JAMES ROSS & MAXWELL QUARTET
Landscape to Light
Original compositions by Scottish composer and pianist James Ross, with the Maxwell String Quartet, which provide a rare opportunity to experience Scottish literature, folklore, and the natural beauty of Caithness and the Flow Country, through a classical music lens.
The album invites listeners into Ross’ homeland of Caithness, the northernmost point in the Scottish mainland, and evokes the spectacular but fearsome power of the sea, the legends of fairy mischief passed down through generations, and the landscapes depicted by Scottish novelist, Neil Gunn.
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Video:
Landscape to Light” Album Preview
Music Video:
“Landscape to Light” (Single)
JAMES ROSS
James Ross is a pianist and composer whose music blends the rich tapestry of the Scottish traditions he grew up with into innovative compositions expressed in unique ways that combine Scottish folk and classical music. James’s music has been praised by audiences and critics alike: “Gorgeously compelling” (Sunday Herald); “Sublimely lyrical melodic gifts” (The Scotsman); “He will charm you, take you on day dreams, impress and take your breath away” (FolkWorld). Ross has been featured in radio shows including NPR’s Thistle & Shamrock and the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show. Jamesrossmusic.co.uk
MAXWELL QUARTET
Scotland-based Maxwell Quartet is regarded as one of Britain's finest young string quartets, with a strong connection to their folk music heritage and a commitment to bringing together wide-ranging projects and programmes to expand the string quartet repertoire. Winner of both First Prize and Audience Prize at the 9th Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition in 2017, the Quartet has been hailed as “brilliantly fresh, unexpected and exhilarating” (The Scottish Herald) and “eloquent performers who bring the same sense of charisma and sense of adventure to their programming” (New York Times).
Album Information
COMPOSER: James Ross
TITLE: Landscape to Light
ARTISTS: James Ross, piano & Maxwell Quartet: Colin Scobie, violin; George Smith, violin; Elliott Perks, viola; Duncan Strachan, cello
SUMMARY: Original compositions by Scottish composer and pianist James Ross, with the Maxwell String Quartet, which provide a rare opportunity to experience Scottish literature, folklore, and the natural beauty of Caithness and the Flow Country, through a classical music lens. The album invites listeners into Ross’ homeland of Caithness, the northernmost point in the Scottish mainland, and evokes the spectacular but fearsome power of the sea, the legends of fairy mischief passed down through generations, and the landscapes depicted by Scottish novelist, Neil Gunn.
CREDITS: Recorded at The Hub, Edinburgh on the 10th & 11th March 2023 | Produced by Calum Malcolm | Engineered by Cameron Malcolm | Cover art: Drawing of Forsinard Hummocks in Flow Country by Magi Sinclair | Album design: Simon Roche at Bureau.ie | Supported by Creative Scotland
FUNDRAISER FOR: Scottish Wildlife Trust
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1. Landscape to Light
2. The Piper of Windy Ha’
3. Grey Coast
4. The Swilkie
5. Flow Country
6. Sundew
7. Black Saturday
8. Fairy Hill
9. Seafarers Hymn
Download Liner Notes
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Coming soon
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“Phenotypic Recordings is proud to present James Ross’ Landscape to Light, a musical storybook in which James Ross blends his profound understanding of Scottish traditions with his artistry in classical music to create innovative compositions with contemporary flair. His deep love for his homeland resonates in every note of his compositions, serving as both a treasure and a testament to the enduring beauty and resilience of Scottish identity, and the specialness of this land.
We believe it is an important contribution that expands the horizons of classical music, as well as serves as a gateway to viscerally experience the beauty and uniqueness of Scottish traditions and land. Both are integral parts of the global cultural fabric and ecological system, and we hope this album inspires all of us to further appreciate, preserve and nurture them.
~ Stephen Prutsman, Creative Director
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“The grandeur of the far north of Scotland is something I have often tried to describe, but words so often fail to capture the temperament of the Caithness coast. These compositions are a series of portraits evoking both the natural and mystical worlds, and they bring full circle my interest in melding classical music together with the Scottish traditional music of my upbringing. In Landscape to Light, I draw inspiration from the novelist Neil Gunn, Caithness folklore, the power of the sea and the natural beauty of the Flow Country where I grew up.”
— James Ross
