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Three meditations on death and mourning with the RSNO in Edinburgh

By Simon Thompson, 25 April 2025

Mozart's Requiem packs in the crowd, but it's Berg's Violin Concerto with Carolin Widmann that really finds the spiritual depth.

****1

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****1

Edinburgh

25 Apr 2025

Three meditations on death and mourning with the RSNO in Edinburgh

By Simon Thompson

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Edinburgh

Hands up for Uprising, Jonathan Dove’s vivid new community opera

By David Smythe, 28 March 2025

The RSNO adult and youth choruses head a vibrant community of singers in Jonathan Dove’s energetic and moving protest drama.

****1

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****1

Edinburgh

28 Mar 2025

Hands up for Uprising, Jonathan Dove’s vivid new community opera

By David Smythe

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Edinburgh

An electrifying Carmina Burana from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra

By David Smythe, 15 November 2024

A terrific Carmina Burana from the RSNO and choruses conducted by Marzena Diakun conducting. Elena Langer’s The Dong with a Luminous Nose was a perfect opener.

*****

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*****

Edinburgh

15 Nov 2024

An electrifying Carmina Burana from RSNO

By David Smythe

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Edinburgh

The RSNO's season begins with Mahler's Resurrection Symphony

By Simon Thompson, 04 October 2024

Thomas Søndergård's Mahler cycle with the RSNO continues with patchy singing but brilliant orchestral playing.

****1

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****1

Edinburgh

04 Oct 2024

The RSNO's season begins with Mahler's Resurrection Symphony

By Simon Thompson

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Edinburgh

Wilson the Wizard brings magic to The Planets with the RSNO in Edinburgh

By Simon Thompson, 19 April 2024

John Wilson brings the best out of both Holst's music and the players of the RSNO, though Alice Coote fails to hit the heights in Elgar's Sea Pictures.

****1

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****1

Edinburgh

19 Apr 2024

Wilson the Wizard brings magic to The Planets in Edinburgh

By Simon Thompson

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Edinburgh

More than cribs and tinsel: MacMillan’s dramatic Christmas Oratorio receives Scottish premiere

By David Smythe, 24 November 2023

The composer conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Chorus with Roderick Williams and Rhian Lois in Edinburgh's Usher Hall.

****1

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****1

Edinburgh

24 Nov 2023

More than cribs and tinsel: MacMillan’s dramatic Christmas Oratorio

By David Smythe

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Edinburgh

Heaven can wait: the RSNO end their season with an earthbound Verdi Requiem

By Simon Thompson, 09 June 2023

Thomas Søndergård conducts a Verdi Requiem in Edinburgh's Usher Hall where the component parts rarely cohere as a whole.

**111

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**111

Edinburgh

09 Jun 2023

Heaven can wait: the RSNO ends season with an earthbound Verdi Requiem

By Simon Thompson

Perth

Remembrance of lost youth as RSNO and Glasgow schoolboys mark Armistice

By David Smythe, 08 November 2018

RSNO’s sparkling Prokofiev, heroic Tchaikovsky and lush Poulenc which celebrated 175 years of the RSNO Chorus was eclipsed by 80 Glasgow schoolboys who sang their hearts out with three songs from All Those Men Who Marched Away.

****1

****1

Perth

08 Nov 2018

Remembrance of lost youth in Perth

By David Smythe

London

Prom 72: A reflective War Requiem from Oundjian and the RSNO

By David Karlin, 06 September 2018

Britten's profoundly pacifist work is given a calm reading by Peter Oundjian and the RSNO: soprano Erin Wall, the RSNO Junior Chorus and the wind players provide the high spots of the evening.

***11

***11

London

06 Sep 2018

Prom 72: A reflective War Requiem from the RSNO

By David Karlin

Edinburgh

RSNO plays American classics for the Bernstein centenary

By Simon Thompson, 27 April 2018

It was a concert of two halves for RSNO's Bernstein tribute.

***11

***11

Edinburgh

27 Apr 2018

RSNO marks the Bernstein centenary

By Simon Thompson

Edinburgh

Oundjian's Brahms disappoints, but Hadelich's Dvořák takes off in Edinburgh

By Simon Thompson, 01 December 2017

Hadelich dazzles, but Oundjian's Brahms is bland.

***11

***11

Edinburgh

01 Dec 2017

Oundjian's Brahms disappoints in Edinburgh

By Simon Thompson

Glasgow

A life-affirming Mahler 3 moves and thrills in Glasgow

By David Smythe, 03 June 2017

The RSNO’s Mahler 3 is jubilant, life-affirming and memorable under the conductor Peter Oundjian.

****1

****1

Glasgow

03 Jun 2017

A life-affirming Mahler 3 in Glasgow

By David Smythe

Glasgow

Sarah Connolly and Toby Spence are soulful companions in RSNO's Dream of Gerontius

By David Smythe, 30 May 2015

Toby Spence and Sarah Connolly make splendid soulful companions and conductor Peter Oundjian brings a resonant depth to Elgar's period-piece in a fine end to the RSNO's season.

***11

***11

Glasgow

30 May 2015

Connolly and Spence in Glasgow Gerontius

By David Smythe

Edinburgh

Mahler's epic Eighth a thrilling finale to RSNO's season

By David Smythe, 30 May 2014

Any performance of Mahler's Eighth Symphony is a special event. This one was a thrilling end to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's season.

****1

****1

Edinburgh

30 May 2014

Mahler's epic Eighth a thrilling finale to RSNO's season

By David Smythe

Edinburgh

RSNO celebrates Britten's 100th with the War Requiem

By David Smythe, 16 November 2013

Conflict across the world pours into our homes through the immediacy of television, and we can now see harrowing images unavailable when Britten took up the commission to write a piece for the consecration of the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral in 1961/62.

***11

***11

Edinburgh

16 Nov 2013

RSNO celebrates Britten's 100th with the War Requiem

By David Smythe

Edinburgh

Sir Andrew Davis and RSNO in Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah

By Alan Coady, 17 May 2013

RSNO concerts begin, for me and around 100 others, with the pre-concert talk. I'm especially glad of these when new to a work, such as Mendelssohn’s 1846 Elijah. A talk by those who have prepared the music for us adds something to even the most extensive “presearch”. Sir Andrew Davis, in conversation with RSNO principal trombonist Dávur Juul Magnussen, came across as extremely witty and erudite.

****1

****1

Edinburgh

17 May 2013

Sir Andrew Davis and RSNO in Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah

By Alan Coady

Edinburgh

Denève's passionate Daphnis and Chloé thrills Usher Hall

By Jeremy Morris, 11 May 2012

In this, the last of his farewell programmes, Stéphane Denève bade au revoir to Edinburgh in front of an audience of the great and the good, containing ambassadors, diplomats and ministers as well as all his Edinburgh fans. There were speeches, presentations and more than a touch of the Hollywood Academy Awards Ceremony. “But what about the music?” I hear you ask.

****1

****1

Edinburgh

11 May 2012

Denève's passionate Daphnis and Chloé thrills Usher Hall

By Jeremy Morris

Edinburgh

RSNO: Brahms and Lieberson

By Alan Coady, 23 March 2012

Of all the 'time arts', music is arguably best placed to convey impermanence. Frikki Walker's excellent pre-concert talk – the most philosophical I've experienced at an RSNO Friday evening concert – set this train of thought in motion.

****1

****1

Edinburgh

23 Mar 2012

RSNO: Brahms and Lieberson

By Alan Coady

Edinburgh

RSNO and Stéphane Denève: John Adams and Beethoven 9

By Rohan Shotton, 05 May 2011

The final concert of the RSNO’s 2010-11 Usher Hall season was a journey from John Adams’ reflection on the tragedy of 11th September 2001 to Beethoven’s joyful statement of brotherhood in his Symphony No. 9. John Adams’ On the Transmigration of Souls was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic to mark the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

*****

*****

Edinburgh

05 May 2011

RSNO and Stéphane Denève: John Adams and Beethoven 9

By Rohan Shotton

Glasgow

"Ode to Joy" au Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

By Nicolas Tavernier, 28 May 2016

Le RSNO a clôt sa saison samedi soir avec un programme Beethoven/Strauss.

***11

***11

Glasgow

28 May 2016

"Ode to Joy" au Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

By Nicolas Tavernier