Schottisches Konzert op. 55 Alexander Campbell Mackenzie

für Pianoforte und Orchester
Klavierstimme (2ms)

The Scottish Concerto is dedicated to Mrs Angelina Goetz, an accomplished musician in her own right, at whose instigation the work was composed. Paderewski premiered it in 1897 at a Philharmonic concert in London and, after many recalls, was obliged to repeat the last movement; it was subsequently performed and promoted by Busoni. Worth mentioning is also the explosion of applause when this work concluded the 1992 Edinburgh International Festival (with Steven Osborne as soloist, then as now). All the more puzzling, therefore, that it had never really taken off'.

The Scottish Concerto is Scottish in every possible way. It is based on three well-known and old Scottish traditional melodies; it embodies and comments upon their character, both emotional and technical, and it draws its dramatic development from the lyrics associated with the tunes. It is declared to be Scottish, was composed by a Scot and is performed by a Scottish soloist and orchestra. But it is far from the romantic image of a Scotland of weeping glens and desolate moorlands, for this is a work of great wit, sentiment and panache, though however overt and open-handed it may seem, it has its own happy secrets.

Inhalt / Content:

I. Allegro maestoso
II. Molto lento
III. Allegro vivace