Various Artists - Orchestral Series Highlights 2021 (Edinburgh International Festival) (2021) Hi-Res

An annual highlight of the Edinburgh International Festival is the Chamber Music Series, in which leading soloists and chamber ensembles are welcomed from around the world for intimate morning recitals. This is the first ever digital collection comprising highlights from the series.

This special collection of performances from 2020 features familiar Festival faces and special guests in outstanding programmes of chamber music from the heart of the Festival City. The highlights collection opens with two celebrated Edinburgh:born artists; pianist Susan Tomes and Philip Higham, Principal Cello of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, perform Nadia Boulanger’s charming Three Pieces. Lieder by Clara Schumann follows, showcasing a wonderful partnership between one of Britain’s most accomplished tenors, Mark Padmore, and highly celebrated pianist Paul Lewis. Scottish pianist Steven Osborne gives a profound solo performance of the fifth movement of Rachmaninov’s beloved All:Night Vigil, which was played at the composer’s funeral.

New Linn signing Catriona Morison performs Lieder by Pauline Viardot with pianist Malcolm Martineau, giving an exciting preview of this partnership ahead of the release of Catriona's debut Linn recording in 2021. Malcolm makes a second appearance with highly sought:after bassoonist Ursula Leveaux for a lively performance of Clara Schumann's Drei Romanzen. Celebrating the wealth of traditional Scottish folk tunes is the boisterous and energetic Elias Quartet who perform three arrangements by the quartet's violinist Donald Grant. And to close, British:American mezzo:soprano Andrea Baker is joined by pianist Richard Lewis for two spirituals which provide a joyfully uplifting finale.

The two other albums in this series are Menotti: The Telephone and Mahler: Symphony No. 7 (Arr. for Chamber Orchestra by Klaus Simon).