Isabelle Demers: Bach, Stravinsky & Brahms
Isabelle Demers uncovers every nuance of the organ’s power and colour, closing with Brahms’ Romantic masterpiece, the Variations and fugue on a theme by Handel.
Demers is known for her fearless programming and dazzling technique, matched by a deep understanding of her instrument’s immense expressive range.
Her performances reveal the organ’s colours and sonic capabilities at their most ground-shakingly powerful – and also their most intimate.
Demers opens her eclectic recital with Bach’s classic Canonic Variations on Vom Himmel hoch, which transform a simple seasonal hymn into a work of captivating complexity and growing grandeur.
Demers’ own arrangement of the graceful Gavotte from Stravinsky’s Pulcinella sits alongside the dark energy of Alkan’s Grand prélude. Rachel Laurin’s Sweelinck Variations gaze back four centuries to reimagine the Renaissance Dutch master in the vivid sounds of today.
After Flor Peeters’ majestic Toccata, fugue et hymne sur Ave maris stella, Demers closes her concert with Rachel Laurin’s organ reimagining of Brahms’ Variations and fugue on a theme by Handel.
Originally conceived for piano, this milestone in Romantic music is reborn in brilliant colours and contrapuntal power.
Performers
Isabelle Demers organ
Repertoire
Bach: Canonic Variations on Vom Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her, BWV.769
Stravinsky: Gavotte with 2 variations from Pulcinella Suite arr. Demers for organ
Alkan: Grand prélude in G minor, Op.66 No.4
Rachel Laurin: Sweelinck Variations, Op.96
Interval
Flor Peeters: Toccata, fugue et hymne sur Ave maris stella, Op.28
Brahms: 25 Variations and fugue on a theme by Handel, Op.24 arr. Laurin for organ
Need to know
Reviews
‘Demers’ playing amounted to unalloyed musical joy’ClevelandClassical.com
‘Demers made the instrument sing’Classicalsource.com
‘Bracing virtuosity’Chicago Classical Review
For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
Plan your visit
The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.