Clare O'Connell: Cellist Curator Collaborator

Behind The Mirror

An intimate series of concerts in Berkhamsted founded and curated by Clare O’Connell, presenting classical music in an imaginative, sometimes unexpected way

Silence and Humanity

Sunday 11 October 4pm - Berkhamsted Town hall

John Cage - String Quartet in Four Parts

Ludwig Van Beethoven - String Quartet no. 14 Op. 131

Jonathan Morton (violin) Clio Gould (violin) Oliver Wilson (viola) Clare O’Connell (cello)

John Cage’s String Quartet in Four Parts is a work of remarkable stillness and clarity. Composed from gently unfolding melodies and spacious textures, it creates a world where every sound is given equal importance. Free from dramatic conflict or virtuosic display, the quartet encourages a heightened awareness of time, silence, and the act of listening itself, revealing beauty in simplicity and presence.

Beethoven’s String Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131 is one of the most extraordinary works ever written. Its seven uninterrupted movements unfold as a continuous journey through tenderness, grief, wit, struggle, and transcendence, offering an unparalleled portrait of the human experience. Written in the final years of Beethoven’s life, the quartet defies convention while speaking with remarkable intimacy, balancing profound introspection with moments of radiant hope.

Together, Cage and Beethoven transform the concert hall into a space of deep listening. Beginning in quiet contemplation and culminating in one of the supreme achievements of the string quartet repertoire, this programme explores silence, humanity, and the enduring power of music to illuminate our inner lives.

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Devotion and Transcendence

Sunday 22 November 4pm - Berkhamsted Town hall

Edmund Finnis - Devotions

Ludwig Van Beethoven - String Quartet no. 15 Op. 132

Eva Thorarinsdottir (violin) Natalie Klouda (violin) Nick Bootiman (viola) Clare O’Connell (cello)

From quiet contemplation to profound thanksgiving, this programme brings together two works that invite us to listen with extraordinary attention.

Edmund Finnis’s Devotions unfolds as a meditation on sound itself. Delicate textures, luminous harmonies, and moments of near silence create a space for reflection, where each gesture seems to emerge naturally from the last. Rather than seeking dramatic effect, the music draws us inward, encouraging a rare stillness and openness of listening.

Beethoven’s String Quartet in A minor, Op. 132 stands among the greatest achievements in the quartet repertoire. Written following a serious illness, its central movement—“Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit” (“Holy Song of Thanksgiving of a Convalescent to the Deity”)—is one of the most moving expressions of gratitude in all of Western music. Across five interconnected movements, Beethoven moves between struggle and serenity, vulnerability and joy, culminating in a work of profound spiritual depth.

Together, these two quartets form a journey from contemplation to transcendence, revealing music’s unique ability to create spaces for reflection, healing, and hope.

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Liam Byrne, Tom Rogerson perform in St Peter's Church, Berkhamsted as part of Clare O'Connell's Behind the Mirror concert series

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