Scottish Chamber Orchestra
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is one of Scotland's "Big Five" National Performing Arts Companies, along with the Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera, National Theatre of Scotland, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra gives a regular series of concerts in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and other Scottish cities but does not claim any one location as its home. It also gives regular concerts throughout the Scottish Highlands and Islands, as well as in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1974. It is made up of around 30 regular players, though its number can vary according to a given work's instrumental demands. The orchestra's first principal conductor was Roderick Brydon, who served from 1974 until 1983. Jukka-Pekka Saraste was the principal conductor from 1987 until 1991, and he was succeeded by Ivor Bolton from 1994 until 1996. Charles Mackerras held the position of principal guest conductor from 1992 to 1995, when he was named conductor laureate, a title he held until his death in 2010. Mackerras made a number of highly successful recordings with the orchestra, including the Brahms symphonies and five Mozart operas; many of the ensemble's greatest successes came under Mackerras' baton, at least in the recording venue. Mackerras' recording of Mozart's last four symphonies with the orchestra received numerous awards, including the BBC Music Magazine Disc of the Year in 2009.
Joseph Swensen succeeded Bolton in 1996 and led the Scottish Chamber Orchestra as principal conductor until 2005 when he was named conductor emeritus, a position he still held in the early 2020s. Robin Ticciati was named principal conductor in 2009 and served until 2018. That year, Maxim Emelyanychev made his debut with the orchestra when he stepped in as a last-minute substitute for Ticciati. Owing to his debut, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra announced Emelyanychev as its next principal conductor, assuming the post in 2019.
The repertory of the orchestra is quite varied, encompassing the works of Mozart and Haydn, as well as of Prokofiev and Peter Maxwell Davies. The orchestra has commissioned a number of works from the latter composer, including ten so-called Strathclyde Concertos. Other composers who have received commissions from the orchestra include Einjuhani Rautavaara, Judith Weir, Mark-Anthony Turnage, and many others. Among the orchestra's notable guest conductors are Andrew Litton, Nicholas McGegan, and Frans Brüggen. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra has recorded for Telarc, Delos, Linn, and other labels. The group frequently performs with its adjunct organization, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus, which was founded in 1991. In 2020, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra was heard on a pair of Linn albums: symphonic music by Bizet and Gounod and piano concertos by Mozart.
© Robert Cummings & Keith Finke /TiVo
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Brahms: Violin Concerto & Hungarian Dances
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Joseph Swensen
Classical - Released by Linn Records on May 3, 2004
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Concertos pour piano n° 17 & 20
Piotr Anderszewski, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Feb 6, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concertos pour violon
Renaud Capuçon, Antoine Tamestit, Louis Langrée, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by EMI on Apr 6, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Colloredo Serenade, K. 203 & Divertimento, K. 251
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Janiczek
Classical - Released by Linn Records on Nov 24, 2008
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Theatre Music
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Joseph Swensen
Classical - Released by Linn Records on Jan 1, 2003
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Davies: An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Ben Gernon, Sean Shibe
Classical - Released by Linn Records on Sep 23, 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Hommage à Trois
Nicholas McGegan, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, William Berger
Classical - Released by Linn Records on Jan 1, 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
String Masterpieces
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Jaime Laredo
Classical - Released by ImpDigital on Jan 2, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Wind Concertos
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Janiczek
Classical - Released by Linn Records on Apr 1, 2006
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Cello Concertos Nos. 5-8
Tim Hugh, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Anthony Halstead
Classical - Released by Naxos on Oct 28, 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Weber: Wind Concertos
Alexander Janiczek, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Linn Records on Sep 17, 2012
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Horn Concerti
Charles Mackerras, Eric Ruske, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Telarc on May 1, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Violin Concertos & Five Melodies
Joseph Swensen, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Linn Records on Jun 6, 2005
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: La clemenza di Tito
Magdalena Kožená, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Charles Mackerras
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rossini: Operatic Overtures & Orchestral Favourites, Vol. X
Classical - Released by Nimbus Records on Jan 1, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Scottish Chamber Orchestra: 40th Anniversary Edition
Joseph Swensen, Robin Ticciati, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Charles Mackerras
Classical - Released by Linn Records on Feb 10, 2014
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Rossini: Zelmira
Bruce Ford, Mirco Palazzi, Maurizio Benini, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Opera - Released by Opera Rara on Jan 1, 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: The Great Operas
Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus
Classical - Released by Telarc on Nov 25, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Elgar / Vaughan Williams
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Wilfried Boettcher
Classical - Released by imp on Jan 1, 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Virtuoso Trumpet
Rolf Smedvig, Jahja Ling, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Telarc on Nov 1, 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68 & Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Telarc on Oct 1, 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo