Scottish Chamber Orchestra - Duett-Concertino - The Scotsman

The SCO often throws its own constituent talent into the limelight; in this case a threesome plucked from its wind principals - clarinettist Maximiliano Martin, bassoonist Peter Whelan and chief horn Alec Frank-Gemmill - who took solo roles in a programme engineered to capitalise on their strengths.

Martin and Whelan were first up in Richard Strauss’ Duet Concertino, giving a performance, under Robin Ticciati, that oozed wit, charisma and a fair bit of play-acting. The twin protagonists engaged in a narrative expressed in instrumental rather than human terms, which our duo conveyed as much through suggestive bodily movement and expression as through their effortless unravelling of Strauss’ beguiling and affectionate music.