Press release: September 2006

Celebration of Dame Myra Hess

Wednesday 13 September 2006
Supported by The Ernest Hecht Charitable Trust

Between October 1939 and October 1944, Dame Myra Hess was responsible for organising more than 1,300 concerts at the National Gallery, at a time when the Gallery was emptied of its paintings with the exception of one painting each month. Many thousands heard the concerts and were inspired by their message of hope.

To mark 350 years of British Jewish Life, the National Gallery and Jewish Culture UK have organised a special tribute to Dame Myra Hess. There will be three free recitals during the day, at 1, 4, and 6pm in the Barry Rooms, the site of the original concerts. In addition, free film clips showing Dame Myra will be screened in the Sainsbury Wing Theatre at 2.10pm, repeated at 5.10pm and 7.10pm.

The recitals have been devised and will be introduced by Piers Lane, Royal Academy of Music. The programme is as follows:

1pm: Yonty Solomon, a pupil of Myra Hess: Bach 'Goldberg Variations'

4pm: Julius Drake, Alexei Grynyuk, Niel Immelman, Vanessa Latarche, Hamish Milne, Tanya Sarkissova, Haruko Seki, Kathron Sturrock, Seta Tanyel: Schumann 'Carnaval', played at Dame Myra's concert for New Year's Day 1940. Joined by Lilian Strange (pupil of Myra Hess) for several multi-pianist pieces.

6pm: Piers Lane (pupil of Yonty Solomon) plays Chopin; brief interview with John Amis, who turned pages for Myra Hess and managed many of the concerts; Stephen Kovacevich (pupil of Myra Hess), Philippe Graffin (violin), Asdis Valdimarsdottir (viola) Louise Hopkins (cello): Mozart 'Piano Quartet' in E flat.

The films:

Myra Hess Playing the First Movement of Beethoven's Sonata in F Minor Op 57 ('Appassionata') (5 minutes)

and clips from:

'Listen to Britain' (8 minutes) (directed by Humphrey Jennings)
'Diary for Timothy' (8 minutes) (directed by Humphrey Jennings)
Dame Myra playing Bach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring'; Beethoven's Op 110 Sonata, and the Adagio from her own transcription of the Bach Toccata (25 minutes)

Notes to Editors

Both the recitals and the films are free but subject to booking; please call 020 7747 2885 or see our website for details.

For press information and images please contact:
Louise Butler
020 7747 2596 | [email protected]

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