Some Superb Cello Playing!

Sergei RACHMANIOV (1873-1943)

Cello Sonata in g minor, Op. 19(1901) [38:31]
Vocalise Op. 34. No. 14 (1912) [6:07]
Variation 18 (Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini) Op. 43 (1934) [3:36]
Transcriptions by Gautier Capuçon and Gabriela Montero
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Cello Sonata in C, Op. 119 (1948) [26:30]

Gautier Capuçon, (cello)
Gabriela Montero (piano)

Recorded 21-23 November 2006 at Auditoria Stelio Molo, Lugano, Svizzera.

VIRGIN CLASSICS 00946 385786 2 [75:09]

Virgin Classics are pairing up two of their hottest young guns in the persons of Gautier Capuçon and Gabriela Montero for this sweeping collection of late romantic and early modern works for cello and piano.

Rachmaninov had just begun to recover from a bout of depression brought on by the failure of his first symphony when he composed both his second piano concerto and this sonata for cello. Eschewing traditional sonata structure, he created a bold work for the piano with a cello part that seldom could be called virtuosic and would more appropriately be deemed orchestral. And yet, the two parts come together to make an impressive whole; a tone poem for solo instruments of sorts.

Mr. Capuçon is one of the finer young artists to come along in recent years, and I have spoken favorably of his work both as a soloist and in chamber music performances in the past. Ms. Montero, who has made a name for herself not only as a virtuoso, but also as a fine improviser, is well paired here providing some fiery playing where called for and fully in command of the work’s demanding requirements. This is a performance of many shades and nuances, bold when needed and subtle at other times with careful attention to balance and to the rise and fall of tension within the music.

The two transcriptions that round out the first half of the recital are pleasant enough additions, but do we really need another snippet from the Paganini variations? Not really in my opinion. Its inclusion seemed more like a tacked on selling point than a real artistic expression.

On to the Prokofiev. This, strangely enough is perhaps a more melodic work than the Rachmaninov. I have always found Prokofiev to be a master of a good tune, even if that tune is a bit disjunctive at times. Written for Rostropovich, it is work full of ideas, overflowing with ear catching and beautifully constructed counterpoint. Our artists give us a fine performance here, again, exquisitely balanced and cleanly and articulately delivered.

These young artists appear fully equipped to become the legends of their generation, and it is most encouraging to see EMI putting forth an ambitious amount of new releases with these rising stars. Kudos to all concerned and a here’s a strong recommendation for some very fine performances indeed.

Kevin Sutton

Some Interesting New Stravinsky Recordings

Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)

Symphony in Three Movements (1942) [22:05]
Symphony of Psalms (1930-31) [22:33]
Symphony in C (ca. 1940) [30:29]

The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Rundfunkchor Berlin, Simon Halsey, chorus master
Sir Simon Rattle

Recorded in Concert at the Berlin Philharmonie, 20-22 November, 2007

EMI 50999 2 07630 0 8 [75:39]

Stravinsky composed five works that used the word symphony in their titles, but it is the three presented here that come the closest to the classical symphony as we know it, and even these have some substantial alterations. Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliners present taut and energetic performances in this latest installment of a series of live concert recordings by these forces to be released on EMI.

The Symphony in Three movements had its origins as a concerto for orchestra, and was begun in 1942. It was not completed nor was it even intended to be a symphony until Stravinsky was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic to write a sort of ‘victory’ work at the end of the Second World War. It received its first performance in 1946 at Carnegie Hall. Thicker and with more resonant sonorities than the other two works in this program, the music takes a bit more ear space to absorb. Rattle takes advantage of the Berlin orchestra’s brilliance by letting loose with a generous amount of sound. Yet he never sacrifices clarity. To these ears the live recording is a bit dry, but there is enough boom to ensure a thrill or two.

The Symphony of Psalms was commissioned by Serge Koussevitsky and the Boston Symphony to celebrate the Orchestra’s fiftieth anniversary. That the composer delivered a choral work was a bit of a surprise to all, but the choice of texts, and the work’s dedication first to the glory of God, and then to the orchestra was a clear indication that Stravinsky had not only rediscovered his Russian Orthodox roots, but had begun to delve into the thick of Roman Catholic theology. The result is an austere but rather poignant work, curiously orchestrated and full of rhythmic contrast. Rattle captures the devotional spirit of the work, but it seemed to these ears that the chorus phoned it in. The tone is professional enough, but there is little true commitment to the texts. The choir lacks warmth for the most part, and this is particularly evident in the gorgeous moments of repose at the beginning and end of the final Psalm.

The Symphony in C was also American inspired, and was given its first performance in Chicago, the orchestra to whom it is dedicated, in 1940. Stravinsky clearly had the classical symphony mind as he cast the work in the über conservative key of C major, and laid it out in the traditional four movements; vigorous and fast on the outer edges with a slow movement and scherzo for the inner workings. Of the three performances, this one is the most convincing, with Rattle drawing clear and even sparse sounds from the orchestra and paying careful attention to Stravinsky’s very well constructed counterpoint. The first movement gives us ample joie de vivre as well.

It seems logical in these days of monumental recording costs for small returns that even an orchestra as well funded as Berlin would lean toward live recordings instead of meticulously edited studio projects. It is rather refreshing to hear an orchestra play through whole works on the fly as it were. Berlin’s audiences are most kind as there is no hint of noise whatever. EMI’s entertaining “Opendisc” format, by which you can access a plethora of multi-media material via the internet and rack up points toward free downloads is an added bonus.

BPI Journal - Second Friday

This is the time in the cycle of all things BPI when things get a little confusing. In some ways, I am hanging on to the remaining hours for dear life, dreading to let go of those people, whether they are old friends or new that have become such a part of my life here. Yet, there is a bright future and as the march of time moves forward there is much to anticipate.

There can't help, however, but be a sense of melancholy mingled with all the joy. Once again, I've added another branch to my ever growing tree of stimulating, fascinating, and engaging friends.

To the new members of the family: Benji, Adam, Mikel and Niccolo, welcome aboard and thanks for becoming a part of the collective.

What's better still is the joy I feel in the renewed strength of ties that were bound in the past. James and Mark, Brent and Trevor, Bob and Patsy, Reynaldo, Katrina, Derrick and David, Ari and Cordelia, Max, Nancy and Penny, I thank you from my heart.

What awaits is the eternal. The making of music together over the next two days. May it be infused with all of the spirit of so great an art as ours~!

The BPI Journal - Week One

It's really unbelievable that week one is over already. The marathon concert was a great experience and the musical growth was quite noticeable in most of the groups. This has been quite a week of adventure.

My new nickname is Mama. Don't ask. It's time to start thinking about the end of festival letter. Gotta come up with that last line!

The BPI Journal - Friday.

It's Friday already, and it's amazing how quickly the time flies. We perform tomorrow, and of course, the newbies are a little nervous. It's going to be great. Sadly we lose some very special people after the first week. Cordy, Jamie and Niccolo will be missed in a big way.

We do look forward to seeing some old buddies that will be here for the second week tho. The power of the human spirit never ceases to amaze me. I have seen so much growth among the people that I have met, both musically and otherwise. What's even more beautiful is that in five short days, this merry band of strangers has become a family; cheering each other on, lifting each other up, helping, holding, healing.

It's beautiful. It really is.

News from BPI

Well here we are again for another total immersion in baroque music at Oberlin. I must confess that I went into this year with a bit of trepidation given that last year's festival was a real mountain top experience for me. There is always the desire to recreate something that we considered to be more or less perfect. And yet, each new year is a unique experience with a wonderful combination of the familiar and the new.

As always, 116 East Lorraine Unit C has become the social hub for everyone who's anyone! It is particularly gratifying to me that we have a splendidly talented group of youngsters here this year, and it has been a pleasure for me and some of the more experienced amongst us to be able to encourage and be mentor to such a fine pool of talent.

Before you ask: No, I haven't slept much, and yes there's been a party every night.

The week thus far has been wonderfully rewarding both musically and socially. Very little drama and much merry making. There will be many new friends to treasure for years to come, and this is cause for rejoicing.

Without being too specific, I would like to say that I have been able to see in bold relief that all that the men and women of my generation struggled to achieve in the past decades is coming to fruition in the beautiful freedom of expression of our younger friends. It's about time! And were three decades of stuggle worth the pain and the setbacks? You bet your ass they were.

Carry on my friends and make beautiful music!

Words from a Teacher

The school year is over now for just about everyone, and since I spend a lot of time teaching high school kids, I thought I would write a bit about what I have observed over the past nine months, and offer a little unsolicited advice to parents.

These thoughts all started when a friend of mine, who is a youth minister in a large church, asked me what I thought about the state of kids and their education. He had noticed some disturbing tendencies in his youth group, and wanted the input of a teacher to either confirm his thoughts or prove him wrong.

Here is what I observed:

1. Kids are ridiculously over scheduled, micro-managed and over parented. They are involved in too many extra curricular activities. They are bustled around to the point that they fall asleep in the back seat on the way to soccer practice, having just left ballet. Parents throw money at every conceivable group activity, driving kids to the brink of exhaustion and feeding a multi-billion dollar industry of uniform, equipment and league fees that is making adults rich, and causing children to be burned out before they hit puberty.

2. It's ok not to get an A. So often I see students who are driven to excel to the point that they lose their own identity. It's not the end of the world if Junior doesn't get into Hahvahd, Stanford, Princeton AND Yale. I went to a state school in Indiana and will put my career and life up against any Ivy Leaguer. I didn't turn out so bad, and neither will Junior.

3. Let the kid's interests be the kid's. Just because Junior shows an interest in rockets, doesn't mean that parents need to throw tons of money at sending him to NASA camp. Maybe the kid just wants to watch birds! You don't need to buy him an aviary. I heard one poignant quote from a ten year old just yesterday: "Why do grown ups have to mess up everything!?" 'Nuff said.

4. It's summer. Give the kids a break. They busted their little butts for nine months making Mama proud. Let 'em be kids. No enforced bedtimes for a few weeks. No prescribed reading lists. No league sports. How about an old fashioned pickup baseball game in the back yard, with Dad as pitcher?

5. Here's one for Dads. Your son's sports career is his, not yours. If you want to be a star athlete, join a bowling league or the company softball team, but for God's sake, let your kid play his own game. This means keeping your hole shut at the game when you're pissed at the referee or umpire. It also means that you cheer when the kid does well, and you act SUPPORTIVE not CRITICAL when he doesn't. You help him with his golf swing or his curve ball, you don't bitch at him from the bleachers. Get it?

I hope everyone has a great, relaxing, safe and happy summer.

Two Magnificent Violin Concertos

Ernö von DOHNÁNYI (1877-1960)

Violin Concerto No. 1 in d minor, Op. 27 (1915) [40:41]

Violin Concerto No. 2 in c minor, Op. 43 (1949) [30:43]

Michael Ludwig, (violin)

Royal Scottish National Orchestra

JoAnn Falletta

Recorded 20-21 August, 2007 in Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow.

NAXOS 8.570833 [71:24]

Ernö von Dohnányi, unlike his contemporaneous countrymen Kodaly and Bartok, held firmly to the romantic lyricism that pervaded German music in the nineteenth century, and although he lived well into the twentieth, he never forsook his penchant for the lush orchestrations and sweeping melodies that he learned while studying in Germany. A bit of a wandering minstrel, Dohnányi lived all over the place, finally settling in the United States where his reputation was seeing a bit of a cleansing at the time of his death. Admired by Brahms as a young man, he never really gave up the nineteenth century, in spite of his being surrounded by the tumultuous upheaval in music that came after the Second World War.

These two splendid violin concertos are undeservedly neglected on contemporary concert programs, and the saints are to be praised that Michael Ludwig has stepped up to give us such fine and compelling performances. The first concerto, dating from 1915 opens with a lengthy first movement, cast in three sections, first breathlessly dramatic, then calmly lyrical and ending with a large flourish. The achingly beautiful second movement is worth the ticket price with its serene pace and its gorgeous melodies. One is reminded a bit here of the music of Korngold. A flashy vivace folds into a finale that is similar in style to the opening movement.

Mr. Ludwig has a rich yet very clear tone. He is quite facile in the virtuosic demands of the Vivace, and is able to produce a warm and tender cantabile in the stunning second movement. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is ably and nobly led by JoAnn Falletta who coaxes a vibrant and sonorous tone from the strings, and who keeps the winds and brass in fine balance. The result is a thrilling wall of sound where called for with no expense spared for the careful nuance of detail.

The second concerto begins a bit more aggressively than the first, but it is not long before its opening stridency melts into a film-score lushness that would have made Jack Warner proud. Although similar in structure to the first concerto, Dohnányi shuffles the cards a bit, moving the poignant slow movement to third position and tossing off the flashy fast movement in less than four minutes. It all ends with a triumphant finale.

Again, Ludwig and Falletta are in their elements, and it is very clear that all concerned are reveling in this stirring music. One can hope that more soloists will add either of these pieces to their touring repertoire. It would be fun to hear what James Ehnes or Gil Shaham might have to say about such music. Michael Ludwig is indeed a force to be reckoned with however, and we can hope to hear more from him, especially if he continues to plumb such fine and underrepresented music as this in the future.

A lovely little discovery!

Edouard LALO (1823-1892)

Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21 (1874) [34:07]
Fantasie Norvégienne, (1878) [14:26]

Arranged for violin and guitar by Lars Hannibal

Kim Sjogren, (violin)
Lars Hannibal, (guitar)

Recorded May 1992 in the monastery La Cartuja de la Sierra de Cazalla, Spain (Symphonie) and in August 1992 in the chapel of HM Queen Margrethe II’s summer residence, Fredensborg Castle.

OUR RECORDINGS 8.226903 [48:33]

These two well known works composed originally for Pablo de Sarasate are given wonderfully refreshing new clothes in these tasteful and thoroughly idiomatic arrangements by guitarist Lars Hannibal. This is one of the more delightful surprises to cross the desk in some weeks, and it has received the unusual honor of repeated plays in a household that is near capacity with unheard compact discs.

The wonderful delight here is just how well these arrangements work, and how well the orchestral accompaniments suit the guitar. Couple this with the splendidly reverberant acoustics of the recording venues, and the careful balance that is achieved by the recording engineers and you get a completely winsome combination both musically and sonically.

Mr. Sjogren keeps sheer virtuosity at bay with his abundant good taste, never letting us know that this music actually takes some work to pull off. His tone is warm and with the exception of a rare miss in intonation in the very highest registers, this is playing of immaculate accomplishment and panache. Mr. Hannibal’s guitar tone is full and rich and the two work very well together as an ensemble.

The music itself is pure poetry, and I was thrilled to discover the Fantasie Norvégienne, a work heretofore unknown to me. It is full of sweeping melodies and lush harmonies, replete with crystalline beauty and thankfully devoid of romantic gush. This work alone is worth the price of admission.

Packaging and presentation are long on pretty pictures and short on content. One might have wanted a bit more meat in the program notes, but no matter. The music and these fine performances speak well for themselves, and more information about the music is but a few keystrokes away in this day and age. This recital would be a fine addition to any collection, a wonderful sojourn off the beaten path.

New Play List is Coming

Hello Friends,

Thanks to all of you who have been listening to Radio Helios of late! Our listenership is WAY up! You will have all new music to listen to come Friday morning. My new software just arrived and I am now able to update the list from home! Huzzah!

There will be 25 new pieces for you to enjoy. See you tomorrow!

Kevin

In Memory of Jo West

Dear friends,

I would like to say a couple of words in memory of Jo West, our beloved and dear friend, who left this world today to take her place amongst the angels.

Many will remember Jo for the many nights at Club West after the bars closed when we would all gather until the wee hours to keep the party going. We will never forget that J & B stood for Jo and her Boys! We'll never forget the honor that is was to be a regular at her table at Phases or Alexandre's or the Hideaway.

But what most of us don't know is that Jo's anonymous generosity made it possible for many of us in the arts community to shine. I won't be specific here because it would betray her trust. But it's enough to say that many a musician and actor in Dallas got his or her big break because of Jo's persistent and silent dedication to her friends and the artists in whom she believed.

We have lost one of the great spirits of the human race. Whether it was her love of books, her compassion for animals or her tireless crusade to give help to people whose lives were affected by HIV and AIDS, Jo West was a force of nature.

Ms. West.

She was one of the most genuine, selfless, loving and beautiful people I have ever known.

Some months ago when we all found out that she was very ill, I cried for two days straight. I cried for the impending loss of a dear friend. I cried for the loss that our community would suffer. And I cried because a great and important life would soon be over.

Now, that crying time is over. Jo fought valiantly. She faced her fate with bravery, humor and as always, dignity and grace.

She was, and is what we all should strive to be: generous to a fault, loving without condition, and as beautiful as the sunrise over the ocean.

She exemplified what we all should strive to be, and now I rejoice that she is at peace, and free from pain.

I love you Jo. I always have, and I always will. You taught me what it meant to be at one with the world and at peace with my own spirit and soul. You will never be forgotten. You are at rest with the angels, and I know that you will look down on all of us that you have left behind and protect us with the same love that you gave us while you were here.

The good news is that you now have the power of heaven behind you, and for that, we can all feel a good deal safer. Requiescant in pace. I and everyone who knew you loves you with all of our hearts....

An Update

Dear readers,

With apologies for the long delay in posting, I wanted to let those of you who come here regularly that I am alive and well, just really busy at the moment. Here's a quick list of what's been happening.

As of last Friday, I am no longer at the radio. It's been a strange transition, but it has also been wonderful to have my evenings free!

Beginning this evening, The Helios Ensemble will be presenting a three day baroque festival at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Royal Lane between Preston and the Tollway at 8 pm. Tonight, internationally renowned harpsichordist Ketil Haugsand will be giving a solo harpsichord recital. Than on Saturday evening, there will be a program of vocal and instrumental chamber music. On Sunday, we present Membra Jesu Nostri of Buxtehude, a gorgeous work that you won't want to miss. All programs are at 8 pm. Tickets are $35 for the entire festival and $15 for individual concerts.

I hope you can come, and I will have more reviews and essays for you next week!

Kevin

A Rock Star Composes Some Spectacular Serious Music

Jon LORD (b. 1941)

Boom of the Tingling Strings (Concerto for Piano and Orchestra) (2002) [36:36]
Disguises, for string orchestra (2006) [35:38]

Nelson Goerner (piano)
Odense Symfoniorkester
Paul Mann

Recorded 11-15 December 2006 in the Carl Nielsen Hall, Odense.

EMI 3 90528 2 [72:14]

Once known as a bulwark of the staid and conservative classical music tradition, EMI Classics have moved out of their long-held mold in recent years to not only assemble one of the world’s most impressive stables of young artists, but into some adventuresome and fascinating repertoire choices. This disc of works by Jon Lord, known to many a rock fan as the co-founder of Deep Purple, is cause for rejoicing.

In an era when most composers can only manage to assemble collections of sound effects, it is refreshing indeed to hear music that is in many ways all things to all people. Jon Lord is obviously versed in his native land’s traditions, as there are ample slices of the serenely melodic English Pastoral School in these two works. And yet, he manages to intersperse elements of jazz, a goodly sprinkling of dissonance, and some jarring rhythmic gestures into two works that will hopefully become regular guests on the world’s concert stages. To his eternal credit, he avoids the episodic style of writing that is to these ears, the downfall of many a young composer’s work.

The piano concerto, based on a poem by D. H. Lawrence is highly programmatic. Lord makes every attempt to reflect the words of the 1918 poem Piano in his music. Thus he creates moments of tranquil beauty in which the orchestra is every bit as much the soloist as the pianist. Then there are more sonorous passages that are reminiscent of the busy and thundering textures of Rachmaninov. And, not to let go of his roots as a blues man, there are rollicking displays of technical prowess that make heavy demands on the soloist, and startle the listener out of a reverie or two. All of these devices live under a structural framework that is easy to follow, and belies the composer’s long experience as a popular song writer. There is much in this music to grab and hold onto.

Soloist and orchestra team up nicely here and it is especially gratifying to hear them stay out of each other’s way when the score calls for such behavior. Nelson Goerner knows how to turn an elegant phrase, and the pearly beauty he creates in his softer playing is most becoming. No slouch when it comes to hammering out a tune, he can pour on the sound when he needs to. The most impressive facet of his playing is his ability to keep all things in proportion and pull off a performance that leaves the listener anxious for what he’ll hear next.

Also on the program is the colorful Disguises; portraits in sound of some of the composer’s close friends, the entire work being dedicated to the late lamented Sir Malcolm Arnold. The work is a kaleidoscope of contrasts, each movement reflecting vividly the distinct personality of the person being portrayed. Stylistically the music runs in a steady progression from Vaughan Williams to Britten and even to Shostakovich, but in general tone, it is always lush and romantic. It is obvious that this rock star knows his classical literature, and has managed to assimilate his vast reference pool into a fresh and original voice of his own.

Disguises is given a first rate performance by the Odense orchestra, a band which I had heretofore not heard. They are a welcome addition to any listener’s options! How splendid it is to hear such well crafted music for a change. One can hope that EMI will take it upon themselves to give us more of Mr. Lord’s works in the very near future.

Revisiting an Old Friend

Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
The Pines of Rome (1923) [19:04]
Impressioni brasiliane (1928) [18:03]
Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868)
La Boutique fantasque – Ballet (1918) [35:40]
Arranged and orchestrated by Respighi.

Philharmonia Orchestra
Alceo Galliera

Recorded at Kingsway Hall, London, 22 January, 1957 (Pines) 28-29 May 1959 (Boutique) 18-21 March 1955 (Impressioni).

MEDICI ARTS MM022-2 [73:19] Stereo and Mono (Impressioni brasiliane)

Medici Arts have been issuing a rather steady stream of classic recordings from the archives of EMI and the BBC. Highly prized as collectable LPs, these recordings of works by Respighi and Rossini by Alceo Galliera have already attained legendary status, and these mid-priced compact discs are welcome for their lengthy programs and their dedication to preserving the work of some great musicians whose recordings have fallen out of regular circulation.

Alceo Galliera was born into a musical family in Milan in 1910. His father was a composer and professor of organ at the Parma conservatory and encouraged his son’s study of music. He first appeared as a conductor in 1941, and would go on to build a career mainly as a conductor of recordings for Walter Legge and his EMI Columbia label. He is most famous for having conducted Maria Callas’ complete studio recording of The Barber of Seville. He was also a frequent concerto accompanist, recording with such artists as Geza Anda, Claudio Arrau, Pierre Fournier, David Oistrakh and others. Known for his disciplined rehearsals, he was particularly at home in virtuoso orchestral showpieces.

In the early twentieth century, two composers were standouts, Puccini in the opera house and Respighi in the concert hall. He was the first Italian composer to make a name for himself in the orchestral realm, and his works stand out as superior to those of his contemporaries even today. The Pines of Rome was a follow up work to the successful Fountains of Rome from 1915-16. Drawing heavily on Respighi’s love of plainchant and folk tunes, these elegant miniatures are masterfully orchestrated, right down to the use of bird calls. Galliera leads a sparkling and taut performance that, in this writer’s opinion, is one of the few to rival Toscanini’s brilliant recording with the NBC Symphony, an account which is without peer. The distinct advantage with Galliera is the stereophonic sound.

La Boutique Fantasque was written for Diaghilev’s ballet company and is drawn from little piano pieces that Rossini either had put aside or were rejected by his publisher. Tuneful and joyous, these splendid orchestrations spill over with great tunes. The Philharmonia dash them off with tremendous aplomb.

Last is the oldest recording on the disc, recorded in mono, but still vivid and quite easy to listen to. The work shows Respighi at his most impressionistic. The unusual middle movement with its Dies irae quote reflects the composer’s thoughts upon visiting a poisonous snake breeding enterprise while traveling in South America.

These are performances of considerable and long standing renown, so there is no need to belabor every detail here. Suffice it to say that there is a good reason that they have remained in the catalogue for over fifty years, and continue to be prized by collectors. They’re good! Well worth the initial investment to hear a master conductor at the height of his powers. If you are seeking an upgrade from your vinyl, you will be most pleased with the quality of these transfers. A winner all ‘round.

Hits and Misses in Fluteland

Marc-André DALBAVIE (b. 1961)
Concerto pour flûte [17:07]
Michael JARRELL (b. 1958)
…un temps de silence… (Concerto pour flûte) [18:58]
Matthias PINTSCHER (b. 1971)
Transir for flute and chamber orchestra [18:54]

Dates of composition are not listed in the program booklet.

Emmanuel Pahud (flute)
Orchestre Philharmoniqe de Radio France
Peter Eötvös (Dalbavie)
Pascal Rophé (Jarrell)
Matthias Pintscher (Pintscher)

Recorded 29 November – 1 December 2006 (1) 9-11 July 2007 (2-3) at the Salle Olivier Messiaen, Radio France Studio, Paris.

EMI 50999 5 01226 2 [54:59]

Emmanuel Pahud has quite successfully taken the mantel of the world’s elite flute players from the likes of Jean Pierre Rampal and James Galway. With a double whammy as principal flute in the Berlin Philharmonic and a widely acclaimed solo career combined with impeccable technique and fashion model good looks, Mr. Pahud is one of those rare classical musicians whose every new release is an event. Having covered already a goodly portion of the standard flute repertoire, he branches out here with three new concertos that he commissioned to be performed by him with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Of the three works presented, the opener, a flashy and colorful piece by Marc-André Dalbavie is the most successful. Of the three composers, he best understands form and orchestral color. He alone gives us a soundscape that is interesting and even challenging, but at the same time engaging, original and enjoyable to hear. Mr. Pahud actually gets to play his instrument instead of just producing a stream of sound effects with extended techniques.

Mr. Jarrell states that he set out to compose a work that would require the utmost virtuosity of the soloist. There is no doubt that he accomplishes his mission. But all of this fantastical writing comes across to these ears as more of a spoiled child’s “look what I’ve got” than in a real expression of a set of musical thoughts. I cannot say that the work is devoid of interesting ideas, but its episodic nature gets a bit tiring to the ear. It takes a couple of paragraphs of program notes to explain the work’s construction. I would prefer to get the idea upon hearing the music for the first time.

The Pintscher concerto is another collection of strung together sound effects that would work a good deal better as the soundtrack to a good slasher movie than it does as a concert experience. Rife with one special effects gesture after another, there is little material here that could be carried home in one’s head. That is not to say that it is not interesting to hear just how many fancy tricks that the flute can do in the hands of a Pahud, but the rather modern tendency to compose such structure-less stream of consciousness music is wearing thin. There is really nothing wrong with a good tune, even if it is a disjointed one.

This disc will appeal to the adventuresome and the pseudo-intellectuals who think that only incomprehensible music is good music. And, in its defense, the Dalbavie is indeed worth the price of admission. EMI’s fancy OPENDISC® format gets you access to video content, interviews, previews from other EMI releases and points toward free downloads just by inserting the disc into your computer.

Memories of a Great Conductor

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, Op. 58 [29:59]
Franz Josef HAYDN (1732-1809)
Symphony No. 92 in G, Hob: I:92 [24:24]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Concerto in a minor for violin and strings, BWV 1041 [13:58]

Robert Casadesus, piano
Roland Greutter, violin
Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie Orchester (now the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln) (Beethoven and Haydn)
NDR Sinfonieorchester (Bach)

Recorded 6 March, 1970 (Beethoven); 20 April, 1967 (Haydn), 15-17 March, 1992, (Bach). Specific recording locales not given, but were most likely made in the studios of the North German Radio.

PROFIL PH 06006 [68:40]

Profil have been mining the vaults for some time now and have released this nineteenth volume of recordings, most of them from live broadcasts, by the late conductor Günter Wand. Maestro Wand was a modest man whose remarkably long career took him to rather vast reaches of the repertoire, but never particularly far from home. He was not the typical jet setting guest conductor that we have grown at least tolerant of, if not accustomed to in recent years. Rather, he stayed around the house and developed his Cologne Orchestra in to a fine and well trained instrument. This program of well known works by three of music’s ubiquitous names shows just how much Wand was grounded in the classics, and how this mastery of classical structure and form led to his masterful interpretations of the music of Schubert, Brahms and especially Bruckner.

Robert Casadesus, that most elegant of Frenchmen is the soloist in this performance of the Beethoven Fourth Concerto that is characterized by an immense warmth in the string sound, and a beautiful cantabile from both soloist and orchestra. Recorded very near the end of Casadesus’ life, his playing shows a maturity and assurance that few achieve. Never short of virtuosic panache, has Mr. Casadesus also never stepped outside of the realm of good taste. Tempos are perfectly chosen and balance between soloist and orchestra is just right. I was particularly moved by the joyous romp through the concerto’s final movement with its highly decorative melody and its playful banter between the soloist and the various sections of the orchestra. My review copy had one little flaw, however. There was an editing error at the very beginning of the concerto causing a rather jarring and audible blip before the beautifully serene opening solo chords of the first movement. This will hopefully be removed before the next run.

Haydn’s Oxford symphony is a bit too ponderous for my tastes. There could be less weight in the strings, and the allegros and prestos could be a bit more of each. This is a performance more akin to those of say, Bruno Walter, whose turgid tempi in classical repertoire has always made me wonder why people called him a great Mozartean, but I digress. Perhaps I am more accustomed now to period instrument performances of Haydn, but this recording made me think that the music was as stuffy as the institution for which it is named.

Speaking of purists and period instruments, this reading of Bach’s a minor violin concerto will not be one for the HIP crowd. Yet, it is beautifully and elegantly played, even if Roland Greutter turns on the vibrato a bit more heavily than is considered tasteful today, and tosses in a couple of juicy portamenti. It is still kind of fun to hear some meaty Bach, and hearing him played in this style leads me to regret that the music of the baroque masters has all but disappeared from modern symphony orchestra programs.

Anachronisms and all this is still a beautiful hour of music, and we can be thankful to Profil for bringing the work of this fine conductor to a wider audience. One can hope that there is still more material whence came this disc!

The Kevin Sutton Interview

Some weeks ago, I had a long conversation with tenor, conductor and bon vivant Kevin Sutton. He promised me a second interview and I finally pinned him down. Here's a transcript of our conversation.

KS: Well, hello again. It's been some time since our last interview, so I wonder, how's life?

Kevin Sutton: Well, not so bad really. There have been quite a few changes though. My grandmother died in March, and that has caused a number of changes to happen in my life. My mother will be moving to Dallas soon, and there has been a lot of work finalizing her estate and such. I am also leaving WRR Radio, so I have been busy recruiting new students and trying to get my finances and such in order.

KS: I am sorry to hear about the loss of your grandmother. How has her passing affected you?

Kevin Sutton: Thank you for your concern. Actually, her passing has really got me to thinking about some things that never before entered my mind. I have gotten really serious about making sure that all of my affairs are in order, for example. She made our lives quite a bit easier by planning for her own end of life needs very thoroughly. I have also had to come to grips with the whole concept of death and the afterlife. I am not sure I am at ease with that yet.

KS: What do you mean?

Kevin Sutton: Well, I am certainly a person of faith, and I believe in God and heaven. But having said that, faith is just that: faith. There are certainly spiritual implications and assurances, but when it comes right down to it, we don't get a pre-death tour of heaven. It's not like I have been there to pick out my room or anything. Until we get there, we really don't know what it's going to be like, and as much as I want my faith in God to reassure me, human beings can't help but to fear the unknown.

I have also come to realize how short time is, and even though I have a good chance at 50 plus more years on this mortal coil, even that's a very short time.

KS: So with this realization that your time here is by nature limited, have you changed anything about the way you live your life?


Kevin Sutton: Oh most definitely. You know, my father has set a pretty good example. He's rather adamant about being in complete control of his life, right down to insisting on driving his own car to church so he's not forced to wait on another driver. Now, he's 77 so he's a little more set in his ways, but we've had many a long talk about choices and how we choose to spend these few years of life on earth. I have gotten to the point where I absolutely refuse to be subjected to anything or anyone that I don't want to. That's one of the main reasons that I left the radio.

The other day, we had to sit through five hours of meetings that were run by idiots and chock full of useless information. As I see it, those people, that is, the people who required me to sit there, stole five and a half hours of my life. Sure, I was compensated with money, but that money is utterly worthless compared to the time that I sacrificed being there. I'll never get that time back. I just won't do that sort of thing anymore. If I am going to spend my time, which by the way is a commodity far more valuable than money, it's going to be on something that fulfills me. Period. I just refuse to live any other way.

The time between youth and old age is fleeting. It goes by in minutes, not years. There is so much to do on this earth that is worthwhile that I just can't justify wasting my time on those things that are of no worth. For as long as I am able, I am going to pursue that which does me the most good, and that which enables me to do the most good for others.


KS: That sounds very pie in the sky to me. Can you give me an example of someone upon whom you model your ideal lifestyle?


Kevin Sutton: Yes, I can. First my father. His is a rags to riches story that didn't even get underway until he was past sixty. He took a life that was in shambles and put it back together again piece by painstaking piece. And now he is one of the most content people I know. My grandmother, God rest her, never got there. She carried the bitterness of past events to her grave, and it took death to release her from them. That's very sad to me.

Second, there is my musical hero, Max van Egmond. While I don't know all of the details of his past experiences, I know that he lives every day to the fullest. He enjoys every minute of life, and he enjoys the company and friendship of people from age ten to ninety because of his open outlook on life and his willingness to join people on their own journey at whatever point he finds them. He calls 'em as he sees 'em, but he is so willing to gain things from others' experience. This, from a man who is as accomplished and respected as any musician in the world, and has nothing to prove to anyone!

KS: Has Mr. van Egmond ever given you advice on how to be like him.

Kevin Sutton: No. Rather he's given me lots of good advice on how to be like ME, and to enjoy that being. He has disciples, that's for sure, but his advice is always tailored to the best interests of individuals. Maintaining that individuality while still being able to function as a member of a group or a society is at the core of his philosophy, at least as I have interpreted it. He never makes anyone feel ashamed of who they are and where they are in life. But he does help a lot of us to get to a higher level of existence!


KS: What has happened to you musically since our last conversation?


Kevin Sutton: Oh my. Well, I think that I am singing better than I ever have in my professional career. Many thanks to the patience of Nancy Zylstra and Max for that gift! I am getting a good amount of work, and it 's very exciting to have my singing be so well received.

I think too that I have come a long way as a teacher. Just last night we had a studio recital, and it was very rewarding to hear so many of my students sing so very well. I mean that says as much about them as it does me, but I would like to think that I have had a little something to do with their success.

KS: What do you think of the state of classical music in 2008?

Kevin Sutton: I don't think that there has been this exciting a time to be a musician since the invention of the phonograph. Technology as broadened the horizon so much, and it has enabled so many more talented people to be heard! I think that it will still take some time for the music industry to sort out the plethora of delivery media that is out there, but wow!

I really rail against the traditional record labels and concert promoters that are trying so desperately to take up residence in the mid-twentieth century and stay there. That era is gone forever. Embrace the future, or it will swallow you whole!

I am a little concerned about information overload. There is just so much content out there to be explored, and there are so few hours in a day!

KS: Now that you are no longer at WRR, will you have a media presence?

Kevin Sutton: Oh yes. You can still hear me on www.live365.com/stations/maestro214. The web cast will be updated far more frequently now. I will be very active in broadcasting, and true to my life's philosophy, I will make up all the rules as to what gets aired! I'll be writing a lot more too. I hope to expand my blog to make it interactive, and I will be writing still for Musicweb International.

KS: Made any musical discoveries lately?

Kevin Sutton: Yes, one or two. Just the other day I heard the beautiful Serenade for Orchestra by Wilhelm Stenhammer for the first time. GORGEOUS! I have been exploring the music of Stockhausen lately too, and I have really gotten into what I love to call QBDM (queer bar dance music) that is, electronica, trance music, and other synthesized stuff. I always love to explore. I am really into Brad Mehldau right now too.

KS: You are an eclectic bastard, aren't you.

Kevin Sutton: (laughs) Well, yes. I like to keep 'em guessing you know.

KS: Hey, it's been great to talk to you again. Let's do this more often shall we?

Kevin Sutton: Definitely. Thanks!

Nice Music in an Unlikely Place

Georges AURIC (1899-1983)
Cinq Bagatelles (Transcribed by Philippe Lesgourgues) (1925-26) [7:41]
Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Concerto in g minor (1728) [10:05]
Georges BARBOTEU (b. 1924)
Burlesque (1989) [11:48]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Trio, Op. 87 (1794) [18:13]
Astor PIAZOLLA (1921-1992)
Adios Nonino (transcribed by. Frédéric Barboteu) (1969) [3:05]

Trio Quantz
Philippe Lesgourgues, (flute)
Frédéric Barboteu, (oboe)
Jacuqes Thareau, (bassoon)

Recorded June 1999 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saint Pierre, Paris.

QUANTUM 7009 [51:01]

This disc is proof that you can’t judge a book by its cover. First impressions would lead one to believe that this was a made on the cheap disc produced and distributed by some local university music department. But no! What we have here is just under an hour of delightful and on the whole, unusual music, performed with great élan and musicianship.

Georges Auric, a member of les Six, was best known for his film music. Yet he left behind some real gems in his concert music; music that is regrettably obscure and rarely programmed. These little bagatelles are chock full of with and tuneful charm. Over in less than eight minutes, if you are not paying attention, you could miss something really important. These are worth a careful listen with headphones!

Next up is a charming concerto by Vivaldi, and the note are unclear as to whether or not this is a transcription, but it could well be a sort of modified trio sonata for winds. Whatever its origins, it works. The Trio Quantz delivers an elegant well balanced performance.

The other real find here is the witty and sometimes acerbic Burlesque Georges Barboteu, whom one might easily guess is the father of the oboist on this recording. This is a tuneful work that is not in the least hampered by its witty dissonances. Mssr. Barboteu uses his harmonic bite with great taste and discretion, and I found this work to be one of the most refreshing and enjoyable of the lot.

If there are any real flaws to be found in our ensemble’s playing, it is in the Beethoven trio, in which our flutist cannot quite come to grips with the scale and arpeggio passages at the group’s chosen tempi. Gestures that should be crystal clear are often muddied, and this messiness stands out in rather stark contrast to the clear and punctuated playing of the double-reeders.

That minor quibble out of the way, we conclude with Piazolla’s lovely tribute to the memory of his father, an improvisatory work that can last up to a half an hour. This arrangement comes in at just over three minutes, and makes for the perfect conclusion to this musical string of pearls. One could wish for better packaging though. The sepia tone photo on the front cover looks like it came out of the sixties, and the rather dull presentation would not entice a casual buyer to try this out. The typos in the program do not help matters either.

Concerning WRR Radio and My Departure from Same

Dear friends,

I am flattered by the many responses that I have received concerning my departure from WRR radio. I think I should explain.

When I agreed to take the position of evening host, it was under the condition I would be able to voice track, or record my programs when I had to be away either to teach my students or to perform. This set-up worked well for some time.

Recently, upper management has decided that voice tracking is detrimental to the station's ratings, and I am no longer allowed to record shows except in rare cases. This has caused me to have to concoct a rather convoluted work schedule and it is eating up a great deal of my time, forcing me to make the 20 mile round trip to the station twice per day, often in heavy Dallas traffic.

By the grace of God, I am experiencing a really good run of singing engagements and thanks to the wonderful teaching of Nancy Zylstra and Max van Egmond, am singing at the top of my form for the first time in years. I have also been blessed to have created a steady and profitable business as a voice teacher here in Dallas.

Recently, I lost my grandmother. She was very influential in my development both as a musician and as a person. Her sacrifices helped put me where I am today, and I have a deeply held determination to honor her memory by making every effort to further my career in music.
The radio position, wonderful and fun as it is, does not pay well enough to justify the 25 to 30 hours per week that I spend there. Further, it is becoming harder and harder to travel to the extent that is necessary for me to have a national or international career as a singer. The time obligation has also detracted from my teaching, and my students are extremely important to me.

Therefore, after careful consideration, I have decided to leave the radio so that I can devote my full energies to my other professional interests and callings. I will remain on the staff as a contract employee, filling in from time to time for vacations, and producing long form programs.
I am in no way burning a bridge at WRR, and I hold the institution in the highest esteem, and am very fond of all my colleagues there. There are absolutely no hard feelings from any one over this decision.

I will still be a presence in broadcasting. You my listen for free to my webcast 24 hours a day at www.live365.com/stations/maestro214. When I leave the radio, I will be updating that program every three days for your enjoyment. You can also read my regular record reviews at www.thetenordiaries.blogspot.com and at www.musicweb-international.com.
Thank you for all of your support and for being a fan of the show. I am very grateful to all of you. But, since music is my first love, it is vital to me while I am still in good voice to make the most of the years I have left to sing professionally.

Some Rough Beethoven

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)

Six Bagatelles, Op. 126 [20:19]
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in C, Op. 15 [37:49]

Piotr Anderszewski, (piano and conductor)
Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen

Recorded 5-9 October 2007 in the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Concert Hall, Bremen.

VIRGIN 50999 5 02111 2 [58:37]

Having thoroughly enjoyed Piotr Anderszewski’s recent recording of three of Bach’s solo keyboard partitas, (Virgin 5455262) I looked rather anxiously forward to hearing his interpretation of this, my favorite of Beethoven’s piano concertos. Alas, I was roundly disappointed.

Let’s begin with the six little bagelles, Op. 126. There is no doubt that Mr. Anderszsewski is a talented pianist. He has technique to burn, and is most often very musical. Yet, in these little pieces, his youthful exuberance gives way to some pretty bad taste. The elegance of the classical period is lost on this pianist as he thunders away in the loud passages in what seems to be a misguided homage to Beethoven’s notorious string breaking. One must remember that Beethoven didn’t have a big Steinway that could withstand the force of a jackhammer, let alone a pianist with great physical power. When he tones it down in soft passages, his sound is quite charming indeed, but the abrupt and overly robust outbursts of forte are a rather jarring distraction.

The same ills plague the performance of the concerto. Mr. Anderszewski tends to pound the keyboard in loud passages, particularly at the end of the first movement cadenza. As a conductor, he fails to adequately shape phrases, rushing through moments that are in need of a bit of repose. Most maddening is the absolutely obnoxious tympanist, who, using what to these ears are his hardest mallets, pounds away every time he is required to play, sticking out above the orchestra in a way that is most unmusical. Beethoven might have been deaf, but the rest of us do not need to be beaten about the head and shoulders.

I had a bit of hope for the second movement, which shows Beethoven at his lyrical best, but was here too disappointed. It was almost as if the musicians regarded this work, which is not as technically challenging for skilled players as others, as a blow-off, and merely phoned it in. For reactions to the rondo, see the preceding paragraph.

With the plethora of fine recordings of this music available, the market has little room for new performances that are anything less than stellar. This performance has been tried and found wanting.

Kevin Sutton

An Old Friend Gets a Fresh Coat of Paint

Georg Frederic HANDEL (1685-1759)

Water Music (complete) [49:27]
Solomon: Overture [7:45]
Solomon: Sinfonia (The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba) [2:53]

Les Violons du Roy
Bernard Labadie

Recorded at the Salle Raoul-Jobin, Palais Montcalm, Quebec, June 11-13, 2007.


ATMA ACD2 2569 [60:04]

A number of fancy tales exist to document the relationship between the man who would become George I of England and his court composer Georg Frederic Handel. They are all great tales, but alas, none of them seem to be true, and it would be more accurate to say that the former Elector of Hanover cared little for music, and could not have cared less about the goings on of his young and celebrated court composer. It is said, of course, that the Water Music, one of Handel’s most famous works, was composed for the King’s boat trip down the Thames, but there is little documentation as to the occasion for its composition, and whether the King actually participated in any boat trip that required a musical accompaniment is doubtful.

Regardless of King George’s travel plans, we are left with a magnificent set of orchestral suites, largely patterned after the example of Lully, in which an overture, begun by a highly ornamental dotted rhythmic gesture was followed by a fugue, and followed thereafter by dances in pairs with varying orchestrations.

Maestro Labadie leads one of the most energetic and most French performances of this much recorded music that I have heard in some time. Particularly in the overture to suite one, the excessive use of the French style trill with its long opening appoggiatura started to make me sea sick. Perhaps that’s appropriate. That little quibble aside, Labadie chooses near perfect tempi, none of the frenetic rush that is the downfall of many a Musica Antique Köln recording, nor none of the hyper-romantic slowness that occurred when this music was left in the hands of a Karajan or a Bernstein.

This is lively, spirited playing and Les Violons du Roy make the music fresh and alive, truly a new listening experience. It is easy to pass off the four hundredth recording of a work like the Water Music with a big “oh no, not again!” But these musicians make you listen as they exploit the vivid colors of Handel’s imaginative and for the time, far reaching orchestrations. (The use of hunting horns was a relatively new innovation in orchestral writing at the time, and he used both recorders and transverse flutes for more variety in the winds.)

Rounded off with two tastefully played selections from Solomon, this is an entertaining disc, and a good choice of performances when you want go revisit such favorite pieces as these.

Kevin Sutton

Some Things I Have Learned

As I write this, I am back in Indiana, preparing for my grandmother's funeral and burial. It has been a very interesting week of emotions, memories, annoyances and frustrations. Here are some things I have learned from this experience.

1. My grandmother was an extremely meticulous lady, going so far as to plan and pay for every bit of her final needs years in advance. This is something that I encourage anyone who is able to do. There are dozens of ways that you can take care of your end of life expenses without bankrupting yourself. These include signing over certain types of insurances polices. My grandmother even went so far as to pay for my travel. She was amazing, and my mother and I have had a much easier and less stressful time of it thanks to her thoughtfulness.

2. When you need them, your friends will almost always be there for you. I have been amazed at how thoughtful and helpful so many of my Indiana friends have been.

3. Don't wait until someone you know and love dies to catch up with the important people from your past. I have had two wonderful evenings of conversations this week with high school friends that I haven't seen for more than a decade. They were important in your life when you were a kid, and they probably are still. Keep those you love in your circle.

4. Don't keep stuff that isn't important. My granny, God rest her, was a major league pack rat, and it will take weeks to sort through it all. If you don't need it, and it's not of important sentimental value to you...give it away!

5. Take the time to make that extra weekly phone call or send another card or letter. My grandmother lived to be 91, which wasn't nearly long enough to know her well. The years went by too quickly, and before I knew it she was gone. With her passing, I am feeling the burden of full adult responsibility for the first time in my life. I now know how much she did for so many people, and what she gave up to be who she was. Growing up isn't easy, especially if you wait until you're 44 to get started.

In Memory of My Grandmother

Virginia Dingle, born January 25, 1917. Died March 30, 2008

My dear grandmother, generous in spirit, bountiful in grace and beloved by many, mother, grandmother, friend, died peacefully in her sleep at 12:10 pm today in Indiana.

She touched many lives, but none so much as mine. Were it not for her many sacrifices, yards of good advice and tender but firm guidance, I would not have been able to accomplish all that I have.

Hers is a spirit that has changed the lives of many people, and she will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

Rest in peace Granny, may light perpetual shine upon you.

Some Pleasant String Quartets

Ferdinand RIES (1784-1838)

String Quartet No. 2 in G, Op. 70, No. 2. (1812) [26:29]
String Quartet No. 20 in f minor, WoO 48 (ca. 1837) [33:39]

Schuppanzigh Quartett

Anton Steck (violin)
Christoph Mayer (violin)
Christian Goosses (viola)
Antje Geusen, (cello)

Recorded at the German Radio Chamber Music Hall, 13-16 April, 2005.

cpo 777227-2 [60:13]

Ferdinand Ries was a student of Beethoven and a prolific composer, respected during his lifetime if not lastingly famous. The string quartet was amongst his favorite genres, as he took up the form some twenty-five times in his career, although a significant number of these compositions remained unpublished. In this recording we have two fine examples, bookends of his compositional career.

The G major quartet is well crafted and makes for pleasant enough listening, rather a diluted Mendelssohn, without the latter composer’s gift for melody and rich harmonies. The Schuppanzigh deliver a well turned performance, with a warm rich tone, tight ensemble and spot on intonation.

The prize here is the latter work, of such a high quality that one wonders why the composer never had it published. It is on a par with the quartets of Schubert, and is in fact, somewhat better constructed given Schubert’s tendency to go overboard with longer forms. The substantial opening movement shifts deftly between darkness and light, opening with a rather brooding minor subject and flowing into some rollicking major mode tunefulness. Its triple meter slow movement is an elegant three part form, starting with a lovely Mozartean melody, shifting into a somewhat turbulent b-section, and then rounding off nicely with a modified return of the first material. A brief but tasty minor key minuet follows, and concludes with a rollicking finale. This is a work of considerable depth, yet it never takes itself so seriously as to lose its sunny air, this in spite of the minor key center.

Production values are typical of CPO’s high standards, but I do wish they would tighten up their program notes. German scholarly writing has always tended toward the wordy and obtuse anyway, and reading these lengthy, blow-by-blow descriptions of the music in English becomes deadly dull. I often find this label’s program booklets a dreaded chore to wade through.

The Schuppanzigh-Quartett have produced other fine recordings for CPO and this one is certainly no exception. They play with a fine sense of lyricism and panache. If you love string quartets as much as I do, you will want to add this disc to your collection, and since this is labeled as Volume two, it will most likely be worthwhile to investigate the first disc in the series as well.

Ten Things You Can Do To Make Your Life Better Today

Here are ten things that you can do, today or any day for that matter, and your life will be better. I guarantee it or your money back.

1. Turn off your cell phone for two hours, and don't return the voice messages until tomorrow.

2. Read ten poems.

3. Go to a park or a church or a museum, anywhere that you will find a high concentration of beauty. While you're there, sit and watch and listen, but be completely silent for one hour. Actively listen to every sound that you hear and ponder its source.

4. Buy a pair of roller skates.

5. Enjoy a glass of really fine wine. Just one glass. Savor it for a long time.

6. Eat gelato.

7. Listen to Max van Egmond sing songs by Gabriel Faure.

8. Find a garden, and examine the flowers at close range. Note their detail, their fragrance and their unique colors.

9. Call a friend that you haven't heard from in a long time. Reconnect.

10. Calculate the amount of money that you spent this week on Starbucks, beer, junk food and if you smoke, cigarettes. Give that same amount of money to your favorite charity.

That's it. Try a couple of these things. Your world will be better tomorrow! I promise.

Music and the Internet

As many of you know, I am a big media junkie, and subscribe to a million or so internet web sites that serve up music. Here are some things that I enjoy messing with, and I think you will find them of interest as well.

1. Rhapsody (http://www.rhapsody.com/) is a streaming audio server that has well over a million music tracks and adds more every day. At present, you can subscribe to the stream for about $10 per month, and play unlimited music from your computer. For an extra fiver, you can get a "to go" subscription which allows you to drag and drop tracks to compatible MP3 players and use them as long as your subscription is current. They also offer tracks in both WAVE (which you burn to a compact disc) and MP3 formats for purchase. It's a good alternative to ITUNES. I have been a fan for some time now.

2. Speaking of ITUNES, rumors are out that Apple will develop a subscription service similar to Rhapsody's model. We shall see what happens.

3. This just in: MonteVerdi TV (www.monteverdi.tv) A free service that is from my initial examination, a pretty cool thing. They combine a number of classical music services to form a virtual community of sorts. There are live streaming video broadcasts, links to more than 100 classical music stations, links to hundreds of articles on classical music, streaming video clips and a shop to purchase dvds, cds, and digital downloads. I just discovered it, but it looks cool. I plan to install it this evening and give it a go. There are no subscription fees.

4. Pandora. (http://www.pandora.com/). This is an internet radio service where you can create "stations" to fit your tastes. It is powered by the Music Genome Project. In short, you log on, type in an artist or composer and it creates a playlist for you of similar music. It is not "on demand" but you can guide the system as to your personal tastes.

5. Slacker.(http://www.slacker.com/) Similar to Pandora with slightly sexier graphics. You can also get a portable device that although pricey, is a pretty cool toy.

6. Live 365. Yours truly has his own broadcast on this fantastic service which connects you to thousands of internet radio broadcasts. You can check out my station at www.live365.com/stations/maestro214 or you can search in the engine there for Radio Helios.

7. Acid Planet. (http://www.acidplanet.com/) A product of the Sony corporation, you can find lots of cool music there for free, many tracks are downloadable. This is a perfect site for those of you into electronic, trance and sundry forms of club dance music.

8. Music Submit. (http://www.musicsubmit.com/) is a splendid site for musicians to get their tracks distributed all over the place. If you are a broadcaster you can download music for your station. If you are a musician, you can submit music to be sent to broadcasters all over the planet.

That ought to give you some fun things to explore. Hope you enjoy them.

The Curse of the Last Eight Years

Those of us who voted for Al Gore and John Kerry knew this would happen, and yet enough of us sat at home on election day that we allowed Dubbya and his minions to get selected (choice of words intentional) not once but twice.

It hit home to me big time this week, when I went to the grocery store. Yes, I have been following the news of the war, and of the housing sector debacle, and of the Fed's bailing out of an investment bank for the first time in history, and of the kajillion dollar deficit in the federal budget, and of the absurd price of gasoline in spite of no oil shortages, no refinery slowdowns and oh, yes, Exxon Mobil's kajillion dollar profits. And yes, I have noticed that the America dollar isn't worth the paper upon which it's printed.

But the fallout of all these splendid disasters has now started to hit at the real heart of the American people, that is, in the price of food. Walk through the aisles of you grocery store and you will notice that every price on the shelf tags is way out of line. Paper goods are obscenely overpriced, the price of basic food staples have also increased dramatically. I was shocked that the single bag of groceries that I brought home yesterday cost over $40. This after having just spent $50 to fill up my car.

The Europeans have paid high fuel prices for years, and they tell us we should too. The difference is in the fact that most Europeans are taxed to the hilt, and gas taxes are just one more way for European governments to raise revenue. We don't operate on that system here, and the reason for our high gas prices is, well, greed.

History proves that a nation's people will tolerate just about anything but hunger. Most major revolutions have occurred when the general population was at or near starvation. Pay attention America, we're up! If gas and food prices continue to soar, and middle to low income families continue to be turned out of their homes due solely to the greedy lending practices of avaricious lenders, there will be open revolt.

It is time that we went to the polls and elected a government that was again of and for the people, and not hell bent on power as the present administration is. Let's learn from our mistakes people. We've less than a year to go of the Bush disaster. Let's not make the same mistake in 2008.

Fine Symphonies by Stanford

Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)

Symphony No. 2 in D minor, “Elegiac” (1880) [34:46]
Symphony No. 5 in D major, “L’Allegro ed il Penseroso” Op. 56. (1894) [39:47]

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
David Lloyd-Jones

Recorded in The Concert Hall, Lighthouse, Poole, Dorset, UK on 29-30 June and 25-26 July 2006.

NAXOS 8.570289 [74:33]

Sir Charles Villiers Stanford was born to a family of Dublin lawyers in 1852. He, along with Hubert Parry, was one of the two most significant British composers prior to Elgar and he did much to advance the cause of British music. After study at Queen’s College, Cambridge, he was appointed organist at Trinity College. After study in Germany, he returned to Cambridge where he instigated many reforms in the musical establishment. He would later be appointed to the newly formed Royal College of Music, where he would teach such luminaries as Bridge, Butterworth, Moeran and Vaughan Williams. He is often credited with beginning the revival of British composition that would produce great composers from the above-mentioned all the way to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

His seven symphonies are the cornerstone of his output. Carefully crafted and vigorous in nature, they never really wander outside of the model set forth by Mendelssohn, Brahms and Schumann. Although the second symphony is titled “Elegiac” there is nothing particularly mournful about the work, which begins with an energetic and tuneful opening movement, followed by a warm and perhaps somewhat melancholy slow movement, a brisk minor key scherzo and a structured and climactic finale.

David Lloyd-Jones leads his Bournemouth charges in a taut, well paced performance. The romantic nature of the music is taken seriously, yet Lloyd-Jones never indulges in overt sentimentality, always keeping up a steady, even, forward line. The orchestra sounds warm and rich, particularly in movements two and four, and there is some superior playing from the orchestra’s winds. Of particular merit is the second movement lento, in which Lloyd-Jones sets a most lovely tone, bathing us in sound akin to the perfect swim; in waters that are the perfect temperature. There is plenty of energy in the resounding last movement, all delivered with the appropriate English restraint.

The Symphony No. 5 is a horse of a different color. Based on two contrasting poems of John Milton, Stanford is far more overtly dramatic in this score, going so far as quote rather lengthy sections of the poetry in the score. Reflective of the poetry which describes horrors, shrieks and other such nastiness, the symphony opens with raucous brass and tympani followed by busy strings and woodwinds. It never loses its energy from start to finish. The second movement is a remarkable contrast to the first. Tuneful and jolly, this is gracious and endearing music.
The cream here is the stunningly beautiful third movement based on verses from Il Penseroso. This is perhaps what Elgar should sound like: nostalgic, sweeping melodies, warm brass laden orchestration yet never bottom heavy. The Bournemouth pull this music out of their instruments at the perfect degree of tension, sending the listener up one mountain summit after another, wrapped in an exquisitely woven blanket of sound. The work ends with a confident final movement marked by an underpinning of pulsating string figures capped by soaring and hopeful melodies.

For those of you who enjoy the work of the German romantics, you will most likely find this music most enjoyable. While it is quite a bit less ponderous than its German cousins, it still contains enough gravitas to satisfy the musical soul searcher, yet veers often enough into a light-hearted realm that seekers of beautiful melodies will leave just as happy.

An Hour of Elegance

Silvius Leopold WEISS (1687-1750)

Sonata No. 15 in B flat Major [24:45]
Sonata No. 48 in F sharp minor [35:20]

Robert Barto, (baroque lute)

Recorded in the Green Room, Offord Hall, Aurora, Ontario, Canada from 1-4 February 2005.

NAXOS 557806 [60:05]

The German lutenist Silvius Leopold Weiss, who was an almost exact contemporary of Sebastian Bach, was regarded as the greatest composer-performer of lute music in Europe during his day. His reputation was equal to that of John Dowland of England who lived more than a century earlier. In 1760, the poet and musician Luise Gottsched wrote that “his compositions stand out above all that are known today. To be sure they are difficult, but only those who are too careless or too old, or otherwise prefer another instrument.” His vast output was difficult to obtain in his own lifetime as he carefully guarded the manuscripts to prevent others from stealing his work, a common practice in an age before universal copyrights.

This fine performance by Robert Barto, the seventh volume in an ongoing series of recordings released by the completist minded Naxos label, presents two sizeable works called sonatas, although they more closely resemble the suites of dances that Bach would call partitas. Opening with a rather melancholy Allemande, the B-flat major sonata effectively moves back and forth from serenity to jaunty frivolity as it runs its course. Barto plays with a warm and generous tone, direct and free of affectation. He has an excellent sense of tempo and it is obvious that he understands that at some basic level, all of this music could be danced to.

The f-sharp minor sonata begins with a gravitas similar to the earlier work. Considerably later in the composer’s output, it seems a bit more reflective and weightier, but still is possessed with a certain joyous spirit that makes the music immediately attractive. Again Mr. Barto is in complete control here, carefully bringing out inner voices and displaying a fine sense of arching line and rhythmic integrity.

In short, this is peaceful and contemplative music, even when it is expressing joy. It is the perfect compliment to an evening by the fireside with a good book and a glass of wine. It will carry you back to a time when refinement and elegance were still valued as a character trait, a time when self-expression through art and music were trademarks of the well educated. Robert Barto’s unhurried virtuosity is just the thing to set a perfect mood. Set aside an hour without interruptions and revel in this bouquet of musical delights.

My Little Contribution to the English Language

As some of you may know, I do a good deal of professional writing and speaking as relates to my job at the radio and as a reviewer. I have noticed a plethora of bad English habits that are becoming more and more common, so here's my meager attempt to stamp them out.


1. An apostrophe shows possession, not plurality. Correct: This is Kevin's diatribe. Incorrect: There are lots of nail's in my toolbox.

2. Nauseous means that you make someone sick. Nauseated means that you yourself are sick.

3. Many people use the reflexive pronoun myself incorrectly. Correct: If you have a question, please contact John, Max or me. Incorrect: If you need help you may contact myself at any time.

4. The phrase 'a lot' consists of two words.

5. Partner, access and impact are nouns, not verbs.

6. ATM is the abbreviation for Automated Teller Machine. To say ATM machine, is redundant. The same applies to PIN, which is the abbreviation for Personal Identification Number. To say PIN number is redundant. There are many more examples, but you get the idea.

7. A question should be punctuated with a question mark.

8. When reading copy on the air, or when announcing web sites in public, please note that this symbol, / , is a FORWARD slash. Not a back slash as it is most commonly identified.

9. Classical musicians do not play "on" their instruments.

10. Your is possessive. You're is the contraction for you are.

11. Its is possessive, it's is the contraction for it is.

12. The common phrase "close proximity" is redundant. To be in proximity means to be close to something.

13. The word important has a t in the middle, not a d. The word hundred ends in the letter d, not t. Ask is a verb meaning to seek information or to inquire. Ax is a tool for chopping wood. February is pronounced Feb-ru- ar-y, not Feb-ewe-ar-y.

14. The word forte has two origins, two meanings and two pronunciations. Forte, meaning a strong point in one's character, is derived from the French, meaning strong. It is a one syllable word pronounced like the word fort in English. The other origin, spelled the same way, is a musical term, is Italian and is pronounced for-tay. It means "loud."

15. Although since 1905 it has become common usage, the word for being fastidious or nit picking is PERNICKETY, not PerSnickety.

16. One who shows empathy is empathic, not empathetic.

17. The word myriad means ten thousand. If you are using it to mean a generic large number, then it does not take a definite article, but rather stands alone. Example: There are myriad good reasons to attend BPI in the summer.

18. It's amusing to hear amateur singers describe themselves as "real high sopranos." Are there any real low ones?

19. Ultimate means "the last." Penultimate means "the next to the last." Neither word means "the best."

20 Epitome means "typical" or possessing most of the traits common to a particular class or group. It does not mean the very best. That would be "apex." Example: The Honda Accord is the epitome of middle class automobiles.

21. Dominant is an adjective. Dominate is a verb. (Those of you who need to get that one will!)

22. Unique means "one of a kind" so there can be no degrees of uniqueness. Being very unique is akin to being a little pregnant.


That's enough for now. This isn't meant to be snarky, rather to help folk who have to speak and write sound as intelligent and well read as they certainly are, and to preserve the language in its correct form.

Happy reading,

Kevin

An Evening with some Amazing Musicians

Last night was a musical mountaintop experience as I listened to David Finckel and Wu Han play an amazing program on masterworks for cello and piano. Opening with Schubert's tuneful Arpeggione Sonata, a work written for a now defunct hybrid between the cello and the guitar, I was quite taken by David's careful attention to Schubert's melodies, and how he took great care in his bowings to make the phrases sound as if they were sung and not played on an instrument.

Next came a youthful Beethoven sonata, one that was obviously written more to show off his own skill at the piano than the cellists' prowess. Wu Han tore it up to put it somewhat bluntly. She fired off Beethoven's clusters of notes with apparent ease. More remarkable still was the delightful rapport between this husband and wife duo.

In the second half we were treated to music of Anton Webern. Wu Han set the mood for the audience with a humorous chat about the music, deftly dispelling any fears that the audience may have had about the brief but sometimes pungent music.

Finally a gorgeous and autumnal Brahms sonata finished out the program. Two encores followed, a little melody by Borodin and a fierce scherzo by Shostakovich. This was an amazing evening of music making. I encourage you to check out David and Wu Han's recordings at www.artistled.com.

There was a lovely reception afterwards in a private home, and I was fortunate enough to be invited to join the artists around an intimate table for several hours of conversation and bantering about music and musicians. What a night!

You Tube Debate

Recently, I posted comments on a You Tube video of renowned Canadian tenor Jon Vicker's portayal of Peter Grimes. I remarked that Vickers was a fundamentalist and that he was quite homophobic. I recently received this response. I thought you might enjoy reading it and my response to the writer.

Dear Maestro 214: I take strong objection to your off color remark about Jon Vickers being a "fundie Christian". I'm sure you can agree that this expression is classless and slightly ridicules fundamental Christians, whose numbers are huge and growing everyday. I believe it would be prudent of you to not make such a remark which downgrades individual's religious beliefs regardless of how you feel about it. How would you feel if someone referred to a black man as a "blackie" or a Jewish man as a "Jewy". I'm not sure why you believe that Vickers is a homophobe. If one's views of homosexuality conflicts with his religious beliefs, then he has every right to stick with his guns and be consistent with his philosophy as long as he is not destructive of such groups of individuals. Kudos to Mr. Vickers who is a man of principle and should not be ridiculed just because his beliefe may not consistent with yours. Because one does not believe in the secular "progressive's" view of sexuality, does not make one a homophobe. Canned lingo such as the ones to which you have referred only divides and leans to the notion that tolerance and diversity only apply to the politically correct which is the worst sort of exclusion, bigotry and therefore hypocrisy.

Dear sqnmath1234,

If you assumed that my remark was intended to ridicule fundamentalist Christians, you were dead on. I make no apologies whatsoever for ridiculing a group whose political influence in the United States has been utterly disastrous, and thank God, is noticably waning.

Considering that many of the Fundamentalist movement's leaders have made disgustingly disparaging remarks about homosexuals, I see no reason that I as a homosexual, need show them any more civility than they have shown me. May I remind you that such outstanding "moralists" as the Rev. Jerry Falwell blamed the September 11 terrorist attacks on an acceptance of homosexuality in the United States, and that other such paragons of virtue like Fred Phelps have made careers out of hateful anti-gay rhetoric.

Jon Vickers all but detested Benjamin Britten, and the feeling was pretty mutual. He even went so far as to change texts in the libretto of Peter Grimes to remove what he perceived as gay overtones. His homophobia is rather well documented, and I would refer you to Humphrey Carpenter's excellent biography on Britten if you would care to research it further.

Vickers made a fortune off the work of one of the twentieth century's most prominent gay composers. Funny that he had the moral hutzpah to decline singing Tannhauser and Parsifal on the grounds of his faith, grounds that were blatantly anti-Catholic, but he had no issue with altering a living composer's art to great fame and financial success. Here, sir (or madam as your screen name makes your gender unclear) lies Mr. Vickers' hypocrisy.

Further, you've really no right to call me on using canned lingo when you yourself have used terms such as "social progressives" and even gone so far as to put them in quotation marks as to dilute the impact that such people have had on the improvement of universal human rights.

As for my rhetoric being an agent of intolerance, I would simply say to you that at no time have gays and lesbians attempted to ban the teaching of proven science, nor have we tried to enact legislation which forbids two consenting adults from entering into a legal and loving partnership, nor have we attempted to keep heterosexual persons from bearing and raising children, nor have we thrown our own children into the streets at ages as young as thirteen simply because they didn't conform to our uninformed and illiterate conceptions of the Bible. These are all hallmarks of fundamentalist behavior.

I do believe that if you compare the statistics, that fundamentalist Christians have made far more attempts to divide people, to sow hatred and to legislate a minority's narrow view of morality than any group of homosexuals has ever attempted.

If you're offended by being called a "fundie" so be it. The very concept of fundamentalism and its divisive political agenda offends me to the core. Especially given that more often than not, as was clearly the case with the current administration, greedy politicians have used the usually genuine faith of Christian believers as a stepping stone to very secular power, and then laughed at said believers' gullibility behind closed doors.


Kevin Sutton
By the way, you should have had the guts to sign your name to your post

Some Weekend Listening for the first of February

Here are some tasty new releases that I recommend for your weekend enjoyment.

Wu Han, piano
Russian Recital, music of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Scriabin. Wu is the wife of cellist David Finckel, of Emerson String Quartet fame. She gives us a spiffy recital of Russian music. ArtistLed Records No. 10701.

Indigo Road
Original Lute Music by Ronn McFarlane. Dorian 90701. Splendid original compositions by America's master lutenist.

Brahms: The Clarinet Sonatas. Jon Manasse, clarinet and Jon Nakamatsu, piano. Harmonia mundi 907430. Skimpy on the timings, but this recording of Brahms' autumnal clarinet music is simply gorgeous.

Elgar: Violin Concerto, Serenade for Strings. James Ehnes, violin. Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis. Onyx 4025. A major new release from one of the most important and deeply musical violinist at work today.

Enjoy!

A Review for Friday. Sorry, I have gotten behind!

George Frederic HANDEL (1685-1759)

Agrippina (Drama in three acts) (1709-10) [154:00]

Claudius: Günter von Kannen
Agrippina: Barbara Daniels
Nerone: David Kuebler
Poppea: Janice Hall
Ottone: Claudio Nicolai
Pallante: Ulrich Hielscher
Narciso: Eberhard Katz
Lesbo: Carlos Feller

The London Baroque Players
Arnold Östman
Stage Direction by Michael Hampe.

Filmed 1-4 May 1985 at the Rokokotheater Swchetzingen.

EUROARTS DVD 2054538 [154:00]

Because compact discs and DVDS are of such high and lasting quality and are so relatively inexpensive to manufacture, the music world enjoys quite an embarrassment of riches. Record companies continue to mine the depths of recorded performances, and now with the DVD firmly ensconced as the medium of choice for video productions, the market is beginning to see as big a flood of them as it did in the eighties and nineties with compact discs. The result is a seriously mixed bag where quality is concerned, and after having suffered through this production, I wish that the decision makers who let this one out of the can were a bit more discerning.

Handel’s convoluted drama about the behind the scenes machinations of Agrippina, who was the wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius, and mother of Nero, was a tremendous success when it first hit the Italian stages in 1709. And as Handel operas go, this one has some dramatic thrust to it, and some memorable tunes, in spite of the fact that as usual, Handel recycled a good bit of the music from earlier works. In this production, roles that would have been sung by castrati have been replaced with their octave-down male counterparts instead of countertenors, a decision that works well, and frankly makes this nearly unbearable production a few grams more tolerable.

For the life of me, I do not understand why first, opera companies cast singers who are so clueless as to baroque style in productions of baroque operas, and second why, when we have come miles in terms of stylistic and historical performance practice and in the ability to play period instruments well, that the label executives continue to pummel us with productions such as this one that are so severely dated and just plain poorly executed.

Let us begin with the orchestra. Ok, so the London Baroque Players have a bit of a reputation and some recordings to their credit. They play here with nary an ounce of grace and poise, honking and screeching their way through the score with all the enthusiasm that one might expect from a group of moonlighters. This is just plain ugly playing and the close microphones and the boxy acoustic of the Rokokotheater does not help. The sound falls dead at the first row of seats, and it is not enhanced at all when played through a stereo system.

Then there is the singing. Good God! A visit to the local dog pound would result in less barking, woofing, screeching and hacking. David Kuebler sings with a throaty edge to his tone that is maddening, and he puts so much pressure on the voice that there is nowhere for beauty of tone, if he had any, to blossom. Couple that with his forced coloratura and you get some pretty unbearable singing. Barbara Daniels looks regal enough as Agrippina, but she sings Handel with a Verdi voice that overpowers the music. Günter von Kannen is about as kingly as a walrus as he stumbles around the stage looking like and aging out of makeup circus clown, and singing as though he had a sweat sock stuffed down his throat.

The only mildly saving grace here is Janice Hall’s Poppea. This lady can actually sing. Her tone is lovely, she sings Handel with a clue or two about the style and she does not try to overpower us with sheer volume.

The supporting characters are miscast as well. Carlos Feller and Claudio Nicolai were already shall we say, mature, when they appeared in this performance. They are costumed and made up to look even older, and then when you have to listen to their forced, swallowed and tension filled tone, and their mere approximations of the pitches, you wonder from just which home for retired opera singers they were bussed in for this production.

To sum it up, this one should have never made it out of the file cabinet, and were viewers unfortunate enough to have this as their first Baroque opera experience, the cause would be set back a full generation. A request to Euroarts: please don’t do this to us again. No one wants to waste 154 minutes of his life on such third rate product.

Kevin Sutton