From Caledonia to the Capital (via Newcastle!)

James Oswald (1710-1769)
Airs for Spring, The Ranunculus: the Sweet Sultan

George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)
Trio Sonata HWV 389 in F major Larghetto – Allegro – Adagio – Allegro – Allegro

Henry Playford (1657 – c.1707)
A Collection of Original Scotch Tunes (Full of the Highland Humours)
Keele Cranke – My Lady Hope’s Scotch Measure - A New Scotch Measure

Abiell Whichello (1683 – 1745)
Suite no. 2 in F major
Almond – Courant – Saraband – Scotch Tune – Minuet – Jigg

Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762)
Trio Sonata on ‘Bush aboon Traquair’
Andante – Allegro

James Oswald (1710-1769)
A Curious Collection of Scots Tunes (1740): A Sonata on Scots Tunes: O Mother what shall I do? – Ettrick Banks – She rose and let me in Cromlit’s lilt – Polwart on the Green

Interval

Nicola Matteis (1650-1714)
Ayres for the Violin, Part Four: Ground after the Scotch Humour

James Oswald (1710-1769)
A Curious Collection of Scots Tunes (1740) Alloway House

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Sonatas of Three Parts no. 2 in D minor
Untitled, Largo-Presto, Adagio - Vivace, Allegro

Barnabas Gunn (c. 1680 – 1753)
Solo IV in B minor
Adagio – Allegro – Vivace – Jigg

Charles Avison (1709 – 1770)
Trio Sonata Op.1 no. 4 in D minor
Largo - Allegro - Adagio – Allegro

George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)
Chaconne in F Major HWV 485 Largo - Allegro - Adagio – Allegro

James Oswald (1710-1769)
Airs for the Summer
The Poppy – The Honeysuckle

Robert Bremner
Variations on a Scots Theme

Ensemble Hesperi is a dynamic and innovative London-based Early Music ensemble, dedicated to showcasing Baroque music through imaginative programming and collaboration with other art forms. The members of Ensemble Hesperi met during their studies at the Royal College of Music, London: individually, they perform regularly with leading period orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the UK and further afield.

Over the past two years, the ensemble has developed a strong reputation for championing rarely-heard music by eighteenth-century Scottish composers. Their 2019 project, “The Pheasant’s Eye”, supported by a Lottery grant from Arts Council England, featured special choreography from Highland dancer Kathleen Gilbert. During this project, the ensemble was featured by Classical Music Magazine, recorded in studio for Classic FM, and performed at leading festivals across England, including Brighton Early Music Festival, Petworth Festival, Lichfield Festival, Totnes Early Music Society, and Newcastle University’s Early Music series. In 2020, Hesperi were selected as Britten Pears Young Artists on the Chamber Music Residence scheme, and in November 2020, won first prize at the London International Festival of Early Music’s Young Ensemble Competition. The ensemble was delighted to be one of the first recipients of a grant from the Continuo Foundation, which seeks to preserve the thriving historical performance scene in the United Kingdom. With this grant, the ensemble embarked upon a new project, “From Caledonia to the Capital”, which celebrates the vocal music of Scottish composers who settled in eighteenth-century London. In September 2021, the ensemble were incredibly honoured to win third prize at the prestigious International Van Wassenaer Competition in Utrecht.

Ensemble Hesperi strongly believes that Early Music should be enjoyed by all, and its members perform regularly for those who have no opportunity to hear live classical music through the prestigious charitable organisation “Live Music Now”. The ensemble has also developed a strong relationship with Chelsea and Westminster Hospital’s charity, CW+, and was honoured to be invited to perform at the celebration service for the Tercentenary of the hospital in May 2019 at Westminster Abbey. Since the global pandemic broke in March 2020, Hesperi has live-streamed content regularly, maintaining an enthusiastic audience of friends and supporters around the world.