The Highland Watch | Sinfonia en Périgord

In the 1770s, Scottish tunes & songs became a veritable institution, extending far beyond the realm of traditional music. English gentlemen loved these intoxicating melodies, which alternate between the most poetic melancholy and unbridled euphoria, so much so that anthological publications followed one another over the generations...

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Several composers fell under the spell of this repertoire, including Haydn and his 250 Scottish airs. Unable to finish, he recommended a certain Beethoven to continue the work. As for Weber, although his contribution was more modest, it was no less admirable, leading the scots tunes into genuine romantic flights of fancy.