The Highland Watch
11 January 2025/ France / Tourcoing
During the 18th century and into the first decades of the 19th century, Scottish tunes & songs became a trend that went far beyond the simple framework of traditional music. English gentlemen adored these intoxicatingly fragrant melodies that anthological publications followed one another over the generations, with arrangements that were regularly updated. Initially, the accompaniment was improvised, then a more learned basso continuo was added, before the appearance of the pianoforte revolutionised salon aesthetics. Between 1790 and 1820, singers and instrumentalists gathered around the piano.
Convinced that the Scottish Songs represented a golden opportunity, the publisher Thomson decided to call on the famous Joseph Haydn, who wrote the arrangements of more than 250 songs (!), not only accompaniments but also preludes and postludes in which he made his mark. But lacking the time to finalise the commission, he finally recommended a certain Beethoven to continue the work. Beethoven made the arias his own with a certain genius, exalting the moods, heightening the picturesque or deepening the expressive intensity. Finally, Weber, a generation later, made a contribution as modest as it was invaluable : John Andersen and O poortith cauld are peaks of emotion.
The Highland Watch is the watch regiment of the Highlands, the wildest part of Scotland; but it's also a song full of fervour and pride that will serve as the common thread running through our programme. It comes in many forms, both vocal and instrumental.
The singers and instrumentalists take you on a journey to the Lowlands and the Highlands - a journey from which it will be hard to return - to the sound of these hypnotic songs, alternating between the most poetic melancholy and unbridled euphoria. The power of this music is quite simply supernatural: just a few notes are enough to conjure up visions of lochs, moors, haunted castles, rugged coastal landscapes, or the scents of wet fat grass, thistles and whisky!
Convinced that the Scottish Songs represented a golden opportunity, the publisher Thomson decided to call on the famous Joseph Haydn, who wrote the arrangements of more than 250 songs (!), not only accompaniments but also preludes and postludes in which he made his mark. But lacking the time to finalise the commission, he finally recommended a certain Beethoven to continue the work. Beethoven made the arias his own with a certain genius, exalting the moods, heightening the picturesque or deepening the expressive intensity. Finally, Weber, a generation later, made a contribution as modest as it was invaluable : John Andersen and O poortith cauld are peaks of emotion.
The Highland Watch is the watch regiment of the Highlands, the wildest part of Scotland; but it's also a song full of fervour and pride that will serve as the common thread running through our programme. It comes in many forms, both vocal and instrumental.
The singers and instrumentalists take you on a journey to the Lowlands and the Highlands - a journey from which it will be hard to return - to the sound of these hypnotic songs, alternating between the most poetic melancholy and unbridled euphoria. The power of this music is quite simply supernatural: just a few notes are enough to conjure up visions of lochs, moors, haunted castles, rugged coastal landscapes, or the scents of wet fat grass, thistles and whisky!
