The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra reunites with its former Chief Conductor Sir Donald Runnicles to explore the works of Gustav Mahler and Anton Bruckner.

Runnicles is now the leading Scottish conductor of his generation, but his connection with the International Festival goes back much further. His first performance at the Festival was in 1965, aged just 11. He sang in the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, as they made their debut with the Scottish National Orchestra, performing Mahler's Eighth Symphony. Runnicles went onto conduct the Chorus in 1994, performing the very same score.

Now, Runnicles turns his attention to Mahler’s setting of the German folk poems of Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Paying tribute to Germanic literature, Mahler’s orchestral songs are witty, poignant and passionate. The orchestra also performs Bruckner’s magnificent final symphony. Its three movements form an epic spiritual journey that explores the full spectrum of emotions, from fear and despair to transcendent bliss.

Soloists Annika Schlicht and Thomas Lehman from the Deutsche Oper Berlin – where Runnicles is Music Director – join for the Mahler.