SCO: Beethoven Symphonies

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra presents an all-Beethoven matinee at the Queen’s Hall on Thursday 14 January 2027. Violinist and director Lorenza Borrani leads a 2pm performance combining a rarely heard ballet score with the composer’s Second and Fourth Symphonies.

This is not a greatest-hits programme centred on Beethoven’s Fifth or Ninth: the SCO has chosen two earlier symphonies whose wit and contrasts reward close listening.

Key Event Details

Three sides of Beethoven

Musik zu einem Ritterballett (Music for a Knights’ Ballet) opens the afternoon. Written early in Beethoven’s career, it is a lighter theatrical work and an unusual choice for an orchestral concert, giving the audience a different starting point from the familiar symphonies.

Symphony No. 2 follows, with rhythmic momentum and abrupt changes of mood that already push against conventional expectations. The Fourth Symphony closes the programme. Often less frequently discussed than the Third or Fifth, it moves from a mysterious slow opening to music of considerable speed and precision.

An afternoon at the Queen’s Hall

Borrani directs from the violin, rather than taking the usual conductor-on-podium role. This is a useful detail if you are interested in how a chamber orchestra communicates on stage.

The advertised concert starts at 2pm, with doors from 1pm and the box office opening at 12.30pm. Tickets are listed in a £8–£45 range, with a transaction fee. Check the official booking page for current availability and concession options.

For current booking information and any programme changes, check the official event listing.