Music and Classical

Christine Brewer

23 Aug 2007

As comfortable chatting about American Idol as she is arias, Christine Brewer is swift to dispel any notion of the opera diva. Indeed, from the moment she burst onto the stage as a teenager with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Brewer knew she had…

Gürzenich Orchestra

Carol Main

23 Aug 2007

Of all the orchestras appearing at the Festival, there is none with a more impressive pedigree than the Gürzenich from Germany. Mahler, Berlioz, Wagner, Verdi, Brahms and Stravinsky all wrote for and conducted this orchestra, whose Cologne roots stretch…

Tschaikowsky (And Other Russians)

23 Aug 2007

Armed with a truckload of sheet music, some forgotten musical gems and a biting Jewish wit, Mark Nadler is like a male Barbra Streisand on speed. Opening with the Kurt Weill/Ira Gershwin song ‘Tschaikowsky’, featuring the unpronounceable names of 49…

Royal Scottish National Orchestra

23 Aug 2007

On stage at the start of this year’s Edinburgh Festival and back at the Usher Hall for its penultimate night, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra have three Glasgow dates that are equally unmissable before returning to Edinburgh with their winter…

Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610

16 Aug 2007

While Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo occupies Festival pole position, there is plenty more on the programme from the great Renaissance-Baroque transitionalist Italian. Five concerts of madrigals make up what EIF director Jonathan Mills calls ‘the sketch book’. As…

Second Life to host first online symphonic concert

14 Aug 2007

The virtual world Second Life has added another string to its bow of real-life pursuits, with plans to stage a full scale symphonic concert on the site. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic has created a virtual version of its concert hall in which it will…

Music of Thomas Adès

9 Aug 2007

For some inexplicable reason, the music of the young English composer Thomas Adès doesn’t get much of an airing north of the border. Putting that to rights is the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, with Adès himself conducting his violin concerto and the…

Candide

9 Aug 2007

In setting up this year’s Opening Concert of the Edinburgh International Festival, Jonathan Mills has quickly ditched the tradition of a Sunday evening kick-off (although the St Giles’ Festival Service remains in place for the morning) and has brought…

L’Orfeo

9 Aug 2007

‘Festivals are a sort of personal odyssey,’ says EIF director Jonathan Mills, ‘like a pilgrimage or rite of passage, where you can learn about yourself.’ In programming his first Festival, Mills also threw down a personal gauntlet, meeting the challenge…

La Didone

19 Jul 2007

For over 30 years, the most unlikely elements have been combined in the Wooster Group’s work. Everything from creaky old B-movies to cutting edge technology have been spliced together to create arresting pieces of theatre.

National Youth Choir of Scotland

3 Jul 2007

CHORAL CONCERTS While the professional outfits take a summer break, it’s the turn of Scotland’s musical youth to take to the stage. First off on the round of summer courses, concerts and tours is the National Youth Choir of Scotland. In preparation…

*Hitlist - Classical

3 Jul 2007

• Mendelssohn on Mull Festival Whether heard in the beautiful setting of Iona Abbey, or the Aros Hall in Tobermory, music at this nearly 20-year-old festival takes on an almost magical quality. String players of international renown come together on…

Scottish Ensemble with Gwilym Simcock

City Halls, Glasgow, Thu 26 Apr; Queen’s Hall, Edi

26 Apr 2007

SEASON FINALE Well known for its innovative programming, the Scottish Ensemble bring their 2006/07 season to a close with a collaboration that straddles the worlds of classical and jazz. Leading young jazz pianist and composer, Gwilym Simcock, joins…

* Hitlist (Classical)

Hitlist

26 Apr 2007

The Sixteen: Music from the Sistine Chapel The seventh choral pilgrimage of this outstanding group of 16 singers takes the Renaissance music of the Papal chapels as its inspiration. The sumptuous sounds of Allegri’s famous Miserere forms the centrepiece…

Rory MacDonald

RORY MACDONALD AND THE ORCHESTRA OF SCOTTISH OPERA

28 Feb 2007

DEBUTANTE Although it is inevitable - and indeed right - that young Scottish musicians don’t always continue their education and develop their careers on home ground, it is nonetheless satisfying when the raw talent that left returns with a highly…

* Hitlist (Classical)

CLASSICAL HITLIST

28 Feb 2007

The International Classical Season: Viktoria Mullova and Ottavio Dantone To experience Moscow-trained Mullova’s (pictured) Bach is something that no one should miss, especially with harpsichordist Dantone who shares her expertise and reverence for…

Gianni Schicchi/L’heure espagnole

RSAMD Opera, Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Fri 19 &Sat 2

15 Jan 2007

OPERA DOUBLE BILL USA and Canada, England and Wales, Sweden, Iceland, Singapore and Brazil are all countries that are fielding singers in the RSAMD’s comedy double bill of operas from Italy and France. Although a one-off blip means that Scotland is…

* Classical Hitlist

Hitlist

15 Jan 2007

The best classical & opera BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra: Afternoon Performance Definitely worth blagging an afternoon off to recharge the batteries in the company of favourite Russian maestro Alexander Titov, who tells Stravinsky’s colourful…

Sally Matthews and Toby Spence

3 Jan 2007

VISITING VOCALISTS As Scotland’s various concert promoters revive themselves in the wake of the festive season, two organisations - totally coincidentally - choose to start the new year with stars from the younger generation of British singers. Tenor…

* Classical Hitlist

Hitlist

3 Jan 2007

National Youth Orchestra of Scotland: New Year Concert What a way to start the year. Almost 100 of the cream of the country’s young musical talent show what can be done after their winter residential course. Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Thu 4 Jan.

Classical music books for Christmas

27 Nov 2006

Mozart in the Jungle Blair Tindall Given the passion that runs through classical music, maybe it’s not surprising that American oboist Tindall should be able to write Mozart in the Jungle, a story of what might happen when young musicians find…

* Classical music hitlist

Classical music hitlist

22 Nov 2006

Reed Between the Lines As part of a drive to promote and celebrate the oboe and bassoon, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra gives a series of Glasgow concerts with these two instruments taking pride of place. Complementing the starry players, such as…

Eye of Fire

Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Wed 6 Dec

21 Nov 2006

NEW MUSIC A bit of chat, maybe some music or the odd amusing anecdote from a celebrated soloist are all staple fare these days for pre-concert talks. Generally free, relaxed and informal, they are useful vehicles for preparing the audience for what…

Children's Classical Concerts

Children's Classical Concerts</h3>

17 Oct 2006

CLASSICAL MUSIC Whether it’s the latest picture book by Julia Donaldson or a juicy storyline in EastEnders, we all love a good yarn. Young or old, a well-told narrative always hits the spot, but there are as many ways of delivering a story as there…

Classical hitlist

Hitlist

12 Oct 2006

Mr McFall’s Chamber Tribute to piper and fiddle player Martyn Bennett, who was a great friend of the group up until his death a year and a half ago. His hallmark combinations of electronic bass lines and beats with folk tunes, whether original or…

Royal Scottish National Orchestra: Naked Classics

Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Thu 26 Oct

11 Oct 2006

STANDARDS REVISTED AND REWORKED Naked and orchestras are two words which (probably thankfully) don’t usually appear in the same sentence. The RSNO’s new Naked Classics series is set to change that, albeit the collective body of the orchestra that is…

Felicja Blumental - album review

Polish Fantasy (Brana Records)

2 Oct 2006

If your idea of a Polish fantasy stretches as far as smoked sausage washed down by a glass of vodka, then it’s time to listen to Brana Records’ latest release. Despite the recent influx of Poles to these parts, the classical music of their homeland…

Orchestra of Scottish Opera

Orchestra of Scottish Opera

28 Sep 2006

CLASSICAL They may not be very visible when Scottish Opera is on the main stage, but the Orchestra of Scottish Opera is not one to shy away from appearing in public on their own so that audiences can get a chance to hear and see them a bit more…

Classical hitlist

The best opera and classical music

28 Sep 2006

Paragon Ensemble: Loony Tunes (pictured) Another first for Paragon as they give the UK premiere of Lyell Cresswell’s Of Whirlwind Underground which depicts Prometheus’ efforts to steal fire from the gods and his resulting punishment at the hands of the…