‘There’s a quiet class about the whole thing that generates a special kind of listening: for all the dark arts of conjuring festival ambience, Lammermuir tends to simply programme right and let the music do the talking’
The Guardian ****
Said Scotland on Sunday. And so it was. The 2022 festival was our most ambitious to date with 35 concerts in 17 locations across East Lothian.
The exquisite French songs of Henri Duparc opened the Festival and formed the backbone of our morning coffee concerts.
For our first of many evening performances at the wonderful St Mary's Church in Haddington Scottish Opera performed Massenet's late and thrilling masterpiece Therese.
The wonderful American pianist Jeremy Denk returned with another astonishing collection of performances.
We welcomed back friends Quatuor Mosaïques who brought their incomparable Viennese insight to the music of Schubert and Haydn on their own mini tour of the county.
Baroque music in different contexts and styles had a special place in the festival as did the thrillingly original music of Ligeti.
The beautiful sacred music of William Byrd took us to the secluded monastery of Sancta Maria at Nunraw for the first time and the ancient Collegiate Church of Dunglass resonated to 15th century music sung by the Orlando Consort.
The RSNO made a spectacular festival debut and 'old' favourites Dunedin Consort ended the festival with Mozart’s great C minor Mass.
And that was not all! There was much more. You can see the full programme on the what's on page.
So as we tidy up and plan for next year, it's time to thank you, our audiences, artists, friends and supporters without whom the festival would simply not happen.
We look forward to inviting you to join us for more musical journeying in 2023.
With all good wishes,
Hugh Macdonald & James Waters
Artistic Directors
'If any organisation in Scotland's arts can be said to have built back better from the pandemic, it's East Lothian's Lammermuir Festival'
The Times
‘There’s a quiet class about the whole thing that generates a special kind of listening: for all the dark arts of conjuring festival ambience, Lammermuir tends to simply programme right and let the music do the talking’
The Guardian ****
‘It is part of the festival’s appeal that it takes audiences to locations that are beautiful in and of themselves, and it exposes them to great music that seems to fit each place like a glove.’
Seen and Heard International
‘Lammermuir is longer, more intimate and better than ever … If any organisation in Scotland’s arts can be said to have built back better from the pandemic, it’s East Lothian’s Lammermuir Festival . . it’s roaring back to in-person life … it shows laudable ambition and sets a standard many arts organisations could learn from.’
The Times *****