SCO The Auld Alliance Usher Hall Edinburgh 21st March 2024 Review
SCO The Auld Alliance at the Usher Hall tonight celebrates the centuries-old relationship between Scotland and France in style with work from both French, Scottish, and adopted English composers.
There are many who will tell you that the “Auld Aliiance” was politically over in 1560 when the Treaty of Edinburgh was signed to end the conflict between French troops invited to Scotland, and mostly garrisoned in Leith by Mary of Guise (Mary Queen of Scot’s Mother). Under this treaty the Protestant “Lords of The Congregation”, backed by the invited to Scotland troops of England’s Queen Elizabeth 1 saw English and Scottish troops in bitter conflict with the Catholic French forces. Somehow throughout all of this, away from the politics, that close friendship between the people of France and Scotland has survived and still thrives today.
Opening tonight’s programme of music was “Rob Roy” (1831) by French composer Berlioz. This work is more of a fantasy musical tribute to the Scotland that Berlioz imagined from his reading of Sir Walter Scott’s swashbuckling adventure of 1817, and that shows in a very lively score that is also infused with influences of Robert Burns’ “Scot’s Wha Hae”. This is musical fantasy, but it is fitting as the Scotland that Sir Walter Scott so often gave to the world was one of specially created tartans and fantasy life highland scenes. If Berlioz had been around in the 20th century, this would probably have been the soundtrack of a swashbuckling, highland fantasy film.
We stay with Berlioz for the rest of the first half of this musical programme for a completely different story and one of his attempts to win the prestigious “Prix de Rome” prize for music. Here, Berlioz, in “La mort de Cléopâtre” (1829) gives us a very operatic overview of this famous historical figure in this story of love found, love lost, emotional pain, sorrow and regret, with a famous death scene. Over the very distinctive emotional movements of this work, Mezzo Soprano Karen Cargill delivers a dramatically powerful and emotional performance that brings this libretto into full life.
Opening the second half of tonight’s musical adventures was the world premiere of “Composed in August” (2023) by Sir James MacMillan. In this work, we again explore a work by Robert Burns, “Composed in August/Ode to August”, better known to many today by its first line “Westlin Winds”. This homage to August and its birdlife, nature and the pursuits of man is a tribute also to a country life-style of its times which many people today would raise an eyebrow at and is best illustrated by this song-cum-poem’s first verse
“Now westlin' winds and slaught’ring guns bring Autumn's pleasant weather;
The moorcock springs on whirring wings amang the blooming heather;
The waving grain, wide o'er the plain, delights the weary farmer;
And the moon shines bright, as I rove by night to muse upon my charmer.”
Whatever your thoughts on this seasonal tradition, this musical work by Sir James MacMillan is remarkable in its evocation of the nature and landscape of Scotland that draws its strength equally from a Scotland both past and present.
Finishing off this “Auld Alliance” musical tribute was “An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise” (1985) by Maxwell Davies. Although born in England, the composer has become a treasured adopted son of Scotland for his music and his championing of Orcadian heritage.
This work is full of surprises, full of fun, and you can almost feel, almost wish that you were at this increasingly lively and boisterous wedding where the musicians are getting a little more than fond of their favourite whisky whilst still playing to the wedding party and their guests. The additional bagpipes of Robert Jordan completed the soundscape of fiddles, strings and the rest of the SCO musicians, making this a very unique work of music.
Also bringing their own very distinctive talents to tonight’s music were the SCO chorus and Maxim Emelyanychev, Conductor.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
There are many who will tell you that the “Auld Aliiance” was politically over in 1560 when the Treaty of Edinburgh was signed to end the conflict between French troops invited to Scotland, and mostly garrisoned in Leith by Mary of Guise (Mary Queen of Scot’s Mother). Under this treaty the Protestant “Lords of The Congregation”, backed by the invited to Scotland troops of England’s Queen Elizabeth 1 saw English and Scottish troops in bitter conflict with the Catholic French forces. Somehow throughout all of this, away from the politics, that close friendship between the people of France and Scotland has survived and still thrives today.
Opening tonight’s programme of music was “Rob Roy” (1831) by French composer Berlioz. This work is more of a fantasy musical tribute to the Scotland that Berlioz imagined from his reading of Sir Walter Scott’s swashbuckling adventure of 1817, and that shows in a very lively score that is also infused with influences of Robert Burns’ “Scot’s Wha Hae”. This is musical fantasy, but it is fitting as the Scotland that Sir Walter Scott so often gave to the world was one of specially created tartans and fantasy life highland scenes. If Berlioz had been around in the 20th century, this would probably have been the soundtrack of a swashbuckling, highland fantasy film.
We stay with Berlioz for the rest of the first half of this musical programme for a completely different story and one of his attempts to win the prestigious “Prix de Rome” prize for music. Here, Berlioz, in “La mort de Cléopâtre” (1829) gives us a very operatic overview of this famous historical figure in this story of love found, love lost, emotional pain, sorrow and regret, with a famous death scene. Over the very distinctive emotional movements of this work, Mezzo Soprano Karen Cargill delivers a dramatically powerful and emotional performance that brings this libretto into full life.
Opening the second half of tonight’s musical adventures was the world premiere of “Composed in August” (2023) by Sir James MacMillan. In this work, we again explore a work by Robert Burns, “Composed in August/Ode to August”, better known to many today by its first line “Westlin Winds”. This homage to August and its birdlife, nature and the pursuits of man is a tribute also to a country life-style of its times which many people today would raise an eyebrow at and is best illustrated by this song-cum-poem’s first verse
“Now westlin' winds and slaught’ring guns bring Autumn's pleasant weather;
The moorcock springs on whirring wings amang the blooming heather;
The waving grain, wide o'er the plain, delights the weary farmer;
And the moon shines bright, as I rove by night to muse upon my charmer.”
Whatever your thoughts on this seasonal tradition, this musical work by Sir James MacMillan is remarkable in its evocation of the nature and landscape of Scotland that draws its strength equally from a Scotland both past and present.
Finishing off this “Auld Alliance” musical tribute was “An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise” (1985) by Maxwell Davies. Although born in England, the composer has become a treasured adopted son of Scotland for his music and his championing of Orcadian heritage.
This work is full of surprises, full of fun, and you can almost feel, almost wish that you were at this increasingly lively and boisterous wedding where the musicians are getting a little more than fond of their favourite whisky whilst still playing to the wedding party and their guests. The additional bagpipes of Robert Jordan completed the soundscape of fiddles, strings and the rest of the SCO musicians, making this a very unique work of music.
Also bringing their own very distinctive talents to tonight’s music were the SCO chorus and Maxim Emelyanychev, Conductor.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
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