At an international festival with performers from all over the globe, it’s always interesting to hear the home team too. Without a bit of domestic bias, the principal players of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, performing chamber music with their Principal Conductor, Maxim Emelyanychev, were absolutely world class in this morning performance. In an all-Mozart programme, Emelyanychev’s choice of fortepiano created an intimacy that spirited the audience into the sort of sound-world which Mozart might have known and written for.

Its softer timbre wove through the texture as it took on airiness or depth as the music called for from violinist Stephanie Gonley, Max Mandel on viola and cellist Philip Higham. It was triple Max for the Kegelstatt Piano Trio, with Emelyanychev and Mandel being joined by clarinettist Maximiliano Martin. All artists at the top of their game, the blend and balance they brought to their affinity with Mozart was as stylish and polished as it gets. The largest grouping, second violin of Marcus Barcham-Stevens and Nikita Naumov on double bass being added to the strings, approached Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 12 with a level of vivaciousness appropriate for a group of, albeit extremely talented, friends. 

Maxim Emelyanychev & Principals Of The SCO reviewed at Queen’s Hall as part of Edinburgh International Festival; main picture: Andrew Perry.