“In the evening twilight we went today to the palace were Queen Mary lived and loved,” wrote Felix Mendelssohn from Edinburgh in 1829, after visiting the ruins of Holyrood. “I think I have found there the beginning of my ‘Scottish’ Symphony.” Though much has changed in 196 years, there’s still no more melodious – or poetic – musical portrait of Scotland as seen through the eyes of one of music’s supreme Romantics. Conductor Antony Hermus brings a fresh perspective to Mendelssohn’s highland fling, setting it against the sea spray and howling gales of Wagner’s great musical seascape, and joining the wonderful British contralto Jess Dandy in Elgar’s Sea Pictures – five songs filled with surging waves and surprisingly dark passions. Thought you knew Elgar? Think again… “We were fortunate to have the rare opportunity to hear a true contralto: Jess Dandy’s beautiful, rich voice was captivating.” Bachtrack Kindly supported by The Elgar Society