Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Strings and Wind Soloists
How immensely fortunate music-lovers in Scotland are to have no fewer than three world-class orchestras based in Scotland, presenting varied programmes of concerts through much of the year! I refer of course to the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. However, listing the SCO third, as here and invariably, should never be seen as conveying any notion of comparative status. A chamber orchestra is not merely a small orchestra – indeed there is nothing ‘mere’ about it. It represents rather a choice to pursue a unique kind of music-making, to use a particular kind of venue and to perform a special kind of repertoire. And … arriving at length at the theme of this review … a choice to present a very special kind of Summer Tour. The feature common to all of these conscious artistic choices is to bring performers and audience closer together, whether geographically or through the design of the performance space, or emotionally through the intimacy of chamber music performance, either severally or, usually with the SCO, in combination.
For the first time since 2019, the SCO Summer Tour 22 represents a return to the familiar and much-missed series of concerts, by the full band and small ensembles drawn therefrom, in small, intimate venues throughout Scotland, of imaginatively chosen repertoire, combining popular favourites with unfamiliar or rarely heard curiosity pieces. And, dare I say it, at very reasonable ticket prices. The SCO’s Summer Tour consumes no jet fuel and plays to Scotland. Here I consider two consecutive evenings of such music-making.
SCO Strings
Saturday 18th June saw the SCO Strings visit Callander Kirk, the players performing on the level in front of the altar with the audience in the pews of this intimate venue. The Trossachs town’s church dates from the mid-19th century with additions and alterations into the early-20th. It has a genial colourful interior and a very warm live acoustic. The ensemble comprised six each of first and second violins, three each of violas and cellos and one double bass. The programme balanced three well-known pieces with three less familiar.
Elgar’s early Serenade set the tone for an evening of committed chamber music with a rich ensemble sound and sensitive string playing that was as characterful as it was flawless. The Allegro Piacevole struck the perfect blend of whimsy and nostalgia of a young Elgar who had found his musical voice but not yet fame. The Larghetto, with its barely restrained passion undisguised by a veneer of stoicism (how very Elgarian!), prompted a tear from many. The Allegretto finale, with its drifting back and forth between the major and minor key before a return to the skipping viola rhythm of the first movement and a quiet, peaceful resolution, was masterfully delivered.
Britten’s Simple Symphony (a “Festival of Alliteration”, constructed at the age of 20 from themes composed between the ages of 9 and 12!) is as enduringly popular as the Elgar. The Boisterous Bourrée, with its interplay of naivety and sophistication, was played with just the right combination of exuberance and virtuosity. The witty Playful Pizzicato benefitted from a wide dynamic range supported by the warm acoustic of the venue and was thoroughly excellent. Most memorable though was the Sentimental Sarabande, expressively and movingly played, especially the viola pizzicato figure that accompanies the wistful second subject, like falling teardrops, reminding the listener that Britten was a capable violist. The high quality of ensemble playing continued through the romp of the Frolicsome Finale.
The leader Stephanie Gonley, who had been directing the performance from the front desk, then played the violin solo part in the 19-year-old Schubert’s Rondo in A Major D438, a concertante work I had not heard before. After an Adagio introduction, the Allegro Giusto rondo theme is energetic, charming and memorable. To my taste, the episodes are less so. Nonetheless, the mood and virtuosic demands are reminiscent of the finale of the Beethoven concerto, if the actual harmonic world is more Mozartian. It was beautifully played, and I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to hear it, though I cannot imagine seeking it out for a second hearing.
After the interval, we were treated to two more unfamiliar American works. Caroline Shaw’s Entr’acte is a 2014 adaptation for string orchestra of a short 2011 string quartet. Rooted in the classical minuet-and-trio form, it departs quickly into a very different alternative reality sound world, exploiting various string effects like artificial harmonics, percussive pizzicato, col legno and brushing the bow along the strings instead of across. A truly magical work, with the SCO Strings up to all its technical challenges. Arthur Foote’s 3-movement Suite from 1907 followed. Rooted in late romanticism, an individual musical voice is still discernible. A prelude and fugue sandwich a middle pizzicato (with the same rhythmic drive as in the Britten) with an Adagietto central section. A super piece which deserves many more outings.
Bartók’s 1915 ever-popular Romanian Folk Dances rounded off the evening with characterful and committed playing. A thoroughly memorable evening of great music-making.
SCO Wind
The following evening, Sunday 19th, the SCO Wind Soloists were in the Devonvale Hall in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire. Although the venue, built in 1938, has a stage, the performers played from the same level as the audience, seated in an arc, achieving the same intimate performance space as their string-playing colleagues. The octet comprised two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons and two horns. The six pieces programmed used various combinations drawn from the octet.
Mozart’s 4-movement Divertimento in B-flat K270, for sextet (omitting the clarinets) was, apart from the Presto rondo finale, familiar to me. After a fanfare-like opening, the richly melodic material is passed between the instruments in an entertainingly conversational style, beautifully played by the SCO soloists, and an excellent concert-opener. The hectic, witty finale is very challenging in its demands for agility from all, especially the first oboe, but Robin Williams (!) rose to the challenges without mishap. I can only imagine that the reason the Presto had escaped my recollection was its extreme brevity.
Beethoven’s single-movement Andante Rondino employed the full octet, starting with a glorious horn solo from Zoë Tweed. Though this is Beethoven in his early 20’s, the writing is boldly inventive and fully exploratory of extending the possibilities of writing for wind band. Even at this stage, it is clear that Beethoven already loves his horns, a full decade before the Eroica Symphony!
Mátyás Seiber’s 1925 3-movement Serenade for Wind Sextet (this time minus oboes) is quite scrumptious: warmly lyrical, sometimes pastoral, with some influences from jazz rhythms and a lot of influences from Hungarian folk music, as re-imagined by Seiber’s teacher Kodály. This was a first hearing for me and the musicians clearly hugely enjoyed performing it. This is why we need the SCO – how else will we get to hear this wonderful music? Second bassoon Alison Green introduced this and all the other pieces, warmly applauded by the enthusiastic audience.
First up after the interval, the Ouverture from Telemann’s Quintet in F major (two oboes, two horns and bassoon) is a typical overture in the French style from a baroque suite, with a slow introduction and a faster section. Confident joyful music played confidently and con brio.
This was followed by a rare treat, Poulenc’s 3-movement Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon, played by bassoonist Cerys Ambrose-Evans and clarinettist Maximiliano Martín. The players played standing to the fore of the arc of seats. The work is full of mischief in the outer movements, offset by the grace and elegance of the slow movement, which makes its solemnity seem somewhat tongue-in-cheek. A delightful work, but very demanding of technical skill. It received a performance of great virtuosity married to equal musicality. Quite superb!
The concert closed with Hummel’s 3-movement Octet-Partita in E-flat Major, a typical late Classical work, radiant and life-affirming, so all the more surprising that it is infrequently performed. It rounded off another evening of engaging and finely entertaining music-making, thanks to our wonderful Scottish Chamber Orchestra and its Summer Tour 2022.