Scottish Ensemble in Edinburgh: A journey backwards in time from Ligeti to Bach

By Jeremy Morris, 23 April 2012

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Reviewed at Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, Edinburgh on 20 April 2012

Ligeti, Ramifications, for strings

Webern, Five Movements for string quartet, Op.5

Debussy, String Quartet in G minor, Op.10 (arr. Jonathan Morton)

Bruckner, String Quintet in F major, WAB 112 (Adagio)

Mendelssohn, String Symphony no. 10 in B minor

Bach, Violin Concerto in E major, BWV1042

Scottish Ensemble

Jonathan Morton, Violin

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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Jeremy Morris

Former president of Keble College music society, tank commander and head of languages at Scotland's leading independent school, Jeremy lists violin, viola and motor cycles among his principal recreations. He is particularly interested in string chamber music of all periods.