South Atlantic crossings with added Venezuelan spice

By David Smythe, 13 March 2016

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“The Scottish Ensemble has a knack of interpreting music as if it has just been discovered”

Reviewed at Caird Hall, Dundee on 11 March 2016

Mozart, Adagio and Fugue for Strings in C minor, K546

Villa-Lobos, Bachianas Brasileiras: no. 5 for voice and 8 cellos

Bach, The Musical Offering, BWV1079: Ricercar a 6

Piazzolla, 3 pieces for piano and strings

Golijov, Last Round

Mozart, Piano Concerto no. 14 in E flat major, K449

Gabriela Montero, Piano

Scottish Ensemble

Pushing boundaries: Scottish Ensemble’s Shifting Patterns in Perth

David Smythe, 29th October

Jonathan Morton leads the Scottish Ensemble in Górecki’s extraordinary Quasi una fantasia, before diving headlong into seven Anna Meredith tracks, featuring visuals by Ewan Jones Morris.

****1

Scottish Ensemble at the QEH: hugely energetic, top-quality playing

Stephen Pritchard, 29th September

A carefully chosen programme of exciting, short pieces which all share parallel energetic explorations of musical patterns and pulses.

*****

Karen Cargill and the Scottish Ensemble burst into Songs for Life

David Smythe, 13th November

Life, death, childhood, community and love are celebrated in Songs for Life by Karen Cargill with the Scottish Ensemble in an exquisitely filmed performance.

*****

Scottish Ensemble’s adventures in music for a winter’s night

David Smythe, 7th December

A deeply soulful musical adventure for a winter’s night from the Scottish Ensemble to celebrate their 50th anniversary

****1

Soulful Advent music from the Scottish Ensemble with Sean Shibe

David Smythe, 8th December

The Scottish Ensemble with guitarist Sean Shibe perform a thoughtful programme of ancient and modern Christmas-themed music in a candlelit St John’s Kirk.

****1

Utterly thrilling: Prelude – Skydiving from a Dream

David Smythe, 10th November

Prelude – Skydiving from a Dream from Scottish Ensemble and Andersson Dance: mesmeric choreographed Bach and Lutosławski with a blistering performance of Beethoven’s Grosse Fugue played from memory and on the move. Thrilling, daring and exciting.

*****

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David Smythe

David the farmer was drawn into music through choirs, orchestras, taking part in and directing 'serious' opera as a student. Passionate about live classical music, particularly chamber opera, unusual pieces and events and giving the next generation the tools to engage with the classical world.

Bach, Piazzolla and more explored in Scottish Ensemble's South Atlantic crossings with added Venezuelan spice