Tippett’s 'A Child of Our Time'

Sir Andrew Davis conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus in this profound exploration of human nature and our collective search for light in the darkness.

Written as Michael Tippett longed for peace during the Second World War, A Child of Our Time draws on an eclectic mixture of influences from JS Bach’s Passions to the British choral tradition, as well as African American spirituals arranged by Tippett, such as the work’s final chorus, ‘Deep River’. The result is a unique and moving masterpiece.

Sir Andrew Davis and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra are joined by a stellar line-up of soloists including soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and mezzo soprano Dame Sarah Connolly.

The programme opens with a 60th anniversary performance of Tippett’s Concerto for Orchestra, a work commissioned by the International Festival and premiered at the Usher Hall in 1963.

Nicola Benedetti explains what Michael Tippett's A Child of our Time means to her, while Tom Service reflects on the historical context of the work and the resonance it has today.

Programme

Tippett Concerto for Orchestra
Tippett
A Child of Our Time

Click here to read a programme note about A Child of Our Time from writer Joanna Wyld.

Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Sir Andrew Davis
Conductor

Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha Soprano
Dame Sarah Connolly Mezzo Soprano
Russell Thomas
Tenor
Michael Mofidian
Bass

Edinburgh Festival Chorus
Aidan Oliver
Chorus Director

Sopranos 1
Simona Cenci, Annette Chapman, Louise Cunningham, Lisa Dawson, Maggie Gilchrist, Jenni Halliday, Clare Hewitt, Lorna Holl, Jill Kerr, Fiona McBryde, Louise McGregor, Morag Michael, Jennifer Swan, Karen Traill, Lesley Walker

Sopranos 2
Emma Aitken, Anne Backhouse, Emily Borthwick, Susan Bowden, Rhona Brown, Deborah Buckingham, Esther Chuang, Kathryn Coad, Margaret Cumming, Rosamund Davidson, Dorothy Fairweather, Aileen Fraser, Carol Haley, Leila Inglis, Lesley Johnston, Maureen Kaye, Rachael King, Maggie Kinnes, Natsuko MacArthur, Janet McKenzie, Kathy Miller, Janette Myles, April Parkins, Louise Shields, Ros Sutherland, Kathleen White

Altos 1
Julie, Aitken, Ruth Bowen, Barbara Brodie, Susan Crosby, Catherine Dunlop, Caroline Dunmur, Kirstie Fairnie, Emma Gosling, Rona Gray, Carol Leddy, Kirsten Leggatt, Jane MacLeod, Kate Mason, Frances McGlashan, Linda McLauchlan, Fiona Milligan, Nicola Stock, Mary Taylor, Ruth Townsend, Kirsty Weaver, Brenda Williamson

Altos 2
Moira Allingham, Jeanette Bell, Dinah Bourne, Wendy Colquhoun, Ann Firth, Mary Gordon, Tori Graham, Anne Grindley, Linda Hunter, Jan Livesley, Carol Madden, Frances McDevitt, Catriona McDonald, Marita McMillan, Janette Morrison, Lucy O'Leary, Judith Robertson, Penny Stone

Tenors 1
David Arulanantham, Brenden Glen, Richard Hellewell, Matthew Kimble, David Leaver, Alex Rankine, Mike Towers, Eric Turnbull

Tenors 2
Andrew Binnian, John Burnside, Bruce Davis, Richard Dearsley, Graham Drew, Sam Leggett, Martin McKean, Magnus Walker, James White

Basses 1
Felix Boecking, Derek Calder, Peter Cannell, Malcolm Crosby, Martin Gray, John Halliday, Nick Harding, David Hewitson, Andrew Hyder, Ivor Klayman, David Mack-Smith, Tom Marshall, Colin Miller, Andrew Moore, Graham Naysmith, Roger Robertson, Graham Scott,

Basses 2
Ken Allen, Philip Coad, Sandy Matheson, John McLeod, Hamish Millar, Chris Morris, Martin Scott, Mike Smith, David Traill