Riffs, Roars and Romance from Scotland and France
Scotland and France, two cultures forged together through history; passionate, stylish and gallus.
Ibert: Concertino Da Camera for alto saxophone and chamber orchestra (1935)
saxophone: Dean Garrity
Richard Greer: Inheritance (premiere)
Damase: Duo Concertant for flute, harp and strings (2008)
flute - Catriona Ryan, harp - Teresa Romao
MacMillan: The Exorcism of Rio Sumpul (1989)
Conductor: Paul MacAlindin
Ibert's melodious and cheeky saxophone concerto opens the concert with wit and charm, perfect for emerging Scottish artist Dean Garrity.
Richard Greer's "Inheritance" longingly visits seas of tides and change; of before and after; of single grains and the unity of the sand; of looking out at a thousand glimmering mirrors chattering to the sun.
The beautifully French match of flute and harp is celebrated by composer Jean-Michel Damase with two outstanding musicians, Portugese harpist Teresa Romao and Irish flautist Catriona Ryan.
A priest turns a helicopter gun attack on his El Salvadorian village into a dance, leading the children through the streets to exorcise its terror. One of Sir James MacMillan's earliest works, The Exorcism of Rio Sumpul foretells his astonishing hit The Confession of Isobel Gowdie a year later.