Gareth Williams's SONGS FROM THE LAST PAGE Celebrates Last Words Of Scottish Literary Masterworks

In the final pages of At The Loch of the Green Corrie by Andrew Greig, the author invites the reader to finish the story and put the book down. It was the wish to be able to linger for longer, that inspired Gareth Williams to embark on his latest musical adventure – Songs from the Last Page, a new original musical album of songs that lyrically reimagine the final moments from iconic works of Scottish fiction such as Treasure Island, Lanark and more. Launched alongside performances supported by the Made in Scotland Fringe Festival Showcase, this spell-binding new suite of musical meditations for voice, piano and strings, invited listeners to hold on to that incredible feeling of finishing a story for just a few more minutes.

This album marks a bold innovation of Gareth's musical style; a collage of distinctive melodies drawing on contemporary classical and pop idioms, forming a wholly unique sound of 'literary chamber pop'. 

After moving to Scotland from his native Ireland, Gareth has long been fascinated with Gaelic cultures' shared love for storytelling and song, and how music is embedded in Scottish identity. Songs from the Last Page marks a marriage of those interests, with the tracklist running the full gamut of emotions that endings can leave, from melancholy to hopeful, seeking to connect audiences to share something singular, suspended at the end of a novel.

In addition to highlighting historic authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Arthur Conan Doyle, the album is also dedicated to championing the diversity of modern writing in Scotland, celebrating work by working-class, LGBTQ+ and Black authors such as Ely Percy, Ali Smith and Jackie Kay. The album also marks a passionate support for revitalising awareness and interest in indigenous languages of Scotland featuring a new collaboration with Skye singer Deirdre Graham who has created her own Gaelic song in response to the project.

Coinciding with the album's official launch on 14th August, Gareth embarks on a tour of live shows, beginning with a week-long residency at The Scottish Storytelling Centre followed by shows in Dundee Rep Theatre and Aberdeen's The Lemon Tree. These live performances represent a completion of Gareth's vision for the album, to transform a singular experience of finishing a book, into a collective experience that an audience can enjoy together. In advance of the live shows, audiences can reach out to Gareth via social media to suggest books that they want to see be turned into songs; and at each live performance, a new song will be performed based on these suggestions, guaranteeing a unique experience for every audience.

Storytelling will be centre stage at these live shows, as Gareth talks to audiences from the piano, sharing his inspirations behind the songs and reading from the books that inspired the songs. Gareth will be joined on stage by Justyna Jablonska on cello and Aisling O'Dea on violin, giving each show a very special feel, somewhere between chamber music and gig theatre.

Gareth Williams said: “Songs from The Last Page comes from books that I loved to read, and that many listeners will know and love also. By examining these closing moments, by staying at the final fleeting lines of the story, I want to give us a chance to think about our own stories, and how they begin and end.”

Performance Details

Scottish Storytelling Centre

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023/Made in Scotland Showcase

(Mon 14 - Fri 18 Aug: 7.30PM/ 4PM on 16 Aug)

The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen

Thu 07 Sep 2023 7.00PM

Dundee Rep Theatre

Fri 22 SEP, 7.30PM