Leonard Salzedo 24^th September 1921 to 6^th May 2000

It’s wonderful that in the month of my father’s birth, his 5^th String Quartet was brilliantly played by the Halcyon Quartet at the first concert of the Thames Concert series 26/27. Artistic director of Thames Concerts, Ben Costello, is a champion of Leonard’s music.

String Quartet no 5

It is a fantastic work. I listened again to the recording before the concert, but there is something about the energy of a live performance – so many who heard it for the first time that night told me how much they liked it. And those who already knew it were delighted by the Halcyon’s inspiring interpretation.

Written in the early 1950s, it’s the middle of Salzedo’s 10 String Quartets, quartets written by a violin and sometime viola player who was intensely tuned into the instruments he was writing for.

Halcyon Quartet

This is what the Halcyon Quartet said: ‘A very freeing aspect in preparing the quartet was Salzedo’s talent for leaving room for interpretation whilst also guiding us through his contrasting ideas of what a string quartet should be. He was very connected to the ballet world. While dancers deal in movement and shape, we musicians deal in musical colour and texture. We found our approach to bringing out his use of harmony and cross-rhythms was aided when we thought with a dancer’s mindset.’

Salzedo’s ballet links

Salzedo’s ballet pedigree is impressive. He wrote 17 ballets and, as Music Director of Rambert, Scottish Ballet and London City Ballet, conducted many.

And of course it all started with The Fugitive for Rambert and four ballets for Ballet Negres

YouTube

Watch the 20-minute film ‘Leonard Salzedo a Life Composed in Music’

Watch a recording of Eleven Caprices for two violins performed by Ryo Koyama and Maho Harada.

Watch the 26-minute Albany Consort 2024 concert performance of the Leonard Salzedo Harpsichord Concerto featuring cousin Jonathan Salzedo playing the harpsichord and including an introduction by me

Website

Go to the Leonard Salzedo website for a catalogue of his works with search facility. Scores are available to play. And CDs to buy.

Join the Leonard Salzedo Society for £15pa to help us promote Salzedo’s music.