer in Stockholm, the Maggini's four-armed standard lamp was made for them by renowned restorer and cabinet maker Martin Huggett and is regularly used to light the players' music at performances.
The Maggini Quartet are grateful to Stentor Music Co Ltd for supporting their educational activities. This is enabling them to schedule some additional visits to schools, sharing their commitment to chamber music with pupils of all ages and abilities. |
what the critics said
"a gripping final instalment in Max's Naxos odyssey" "the Naxos cycle is a 21st century landmark" "the Maggini perform with the no-holds-barred commitment and technical acumen we have come to expect from them throughout this massive project. Spendidly rich sound and a most truthful balance, too" "the Maggini's performance is full of conviction and the recording balances clarity and atmosphere to something like perfection" "the Magginis play with inspired insight" "the Maggini Quartet make it wonderfully plausible and leave no doubt about the creative fire behind it" "these performances are simply magnificent" "go and hear these players" "such nerve-shredding intensity that one dare hardly breath" "theirs is music-making of entrancing skill, cogent drive and tangible dedication" "a wonderful blend of radiance "delivered with the Maggini Quartet's typical thrust and passion" "technically precise and fabulously idiomatic" "immaculate control of the dramatically fluctuating dynamics" |
The Magginis are delighted to welcome Susanne as their new permanent leader. A long-standing friend and colleague, she has already worked extensively with them.