MUSIC | Classical MUSIC | Classical C L A S S I C A L
NEW COMMISSIONS BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: THOMAS DAUSGAARD City Halls, Glasgow, Thu 22 Sep
After signing off with the final bars of Schoenberg’s ‘Gurrelieder’ in the closing concert of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, Donald Runnicles stepped down as chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Taking up the role from September is Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard.
His first season has a strong Scottish emphasis, with a focus on new orchestral music through the launch of Scottish Inspirations, a series of five new BBC commissions inspired by Scottish culture and a sense of national identity. The first of these, by Scottish composer Helen Grime, takes inspiration from a painting – Catterline in Winter – by Scottish artist Joan Eardley and can be heard in the 2016 / 17 season’s opening concert, paired with Bruckner’s ‘Symphony No 9’ in a recently completed version which has its first outing in Glasgow.
Further into the season, as well as a second Eardley-inspired
piece by Helen Grime, new music from Sally Beamish, Jay Capperauld and Edmund Finnis will complete the Scottish Inspirations commissions. ‘We’ve asked composers to write for us inspired by this unique part of the world, Scotland,’ says Dausgaard. ‘There’s going to be world premieres, UK premieres, great music and I look forward to sharing it in my first season here.’ Sitting in on rehearsals of the Danish Radio Symphony
Orchestra as a boy, he became curious about conductors and conducting, taking up the cello so that he could be part of a youth orchestra. Inspired further by their conductor, Dausgaard became hooked on orchestral conducting and has never looked back. ‘It’s about connecting us all and making us speak with one voice.’ (Carol Main)
CLASSICAL HIGHLIGHTS
HITLIST GLASGOW
SCOTTISH OPERA: THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Wed 12, Fri 14, Sun 16, Tue 18, Thu 20, Sat 22 Oct, atgtickets.com Hit production of Mozart’s much loved opera by Sir Thomas Allen opens Scottish Opera’s new season with Emerging Artist Ben McAteer in the title role. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ theatre for details
DUNEDIN CONSORT: MONTEVERDI VESPERS St Mary’s Church, Haddington, Fri 9 Sep, lammermuirfestival.co.uk Opening this year’s Lammermuir Festival, the Dunedin Consort present Monteverdi’s spectacular masterpiece from 1610, written for grand scale Venetian church performance. Also Perth Concert Hall, Sun 11 Sep.
BBC SSO: THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS City Halls, Candleriggs, Thu 20 Oct, glasgowconcerthalls.com/ city-halls An evening of Berlin style decadence with smoky, sultry German cabaret and radical politics coming together in Kurt Weill’s final piece for the theatre. Great chance to hear Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman in the central role of Anna.
EDINBURGH
THE MARIAN CONSORT St Mary’s Church, Haddington, Mon 12 Sep, lammermuirfestival. co.uk The Lammermuir Festival welcomes the early music vocal ensemble of young singers as part of their Breaking the Rules tour. An exploration of the weird and wonderful world of Renaissance composer Gesualdo, it’s a cross between a play and a concert.
SUNDAY CLASSICS: STÉPHANE DENÈVE CONDUCTS BRUSSELS
78 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016
P H O T O :
M A R K H A M L T O N
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The Marriage of Figaro
PHILHARMONIC Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Sun 2 Oct, usherhall.co.uk Held in affection by Scottish audiences from his time with the RSNO, the charming French conductor returns to the Usher Hall with the Brussels Philharmonic, of which he is now Music Director.
SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: BERLIOZ ‘L’ENFANCE DU CHRIST’ Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Thu 20 Oct, usherhall.co.uk. The story of Christ’s birth and early years is vividly told in this grandiose piece for choir, soloists and orchestra with many magical moments in addition to the well known ‘Shepherd’s Farewell’ not generally heard until Christmas time.
Also City Halls, Glasgow, Fri 21 Oct, glasgowconcerthalls.com/ city-halls
GILDAS QUARTET St Vincent’s Chapel, St Stephen Street, Stockbridge, Sat 22 Oct, gildasoct22.brownpapertickets. com A good opportunity not only to hear some intriguing music by an excellent up-and-coming string quartet, but also to see inside the little church, nestled in a corner of Stockbridge.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES
ECHOES AND TRACES: NOBILIS HUMILIS Stirling Castle, Old Town, Thu 1 Sep, echoesandtraces.com Eight new choral works by Scottish composers, performed by Cappella Nova, in a world premiere tour in historic Scottish venues around the country. The music is based on a 900-year-old plainchant fragment from Orkney in celebration of St Magnus. Also Glasgow Cathedral Fri 2 Sep; Duff House, Aberdeenshire, Sun 4 Sep; St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney, Mon 5 Sep; Iona Abbey, Wed 7 Sep; Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, Thu 8 Sep.