Opera Scotland

That distinguished Scottish singer, Brian Bannatyne Scott, has annpounced the release of his first solo CD "Songs of Stevenson", produced by BBS Records and Birnam CD.

"Songs of Stevenson" features the first recordings of two song cycles by the Scottish composer Ronald Stevenson, "Hills of Home" to poetry by Robert Louis Stevenson and "Songs from Factories and Fields" from " The Second Hymn to Lenin" by Hugh MacDiarmid. There are three songs by the mid 20th Century Scottish composer Francis George Scott to poetry by MacDiarmid and George Campbell Hay. All these are accompanied by Jan Waterfield and were recorded in St Michael's Church in Slateford, Edinburgh in January/February 2020.

In addition, included is his 2003 live recording from the Edinburgh Festival in the Canongate Kirk, with Alan Jacques (piano), of a bass transposition of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Songs of Travel" with words again by Robert Louis Stevenson. This is the first recording of this lower version.  This adds a touch of gravitas to a much-loved cycle.

Brian has made many commercial recordings over the years (Messiah, King Arthur, Midsummer Night's Dream and Bach's Matthew Passion among them) but this is his first solo venture, and its release has taken up much of time during lockdown.

It can be bought through Amazon (search for Brian Bannatyne-Scott or Songs of Stevenson) and Birnam CD Online store (New Releases). Brian tell us it is also be available to download from all the usual sites.

"If you live in the Edinburgh area, you are welcome to pop in to 26/1 Murrayfield Drive EH12 6EB and buy a copy direct for £10, if you are allergic to websites! If you would like any more information, please get in touch with me by email. You can also fill in your time by reading my memoirs, the other fruit of my lockdown, "A Singer's Life" on Edinburgh Music Review