Mozart, Liszt and a Dash of Mephisto at All Saints' |
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Tunes@Noon recital series with Robert Bridge returns
April 15, 2026 All Saints, Putney welcomes pianist Robert Bridge this Sunday (19 April) for the latest instalment of Tunes@Noon, the church’s monthly lunchtime recital series curated by Director of Music Alex Turner. The performance begins at 12 noon, lasts around half an hour, and—as the organisers cheerfully note—will finish long before anyone’s Sunday roast risks disaster. Admission is free, with a retiring collection in support of the All Saints organ appeal. Bridge’s programme pairs the elegance of Mozart with the virtuosity of Liszt. He opens with Mozart’s Sonata in D major, K.576, the composer’s final piano sonata: a work of crystalline craftsmanship, its poised outer movements framing a slow movement of luminous serenity. From there, the mood shifts to the Alps and beyond with three pieces by Franz Liszt—two poetic miniatures from the Swiss book of Années de Pèlerinage (Au Lac de Wallenstadt and Au Bord d’une Source), followed by the thrilling Mephisto Waltz, Liszt’s demonic showpiece inspired by a scene from Goethe’s Faust. Robert Bridge is a well-known figure in London’s musical life, admired for his combination of technical command, stylistic sensitivity and a quietly mischievous sense of humour that often finds its way into his programme notes and spoken introductions. A former long-serving pianist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, he has appeared at major venues including the Barbican, Royal Festival Hall and Wigmore Hall, performing both as soloist and chamber musician. Bridge is also widely recognised for his work as a teacher and coach, and for his “Knitting Concerts”—informal recitals designed to make classical music accessible, welcoming and gently unconventional. His forthcoming Knitting Concert on 28 June will feature Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The retiring collection will go towards the church’s organ appeal, hoping to “swell the coffers”, as Bridge puts it.
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