A complete cycle of Beethoven's 32 Piano Sonatas performed in candlelit concerts at St Giles' Cathedral as part of the Royal Mile International Piano Series.
The Royal Mile International Piano Series is back at St Giles' Cathedral on Monday 9 November, part of a new season that takes on the complete cycle of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas. The series first launched in 2024, and this time it's returning with the full set of sonatas played across the 2026-27 season, with each recital staged along the city's historic Royal Mile.
There's a specific reason for the timing: 2026 marks the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's death, and the organisers have framed the whole cycle as a tribute to him. The sonatas are some of the most profound works in the piano repertoire, and hearing them played one by one over the course of a season lets you track how they evolve from the early, more classical pieces through to the late, experimental ones. If you've only ever known the famous highlights, it's a good way to get a proper sense of the whole run.
Each recital is set in St Giles' Cathedral, lit by candlelight and played on a newly installed Steinway grand piano. The candlelight changes the feel of the room, and the Steinway is a fresh addition to the cathedral, so it's a bit of a different setting from a standard concert hall. The series is staged along the Royal Mile, which puts it right in the heart of the Old Town.
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This particular concert runs from 18:30 to 19:30, an hour's recital on a Monday evening. It's one of many across the 2026-27 season, so you can catch a single night or follow the cycle as it goes. The full set of 32 sonatas is played across the season, with this one fitting into that wider sequence.
