Charles Wood - String Quartets (London Chamber Ensemble Quartet)

Information

Composer: Charles Wood

• String Quartet No. 4 in E-Flat Major “Harrogate”
• Variations on an Irish Folk Tune
• String Quartet No. 2 in E-Flat Major “Highgate”

London Chamber Ensemble Quartet

    Madeleine Mitchell, violin

    Gordon Mackay, violin

    Bridget Carey, viola

    Joseph Spooner, cello

Date: 2026

Label: SOMM Recordings

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London Chamber Ensemble, led by violinist Madeleine Mitchell, presents world premiere recordings of chamber works by Irish-born composer Charles Wood (1866–1926), including String Quartet No. 2 “Highgate,” String Quartet No. 4 “Harrogate,” and Variations on an Irish Folk Tune, released by SOMM Recordings. Issued to mark the centenary of Wood’s death, the album highlights his development from student of Charles Villiers Stanford and Hubert Parry at the Royal College of Music to a distinctive voice shaped by Irish folk material and late-Romantic idioms. The quartets reflect personal and geographical influences, including Irish musical heritage and English locations such as Highgate and Harrogate, while revealing his role as a teacher to composers like Ralph Vaughan Williams and others.

London Chamber Ensemble, founded in 1992 by violinist Madeleine Mitchell (born 1958), is a flexible UK-based chamber group of 3–12 musicians with a permanent string quartet core and a wide range of collaborative configurations, including voice and winds. Known for its imaginative programming and educational outreach, the ensemble brings together leading British chamber musicians and has performed at major venues such as Wigmore Hall and the Southbank Centre, as well as on BBC Radio and international broadcasts. Its projects include landmark programmes such as A Century of Music by UK Women (1921–2021), featuring works by composers like Errollyn Wallen. The ensemble’s history includes acclaimed performances of works by composers such as Olivier Messiaen and collaborations with artists including Joanna MacGregor.