Murray McLachlan Family

For the first concert of its 2018/19 season, KMS presented a keyboard extravaganza from Murray McLachlan and his family. Murray and his wife Kathryn Page are both teachers at Chethams Music School and are closely involved with Chethams International Summer School.

They opened both halves of the recital with four hands on one piano. They started with Schubert’s glorious Fantasy in f minor with its beautiful opening theme, to a rocking accompaniment. There is a hint of melancholy in the theme, perhaps triggered by Schubert’s awareness of his incurable illness. 16 year old daughter Rose then gave a virtuoso performance of Chopin. She played Three Nocturnes Op 9, his Ballade No 2 and the Andante Spianato and Polonaise Brilliante. Chopin’s lovely melodies were tenderly played and his dramatic and violent middle sections were effortlessly dealt with. Rose is now studying Piano, Organ and Singing at Chethams.

The second half started with Murray and Kathryn playing Ravel’s Rhapsodie Espagnole. The arm gymnastics required for the essential hand crossings, especially for this piece, provided a visual as well as a musical delight. It must need to be carefully worked out beforehand, but it was wonderfully executed. The concert finished with 18 year old son Matthew, playing Bach and Stravinsky. Matthew is also at Chethams studying Piano and Cello. He started with Busoni’s arrangement of Bach’s Chaconne in D minor and went on to play Three Movements from Stravinsky’s Petrushka; Russian Dance, Petrushka’s Room and The Shrovetide Fair. These were played with a maturity beyond his years.

The audience were astounded by the talent on display that night and at the end the parents rushed off for the train south, while the youngsters elected to stay on in Scotland. .

For more information please look at the Programme page here

Scozzesi Vocal group

“Scozzesi” modestly describe themselves as “A Male Vocal Quartet of Classically Trained Singers,” but the delighted audience at their performance in the Old Kirk discovered this was an understatement roughly equivalent to Nicola Benedetti saying she has been taught the violin.

There was something for everyone in a programme which ranged through some of the greatest operatic arias, by way of operetta and traditional Scots song, to Sondheim and Lennon and McCartney, with exuberant humour giving way to touching moments along the way. In their powerful opening, with Gounod's “Gloire Immortelle” the quartet's soaring voices filled the Old Kirk's impressive space and from then on the audience were totally captivated.

Superb musicianship, immaculate timing, and close mutual understanding characterised the whole recital, along with an infectious enjoyment of the music and the rapport they created with their listeners. Among many other memorable moments, Roger Paterson and Douglas Nairne in the great “Pearl Fishers” duet, Jonathan Kennedy in his rendering of Donizetti's “Com Paride Vezzoso” and Christian Schneeberger's poignant “Ae Fond Kiss,” revealed Scozzesi's sensitive interpretation and superb expression in pieces which would have exposed the slightest weakness but were delivered with unfaltering confidence. In Geoffrey Tanti they have an accompanist who interacts warmly with both singers and music.

With their ability to cross musical boundaries, Scozzesi's richly varied repertoire shows in how many different ways music can be enjoyed, and their audience responded enthusiastically from beginning to end.

For more information please look at the Programme page here

Maxwell Quartet

For this concert KMS hosted the Maxwell String Quartet as they came towards the end of their gruelling 19 date Scottish Tour. Despite this, the energy created by this group was amazing. This is a young String Quartet on the way up, and they are Scottish! Cellist Duncan Strachan introduced the programme, suggesting the theme was life and death. The concert started with the lively Haydn Op 71 No 3 Quartet. The three Op 71 Quartets will be on the Maxwell’s C.D. due out early next year, along with the piece the group added to our programme. It was the beautiful, tenderly played, Gregor’s Lament, written by Lady McGregor of Glenstrae, after the execution of her husband in 1570. This was followed by Schumann’s Op 41 No 1 Quartet. Although full of life, Schumann’s three Quartets were completed in eighteen days, in the dark times of his mania. These wonderful Quartets deserve to be better known that they are. The death theme retuned with a performance of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden Quartet. Although this piece is very familiar, there are always subtle differences to make performances unique. This was the case with the Maxwell, who played the quartet with tremendous energy. They are destined for great things, playing with great passion and obviously enjoying their performance as much as the audience did. It is also becoming apparent that the excellent seating, viewing, acoustics and ambience of the Old Kirk are being appreciated by both artistes and audience. It is encouraging for KMS that this is being reflected in attendances. Our next performance on Jan16 is by a young cellist from Azerbaijan in a recital including Beethoven and Chopin so come along for another enjoyable evening.

For more information please look at the Programme page here

Jamal Aliyev

For the first concert of 2019 we welcomed the young duo of Cellist Jamal Aliyev and Pianist Jâms Coleman. Some in the audience, which was large for a cold January evening, might have thought they were going to see the young cellist from the Royal Wedding. They might have been surprised Jamal was not that cellist, but were certainly not disappointed by the wonderful performance from Jamal and Jâms. Jamal has appeared at the Proms and Jâms has performed across the UK and Europe. They came to Kirkcaldy in the middle of a six date tour in Scotland. Beethoven’s Op 5 Cello Sonatas were the first to treat the Cello and Piano as equals. The lovely Adagio introduction to the Op 5 No 2 and its witty Finale made this a wonderful start to the concert. Less familiar was Ernest Bloch’s “From Jewish Life”. This hauntingly beautiful piece, well worth getting to know, was tenderly played by the duo. There were changes to the published programme in the second half. We heard Beethoven’s Variations on Pamina and Papageno’s duet from The Magic Flute, followed by the Ligeti Solo Cello Sonata. The Ligeti may have appeared challenging to the listener but in fact was very approachable, opening with a theme alternating between upper and lower strings to represent dialogue between a man and a woman. The Presto Finale is a real virtuoso piece, intensely fast but expertly handled by Jamal. Chopin’s Introduction and Polonaise Brilliante Op 3, which was indeed brilliantly played by the duo, followed. We had specially asked for the Chopin Cello Sonata, so as an encore we were given the sumptuous slow movement with its naïve, childishly simple opening melody. These two young men in the early years of their performing career, are names to look out for in the future.

For more information please look at the Programme page here

Magnard Wind Ensemble

The Magnard Wind Quintet are a dynamic young ensemble who are now being recognised internationally. As well as being brilliant performers of the classical wind quintet repertoire they are innovative and imaginative in expanding their range well beyond that, through premiering new works and adapting others. All of these qualities were on display in an exhilarating performance in the Old Kirk.
Their opening with Leo Geyer's “Sideshows” Suite was the most unconventional the Music Society has experienced for years, with the performers as fairground barkers introducing the Clowns, the Palm Reader, the Dancing Bear and the Bearded Lady. Comic verbal interplay weaved through passages of music conjuring up impressions of the showground scene. The conclusion with the roundabout grinding to a halt saw the players scattering to hide behind the backdrop and the furnishings. By that time the audience knew that the Magnard were witty, imaginative, exuberant—and brilliant instrumentalists.
Bach's “Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor” showed the ensemble's versatility, performing a classical work composed for different instruments and showing how the distinctive tones of the woodwinds gave the familiar piece a new aspect. Here there was no showboating, only dynamic, delicate and subtle musicianship delivered with sensitive understanding.
The remainder of the varied and very well balanced programme, composed of pieces by Hindemith, Beach, MacMillan, Ligeti, Milhaud and Patterson, allowed the quintet to range forward and back in time through a very enjoyable twentieth century selection. It brought out their outstanding individual skills as well as their brilliant ensemble playing, introducing different moods and textures with intimate mutual understanding. The contrasting pieces were all the more enjoyable for recurring dashes of wit and, especially in the final Mihaud and Patterson pieces, the evocative pictorial quality in their playing.
The rapport the ensemble instantly created with their audience was enhanced by the engaging introductions of the various pieces by each of the performers in turn, throughout a vividly memorable and brilliantly performed recital.
The audience demanded an encore and the Magnard responded with a sizzling rendition of “I've Got Rhythm.”
They certainly have!
The large audience will have had its appetite whetted for our next concert by Red Priest Baroque Ensemble on 6th March. A quartet of very talented musicians will present very tuneful music, again in an innovative and highly personal manner. BBC Music Magazine states that Red Priest is in an exhilarating class of its own.
This,and our final AGM concert on 17th April at which Cromlet’s Lilt will feature will complete our season


For more information please look at the Programme page here

Red Priest

“Red Priest” are celebrated worldwide for their startlingly imaginative performances of baroque music and last week they rounded off Kirkcaldy Music Society's season exuberantly, bringing “rock” style extravagance to their presentation and to the pace of their performance. Piers Adams blew away any lingering memories in the audience, of plodding primary school recorder practice. From piece to piece and frequently within them he moved from one to another of eleven recorders with breathtaking virtuosity—even occasionally playing two at once. Adam Summerhayes on violin, Angela East on cello and David Wright on harpsichord joined him in brilliant ensemble playing, with dramatic changes of pace, punctuated by deeply sensitive solo and duo passages. The programme ranged through their own arrangements and settings of some of the most familiar baroque classics by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel and Pachelbel, along with less well known pieces by Van Eyck, Eccles, Sanz and others. Even in the best known, Red Priest gleefully overturned their listeners' expectations by defying conventions. Locatelli's “Labyrinth” tossed in between Pachelbel's “Canon” and “Gigue” gave the audience a totally fresh sense of music heard countless times before. Classic baroque movements were enlivened at times by jazz and gypsy effects. This irreverent approach could only succeed through a combination of deeply sensitive understanding of the classical pieces, and highly impressive musicianship capable of creating new effects within them. There were many highlights. Adams turned an Albinoni adagio into a promenade, playing with exquisite feeling and purity of tone; a few minutes later in Van Eyck's “English Nightingale,” he took wing with brilliant fingering at speed. In the middle movement of the Bach Brandenburg Concerto the group created a delightfully balanced “conversation” among all the instruments. The harpsichord and cello combined beautifully within the Eccles Adagio and Presto and Adam Summerhayes seemed endlessly versatile in stretching the possibilities of the violin—and a few other instruments besides. In fact, throughout, Red Priest were fearless in generating remarkable instrumental effects with verve, passionate intensity and more than a few dashes of mischievous humour. This season has delivered an outstanding series of recitals in the Old Kirk, with Red Priest delivering an exhilarating finale. However after our short AGM on 17th April we will be further entertained by an ensemble of well known local musicians, Cromlit’s Lilt. This promises to be yet another performance of tuneful works and we then invite the audience to socialize with wine and savories The evening is included for season ticket holders with a charge of £5 for guests.

For more information please look at the Programme page here

AGM The AGM Concert was held in The Old Kirk. A technical glitch prevented the overhead projection working, despite the best efforts of George from the Old Kirk. He was able to project the Agenda of the meeting and he kindly provided photocopies of last year’s minutes and the accounts for the audience. After the Minutes of the 2018 meeting were read and approved the Treasurer presented the accounts which showed a slight debit partly due to the March 2018 concert cost being included in this year’s accounts. Thanks must go to EMS for their continued financial support and to all those who provided donations and sponsorship. The Chairman then reviewed the past season which had continued to surpass previous years. We had a wonderful piano recital from Murray McLachlan, his wife Kathryn Page and two of their children, Rose and Matthew. We then had Scottish singing group Scozzesi giving a programme of solos, duets, trios and quartets. Scottish String Quartet the Maxwell followed, then we had young Cellist Jamal Aliyev accompanied by Jâms Coleman. The young, dynamic Magnard Wind ensemble followed and the season ended with the outrageous and anarchic Baroque group, Red Priest. The chairman announced that Hilary and Alison were to retire at the end of next season. Jean Boyling and Gill Rolland were elected to the committee. Jean will shadow the treasurer and. David Watson will shadow the Secretary. Gill will bring her extensive musical knowledge to the committee. Anne Buchan is retiring from the committee and Mairi thanked her for her support. Presentations were made to Rosemary and George from the Old Kirk for their continued support to KMS A recital by local Baroque String Group Cromlit’s Lilt followed. All introduced by Ken Clarke, we heard works by Handel, and music with a Scottish flavour by Fife born James Oswald and Italian composer Barsanti, who worked in Edinburgh for some years. The highlight was Vivaldi’s Concerto for two Violins Op 3 No 8. The solo parts were expertly played by Louise Timney and Ken Clarke. The whole group gave a wonderful performance, to a professional standard, with excellent ensemble playing. Some of these players had performed at our AGM concert in 2015. A party for all followed, with plenty of wonderful finger food, wine and juice and lots of time to chat with friends and the musicians.