Faculty of Music Centenary - Annual Reid Concert 1994
Faculty of Music Centenary Concert
This concert commemorates the 273rd anniversary of the birth of General Reid. By the terms of Reid's will, the University of Edinburgh received, 32 years after his death, a benefaction of £68,000 intended primarily to found and endow a chair of Music. Professors of Music have included Sir Henry Bishop, Frederick Niecks, Sir Donald Tovey, Kenneth Leighton and (since 1990) Nigel Osborne. Funds from the bequest were also used to build this hall as a school of music in 1858-60. It was Reid's wish that his birthday might be marked annually by a concert that would include some compositions of his own 'in order to shew the taste of music about the middle of the last century'.
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Matthias Bamert - conductor
James Clark - leader
Intrada after Monteverdi ... Edward Harper
Hommage à Panufnik ... Nigel Osborne
Concerto for String Orchestra ... Kenneth Leighton
Lento Sostenuto
Molto Ritmico
Adagio Maestoso - Allegro
Interval
Variations on General Reid's March of the 42nd or Old Highland Regiment: 'In the Garb of Old Gaul'
by composers associated with the Faculty of Music ... General Reid arr. Edward Harper with variations by Neil Mackay, Leon Coates, Peter Inness, Peter Nelson, Lyell Cresswell, Nigel Osborne, Alasdair Nicolson, James MacMillan, Edward Harper
A sound recording of this work is available in Edinburgh University Library
- In the garb of old Gaul [sound recording] / : 9 Variations on General Reid's March of the 42nd or Old Highland Regiment
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Faculty Centenary Concert 1994: photograph taken at the end of the concert after the performance of the Variations.
Composers from left to right:
Edward Harper, James MacMillan, Lyell Cresswell, Nigel Osborne, Leon Coates, Peter Nelson, Neil Mackay, Alasdair Nicolson and Peter Inness.
Programme notes written by the composers of each work.
For the 'Variations' the note was written by Edward Harper and each contributor added a description of their 'variation'.
Promoter:
Note written by Dr C.D.S.Field, Dean, Faculty of Music at the time of the centenary:
Variations on 'Garb of Old Gaul'
The 1993-94 season marks the Centenary of the Faculty of Music in the University of Edinburgh. The Faculty is planning a number of events to celebrate this including a concert in the Reid Concert Hall on Sunday 13 February 1994 (the birthday of General John Reid, the founder of the Reid Chair of Music). The concert will be given by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. In 1865 Professor of Music, Herbert Oakeley, closed his Inaugural Address in the 'University Music Classroom' as it was then known, with an extemporisation on the organ using General Reid's March 'Garb of Old Gaul' "with specimens of varied harmony, followed by a fugue" as reported in 'Edinburgh Courant' of the day. Taking a cue from this, the four current composing members of the Faculty teaching staff, Professor Nigel Osborne, Edward Harper, Peter Nelson and Leon Coates have been invited to write a variation for chamber orchestra on the theme which Oakeley used. The Faculty is also inviting a number of composers associated with it to contribute a variation for this occasion creating a set to form the second half of the concert.
Tickets for this concert will be offered first to Faculty guests, alumni, students and staff. Any remaining tickets will be offered to members of the public from 1 February 1994.
The 1993-1994 season of Reid Concerts celebrated the Centenary of the Faculty of Music at the University of Edinburgh