SCO Schumann Cello Concerto Queen's Hall Edinburgh 7th May 2026 Review
SCO Schumann Cello Concerto at the Queen's Hall Edinburgh tonight was a treat for any fans of the cello as there was not one, but two solo performances from SCO's principal cellist, Philip Higham.
The cello had the spotlight for the second and third performances (before and after interval) here although 172 years separated them from one another. Despite this, both works were inter-connected in a very distinct musical line through time.
Firstly SCHUMANN Cello Concerto (1850), a performance which Philip Higham dedicated to the memory of one of the world's great cellists, Christian Elliot, who died at far too young an age last year.
Schumann was prone to peaks and troughs in his emotional well-being, and this had a direct effect on both his health and his career. Thankfully, this work is from a good point in his life when, for various reasons, he and his family were making a new start in Düsseldorf. This cello concerto was written partly because Schumann thought there were too few works out there for this instrument, and although it avoids demanding a grandstanding display of talent, it still, with its restrained approach, makes huge technical demands upon any cellist performing it. The technical demands of this work were commented upon by Philip Higham.
There is at times a dreamlike quality to this work, even if at times this is a place of darker spaces and emotions, and a big part of this very emotional soundscape is Schumann's decision to run all three movements into one cohesive whole. There is, however, light at the end of this musical journey, and maybe this darkness to light (and vice-versa) is in part a reflection of Schumann's own fluctuating emotional state of mind.
Secondly, WIDMANN and 5 Albumblätter (2022) (UK Premiere). German composer Jörg Widmann is one of the great musical explorers of contemporary music (across a wide genre) and this affectionate homage to Schumann is full of fun, full of surprises, whilst at the same time often clearly referencing Schumann's music. Even the title of movement IV Bossa nova für Clara and Robert is full of imagination and fun. Like the Schumann Cello Concerto, this too makes huge technical demands upon any cellist performing it. This performance Philip Higham dedicated to his mother, marking too her 80th birthday.
On both works, Philip Higham deserved the applause given to him by this appreciative audience.
Book-ending these two works were MENDELSSOHN Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage and DEBUSSY Petite Suite. In the first work, MENDELSSOHN took inspiration from two poems by Goethe, (they were friends despite their large age differences). Opening with a calm, almost gentle breeze, this elemental work soon changes tone and colour as the sea calm changes to one of growing ferocity and power, before a safe haven from the storm comes into view.
Again, drawing inspiration from poetry, this time Paul Verlaine, DEBUSSY Petite Suite has again a dreamlike quality to it and just as you get into a comfortable space, marching bands, and energetic dance enter your world of sound.
Over all four works performed tonight, Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev needs special mention too for his often very subtle but always emotive interpretation of tonight's music.
Review by Tom King (c) 2026
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
The cello had the spotlight for the second and third performances (before and after interval) here although 172 years separated them from one another. Despite this, both works were inter-connected in a very distinct musical line through time.
Firstly SCHUMANN Cello Concerto (1850), a performance which Philip Higham dedicated to the memory of one of the world's great cellists, Christian Elliot, who died at far too young an age last year.
Schumann was prone to peaks and troughs in his emotional well-being, and this had a direct effect on both his health and his career. Thankfully, this work is from a good point in his life when, for various reasons, he and his family were making a new start in Düsseldorf. This cello concerto was written partly because Schumann thought there were too few works out there for this instrument, and although it avoids demanding a grandstanding display of talent, it still, with its restrained approach, makes huge technical demands upon any cellist performing it. The technical demands of this work were commented upon by Philip Higham.
There is at times a dreamlike quality to this work, even if at times this is a place of darker spaces and emotions, and a big part of this very emotional soundscape is Schumann's decision to run all three movements into one cohesive whole. There is, however, light at the end of this musical journey, and maybe this darkness to light (and vice-versa) is in part a reflection of Schumann's own fluctuating emotional state of mind.
Secondly, WIDMANN and 5 Albumblätter (2022) (UK Premiere). German composer Jörg Widmann is one of the great musical explorers of contemporary music (across a wide genre) and this affectionate homage to Schumann is full of fun, full of surprises, whilst at the same time often clearly referencing Schumann's music. Even the title of movement IV Bossa nova für Clara and Robert is full of imagination and fun. Like the Schumann Cello Concerto, this too makes huge technical demands upon any cellist performing it. This performance Philip Higham dedicated to his mother, marking too her 80th birthday.
On both works, Philip Higham deserved the applause given to him by this appreciative audience.
Book-ending these two works were MENDELSSOHN Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage and DEBUSSY Petite Suite. In the first work, MENDELSSOHN took inspiration from two poems by Goethe, (they were friends despite their large age differences). Opening with a calm, almost gentle breeze, this elemental work soon changes tone and colour as the sea calm changes to one of growing ferocity and power, before a safe haven from the storm comes into view.
Again, drawing inspiration from poetry, this time Paul Verlaine, DEBUSSY Petite Suite has again a dreamlike quality to it and just as you get into a comfortable space, marching bands, and energetic dance enter your world of sound.
Over all four works performed tonight, Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev needs special mention too for his often very subtle but always emotive interpretation of tonight's music.
Review by Tom King (c) 2026
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
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