RSNO: Brahms' Violin Concerto

RSNO are at Usher Hall on Friday 23 October, with their leader Maya Iwabuchi taking the solo part in Brahms' Violin Concerto. It's a big, romantic piece of writing that sits right at the heart of the orchestral repertoire, and having the orchestra's own leader step out as soloist gives it a different kind of energy than when they bring in a guest from elsewhere.

If you're not familiar with the concerto, it's a substantial work, one of the last major pieces Brahms ever wrote. It's known for its long, singing lines and the way the violin and the orchestra trade the lead throughout the three movements. It's the kind of thing that sounds best in a room built for it, and that's exactly where this is happening.

Usher Hall is on Lothian Road, and it's been Edinburgh's main home for visiting national and international orchestras for a long time. It's been the main stage of the Edinburgh International Festival since 1947, and the building itself goes back to 1896, when Andrew Usher gave £100,000 to the city to found a concert hall. It took fourteen years to finish, finally opening in 1914 as a Beaux Arts hall. Its acoustics are much praised, and it remains one of the best concert halls in Europe, with many of the world's finest musicians performing there.

So, the RSNO will be on the stage of Usher Hall on Friday 23 October, with Maya Iwabuchi leading from the front on Brahms' Violin Concerto.