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Alan Coady

Alan Coady

Alan has taught classical guitar in East Lothian schools since 1982. A graduate in Music of the then Huddersfield Polytechnic, he has a soft spot for the contemporary. He also writes a Musical Blog, where the special interest is the intersection of music/language/science.

Author:Alan Coady

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Danny Driver descends the Devil's Staircase at Lammermuir Festival

By Alan Coady, 19 September 2015

Danny Driver thrills in an imaginatively conceived and wonderfully executed programme of Ligeti and Debussy.

*****

Danny Driver descends the Devil's Staircase!

Phantasm's The Art of Fugue at the Lammermuir Festival

By Alan Coady, 18 September 2015

Phantasm in an intimate, late night Art of Fugue for consort of viols.

***11

Phantasm's The Art of Fugue

Lammermuir Festival: Steven Osborne in Recital

By Alan Coady, 16 September 2015

Pianist Steven Osborne delights a packed Dunbar Parish Church in a recital of Schubert and Rachmaninov.

****1

Lammermuir Festival: Steven Osborne in Recital

Lammermuir Festival: Cantatas, coffee and cake

By Alan Coady, 13 September 2015

John Butt's Dunedin Consort in an illustration and exploration of coffee house culture in Bach's 1730s Leipzig.

****1

Lammermuir Festival: Cantatas, coffee and cake

Scottish Chamber Orchestra opens the sixth Lammermuir Festival

By Alan Coady, 11 September 2015

Tender Sibelius, Mozart brimming with personality and heroic Beethoven in the opening concert of the sixth Lammermuir Fetival.

****1

SCO opens the sixth Lammermuir Festival

Scurrying Bartók, daring Stravinsky: Valery Gergiev and the LSO in Edinburgh

By Alan Coady, 30 August 2015

Gergiev and the LSO in an explosive, primeval Rite of Spring.

****1

Scurrying Bartók, daring Stravinsky

Tilson Thomas and San Francisco Symphony in a dramatic second act

By Alan Coady, 28 August 2015

Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony in reflective and raucous Ives, virtuosic Beethoven and dramatic Tchaikovsky.

****1

Tilson Thomas and SFS in a dramatic second act

Thrilling Adams and Mahler from Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony

By Alan Coady, 27 August 2015

Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony electrify Edinburgh with Mahler 1.

****1

Thrilling Adams and Mahler from MTT

Fine chamber playing from Budapest's visiting musicians in Edinburgh

By Alan Coady, 14 August 2015

A morning of wonderful and varied chamber music from the Budapest Festival Orchestra Soloists in Edinburgh.

****1

Fine chamber playing from Budapest's visiting musicians in Edinburgh

Angela Hewitt: a morning of Iberian splendour at the Edinburgh International Festival

By Alan Coady, 13 August 2015

If we consider Domenico Scarlatti an honorary Spaniard, since half of his life was spent there, then this was an entirely Spanish programme.

****1

Iberian splendour at the EIF

Edinburgh Quartet: Youth

By Alan Coady, 27 May 2015

The Edinburgh Quartet in a programme of early works showing promise - then and now - and radical change of direction.

****1

Edinburgh Quartet: Youth

An American in Edinburgh: Peter Oundjian and the RSNO explore modern America

By Alan Coady, 20 March 2015

Peter Oundjian and the RSNO perform an imaginative programme airing the varied moods and influences which make up modern America.

****1

An American in Edinburgh

Kari Kriikku thrills in Magnus Lindberg's Clarinet Concerto in Edinburgh

By Alan Coady, 06 March 2015

Thomas Søndergård and the RSNO in an evening of minor key late symphonies separated by a dazzling clarinet concerto.

****1

Kari Kriikku thrills in Lindberg's Clarinet Concerto

Edinburgh Quartet's Mendelssohn and Schumann: the Anxiety of Influence

By Alan Coady, 11 February 2015

The Edinburgh Quartet in a fine examination of Mendelssohn, Schumann, influence and originality.

***11

Edinburgh Quartet: the Anxiety of Influence

Whoops for Haydn: Quatuor Ebène in Edinburgh

By Alan Coady, 26 January 2015

Quatuor Ebène delight a Queen's Hall audience with Haydn, Dutilleux and Brahms.

****1

Whoops for Haydn with Quatuor Ebène

Timeless Beethoven from Llŷr Williams and the SCO in Edinburgh

By Alan Coady, 15 January 2015

Three concertos and a symphony; three soloists and an ever-expanding chamber orchestra; the SCO in Stravinsky, Mozart and Beethoven.

****1

Timeless Beethoven from Llŷr Williams in Edinburgh

A feast of orchestration as Oundjian conducts The Firebird

By Alan Coady, 21 November 2014

Peter Oundjian and the RSNO star in a celebration of orchestration, with guest Steven Osborne.

****1

A feast of orchestration as Oundjian conducts The Firebird

Scoring for Spain: the film music of Alberto Iglesias

By Alan Coady, 11 November 2014

The cinematic world consists of two types: those who believe that continually recasting from a favoured coterie of actors can endanger suspension of disbelief, and those who do not.

Scoring for Spain: The film music of Alberto Iglesias

Scottish Chamber Orchestra with Llŷr Williams: a programme of concertos

By Alan Coady, 06 November 2014

Llŷr Williams, Alexander Janiczek and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in a triple concerto evening.

****1

SCO and Llŷr Williams: a programme of concertos

Beethoven's Egmont crowns a programme of story and stage

By Alan Coady, 01 November 2014

The Scottish Chamber Orchesra, under John Storgårds, in a programme of story, stage and music.

***11

Beethoven's Egmont crowns a programme of story and stage

Søndergård and the RSNO strings shine in Metamorphosen

By Alan Coady, 24 October 2014

The RSNO shine in Strauss' and Bartók's contrasting responses to war, dislocation and loss, Metamorphosen and the Concerto for Orchestra.

***11

RSNO strings shine in Metamorphosen

Lammermuir Festival: Acis and Galatea

By Alan Coady, 21 September 2014

John Butt and Dunedin Consort delight Dunbar Parish Church with Acis and Galatea

****1

Lammermuir Festival: Acis and Galatea

Lammermuir Festival: Steven Osborne plays Messiaen

By Alan Coady, 20 September 2014

Steven Osborne stuns a Lammermuir audience with Messiaen's Messianic contemplations.

*****

Lammermuir Festival: Steven Osborne plays Messiaen

Lammermuir Festival: Tenebrae's deeply affecting Russian treasures

By Alan Coady, 17 September 2014

A deeply moving evening of Russian choral treasures from Nigel Short's Tenebrae.

*****

Lammermuir Festival: Tenebrae's Russian treasures

Lammermuir Festival: Red Note Ensemble's Sounding Brass

By Alan Coady, 15 September 2014

Red Note Ensemble's Sounding Brass in a unique afternoon of brass, percussion and electronics in an imaginatively scouted industrial setting.

****1

Red Note Ensemble's Sounding Brass

Duruflé Requiem at the Lammermuir Festival

By Alan Coady, 14 September 2014

National Youth Choir of Scotland Chamber Choir and Lammermuir Festival Players delight in an imaginative programme of French and Estonian sacred music.

****1

Duruflé Requiem at the Lammermuir Festival

Janáček's Glagolitic Mass crowns Edinburgh International Festival

By Alan Coady, 30 August 2014

The BBC SSO and Ilan Volkov close EIF 2014's contemplations on 'Conflict and Culture' with dark Mills and dramatic Janáček.

****1

Janáček's Glagolitic Mass crowns Edinburgh International Festival

Magical results from Jansons and the Concertgebouw at the Edinburgh International Festival

By Alan Coady, 27 August 2014

In a packed Usher Hall, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra still and thrill by turns with transcendental, colourful Ravel and innovative, cinematic young Shostakovich.

*****

Magical results from Jansons in Edinburgh

András Schiff hypnotises Edinburgh Festival audience

By Alan Coady, 25 August 2014

A gladiatorial setting of one man, one piano, two thousand spectators: the piano's slightly rakish angle was going to allow a few hundred more people to see András Schiff's hands in action.

*****

András Schiff hypnotises a sold-out Usher Hall

Edinburgh International Festival: Czech Philharmonic 01

By Alan Coady, 22 August 2014

The Czech Philharmonic serve up a home brew which proves a heady mix in Edinburgh's Usher Hall

****1

Czech Philharmonic brings Brno to Edinburgh

Edinburgh International Festival: Takács Quartet 02

By Alan Coady, 23 August 2014

The Takács Quartet in an engaging programme of works referencing murderous marital strife, life-threatening illness and recovery – and less harrowing inspirations.

****1

Takács Quartet at Edinburgh Festival

Choral energy on display from Collegium Vocale Gent at the Edinburgh International Festival

By Alan Coady, 20 August 2014

An imaginative and wonderfully performed programme of ecclesiastical works wrought in peril, alienation and exile.

****1

Choral energy from Collegium Vocale Gent

Edinburgh International Festival: London Philharmonic Orchestra

By Alan Coady, 18 August 2014

Jurowski, Kopatchinskaja and the LPO entrance with a varied and imaginative programme.

****1

LPO Thrill with Lindberg, Bartók and Beethoven

Edinburgh International Festival: Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony

By Alan Coady, 17 August 2014

The I, Culture Orchestra animate an Edinburgh Festival audience with elegy, irony and defiance.

****1

Edinburgh International Festival: Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony

Bach delivered with a flourish: Piotr Anderszewski at the Edinburgh International Festival

By Alan Coady, 15 August 2014

Piotr Andersweski dazzles a Queen's Hall audience with a display of technical mastery and emotional commitment, before strolling from the stage with the ease of someone who has just read out a short housekeeping announcement.

*****

Bach delivered with a flourish

Alban Gerhardt and Steven Osborne excel at the Edinburgh International Festival

By Alan Coady, 13 August 2014

Alban Gerhardt's and Steven Osborne's wonderful solo and duo skills unfold across a gritty programme.

*****

Gerhardt and Osborne excel at the EIF

War and peace in Baroque Europe: Hespèrion XXI at the Edinburgh International Festival:

By Alan Coady, 12 August 2014

Jordi Savall directs a multi-lingual, multi-cultural voyage through Europe's war-torn past.

****1

Hespèrion XXI explore war and peace in Baroque Europe

Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time transfixes Edinburgh International Festival audience

By Alan Coady, 11 August 2014

A stellar quartet deliver Messiaen's time-stopping depiction of the eternal in Edinburgh's Greyfriars Kirk.

****1

Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time transfixes Edinburgh International Festival audience

The road less travelled: Hebrides Ensemble at the Edinburgh International Festival

By Alan Coady, 09 August 2014

The Hebrides Ensemble delight a Queen's Hall audience with novel takes on Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht and Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat.

*****

The road less travelled: The Hebrides in Edinburgh

Edinburgh International Festival: The Opening Concert

By Alan Coady, 08 August 2014

Oliver Knussen, the RSNO and Edinburgh Festival Chorus offer rarely heard titanic works in a packed Usher Hall.

****1

Edinburgh International Festival: The Opening Concert

On the Shore of the Mind: an island programme

By Alan Coady, 22 June 2014

Deft programming, fine arrangements and playing from Mr McFall's Chamber and guest soprano Susan Hamilton.

****1

On the Shore of the Mind: an island programme

Edinburgh Quartet Celebrates Hans Gál

By Alan Coady, 15 June 2014

The Edinburgh Quartet and guests delight in the city where Hans Gál spent many productive years.

****1

Edinburgh Quartet Celebrates Hans Gál

Imaginative fusion of Shostakovich and Gershwin in Edinburgh

By Alan Coady, 16 May 2014

An imaginative RSNO programme sandwiching fusionist Gershwin between unbelievably contrasting Shostakovich, seasoned with a little re-titling.

****1

Imaginative fusion of Shostakovich and Gershwin in Edinburgh

Contemporary focus: Brave new orchestral seasons in Scotland

By Alan Coady, 16 May 2014

An overview of how contemporary music fares in the new seasons of three of our Scottish orchestras.

Contemporary focus: Brave new orchestral seasons in Scotland

Edinburgh Quartet: Late Sessions

By Alan Coady, 06 May 2014

The Edinburgh Quartet conclude their excellent mini-series of Late Session concerts at Edinburgh's 'Summerhall' featuring the music of James MacMillan.

****1

Edinburgh Quartet: Late Sessions

Vilde Frang: Urgent articulation in Britten

By Alan Coady, 02 May 2014

RSNO, Søndergård and Frang perform a thoughtful programme of dislocation and migration: Dean, Britten and Dvořák.

****1

Vilde Frang: Urgent articulation in Britten

Scottish Ensemble: A bracing Seavaigers in Glasgow

By Alan Coady, 01 May 2014

Scottish Ensemble, Catriona McKay and Chris Stout in a programme mixing the classical and the Celtic; the composed and the improvised; the individually crafted and the collaboratively collaged.

****1

Scottish Ensemble: A bracing Seavaigers in Glasgow

Explosive Tchaikovsky from Igor Levit and the RSNO

By Alan Coady, 25 April 2014

RSNO, James Feddeck and Igor Levit offer an imaginatively interlinked, all-Russian programme - looking forwards and back.

****1

Explosive Tchaikovsky from Igor Levit and the RSNO

Shankar plays Shankar

By Alan Coady, 11 April 2014

Anoushka Shankar and the RSNO under Kristjan Järvi delight with complementary takes on 'the East' – Arvo Pärt and Ravi Shankar at Edinburgh's Usher Hall.

****1

Shankar plays Shankar

SCO Chamber: Janáček, Bartók & Fibich

By Alan Coady, 23 March 2014

SCO musicians perform an engaging afternoon of Eastern European chamber music for wind, strings and piano.

****1

SCO Chamber: Janáček, Bartók & Fibich