Edinburgh International Festival: 8 must-see classical concerts

From the LA Philharmonic to the Shanghai Symphony, the Edinburgh International Festival brings together some of the best classical shows the world has to offer. Here is The Scotsman's take on the 8 must-see shows.

Gustavo Dudamel with the LA Phil. Picture: Contributed

Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra: Mahler 2


What magic exists between the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its amazing conductor Gustavo Dudamel? Find out in this classic orchestral opener, which features Mahler’s epic Resurrection Symphony with soprano Miah Persson, mezzo Anna Larsson and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus.


Usher Hall, 3 August

Canadian Pianist Angela Hewitt. Picture: Contributed


Andreas Ottensamer & YujaWang


Chinese pianist Yuja Wang is a phenomenon. Here she is in partnership with the Berlin Philharmonic’s principal clarinettist Andreas Ottensamer, playing works by Brahms, Mendelssohn, Chopin and Debussy.


Queen’s Hall, 3 August

BBC Symphony Orchestra: Mahler & Shostakovich


Semyon Bychkov conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No 2 with Russian-born pianist Kirill Gerstein, and Mahler’s idyllic Fourth Symphony, featuring soprano Christina Gansch.


Usher Hall, 13 August


Few pianists play Bach better than Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt (right), who over two days takes a mammoth journey through the entire two books of the ingenious preludes and fugues that make up Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier.


Usher Hall, 12 and 14 August


The Sixteen


Harry Christophers’ silken vocal ensemble The Sixteen serve up a banquet of sacred a cappella Baroque and Renaissance repertoire at the Queen’s Hall.


Queen’s Hall, 15 August

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra: Shostakovich 5


The Shanghai Symphony is China’s foremost orchestra. Under its conductor of ten years’ standing, Long Yu, it performs Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, but not before teaming up with American cellist Alisa Weilerstein in Dvorak’s Cello Concerto.


Usher Hall, 19 August


Heinrich Biber’s music defies its 17th century origins. Bold, brazen and before its time, it employed an expressive vocabulary that eschewed normal Baroque practice. Violinist Rachel Podger, harpsichordist Marcin Swiatkiewicz and theorbo player Daniele Caminiti play all 15 of the Rosary Sonatas – musical meditations on the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary – over three concerts.


St Cecila’s Hall, 6-9 August

London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Simon Rattle


The LSO and Simon Rattle make a welcome return to the Festival with a rattling good programme of John Adams’ evocative Harmonielehre and Rachmaninov’s rich-hued Second Symphony.


Usher Hall, 21 August

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