Bittersweet Mahler 4 from Donald Runnicles

By Gregor Forbes, 08 November 2016

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Reviewed at City Halls: Concert Hall, Glasgow on 3 November 2016

Mozart, La finta giardiniera, K 196: Overture

Mozart, Finale of a Symphony ("La finta giardiniera"), K121 (K207a)

Mozart, Exsultate, jubilate, K165 (K158a)

Mozart, Aria for Soprano, "Voi avete un cor fedele", K217

Mahler, Symphony no. 4 in G major

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Carolyn Sampson, Soprano

Sir Donald Runnicles, Conductor

Astonishing Mahler 2 from Runnicles and the BBC Scottish

David Smythe, 1st March

Sir Donald Runnicles and the BBC Scottish reunite for an astonishing Mahler 2 with Karen Cargill, Jennifer Davis and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus.

*****

Sweeping Rachmaninov and scorching Barber from the BBC Scottish

Simon Thompson, 8th February

Despite the presence of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto on the bill, it is a gripping performance of Samuel Barber's First Symphony that steals this Usher Hall Sunday matinee.

****1

Meditative and powerful Górecki at Celtic Connections

David Smythe, 20th January

The Celtic Connections festival showcases Górecki’s Sorrowful Songs, the BBC Scottish with soprano Francesca Chiejina conducted by Pawel Kapula with a thoughtful introductory song set from Alice Zawadzki.

****1

Celebrating 90 years of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

David Smythe, 20th November

Martyn Brabbins conducts MacMillan’s Confession of Isobel Gowdie, BBCSSO founder Ian Whyte’s forgotten Violin Concerto with Stephanie Gonley, and a memorable Rachmaninov 2.

****1

Canellakis brings sparkle and shine to Stravinsky and Bernstein

Simon Thompson, 21st August

Karina Canellakis brings a riot of Technicolor to the Edinburgh International Festival, but countertenor Hugh Cutting threatens to steal the show in Chichester Psalms.

****1

Revelatory Birtwistle and Beethoven from the BBC Scottish SO

Peter Quantrill, 28th July

A composer-conductor's insight yields lasting rewards in Earth Dances and the Eroica at the Royal Albert Hall.

*****

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Gregor Forbes

Gregor Forbes (b. 1993) is a composer and pianist from Scotland. Since 2014 he has been the Artistic Director of Glasgow Experimental Music Series, which was twice nominated for 'Making It Happen' in the Scottish Awards for New Music. In 2019, Gregor was the inaugural recipient of the Scholarship and Composer-in-Residence programme of the Hanns Eisler Haus, Leipzig, which culminated in the performance of a major new work for Ensemble Avant Garde at the Gewandhaus Musica Nova series. Since 2021, Gregor has been the Musical Director of the composers' lecture-recital series 'Neues bei Grieg!' at the Grieg Begegnungsstätte, Leipzig.

Bittersweet Mahler 4 from Donald Runnicles and the BBCSSO