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Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ SSO - Simpson, MacMillan, Rachmaninov

Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Litton at City Halls, Glasgow. Mark Simpson: Israfel. MacMillan: Piano Concerto No 2 (with Peter Donohoe). Rachmaninov: Symphony No 2.

Live from City Halls, Glasgow

Presented by Jamie MacDougall

Andrew Litton, the charismatic American conductor, brings his musical passion to Rachmaninov's Second Symphony. This hour-long symphony, written while Rachmaninov was living in Dresden, away from his homeland, is full of the lyricism and melodic turns of phrase familiar from the piano concertos.

The first half of the concert showcases two British composers of different generations. A former Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Young Musician of the Year, Mark Simpson is the Liverpool-born clarinettist and composer whose new Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ commission takes its title from a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. And James MacMillan is the preeminent Scottish composer whose cycle of three piano concertos is being explored by the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Peter Donohoe. Tonight's concert features his ballet-inspired Second Piano Concerto which melds traditional Scottish folk-music with dazzling piano virtuosity.

Mark SIMPSON Israfel (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Commission, World Premiere)
James MacMILLAN Piano Concerto No 2

8.20 Interval Music

8.40
RACHMANINOV Symphony No 2 in E minor

Peter Donohoe (piano)
Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Litton (conductor)

Post-concert music: It's All About the Piano! -Hands of Tomorrow - a Franco-British soirée, recorded at the French Institute in London last Saturday. Over the course of this week sample four top young pianists from the Paris Conservatoire and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in music including D. Scarlatti, Brahms, Debussy, Boulez, Messiaen and Liszt:

Marina Koka (piano) Guildhall School
Justine Leroux (piano) Paris Conservatoire
Sophia Dee (piano) Guildhall School
Tanguy de Williencourt (piano) Paris Conservatoire.

2 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Mark SIMPSON

    Israfel (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Commission, World Premiere)

    Orchestra: Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ SSO. Conductor: Andrew Litton.
  • James MacMILLAN

    Piano Concerto No 2

    Orchestra: Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Litton.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Symphony No 2 in E minor

    Orchestra: Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Litton.
  • Gabriel Fauré

    Dolly Suite

    Performer: Tanguy de Williencourt. Performer: Marina Koka.

Credit

Role Contributor
Performer Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Broadcast

  • Thu 2 Apr 2015 19:30

New Music on Radio 3

New Music on Radio 3

A chance to listen to recent broadcasts of new music - including premieres - on Radio 3.