Sir John Eliot Gardiner opens his concert directing Edinburgh’s own Scottish Chamber Orchestra, one of the world’s great chamber orchestras, with the resplendent sounds of Schumann’s lyrical Konzertstück for four horns and orchestra. Orchestra and conductor are joined by the SCO’s own eminent horn players Alec Frank-Gemmill and Harry Johnstone, as well as Radek Baborák, principal horn at the Berlin Philharmonic for a decade, and Mikuláš Koska, principal horn at the Brno Philharmonic.

After the exuberance of Schubert’s sunny Fifth Symphony, Gardiner concludes with a dramatic vision of heroism and remorse in Schumann’s powerful melodrama Manfred, inspired by the poem of the same name by Lord Byron, and comprising the well-loved Overture and less familiar entractes, melodramas and choruses sung by Gardiner’s own Monteverdi Choir.

Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir will also be performing Bach's St Matthew Passion at Usher Hall on 13 August 7.30pm.