GROUPS
TALES FROM VIENNA

TALES FROM VIENNA
Experience the magic of Vienna in its heyday with classic music of the era played by Emma Johnson and Friends highlighted by fascinating insights from writer and radio presenter, John Suchet.
Vienna in the 19th century was an extraordinary city, a hotbed of musical creativity that nurtured Beethoven, Brahms, Strauss and Schubert. But hidden under the apparently harmless mania for wine, women and song were germinating the seeds of social discontent that would trigger the First World War.
“Such an enjoyment of music making with technically superb, charismatic playing……Emma Johnson’s Strauss arrangements are as frothy as a glass of bubbly!” Gramophone Magazine

Emma Johnson and Friends
Johnson’s own group, Emma Johnson and Friends, performs and records in formations from trios to Octets. The group’s recent live recording of the Schubert Octet has had some great reviews.
“There’s a strong feeling of a group of like-minded musicians revelling in playing life-enhancing music for pleasure and as a team. I enjoyed this expert and always smiling performance very much indeed and it’s evident from the vociferous applause at the end that the audience enjoyed it just as much.
With an hour and a quarter of delightful music in first-rate performances this disc is a winner.”
– John Quinn, Music Web International

Trio
with Lesley Garrett and Andrew West
Emma has arranged a whole new repertoire for her concerts with opera singer, Lesley Garrett and pianist, Andrew West; starting with Bach and ending with the Beatles they visit Verdi and explore folk music along the way! There’s plenty of chat too.
They have performed at venues and festivals as far and wide as the Holders Season in Barbados and the Snape Proms, Aldeburgh. This review of their concert in Hall for Cornwall gives a flavour:
Review of concert in Hall for Cornwall
“The whole theme of the evening was the variety of music being played and Emma shone throughout, in everything from Bach, to Hungarian folk dance, to Bernstein’s West Side Story, to a brilliant encore performance of The Beatles’ When I’m 64.
… all three produced more than accomplished performances throughout as our musical journey took us all the way from 17th century classical, through opera and folk to 20th century musicals and beyond. Another surprise for me was how much I enjoyed Lesley’s performance of Rusalka’s Song To The Moon, by Dvorak. A song about a prince being adored by a water spirit –or a pond, as Garrett put it – which charmed and enchanted. Loved it. In fact, after recently reviewing the likes of Motörhead, UFO and The Stranglers –rampaging rockers all – the whole show was a bit of a surprise, and a pleasant one at that.”
4/5 – Westbriton
