Edward McGuire's String Trio II was the 2019 McEwen commision and was premiered by Rachel Spencer (violin), Felix Tanner (viola) and Duncan Strachan (cello) in the University Concert Hall on Thursday February 28th 2019. The piece, in three movements, is Eddie's third written under the auspices of the McEwen Commission following his Wind Octet in 1980 and 1975's Liberation. This makes Eddie the McEwen's most commissioned composer - an accolade he holds jointly with Thomas Wilson (1959, 1961 and 1968). The 2019 commission benefited from additional funding from the Ferguson Bequest.
The premiere paired Eddie's new piece with one of the oldest string trios, Mozart’s Divertimento for String Trio in E♭, k.563.
Composer Eddie McGuire with the performers and score of String Trio II following its premiere
Listen to… the String Trio II premiere
Programme note
Edward McGuire (b. 1948) - String Trio II
1. Dramatico
2. Con brio
3. Ritmico
Performer biographies & full details of the premiere can be found in the McEwen concert programme 2019.
Eddie McGuire
Glasgow born Edward (Eddie) McGuire studied with James Iliff (RAM 1966- 70) and with Ingvar Lidholm in Stockholm. He received a British Composers Award (2003), Creative Scotland Award (2004) and has been featured composer at several international festivals. The BBCSSO Proms performance of Calgacus was selected for BBC Music Magazine's CD 'The Very Best of the BBC Orchestras' (1997). Commissions and broadcasts have included those from St Magnus Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Lorient Festival, Glasgow Festival Strings, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, RSNO Chorus and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Notable successes are his 3 act ballet Peter Pan (Scottish Ballet; Hong Kong Ballet), opera The Loving of Etain (with librettist Marianne Carey) and concertos for guitar, trombone, violin, viola and bass. He writes for and plays with The Whistlebinkies and Chinese group Harmony Ensemble.