list.co.uk/music
Rex Lawson: Dead Pianists Society City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 6pm. £10. Pianola authority Lawson introduces performances by long-dead pianists. Mitsuko Uchida City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £20–£30. The Japanese maestro plays pieces by Chopin, Schumann and Schoenberg. RSNO: A St Andrew’s Day Party with Phil and Aly Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12.50–£34 (under 26s £5; under 16s free). Phil Cunningham (keyboard/accordion) and master fiddler Aly Bain host their annual St Andrew’s Party. Guest conductor is John Logan. Edinburgh Concert for Trees Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £10–£12 (£8; children £6). Ani Batikian and St Patrick’s Baroque Ensemble play instruments made from the sycamore tree that used to stand in Conan Doyle’s garden. Edinburgh University Music Society Sinfonia Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square, publicity@eums.org.uk. 7.30pm. £6 (£4). Michael Graham conducts Nielsen and Sibelius. Gaita: Arthur’s Court – Songs of Romance and Chivalry St James’ Episcopal Church, 57b Inverleith Row. 7.30pm. Entry by donation. Medieval songs and readings, i’faith. FREE Jeremy Cull Reid Memorial Church, 182 West Saville Terrace, 662 1203. 7.30pm. Organ recital. Meadows Chamber Orchestra Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place, 668 2019. 7.45pm. £11 (£9; students £5; children £1). Robin Page conducts Sibelius, Schumann and Prokofiev and the world premiere of Gregor Forbes’ Les Soldes du Printemps. Edinburgh University Chamber Choir Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate, 556 3515. 8pm. £8 (£5). Pieces by Taverner, Tavener (sic), Verdonck, Allegri, Palestrina, Isaacs and Mealor.
Sunday 27
Glasgow FREE Kelvingrove Sunday Organ Recitals Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 3–3.45pm. See Sun 20. Rex Lawson: Dead Pianists Society City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 4.30pm. £10. See Sat 26. Francesco Piemontesi City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 6pm. £12; £5 for Brendel, Uchida or Schiff ticket holders. Swiss pianist plays Mozart, Schubert, Chopin and Debussy, plus Lachenmann’s seldom-heard Schubert-Variations. Kelvin Ensemble: Mendelssohn’s Scotland Glasgow University Chapel, University Avenue, 330 4092. 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture and Symphony No 3 plus works by MacCunn and Arnold. Edinburgh Noisy Words Scratch Performance Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 5pm. £6 (£4). The composers from Noisy Nights and writers from Words, Words, Words present the results of their collaboration. FREE St Giles’ at Six: Edinburgh Youth Choir St Giles’ Cathedral, Royal Mile, 226 0673. 6pm. Wayne Weaver directs Music for a Winter’s Day. Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra Autumn Concert Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place, greyfriarskirk.com 7.30pm. £10 (£7; children £3). William Conway guest-conducts Stokowski’s arrangement of Bach’s epic Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, plus works by Bruch and Sibelius. Matthew Fields of St Mary’s Music School is the soloist. Edinburgh University Chamber Orchestra Reid Concert Hall,
University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square, 650 2427. 7.30pm. £8 (£5). David Watkin and Chris George conduct Brahms, Berlioz (guest soloist Jane Atkins) and Mozart. Yorkhill Children’s Foundation Christmas Concert Glasgow City Chambers, George Square, 201 6917. 7.30pm. £10 (children £5). Music, dance and entertainment.
HITLIST THE BEST CLASSICAL & OPERA
CLASSICAL Music
Monday 28
Glasgow Woodwind Department: Oboes Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 1pm. £7 (£5). Oboe students led by Stephen West. Edinburgh Sacconi Quartet The Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7.45pm. £12–£21 (£11–£19). Mozart’s K575, Bartok’s No 3 and Beethoven’s Op 59 No 3.
Tuesday 29
Edinburgh Death’s Cabaret – A Love Story The Caves, Niddry Street South, 668 2019. 8–9pm. £10 (£7). A new commission from composer Stephen Deazley and writer Martin Riley, performed by Matthew Sharp with the Sacconi Quartet. Wednesday 30
Glasgow RCS String Department: Principalship Course Concert Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 7.30pm. £8. The Conservatoire drops new string students in at the deep end. Edinburgh Edinburgh Quartet: Beethoven Quartets St George’s West Church, 58 Shandwick Place, 225 7001. 7.30pm. £12 (£8; students & children £4). The Quartet welcomes new violist Jessica Beeston with a series of the complete Beethoven quartets. Tonight, ‘Grosse Fuge’ Op 133, Op 18 No 3 and Op 130.
Thursday 1
Glasgow FREE Madrigirls Glasgow University Concert Hall, University Avenue, 330 4092. 1.10–2pm. Medieval, traditional and contemporary choral works. BBC SSO: Dvorák’s Cello Concerto City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £10–£23. Works by Sibelius, then Dvorák’s majestic Cello Concerto, with Andreas Brantelid. Andrew Manze conducts. RCS Wind Orchestra with Big Band: Global Winds Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 7.30pm. £13.50 (£11). Pieces by Robert Smith, Gershwin (Rhapsody in Blue) and Whitacre. Edinburgh St Mary’s Music School Chamber Music Concert St George’s West Church, 58 Shandwick Place, 538 7766. 6–7pm. £5 (£3; children £1). Showcase for young students. Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Christmas Oratorio The Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7.30pm. £9.50–£28 (£7.50–£26; students £5). Richard Egarr conducts Bach’s transcendental hoedown from the harpsichord.
Friday 2 Glasgow Return with Ravel Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 1pm. £10.50 (£7.50). Kanako Ito (violin), Martin Storey (cello) and Fali Pavri (piano) play Ravel’s Piano Trio. Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Christmas Oratorio City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12–£26 (seniors £10–£24; children, students & unemployed £5). See Thu 1.
Edinburgh Edinburgh University Wind Band Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square, 650 2427. 7.30pm. £5 (£3). Morven Bell conducts. RSNO: Osborne plays Shostakovich Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £11–£34. Debussy orchestral pieces and Shostakovich concertos. With Steven Osborne as piano soloist and John Gracie on trumpet. Stéphane Denève conducts. Susan Landale St Peter’s Church, Lutton Place. 7.30pm. Retiring collection. Organ recital.
Saturday 3
Glasgow FREE Avis McIntyre Renfield St Stephen’s Church, 260 Bath Street, 332 2826. 1pm. Organ recital. RSNO: Osborne plays Shostakovich Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £11–£34 (under 26s £5; under 16s free). See Fri 2. Edinburgh FREE David Goodenough St Cuthbert’s Church, 5 Lothian Road, 229 1142. 1.30pm. Organ recital. Calton Consort 10th Anniversary Concert & Reunion Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate, 556 3515. 7.30–9.30pm. £8 (£6). Pieces by Lauridsen, Manneke, Gardner and Elliott Carter, amazingly vigorous at 102. Jason Orringe conducts.
Sunday 4
Glasgow FREE Kelvingrove Sunday Organ Recitals Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 3–3.45pm. See Sun 20. Edinburgh Bel Canto: Edwardian Music and Seasonal Buffet Lunch Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. 12.30–3.30pm. £20. Fifteenth and 16th-century choral music and readings. FREE St Giles’ at Six: Michael Harris St Giles’ Cathedral, Royal Mile, 226 0673. 6pm. Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur.
Monday 5 Glasgow RCS Brass Department Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 1pm. £7 (£5). Future brass stars.
Tuesday 6
Glasgow Scottish Ensemble: Concerts by Candlelight Òran Mór, 731-735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 7.30pm. £10. Music by Purcell, Byrd, Kutavicius, Pärt, Tüür and Vasks. Edinburgh Pure Brass: Emerging Artists Series Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 11am. £2 (children/students free). Seasonal music, Norwegian folk themes and other pieces. Edinburgh University Singers Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 1.10pm. £3. John Kitchen plays organ and conducts.
Wednesday 7 Glasgow Royal Conservatoire Chamber Ensemble Concert Masters Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 7.30pm. £7 (£5). Violin concertos.
Scottish Opera: The Barber of Seville Last chance to see the current revival of Sir Thomas Allen’s delightful 2007 production of the Rossini favourite. Great cast with Claire Booth singing Rosina, Thomas Walker as the Count and the dynamic young Finn, Ville Rusanen, as Figaro. Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 17 & Sat 19 Nov.
BBC SSO: Bluebeard’s Castle A concert performance of Bartok’s gripping and darkly disturbing operatic masterpiece coupled with the somewhat sunnier Three Cornered Hat orchestral suites from Manuel de Falla’s flamenco-inspired ballet. Appropriately enough, it’s the distinguished Spanish conductor Josep Pons on the podium for his debut with the BBC SSO. City Halls, Candleriggs, Thu 8 Dec.
Ludus Baroque: Christmas Oratorio/Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Christmas Oratorio A chance to compare and contrast two different approaches to the same magnificent piece of music. Ludus place their singers, including counter tenor Tim Mead, around the audience in Canongate Kirk, which is a bit different from usual for Bach. Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh, Fri 9 Dec and Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 1 Dec; City Halls, Glasgow, Fri 2 Dec.
Edinburgh Glits Choir: A Victorian Christmas St Bride’s Centre, 10 Orwell Terrace, 346 1405. 7.30–10pm. £10 (£7). Seasonal tunes and readings from Dickens. John Wilson and the John Wilson Orchestra Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £39–£44. Classic Hollywood melodies.
Thursday 8 Glasgow Ian Smith of Stornoway Opera Workshops Alexander Gibson Opera Studio, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 7.15pm. £13.50 (£11). Postgraduate singers perform in staged opera scenes. BBC SSO: Bluebeard’s Castle City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £10–£23. Suites by de Falla and a concert performance of Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. Sara Fulgoni and Robert Bork are the singers.
17 Nov–1 Dec 2011 THE LIST 109