Music Classical
■ BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra: Maestros’ Choice 3 City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £10–£23 (£8–£21). Conductor Ilan Volkov opens on a bombastic note with Richard Strauss’ Don Juan, followed by a performance by Stefan Vladar of Beethoven’s magnificent Piano Concerto No 4, the world premiere of a new work by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, and ending with the dark finality of Sibelius’ great Symphony No 7. With a pre-concert prelude at 6.45pm, and a post-concert coda. See preview, page 81. ■ RSNO Naked Classics: The Planets Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £10. Presenter Paul Rissmann and conductor David Danzmayr lead a trip through Holst’s – a former RSNO trombonist, believe it or not – famous orchestral suite, The Planets.
Edinburgh FREE Lunchtime Organ Music St Giles’ Cathedral, Royal Mile, 226 0673. 12.15pm. Retiring collection. Natascha Reich gives a recital of works by Bach, Vierne and more. FREE Live Music Now: Phil Gault and Claire Haslin National Gallery Complex, The Mound, 624 6200. 6pm. Works for baritone and piano by composers who influenced or were influenced by Darwin. Perth ■ Bang on a Can and Theatre of Voices Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, 01738 621031. 7.30pm. £15 (£5–£12). A New York-themed concert from the two brilliant new music ensembles. Bang on a Can performs works by Steve Reich and Julia Wolfe, while Theatre of Voices brings the UK premiere of David Lang’s Pulitzer prize-winning The Little Match Girl Passion.
Friday 30
Glasgow ■ The MusicLab RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 1pm. £9 (£6). The RSAMD’s MusicLab celebrates Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ 75th. ■ Scottish Opera: The Elixir of Love Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street, 0870 060 6647. 7.15pm. £10–£49 (£7–£43). See Sat 24. ■ Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Max at 75 City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £11–£24 (concessions available). The SCO celebrates its long relationship with its Composer Laureate, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Oliver Knussen conducts, opening with his own Music for a Puppet Court followed by Mahler’s luscious Rückert Lieder with mezzo soprano Helena Rasker. Finally, Maxwell Davies’ own Symphony No 4 – premiered by the SCO and ‘Max’ 20 years ago at the BBC Proms. Hear Sir Peter in conversation with Svend Brown at 6.30pm. See preview, page 81. FREE Noisy Nights@Artmusfair 2009 Millenium Hotel, George Square. 10.30pm. Red Note’s informal chamber series showcasing fresh-off-the-page music by new, emerging and established composers. Edinburgh FREE Organ Recital: Natascha Reich Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh University, Bristo Square, 650 2427. 1.10pm. Bach’s magnificent Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 528, one of his most famous organ works, and works by Bruhns, Buxtehude and Egon Wellesz. ■ Cape Town Opera: Porgy and Bess Festival Theatre, 13/29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. 7.30pm. £27.50–£39.50. The so-called ‘people’s opera’, a moving tale of happiness amid poverty in America’s Deep South, performed by the world class Cape Town Opera company. ■ Classical Brass Concert St Cuthbert’s Church, 5 Lothian Road, 668 2019. 7.30pm. £10 (£7.50). The Co- operative Funeralcare Band is joined by
82 THE LIST 22 Oct–5 Nov 2009
the BBC SSO’s Principal Trumpet Mark O’Keeffe for a performance of Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto. ■ RSNO Naked Classics: The Planets Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £10. See Thu 29.
Saturday 31
Glasgow ■ Scottish Ensemble with Mark O’Keefe RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 1.45pm. £5 (£3). The Scottish Ensemble, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and BBC SSO Principal Trumpet Mark O’Keeffe, perform the Maxwell Davies’ Quintet for Trumpet and String Quartet, introduced by the man himself. ■ Children’s Classic Concerts: Magic and Monsters Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 3pm. £10 (£6; family ticket £29). Owen and Olly are back with a wickedly fun Hallowe’en special! They are joined by the RSNO and conductor David Danzmayr, as well as special ghost – er, guest – CBBC’s James MacKenzie, for a boisterous romp through the spookiest of classical tunes. Don’t forget to dress up!. ✽✽ Scottish Opera: The Italian Girl in Algiers Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street, 0870 060 6647. 7.15pm. £8.50–£63 (concessions available). See Sun 25. ■ The MusicLab with Red Note RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 7.30pm. £9 (£6). Maxwell Davies birthday celebrations with his The Birds performed alongside works by contemporary composers Helmut Oehring, Gordon McPherson and Yannis Kyriakides. Edinburgh ■ Cape Town Opera: Porgy and Bess Festival Theatre, 13/29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. 2pm & 7.30pm. £17–£25 (matinee), £27.50–£39.50 (evening). See Fri 30. ■ Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Max at 75 The Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7.30pm. £8.50–£26 (concessions available). See Fri 30.
Sunday 1
Glasgow FREE BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra: Discovering Music City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 2pm. Stephen Johnson presents an exploration of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ A Reel of Seven Fishermen for later broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Discovering Music programme. Martyn Brabbins conducts. Max 2 tickets per applicant; under 12s not admitted. FREE Kelvingrove Sunday Organ Recitals Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 3pm. See Sun 25. ■ Amicus Chamber Orchestra St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, 559 5902. 7.30pm. £12 (£8). BBC SSO Principal Cello Rudi de Groote is soloist in Shostakovich’s energetic and percussive Cello Concerto No 1, performed along with Rachmaninov’s Vocalise and Beethoven’s Symphony No 2. Garry Walker conducts. FREE Concert for All Souls Glasgow University Memorial Chapel, The Square, off University Avenue, 7.30pm. Glasgow University’s Chapel Choir performs Herbert Howells’ powerful Requiem. ■ Hebrides Ensemble City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. As part of the celebrations for Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ 75th birthday, the celebrated Edinburgh-based ensemble performs some of the composer’s chamber music along with that of fellow septuagenarian Pelle Gudmundsen- Holmgreen. See preview, page 81. Edinburgh ■ Children’s Classic Concerts: Magic and Monsters Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 3pm. £10 (£6; family ticket £29). See Sat 31.
FREE St Giles’ at Six St Giles’ Cathedral, Royal Mile, 226 0673. 6pm. Retiring collection. Organist Enrico Zanovello performs music by Bach, Mendelssohn and Lefebure Wely along with works by 19th and 20th century Italian composers. ■ Mr McFall’s Chamber Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. 7.30pm. £13 (£11). The ever- eclectic ensemble from the SCO fuses jazz, folk, tango, classical and rock, here featuring Maximiliano Martin (clarinet) and Su-a Lee (musical saw).
Monday 2
Glasgow ■ Conversation Pieces: Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1pm. £6 (£5 in advance). Iain Anderson hosts a discussion on the composer’s life and work. ■ Ruth Morley and Scott Mitchell RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 1pm. £5 (£3). The flute and piano duo premieres Thief by the RSAMD’s Head of Composition Gordon McPherson, along with a globe-spanning selection of other works. Edinburgh ■ Clarinet, Cello and Piano Recital The Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7.45pm. £10–£19 (concessions available). Clarinettist Emma Johnson and cellist Natalie Clein, both former BBC Young Musician of the Year winners, are joined by pianist John Lenehan for works by Ireland, Brahms and Bridge. FREE Noisy Nights Traverse Bar Café, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 8pm. The Red Note Ensemble continues to showcase just-written music by emerging composers. Tonight’s batch is for flute, horn, cello and marimba.
Tuesday 3
Glasgow FREE Organ Recital: Kevin Bowyer Glasgow University Memorial Chapel, The Square, off University Avenue, 1.10pm. Suite four of Louis Vierne’s Pièces de Fantaisie. ■ Fitzwilliam Quartet: Anton Bruckner – Rustic Visionary Ramshorn Theatre, 98 Ingram Street, 548 2558. 1.15pm. £4. The Quartet is joined by guest viola player Carolyn Sparey for Brückner’s String Quintet. Edinburgh FREE Violin and Piano Recital Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh University, Bristo Square, 650 2427. 1.10pm. Darragh Morgan and Mary Dullea perform an up- to-the-minute programme of contemporary works, as well as Excerpts from Time by Gyorgy Ligeti, who died in 2006.
Wednesday 4
Edinburgh FREE Daniel del Pino and Ara Malikian National Gallery Complex, The Mound, 624 6200. 7.30–8.30pm. Ticketed. The renowned Spanish violin and piano duo performs works by Falla, Sarasate, Granados and Liszt. Tickets available from the Link info desk.
Thursday 5 Glasgow FREE Sax Ecosse Glasgow University Concert Hall, University Avenue, 330 4092. 1.10pm. The dynamic young sax quartet performs Gershwin’s Three Preludes, Eddie McGuire’s Hidden Dialects and David Maslanka’s Recitation Book. ■ The Portico Quartet and Sweet Billy Pilgrim The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. 7.30pm. £10. Mercury- nominated jazz meets classical outfit, who mix the richness of Brahms with the unruly nature of Mingus.
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✽✽ Scottish Ensemble: Side by Side Celebrating their 40th anniversary season, the Ensemble welcome back previous artistic director, Clio Gould, who teams up with her successor, Jonathan Morton, for Bach’s Double Violin Concerto. Side by side with the Ensemble strings are some of the most talented students from the RSAMD. Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 23 Oct; City Halls, Glasgow, Sun 25 Oct. ✽✽ Scottish Opera: The Italian Girl in Algiers It’s either love or loathe for Scottish Opera’s mad, bikini-clad production of Rossini’s lively opera about a playboy chasing an Italian signorina. We’re going for loving it, especially with such a fantastic cast, including Scottish mezzo Karen Cargill in the title role. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sun 25, Thu 29 & Sat 31 Oct. ✽✽ The New Music Experience Pianos, whales and gothic gaols as a title means that it can only be an ecat event. In a sampler evening of what’s to come in the season ahead, music moves from charming naivety to gothic madness and six bright young things who have each written a new piano piece for the astonishing talents of Simon Smith. Whales are courtesy of George Crumb. And it’s all free. Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Mon 26 Oct.
■ RSAMD Symphony Orchestra RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 7.30pm. £10 (£7). Nicholas Cleobury conducts Maxwell Davies’ Mavis in Las Vegas, with RSAMD Concerto Competition winners trumpeter Tom Poulson and pianist Jessica Leong Wai Yan joining the orchestra for Shostakovich’s Concerto No 1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings. Edinburgh ■ Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Paul Lewis plays Beethoven The Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7.30pm. £8.50–£26 (concessions available). British pianist Paul Lewis released the final volume in his complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas, four years of study bagging him two Gramophone awards. So who better to take on the composer’s spirited Piano Concerto No 3? Also on the programme are Webern’s Five Pieces and Schubert’s youthful Symphony No 6 (‘Little’). Andrew Manze conducts.