Edinburgh International Festival, 2018 Queen's Hall Series (320kbps .mp3)

Broadcast: August 2018, BBC Radio 3

01. The Dover Quartet
Live from the Queen's Hall, the Edinburgh International Festival debut of the Dover Quartet. One of the world's most exciting young string ensembles and winners of the Banff International String Quartet competition perform works by Haydn, Bartók and Zemlinsky, that are by turns influential, folk-infused and turbulent.

01a. Haydn - String Quartet in F minor Op 20 No 5
01ai. General introduction to the 2018 Queen's Hall Series
01b. Bartók - String Quartet No 2
01bi. Introduction to Bartók’s 2nd String Quartet
01bii. Interview with Fergus Linehan, director of the festival
01c. Zemlinsky - String Quartet No 2

02. Nicola Benedetti, The Academy of Ancient Music and Richard Egarr
Recorded at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, internationally acclaimed Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti demonstrates her baroque violin style in sparkling showpieces for the instrument. She is joined by the distinguished period performance ensemble, the Academy of Ancient Music, under the direction of early music specialist Richard Egarr, for an energetic, witty and joyful Baroque recital featuring a selection of concertos for violin and harpsichord by Vivaldi and Telemann.

02a. Vivaldi - Violin Concerto in D, RV 208, 'Il grosso mogul'
02ai. Introduction to Nicola Benedetti’s concert
02b. Vivaldi - Harpsichord Concerto in A, RV780
02bi. Introduction to Vivaldi’s Harpsichord Concerto in A
02c. Telemann - Violin Concerto in A, TWV 51:A4, 'The Frogs'
02ci. Introduction to Telemann
02d. Telemann - Alster Overture-Suite in F, TWV 55:F11
02di. Introduction to Telemann Part II
02e. Telemann - Concerto in C for four violins
02ei. Introduction to Telemann’s Concerto in C for four violins
02f. Vivaldi - 'Dresden' Violin Concerto in F, RV292
02fi. Introduction to Vivaldi’s 'Dresden' Violin Concerto
02g. Vivaldi - Concerto For Violin Andante, RV583 (encore)

Nicola Benedetti - violin
The Academy of Ancient Music
Richard Egarr - director / harpsichord

03. Viktoria Mullova and Katia Labeque
Live from the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, pioneering Russian violinist Viktoria Mullova is joined by charismatic French pianist Katia Labèque for a richly varied recital of Romantic and Twentieth century music. Prokofiev's three-movement sonata for solo violin is a bold opener with its strong melodic lines and energetic rhythmic flow in neoclassical style originally written for talented young violinists to play in unison. Schumann's sweeping and passionate Violin Sonata provides a strong contrast to this and is followed after the interval with more sensuous and atmospheric works by Arvo Pärt and Takemitsu alongside Ravel's jazz-infused Sonata to close the concert.

03a. Prokofiev - Solo Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 115
03ai. Introduction to Viktoria Mullova and Katia Labeque’s concert
03b. Schumann - Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor, Op. 105
03bi. Introduction Schumann’s Violin Sonata No. 1
03bii. Outro to Schumann’s Violin Sonata No. 1
03c. Takemitsu and Pärt
i. Takemitu - Distance de fée
ii. Arvo Pärt - Fratres
03ci. Introduction to Takemitsu’s Distance de fée
03d. Ravel - Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major
03di. Introduction to Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 2
03e. Pixinguinha - La Rosa (encore)

Viktoria Mullova - violin
Katia Labèque - piano

04. Ilker Arcayürek and Simon Lepper
Live from the Queen's Hall, Radio 3 New Generation Artist and previous winner of the International Lieder Competition in Stuggart, Turkish tenor Ilker Arcayürek takes to the stage for his Edinburgh International Festival debut. Joined by his regular musical partner, pianist Simon Lepper, they perform an enthralling selection of songs by Schubert and Wolf, from Wolf's dramatic Peregrina to Schubert's melancholic Schäfers Klagelied.

04a. Arcayürek and Lepper, Songs Part I
Wolf: Der Musikant; Peregrina 1; Peregrina 2; Im Frühling; Wanderers Nachtlied 2; An den Schlaf; Der Tambour; An die Geliebte; Verschwiegene Liebe; Der Feuerreiter
04ai. Introduction to Ilker Arcayürek and Simon Lepper’s concert
04b. Arcayürek and Lepper, Songs Part II
04bi. Introduction to Ilker Arcayürek and Simon Lepper’s concert Part II
Schubert: Frühlingsglaube; Schäfers Klagelied; Der Musensohn; Der Jüngling an der Quell; Der Jüngling auf dem Hügel; Gesänge des Harfners aus "Wilhelm Meister"; Nachtstück
04c. Schubert - Nacht und Träume (encore)

Ilker Arcayürek - tenor
Simon Lepper - piano

05. Takács Quartet and Marc-André Hamelin
Live from the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, the Takács Quartet performs chamber music from central Europe. Taking centre stage is Dvořák's evergreen String Quartet no. 12 nicknamed the American Quartet, preceded by Mozart's string quartet in D major, written for the cello-playing King of Prussia Frederick William II. Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin joins the ensemble for Dohnányi's richly romantic first Piano Quintet.

05a. Mozart - String Quartet No. 21 in D major, K575
05ai. Introduction to Takács Quartet and Marc-André Hamelin
05b. Dvořák - String Quartet in F, Op. 96, 'The American'
05bi. Introduction to Dvořák’s String Quartet in F
05c. Dohnányi - Piano Quintet No 1 in C minor, Op. 1
05ci. Introduction to Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet No 1

Takács Quartet
Marc-André Hamelin (piano)

06. Ronald Brautigam
Live from the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, internationally celebrated musician Ronald Brautigam brings his characteristically fresh interpretations to the fortepiano . Using an instrument authentic to the period the works were composed in, Brautigam performs a selection of Chopin's last major compositions, alongside works by Mendelssohn, including his sparkling Rondo Capriccioso and a set of Variations written to raise funds for a statue of Beethoven in Bonn.

06a. Mendelssohn - Rondo Capriccioso Op. 14
06ai. Introduction to Ronald Brautigam’s concert
06b. Chopin - Scherzo no. 2 in B-flat minor Op. 31
06c. Chopin - 2 Nocturnes, Op. 27
06ci. Introduction to Chopin’s Op. 27
06d. Mendelssohn - Variations Sérieuses, Op. 54
06e. Mendelssohn - 6 Songs without Words, Op. 19
06ei. Introduction to Mendelssohn’s 6 Songs without Words
06f. Chopin - Barcarolle, Op. 60
06fi. Introduction to Chopin Op, 60
06g. Chopin - Berceuse, Op. 57
06h. Chopin - Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op. 61
06i.  Chopin -  Nocturne in C minor (no opus number) (encore)

Ronald Brautigam (Fortepiano)

07. Jean-Guihen Queyras and Alexander Melnikov
Live from the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, the International Festival brings well-known musical pairing cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras and pianist Alexander Melnikov to the stage. Their recital opens with Beethoven's fifth cello sonata in D, dedicated to amateur pianist and long-time patron Countess Marie von Erdődy. Two Romantic sonatas by Chopin and Rachmaninov follow, written late in their composer's careers.

07a. Beethoven - Sonata No. 5, Op.102 No. 2 in D
07ai. Introduction to Queyras and Melnikov’s concert
07b. Chopin - Cello Sonata in G minor Op.65
07d. Rachmaninov - Cello Sonata in G minor Op.19
07di. Introduction to Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata in G minor
07e. Debussy - Cello Sonata, first movement

Jean-Guihen Queyras (Cello)
Alexander Melnikov (Piano)

08. Catriona Morison and Simon Lepper
Mezzo-soprano Catriona Morison, the first British winner of the Cardiff Singer of the World competition and a Radio 3 New Generation Artist, makes her festival debut in her home city of Edinburgh. Renowned pianist Simon Lepper joins her for a dramatic recital featuring a group of songs by Brahms and Schumann's final song cycle. After the interval Mahler's evocative Rückert Lieder sits alongside settings of Dehmel and Shakespeare poetry in Korngold's Fünf Lieder.

08a. Brahms - ten songs
Wie Melodien; Dein blaues Auge; Therese; Mädchenlied; An die Nachtigall; Meine liebe is Grün; Alte Liebe; Immer leise; Geheimnis; Von ewiger Liebe
08ai. Introduction Morison and Lepper’s concert
08b. Schumann - Gedichte der Königin Maria Stuart
08bi. Introduction to Schumann’s Gedichte der Königin Maria Stuart
08c. Mahler - Rückert Lieder
08ci. Introduction to Mahler’s Rückert Lieder
08d. Korngold - Fünf Lieder, Op. 38
08di. Introduction to Korngold’s Fünf Lieder
08e. Michael Head - Sweet Chance, That Led My Steps Abroad (encore)
08f. Traditional - Ye Banks and Braes o' Bonnie Doon, arr. Claire Liddell (encore)

Catriona Morison - mezzo-soprano
Simon Lepper - piano

09. Robert Levin
Internationally acclaimed keyboard player Robert Levin makes a welcome return to the Edinburgh International Festival for a thoughtful, all-Mozart recital. Levin offers a fascinating programme based around the expectations of an 18th-century audience by bridging Mozart’s iconic sonatas with preludes that transition between the changing key signatures. He starts this lyrical concert with his own improvisational 'Piano Piece in C' which he has built around a fragment of music that was found within Mozart's manuscript of the Grabmusik, K42.

09a. Robert Levin, Part I
i. Mozart/Levin - Piano Piece in C major
ii. Mozart - Four Preludes K284a No 1
iii. Mozart - Sonata in B flat K333
09ai. Introduction to Robert Levin’s concert, Part I
09b. Robert Levin, Part II
i. Mozart - Four Preludes K284a No 2
ii. Mozart - Sonata in E flat K282/189g
09bi. Introduction to Robert Levin’s concert, Part II
09c. Robert Levin, Part III
i. Mozart - Four Preludes K284a No 3
ii. Mozart - Overture to ‘The Abduction from the Seraglio’
iii. Mozart - Four Preludes K284a No 4
iv. Mozart - Sonata in C K330
09ci. Introduction to Robert Levin’s concert, Part III
09d. Mozart - Allegro Veronse, K72a (encore)
09di. Robert Levin introduces Mozart’s  Allegro Veronse

Robert Levin (Fortepiano)

10. Eivind Ringstad and David Meier
BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, Norwegian violist Eivind Ringstad makes his International Festival debut live at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh. Joined by his regular musical partner, pianist David Meier, they perform an eclectic recital of works by Tartini, Schumann, Franck, Schubert and Ysaÿe, as well a world premiere by fellow countryman, composer Peder Barratt-Due.

10a. Tartini - Sonata in G minor ‘Devil’s Trill’
10ai. Introduction to Ringstad and Meier’s concert
10b. Schumann - Marchenbilder Op.113
10bi. Introduction to Schumann’s Marchenbilder  
10c. Peder Barratt-Due - Correspondences (world premiere)
10ci. Introduction to Peder Barratt-Due’s Correspondences
10d. Franck - Sonata in A
10di. Introduction to the second part of Ringstad and Meier’s concert
10e. Schubert - Ave Maria D.839 (trans. Holtsmark-Ringstad)
10ei. Introduction to Schubert and Ysaÿe
10f. Ysaÿe - Caprice d’apres l’Etude en forme de valse de Saint-Saëns
(Note: The recording on the BBC website of this concert was not complete, ending before the piece by Ysaÿe was finished; hence I added a fade-out to the version in this torrent)  

Eivind Ringstad - viola
David Meier - piano

11. Pierre-Laurent Aimard
International Festival artist in residence, pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard takes to the Queen’s Hall stage for a recital of nature and mysticism. Aimard performs Messiaen’s sparkling portraits of birds, alongside a selection of Debussy preludes. Sensuality and spirituality are explored in music by Scriabin and Russian-born Nikolai Obouhow, alongside three of Chopin’s Nocturnes.

11a. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Part I
i. Obouhow - Révelations
ii. Obouhow: Création de l’or numbers 1 & 2
iii. Scriabin: Two Pieces: Désir and Caresse dansée Op. 57
iv. Scriabin: Poeme-nocturne Op. 61
v. Debussy: Études (selection)
11ai. Introduction to Pierre-Laurent Aimard’s concert
11b. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Part II
i. Chopin: Nocturne in E Op. 62 No 2
ii. Messiaen: Le Loriot
iii. Chopin: Nocturne in B flat minor Op. 9 No 1
iv. Messiaen: L’Alouette Lulu
v. Chopin: Nocturne in F sharp minor Op. 48 No 2
vi. Messiaen: L’alouette calandrelle
11bi. Introduction to Pierre-Laurent Aimard’s concert, Part II
11c. Enescu - Carillon nocturne (encore)
11ci. Pierre-Laurent Aimard addresses the audience

Pierre-Laurent Aimard (Piano)

12. Dorothea Roschmann and Roger Vignoles
German soprano Dorothea Röschmann returns to the Edinburgh International Festival with British pianist Roger Vignoles for a live recital of rich Romantic song. They begin with Schubert’s Mignon lieder, a collection of intimate expressive songs inspired by a rescued Italian girl ‘Mignon', a character from Goethe’s novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. The recital ends with Wolf’s achingly melodious take on that same Goethe character after a selection of his Mörike lieder. In between, Schumann’s eight-part song-cycle, following a heroines first love, childbirth and betrayal.

12a. Four songs by Schubert
i. Schubert: Heiss mich nicht reden D 877
ii. Schubert: So lasst mich scheinen D 877
iii. Schubert: Nur, wer die Sehnsucht kennt D 877
iv. Schubert: Kennst du das Land D 321
12ai. Introduction to Roschmann and Vignoles’s concert
12b. Schumann - Frauenliebe und leben Op 42
12bi. Introduction to Schumann’s Op 42

12c. Six songs by Wolf
i. Wolf: Gesang Weylas
ii. Wolf: An eine Aolsharfe
iii. Wolf: Erstes Liebeslied eines Mädchens
iv. Wolf: Denk es O Seele
v. Wolf: Auf ein altes Bild
vi. Wolf: Verborgenheit
12ci. Introduction to Wolf’s four songs
12d. Four songs by Wolf
i. Wolf: Mignon I 'Heiss' mich nicht reden'
ii. Wolf: Mignon II 'Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt'
iii. Wolf: Mignon III 'So lasst mich scheinen'
iv. Wolf: Mignon IV 'Kennst du das Land'
12e. Wolf - Das verlassene Magdlein (encore)

Dorothea Röschmann Soprano
Roger Vignoles Piano

13. Pavel Haas Quartet
The Czech Pavel Haas Quartet takes to the International Festival stage at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh for a live recital that includes Shostakovich’s heart felt String Quartet No. 7 from 1960, written in memory of his first wife. Schubert’s ‘Rosamunde’ quartet using incidental music for a play by Helmina von Chezy is followed by Ravel’s lyrical and playful string quartet in F major.

13a. Shostakovich - String Quartet No 7 in F-sharp minor, Op. 108
13ai. Introduction to the. Pavel Haas Quartet’s recital
13b. Schubert - String Quartet No 13 in A minor D804 ‘Rosamunde’
13bi. Introduction to Schubert’s String Quartet No 13
13c. Ravel - String Quartet in F major
13ci. Introduction to Ravel’s String Quartet in F major
13d. Dvořák - Cyprus No.89 (encore)


14. James Ehnes and Steven Osborne
Live from the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, Canadian violinist James Ehnes joins Scottish pianist Steven Osborne for an eclectic recital that opens with two sonatas; Brahms last and Prokofiev's brooding first. After the interval Debussy's final work, his violin sonata, sits alongside Prokofiev and Ravel's Tzigane, inspired by the Hungarian folk fiddle of Jelly d'Arányi.

14a. Brahms - Violin Sonata No 3 in D minor
(Note: Ehnes had a violin problem in this piece and I have edited out the gap. This leaves a slight jump in the recording.)
14ai. Introduction to Ehnes and Osborne’s concert
14b. Prokofiev - Violin Sonata No 1
14bi. Introduction to Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata No 1
14c. Debussy - Violin Sonata
14ci. Introduction to the second half of Ehnes and Osborne’s concert
14d. Prokofiev - Five Melodies
14e. Ravel - Tzigane, rhapsodie de concert

James Ehnes - Violin
Steven Osborne - Piano

15. Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich
Edinburgh International Festival artist in residence and former Messiaen protégé Pierre-Laurent Aimard returns to the Queen’s Hall, joined by the acclaimed Serbian pianist Tamara Stefanovich. Their live performance centres around two works; Brahms’ sumptuous Sonata for Two Pianos, that would later become his Piano Quintet in F minor, followed after the interval by Messiaen’s all-encompassing Visions de l’Amen.

15a. Brahms - Sonata for Two Pianos
15ai. Introduction to Brahms’ Sonata for Two Pianos
15b. Messiaen - Visions de l’Amen
15bi. Introduction to Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen

Pierre-Laurent Aimard - Piano
Tamara Stefanovich - Piano

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