The Scottish Ensemble continues its 2012/13 season at venues throughout Scotland and at the Wigmore Hall, London. La Follia or ‘musical madness’ is a concert series that builds on SE’s reputation for imaginative programming, combining classic string repertoire alongside less familiar works, contemporary composition, and new commissions. At this concert, you’ll be guaranteed insistent – maddening – rhythms, as well as plenty of musical ‘ear-worms’, not least in Holst’s St. Paul Suite and Britten’s Simple Symphony, ensuring that the Ensemble experience stays with you long after the concert.

Geminiani’s Concerto Grosso, La Follia also looks back to older musical forms, referencing one of the earliest European musical themes. Górecki’s Harpsichord Concerto, with its fractured rhythms and chromatic patterns is an apt companion piece to follow the ‘musical madness’ theme.

Like Geminiani, Górecki also looked back to earlier musical forms and ideas for inspiration. His 3 Pieces in Old Style is characterised by simple melodic structures, clear rhythmic patterns, and dance-like forms.

The UK’s only professional string orchestra will perform La Follia in a series of concerts in Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, Perth, and finish the tour at the Wigmore Hall in London.

The programme also marks two dates in the calendar of musical celebrations. First, the 80th anniversary of Polish composer Górecki, perhaps best known for his ethereal and instantly recognisable Symphony No. 3 of Sorrowful Songs. It also marks Britten’s centenary in 2013, and follows his central position in the Ensemble’s 2012 programming in the lead up to this year’s celebrations.

Finally, the concert will also include the world première of Martin Suckling’s Musical Postcard No. 3. For the 2012/13 season the Ensemble commissioned the young Glasgow-based composer to create a series of short musical postcards inspired by its programming. Martin crafts a new postcard for every leg of the 2012/13 season responding to location, Ensemble personnel, and concert programme, essentially creating a ‘musical postcard’ from each event.

On Wednesday 13 February 2013 the Ensemble, led by artistic director Jonathan Morton, will open a La Follia rehearsal offering a rare behind-the-scenes view of SE musicians at work. The lunchtime event will take place at the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, and is part of SE efforts to develop the open exchange with its audience.

This Scottish tour follows the successful launch of the Ensemble’s commitment to a three-year City Residency programme in Dundee and Inverness in 2012, with Perth and Aberdeen to follow in 2013. The residencies are a bold new approach to regional touring designed to reach out to new audiences. It brings the highest artistic standards to the streets, galleries, university campuses, nursing homes and even shopping centres of Scotland.

OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness
Sunday 17 February, 8.00pm

The Music Hall, Aberdeen
Monday 18 February, 7.30pm

Perth Concert Hall, Perth
Tuesday 19 February, 7.30pm

Source: Scottish Ensemble