NEW OPERA
MR MCFALL’S CHAMBER: AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 5 Apr; RSAMD, Glasgow, Fri 6 Apr
Even though 250 of them are featured in the classical listings in this issue of The List alone, the behind-the-scenes story of what it’s really like being an orchestral musician rarely gets much exposure away from the
immediate ranks of those who do it for a living. In a life that can swing from
fraught insecurities one minute to the heady buzz of a mind-blowing performance the next, it is drama beyond the realms of fiction. Taking a friend’s true life story, Dave Heath’s new chamber opera delves into its joy and tragedy, its humour and pathos and tells how three people, almost unwittingly, become intertwined to the point of destruction.
‘It’s basically about a bloke who is on tour, has an affair, the girl gets pregnant and his wife throws him out,’ explains Heath, who has been commissioned from Mr McFall’s Chamber. ‘He’s 45, used to be a big-time oboe player and is now depressed and alcoholic.’ For Heath, a real concern is how orchestral players are, as he puts it, ‘at the bottom of the food chain.’ The training and talent required to be an orchestral player is
immense. What they might have to put up with, however, whether poor pay
and long, unsocial hours or inefficient managements and arrogant conductors is what Heath attempts to bring to light. Not only does his opera have a go at such conditions, but also, with genuine compassion,
highlights the impact they have on musicians’ physical and emotional well-
being.
Heath conducts for real and plays the part of a pretentious German maestro. ‘l’m trying to make the point in a funny, not nasty, sort of way. It’s a bit of a political wind-up, but has already resulted in someone actually resigning because they thought it was based on their life.’ (Carol Main)
(‘entre. St (ieorge‘s School for (iirls. (iat'scube Terrace. 226 3392. 1.15pm. £5 (£1). The young professional recorder consort. formed by [idinburgh— born (iail Macleod. while all its members were students at the Royal Academy of Music in London. perform music from the Renaissance to the present day. on recorders of varying sizes.
I Get Organised! tisher llall. 1.othian Road. 228 l 155. 1.50pm. £3. The tfsher Hall's series of bite-size lunchtime organ concerts continues.
Wednesday 4 ,
Glasgow
I Kevin Bowyer: Organ Meditation Glasgow [Tniversity Memorial Chapel. The Square. Off University Avenue. 1pm. Free. Bowyer performs 1an Shaw's 'l‘lio 'li'mpiulimi of ("liris‘i and David Nield‘s [faster 'I'ri'p. >i< Camerata Scotland (‘iiy llalls. (‘andleriggs. 353 8000. 7.3()--‘).30pm. £10. James Loughran conducts
Checkout the I
on paqeb
Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony No 6 and exuberant .S'ymp/iony No 7.
>11 Cappella Nova: Tenebrae Responsories St Andrest in the Square. St Andrew’s Square. 353 8000. ‘)pm. £10 (£7). The Scottish Plainsong (‘hoirz directed by Alan 'laveiiei‘. perform the world premiere of James MzicMillan’s nevv composition which. utilising texts from the 'l'enebrae liturgics. explores the drama of Holy Week.
Edinburgh
I 26th Edinburgh International Harp Festival .\lerchiston (‘astle School. 2‘)~1(‘o|inton Road. 478 8446. Times and prices vary. See l‘ri 30.
I National Youth Orchestra of Scotland: Spring Concert 2007 lfsher llall. l.othian Road. 228 l 155. 7pm. £10 £18. Annual springtime celebration of music. conducted by Peter Stark.
Glasgow
I Russell Watson Sli(‘(‘: (‘lyde Auditorium. liiiiiiieston Quay. 0870 0-10 4000. 6.30pm. £30-<£50. British tenor \vho mixes contemporary hits with popular opera classics.
Edinburgh
, I Mr McFall’s Chamber Queen's
Hall. 87 8‘) (’lerk Street. 668 201‘). 8pm. £4 £10. The far-out music group. formed around a core string quartet from the Scottish (‘hamber ()rchestra. push back more musical boundaries with the world premiere of Dave Heath‘s opera .1): Iz'i'i'ri‘t/(iy Occurrence. a love affair set in the orchestra pit.
Glasgow
I Mr McFall’s Chamber RSAMI). I00 Renfreyv Street. 332 5057. 8pm. £10 (£4 £8). See Thu 5.
Edinburgh
>14 Cappella Nova: Tenebrae Responsories (ireyl'riars Kirk. (ireyfriars Place. 668 201‘). ‘)pm. £10 (£7). See Wed 4.
Glasgow
I NYCoS National Boys Choir ('ity Halls. ('andleriggs. 550 7536. 3pm. £8 (£2 £6). (‘hristopher Bell conducts the Hill—voice boys chiiit‘. as they perform music by Jaime. (‘orp and (‘hilcott alongside sea shanties by Sheena Phillips.
Edinburgh
I Scottish Chamber Music Players St John's Church. Princes Street. 22‘) 3776. 5.30 6.30pm. £6 (£4). The resident choir is joined by the Alba Saxophone Quartet for an early evening concert of chamber music.
>1: Edinburgh Youth Orchestra Spring Concert l'sher llall. l.othian Road. 228 1155. 7.30pm. £12 £15. (iarry Walker conducts the orchestra. comprising 120 players aged betvveen l3 and 21 years of age. in a performance of Wagner‘s l)i¢' Mel's-1crs‘iiigt'r ()l'('l'llll'(' and .lIUClll'l ‘s (‘larinet (‘oncerto \vith soloist Julian Bliss. Rachmaninov‘s 2m/ Sviii/i/imrv brings a fulsome second half.
Glasgow
:31 Edinburgh Youth Orchestra Spring Concert (‘ity llalls. (‘zindlcriggs‘ 353 8000. 7.30pm. £15 (£121. See Sat 7.
Edinburgh
I St Giles at Six: Organ Recital St (iilcs’ Cathedral. Royal Mile. 226 0673. 6pm. liree. Jeremy (‘ull performs pieces by 'l'ournemire. 1)emessieu.\. Wagner and Stravinsky.
Tuesday 1 0
Edinburgh
I Get Organised! t'slier llall. Lothian Road. 228 1155. 1.50pm. £3. See Tue 3.
Wednesday 1 1
Edinburgh
I North East Derbyshire Chamber Orchestra St (liles‘ (’athedral. Royal Mile. 226 0673. 12.15pm. l’ree. Lunchtime concert.
A
Edinburgh Youth Orchestra Spring Concert Young star clarinetist Julian Bliss (pictured) joins the young talent of EYO in Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, playing basset clarinet. the instrument which Mozart originally had in mind in 1791 when he composed the piece, in order to reach its lower than usual notes. Usher Ha//, Edinburgh, Sat 7; City Ha/l, G/asgow, Sun 8 Apr.
Camerata Scotland The widely travelled Chamber orchestra of the various groups that make up the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, bridges the gap between youth and professional orchestras for outstanding young musicians who are likely to make their careers in music. Hear them in classic Beethoven symphonies under one of the most distinguished conductors around, James Loughran. City Hal/s, Glasgow, Wed 4 Apr. Cappella Nova Tenebrae Responsories One of the leading composers of our time, James MacMillan. makes a further exploration into the drama of Holy Week in his new piece for vocal octet. which reaches right into the heart of Christ’s Passion, yet speaks to those of all faiths or none. Part of Cappella Nova's 25th anniversary season. St Andrew’s in the Square, Glasgow, Wed 4; Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, Fri 6 Apr.
Glasgow
I BBC 880 Thursday Night Series (’ity llalls. ('andleriggs. 353 8000. 7.30pm. £‘) £21.50. Vassin Sinaissky conducts the orchestra in this Russian programme which combines Shostakovich's restless .SII\‘I)I/)/IUII.\‘ .\'o 8 \yith the 1K premiere of Slichedrin‘s glorious I’iuiio ('mit'm'lo .\'o 5. accompanied by Finnish pianist ()Ili .\ltistonen to \yhom the piece is dedicated. l’re-concert prelude with Brian Morton. author of S/iosIu/mi'ii‘li his [172’ um/ limit" at 6.45pm. Post-concert coda \\11ll .\1ustoneii playing music from 'l'chaikm'sky 's The Season 0]) 3'7.
1“.) M." 11’ Aiii iz’titli' THE LIST 79