Until Alan Lomax and Hamish Henderson began championing its true exponents, back in the 1950s, pretty much the only way Gaelic song was widely heard - outwith its Highland and Hebridean heartlands 鈥� was in the kind of douce, drawing-room versions, tamed and contorted into conformity with classical scales, which subsequently became anathema to devotees of the tradition. It鈥檚 taken a while 鈥� during which other countries鈥� vocal treasures, from Portuguese fado to Hindustani singing, have been successfully orchestrated 鈥� but the authentic, buoyantly revitalised sound and spirit of Scotland鈥檚 G脿idhealtachd today can now confidently and fruitfully re-engage with classical forms, on a footing of mutual respect.
Hence tonight鈥檚 unprecedented collaboration, which sees a cr猫me-de-la-cr猫me array of contemporary Gaelic singers - Julie Fowlis, Karen Matheson, Kathleen MacInnes, Arthur Cormack, Robert Robertson, Isobel Ann Martin, Kim Carnie and Mischa Macpherson 鈥� performing amid brand-new orchestral arrangements of their chosen material, premiered by the 麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra.