Ensemble Hesperi
Full of the Highland Humours

The music of the Fife-born composer and cellist James Oswald takes centre stage – a hugely talented entrepreneur, he made a name for himself in London, and was appointed Chamber Composer to George III in 1761. The programme also showcases the rarely heard music of Scottish aristocrat Thomas Erskine (“Fiddler Tam”), as well as music by Italian composers like Barsanti and Geminiani, for whom Scottish music was the height of good taste.
St Magnus International Festival
Tue 25 June 2024
St Magnus Cathedral
1:00pm
£20 (Concessions £18)
Full Event Details
In 1700 the first known collection of Scots Tunes was printed in London by the celebrated music publisher Henry Playford. Ever the savvy advertiser, Playford claimed in the title that the music contained therein was ‘Full of the Highland Humours’. Ensemble Hesperi take us on a whirlwind musical tour to celebrate the huge success of Scottish music in eighteenth-century London.
The music of the Fife-born composer and cellist James Oswald takes centre stage – a hugely talented entrepreneur, he made a name for himself in London, and was appointed Chamber Composer to George III in 1761. The programme also showcases the rarely heard music of Scottish aristocrat Thomas Erskine (“Fiddler Tam”), as well as music by Italian composers like Barsanti and Geminiani, for whom Scottish music was the height of good taste.
Venue Details & Map
Location
St Magnus Cathedral
Broad Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1HE, United Kingdom
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Previous performances
Full of the Highland Humours
Sat 14 January 2023
St Alkmund's Church, Duffield
7:30pm
£15
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Wed 25 January 2023
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
6:00pm
£15, students £5
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Fri 24 March 2023
All Saints, Highams Park, London
7:30pm
£15 (£10 Members)
Full of the Highland Humours
Sun 21 January 2024
The Old Church, Stoke Newington
6:00pm
adult £17, school children £3
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Sat 23 March 2024
Alloway Church Hall, Ayr
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Music in Ayr