Monthly Archive: December 2017
BACH Family & J.J. Quantz: Viola – Roger Myers – Notos
BACH Family & J.J. Quantz: Viola – Roger Myers – Notos 001- 59:39 (7/24/17) ****: (Roger Myers, Baroque Viola/ Celine Frisch; Harpsichord) Late 18th century works by Bach’s sons, featuring the newly-arrived viola in full flight. In the liner notes of this new release, Viola: Music of the Bach Family, we are told that C.P.E. Bach said of his father: “as the greatest expert and judge of Harmony, he liked to play the viola.” It is a perplexing comment. What is, after all, the connection between this instrument and Bach’s harmonic genius? And why does the instrument not feature in Bach’s admittedly small body of chamber music? Instead, there are three sonatas for its older cousin, the viola da gamba. Nowhere else does Great Judge of Harmony see fit to employ this instrument as a solo voice, although it makes an auspicious debut in the Concertos of Brandenburg. This recording presents works or adaptations for viola by three sons of Bach, as well as J.J. Quantz, the composer who edged out C.P.E. Bach at the court of Frederick the Great as lead composer. One work by J.S. Bach is included, perhaps as a reference point, illustrating the relative degree of […]
Chet Doxas – Rich in Symbols – Ropeadope
Chet Doxas – Rich in Symbols [TrackList follows] – Ropeadope, 39:09 [9/8/17] ****: Do paintings have a sound? (Chet Doxas – woodwinds, synth; Matthew Stevens – guitar; Zack Lober – bass; Eric Doob – drums; Dave Douglas – trumpet (track 6); John Escreet – piano (track 5); Dave Nugent – guitar (tracks 1, 3, 5); Liam O’Neil – synth, producer, mixer) One person’s art is another person’s music. That’s the essential idea behind Chet Doxas’ latest album, the 39-minute Rich in Symbols. The Canadian musician (who now calls Brooklyn home) was inspired by NYC’s 1975-1985 art movement and artists such as Robert Mapplethorpe, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Fab Five Freddy and others who gave a jolt to modern art. Doxas states his seven originals were written by ear while looking at his favorite NYC mod-art paintings in various museums throughout New York City. To bring his modern jazz to life, Doxas (on woodwinds and synth) brought together his quartet (guitarist Matt Stevens, bassist Zack Lober and drummer Eric Doob) with several guests. Doxas may be known for his stint in the Canadian pop/rock Sam Roberts Band, but he’s best heard fronting his own group. It’s impossible to tell which tune […]
Theo Hill – Promethean – Posi-Tone
Theo Hill – Promethean [TrackList follows] – Posi-Tone PR8168, 54:23 [5/12/17] ****: Generational jazz from pianist Theo Hill. (Theo Hill – piano; Yasushi Nakamura – bass; Mark Whitfield, Jr. – drums) Want to hear the next generation of piano jazz with a solid dose of tradition? Then you need pianist Theo Hill’s sophomore album, the 54-minute Promethean. Over the course of 11 tunes (one original and ten covers), Hill showcases his enthusiasm, his impressive keyboard skills and his vibrant way with jazz standards, classics and adaptations. In 2015 the New York City-based Hill released his debut, Theo Hill Quartet: Live at Smalls. Hill is back with a trio outing with bassist Yasushi Nakamura (his résumé includes the Mark Whitfield Family Band and stage work with Joe Lovano and Dave Liebman) and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr., the son of guitarist Mark Whitfield (Whitfield is the only hold-over from Hill’s first album). The threesome open with a sprightly rendition of Bobby Timmons’ “This Here,” a soulful and up-beat composition Timmons penned for Cannonball Adderley. In Hill’s hands, “This Here” has a Horace Silver-esque tint with lots of action on the piano, while Whitfield and Nakamura supply a bouncing cadence. Pianists are a […]
Wadada Leo Smith (solo trumpet) – Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk – TUM
Wadada Leo Smith (solo trumpet) – Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk – TUM CD 053, 55:37 [10/20/17] *****: Putting Monk in a new light. If you’re looking for a new way to appreciate Thelonious Monk’s music, listen to Wadada Leo Smith’s Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk. This is nearly an hour of solo trumpet: eight tunes, four by Monk and four Smith originals inspired by Monk. Smith explains, “Most people would never realize that I am closer to Thelonious Monk than to any other artist. What connects us is a vision of composition and its forms.” Smith’s attraction to Monk’s solo recordings began five decades ago. Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk is the culmination of Smith listening to and studying Monk’s group and individual performances. Smith applies a degree of comparison and contrast throughout. He interprets a Monk composition, and then follows (for the most part) with a related original. This provides a conceptual flow as well as an instinctive musical path. The music on the CD was taped in late 2014 and summer 2015 at a Finnish studio and the engineering has a warm, bright tonality perfectly suited to solo trumpet. Smith begins with a 9:20 […]
Verdi’s Guitar: Fantasias for Guitar by J.K. Mertz — Alan Rinehart, guitar — Ravello Records
Verdi’s Guitar: Fantasias for Guitar by J.K. Mertz — Alan Rinehart, guitar — Ravello Records, RR7975, 71:00 This release brought to light for me the role Josef Kaspar Mertz had in the cultivation of music appreciation to romantic audiences. In Verdi’s Guitar, guitarist Alan Rinehart performs Mertz’s fantasias based upon different operas by Giuseppe Verdi. Six operas are represented in this recital; the earliest is Nabucco from 1842 and the latest is Il Vesperi Siciliani from 1855. Mertz’s compositions helped condense the highlights of these operas into a form that could be further enjoyed in a new setting in the hands of a virtuoso guitarist. The range of style across these revues ranges from fast and furious to slow and tender. The guitar is of course capable of this range. As a performer, Rinehart is up to the challenge. The recording is clear, capturing just enough of the sounds of fingers on strings. The reverb is appropriate, allowing the sound of Rinehart’s two guitars to breathe. In some cases, as in the arias from La Traviata, the guitar has the tough role of playing accompanist and as soloist. It’s less about the art of Verdi than the art of Mertz […]
Requiem: The Fraternity (Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter) Stereo CD – Sony Classical
Requiem: The Fraternity (Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter) Stereo CD – Sony Classical 88985 41735 2 (5/12/17) TT: 54:34 **** Ethereal music will soothe and inspire you What a lovely and utterly absorbing disc. It’s a selection of (mostly) Gregorian Chants performed by The Fraternity, a small choral group – an international community considered one of the top specialists in Gregorian Chant in the world. This disc is their debut major label release. There’s 20 tracks of just sublime music here, recorded in an acoustic space the is just right for these chants. The tracks are not all vocal; track 2 is just a lonely tolling of a bell. The rest of the program consists of traditional chants, and the disc was a perfect respite from the hackneyed holiday music that is blaring in every shopping mall, airport and Christmas Tree lot. It’s not really holiday music, but rather a solemn funeral mass, but it still works for the season. Although this music will bring back many memories of the Latin mass, any listener should find this music calming and reverential. Musically, this is a flawless performance. It’s ethereal, mystical and absorbing. The recording was done at Our Lady of […]
Trio S – Somewhere Glimmer – Zitherine
Trio S – Somewhere Glimmer [TrackList follows] – Zitherine ZN 002, 35:02 [6/23/17] ****: Water music, dream music and more from chamber jazz Trio S. (Doug Wieselman – B-flat and E-flat clarinets, loops, tenor banjo; Jane Scarpantoni – cello; Kenny Wollesen – drums, percussion, Wollesonics) The most famous music associated with water is probably George Handel’s 17th-century orchestral score, “Water Music.” But the movement of water has stirred many artists, including clarinetist Doug Wieselman (whose resumé includes Laurie Anderson, John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards, and Lou Reed). The flow of streams, creeks, rivers and related bodies of water courses through the 35-minute Somewhere Glimmer, the sophomore release from Wieselman’s Trio S. Wieselman’s eight tunes are inspired by the natural rhythms and melodies created by moving water. Sometimes the material has a trickling quality, other times a brisker pulse analogous to rushing liquid. Wieselman (who uses B-flat and E-flat clarinets, loops and a tenor banjo) is joined by cellist Jane Scarpantoni (also Lounge Lizards, Reed and many more) and drummer and percussionist Kenny Wollesen (yet another alum of John Lurie as well as Bill Frisell), who also utilizes a unique apparatus known as Wollesonics, which has wind-up paraphernalia such as […]
Barry Elmes Quintet – Dog’s Breakfast – Cornerstone Records
Barry Elmes Quintet – Dog’s Breakfast – Cornerstone Records CRST CD147 56:37*** A new release filled with self-assured playing ( Brian O’Kane – trumpet, flugelhorn; Mike Murley – tenor saxophone; Lorne Lofsky – guitar; Steve Wallace – bass; Barry Elmes – drums) With an unconventional title Dog’s Breakfast, this is the first release in seven years from the Barry Elmes Quintet. Featuring a combination of original material by Elmes, and some less frequently heard jazz compositions, the album gives these well-known Canadian musicians an occasion to demonstrate their acknowledgement of a shared avocation. Opening with Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower” bassist Wallace and guitarist Lofsky set the stage for the front line to develop the opening theme. Elmes keeps the rhythmic figures in a bracing attack as Murley and O’Kane delve into some abundant self-assured playing. The title tune “Dog’s Breakfast” is breezy little number guided by O’Kane’s muted trumpet not only through the opening bars, but for the balance of the number. Murley eventually jumps in demonstrating his exploratory instincts. “Beautiful Love” shines as a trio number with Elmes, Wallace and Lofsky, driven by some tasty brush work from Elmes as he sets the pace with his declarative touch. Lofsky […]
Streams and Podcasts for 10 December 2017
This week’s Music Treasury features another distinguished conductor/composer from the 1900s, Paul Kletzki. Paul Kletzki was a gifted composer early in his career, and shifted to conducting after World War II. He was particularly noted for his interpretation of Romantic music, and has over 100 recordings to his credit. This week, the show will be highlighting Kletzki’s interpretations of Schumann, Schubert, Dvorak, Berlioz and others, culminating with the lush slow C-minor movement of Beethoven’s Eroica symphony. Hosted by Dr Gary Lemco, the show can be heard on 10 December 2017, between 19:00 and 21:00 PST, as well a streaming broadcast through kzsulive.stanford.edu. Selections: Schumann: Overture, Scherzo and Finale in E-flat Major Dvorak: 3 Slavonic Dances: Wagner: Traume (Wesenonck Lieder) Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, “Unfinished” Berlioz: Overture, Le Corsair Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major Beethoven: Marche Funebre from Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, “Eroica”
MOZART: Fantasie in c minor; Sonata No. 14 and No. 13 – Menahem Pressler, piano – La Dolce Volta
MOZART: Fantasie in c minor, K. 475; Sonata No. 14 in c minor, K. 457; Sonata No. 13 in B-flat Major, K. 333 – Menahem Pressler, piano – La Dolce Volta LDV 34, 76:38 (9/8/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: Menahem Pressler’s latest installment of his Mozart sonata-cycle brings gracious pleasures at every turn. I recall having first heard the first, few measures of the Mozart 1785 C Minor Fantasie played not by some legendary concert artist, but by veteran actress Lillian Gish in the 1960 John Huston film, The Unforgiven, in which the music meant to dispel the attacking Kiowas’ magic. The eerie opening bars—first in unison and then in chromatic steps of F-sharp-G-A-flat—made a singularly dire impression on me then, as now, in this October-November 2016 recording by Pressler, which adds to his Mozart sonata survey. The piece proceeds in a series of alternating tempos, with some bold modulations that embrace D Major, B-flat Major, and B minor. But the unnerving pathos of the work proves most impressive, since its tragic affect does not find relief in the placid sections. Pressler (b. 1923) captures the expressive qualities of this audacious work—its constant application of a Lydian fourth—without false […]
Oppo Digital UDP 205 Disc Player
The Oppo Digital UDP-205 is a universal disc player—it plays 4k, 3D and HD Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CDs, SACDs, DVD Audios, and various digital audio formats. Price: $1299. For more information about it features go to: https://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-udp-205/ Oppo Digital is one of my favorite companies. Oppo has consistently produced high quality components at reasonable prices. The reasons that sets them apart, from most player companies, is their ongoing emphasis on sound and build quality. I have been reviewing Oppo products since their first DVD player, and welcomed this new addition to their product line. The Oppo 205 arrived in exceptional packing. The build quality was far above most players. Setup was fairly easy—the digital inputs (HDMI audio and video, USB audio and video, optical and coax digital audio and RS232C) allow for a great deal of flexibility for using the Oppo as a DAC or video up-sampler. Of course, now for the acid test—how does it sound and look. The 4K native video is outstanding. The 4K up-sampling produces almost as good of a picture as native 4K. For testing, I played some 4K discs that came with a regular Blu-ray; on the Oppo 205 you could see a slightly […]
Editorial for December, 2017
Every year, the internationally acclaimed Music@Menlo hosts a multi-week chamber music festival. The 2016 season, entitled “Russian Reflections”, features significant Russian composers—Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov, Scriabin among others—interspersed with pieces by European composers. The programming touches on different perspectives of the music: the ways in which Russian history is vividly reflected in its music, the parallels between Russian musical works and their Western European counterparts, and the compelling theme of self-reflection in Russian music, art, and literature. Through each disc of the 8 CD box set for Music@Menlo LIVE’s 2016 edition, these themes and other perspectives cast Russia’s musical identity in sharp relief, while also revealing an essential character that transcends any cultural divide. In addition to their summer festivals, Music@Menlo hosts winter concerts, this year featuring the Chamber Music of Lincoln Center, playing works of Brahms and Dvorak, as well as the Schumann Quartet, playing Bartok, Haydn, and Schumann Quartets. More information Music@Menlo can be found at their website, MusicAtMenlo.org. This exceptional offering is sponsored by Music@Menlo and Audiophile Audition. All you need to do to enter the drawing is to fill out the form here: Register To Win AUDIOPHILE AUDITION began as a local program in San Francisco and then in […]
The Budapest String Quartet with Rudolph Serkin = MENDELSSOHN, SCHUMANN: String Quartets, Piano Quintet – Budapest String Quartet/ Rudolf Serkin, piano – Praga Digitals
The Budapest String Quartet = MENDELSSOHN: String Quartet in D Major, Op. 44, No. 1; SCHUMANN: String Quartet in a minor, Op. 41, No. 1; Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 44 – Budapest String Quartet/ Rudolf Serkin, piano – Praga Digitals PRD 250 391, 82:29 (11/24/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] *****: Classic Budapest Quartet performances showcase their Strads in brilliant harmony in Mendelssohn and Schumann. In various incarnations, the Budapest String Quartet endured 1917-1967. Its originally “Hungarian” character evolved into a Russian ensemble whose repute extended to America, and they accepted the request to perform at the Library of Congress in Coolidge Auditorium on Stradivarius instruments, and their live concerts had the good fortune to have been recorded. The opening 1838 Mendelssohn Quartet in D Major (13 November 1959) provides a vivacious case in point for the ensemble’s thoroughly homogeneous sound and alertness of response, especially when first violin Joseph Roisman (1900-1974) maintained good intonation. The vivacious Molto allegro vivace enjoys rapid, rocket figures in the first violin and tender reflection from Boris Kroyt’s viola. The broad structure of the music wants to break out beyond the sonata-form to become an exuberant rhapsody whose multifarious themes find connection through […]
Mara Gibson: Sky Born – Navona Records
Mara Gibson: Sky Born – – The Cascade Quartet/Holly Roadfeldt piano/ Michael Hall, viola/ Megan Ihnen/ mezzo-soprano – Navona Records NV6128 TT:55:00 (11/10/17) *** 1/2 A fine recording snd performance of contemporary music by and up and coming composer Sky Born is a second offering from contemporary composer Mara Gibson, and if you like contemporary music it’s worth seeking out. Ms. Gibson has worked at UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance for over ten years and will also be teaching this fall at Louisiana State University this year. Gibson’s album features compositions performed by UMKC fellow faculty members, the Cascade Quartet, violist Michael Hall, mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen, and pianist Holly Roadfeldt. Gibson drew her inspiration from a variety of artistic mediums. The piano preludes, which are interspersed throughout the album, were inspired by paintings from Jim Condron, each piece extracting a haunting soundtrack from a series of abstract art. Gibson also uses poems as the foundation for her compositions. The first track on the disc, called Blackbird, is based on Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, a poem by Wallace Stevens. Though influenced by literary works, the entire disc has energy and emotion that will grab listeners and involve […]
Gordon Grdina, François Houle, Benoît Delbecq and Kenton Loewen – Ghost Lights – Songlines
Gordon Grdina, François Houle, Benoît Delbecq and Kenton Loewen – Ghost Lights [TrackList follows] – Songlines, SGL 1621-2 70:45 [6/9/17] ****: Avant jazz with a subtle and nuanced quality. (Benoît Delbecq – piano, bass station; François Houle – clarinet, electronics, loops; Gordon Grdina – guitar, electronics; Kenton Loewen – drums, percussion) When the term ‘avant jazz’ is used, some listeners conjure music with severity that is non-melodic, or difficulty mixed with discordance. But the 70-minute quartet album, Ghost Lights, is different. There is a delicate texture throughout the seven lengthy pieces composed or fully improvised by Benoît Delbecq (piano, bass station), François Houle (clarinet, electronics, loops), Gordon Grdina (guitar, electronics) and Kenton Loewen (drums, percussion). Grdina is known for a harsher, harder guitar style on previous outings, so Grdina fans might be surprised on his quieter quality throughout Ghost Lights. Delbecq concisely describes this material, “Its music with slow motion.” Gordon Grdina Ghost Lights was taped in summer, 2016 at Afterlife studios in Vancouver, Canada but has a live ambiance and the engineering has a warm, stage-like attribute. You can hear how the foursome flows with each moment and proceeds from one creative state to the next creative phase. There […]
B3 Kings – Laughing All The Way – CellarLive
B3 Kings – Laughing All The Way – CellarLive CL122516 50:40*** A fun-filled excursion into a jazz-infused Christmas song fest. ( Cory Weeds – tenor saxophone; Bill Coon – guitar; Chris Gestrin – Hammond Organ, tambourine, shaker & bells; Denzal Sinclaire – drums & vocals; Jack Duncan – congas & shaker #1,2,9 ) It’s that ho ho ho time of year and record labels are full of the Christmas spirit as they put out all those seasonal-themed discs that were recorded in the middle of summer. Well, the folks at CellarLive at least had the good sense to get this recording in the can in the fall of 2016. Perhaps that might help to explain that the musicians on the recording of Laughing All The Way have a more infectious association with the music as it is slightly closer to the actual holiday. Predictably, the song set, is for the most part, the traditional Christmas material. What is not predictable, is the various style and tempos in which the material is presented. The session begins with a B3 Kings original “The Twelve Bars of Christmas”. By substituting “Bars” for “Days”, the players offer a raucous “bar” band take on […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
