To complement Haydn's "Emperor" Quartet, Judith Weir's String Quartet written in 1990, filmed in the amazing backdrop of Dundas Castle.
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Weir writes; "My String Quartet was written for the Endellion Quartet in 1990. It consists of three movements played together without a break with a total duration of just over twelve minutes.
Each of the movements is based on song fragments which I had previously composed, giving the quartet a relatively lyrical character throughout. The songs of the first two movements were settings of medieval Spanish romances: the third is inspired by a ballad from Banffshire, Scotland."
The ‘modern’ Dundas Castle was built in 1818. It replaced an earlier Seventeenth Century building, which was pulled down. William Burn, one of Scotland’s greatest architects, designed the magnificent house.
He was famous for also building churches and this influence can be seen in the main hall, passageway and staircase. The main state rooms, in contrast to later and uglier Victorian buildings in Scotland, have wonderful proportions and the genius of Burn provided for the huge dimensions of the windows. These give an unparalleled outlook onto the spreading lawns and parkland outside.
Sadly for the Dundas family, the building and the extensive gardens had cost so much to construct that the estate had to be sold in 1846. Mr Russell, a gentleman who had a liking for rearing and betting on horses was the purchaser. Currently the home of Sir Jack and Lady Stewart-Clark, this authentic Scottish Castle has been transformed into a 5-star ‘Exclusive Use’ venue.
The Castle is made up of 3 main buildings. The Auld Keep was built in 1416 for the purpose of being both a home in times of peace and a fortress in times of war. In 1818 the main house as we know it today was built by the renowned architect William Burn and has belonged to the Stewart-Clark family since the late 1800s. The classic Pavilion on the lawns completes this magnificent trio of buildings to offer an elegant space for further entertaining.
Recorded by Mark Neal (Audio) and Sandy Butler (Visuals) in the beautiful historic surroundings of Dundas Castle, Edinburgh with thanks to Creative Scotland.