Sid James

Beginning to explore Bartok’s string quartet cycle in more depth now, I started with his String Quartet #3. It is his shortest SQ and in the church sonata format: slow-fast-slow- fast movement layout. Its also actually a compacted version of the sonata form, the recapitulation being the third movement (but it all goes without a break). Some trademark folkish vibes here, incl. imitation of the cimbalom by plucking of the strings. The short coda, where all the ideas come together at once, is just amazing to hear, and just as complex and ‘out there’ as what Ives did in his innovative works (& what Elliott Carter was to do later).

This peformance was by the Alban Berg Quartet.

Finally, Beethoven’s piano sonatas Pastorale (#15) and Tempest (#17). I had not heard these works in recent memory. I liked the vigorous counterpoint, but also the lyricism and delicacy in the slow movements. Some passages here full of vibrancy and colour, things I don't always strongly associate with Beethoven. The last movement of the Tempest sonata, displaying German dance-like vibes, grabbed me a lot.

The pianist here was Emil Gilels.

Starting off this weekend with the chamber music of Australian composer Carl Vine. Although his passion is ballet/dance music, Vine has produced music in many other genres. These works display eclectic influences, from Asian musics, to classical, jazz and rock. Its on the whole quite melodic and emotional. For example, the opening PIano Sonata #2 on the cd, does have some of the gestures of Romantic piano sonatas of the 19th century, eg. an ending that brings all the ideas together with a big climax to finish. My favourite work here though is the String Quartet #3, which has a middle section where the cello sings this lyrical and lush melody.

This music was played by various Australian performers, the cd on the Tall Poppies label has these works:
- Piano Sonata #2 (Michael Kieran Harvey, pno.)
- Sonata for Flute and Piano (Geoffrey Collins, fl. / David Miller, pno.)
- String Quartet #3 (Tall Poppies Quartet)
- Five Bagatelles (Ian Munro, pno.)
- Inner World (David Pereira, cello)

Then an album of gypsy music called An Hour in Heaven, recorded live in the Jenolan Caves 'Cathedral Chamber' in Australia. Although these two musicians are classically trained, their playing aims to recreate the sponatneous and improvisational flavour of traditional gypsy playing as it once was. So it comes across as a bit less polished than the gypsy orchestras of today, but its deliberately like that. There were tunes from Hungary, Romania and Russia, and also Paganini's Sonata for violin and guitar.

The Paganini Duo playing this concert consist of Gustaw Szelski on violin and Georg Mertens on guitar and cello.

Then, finishing Saint-Saens superb cycle of piano concertos, this weekend it was the fourth concerto. Liszt called this work the best piano concerto since Beethoven. That's a pretty 'big call,' but when you listen to it you will easily know why. Its thematically very unified and very imaginatively scored, both the piano and orchestral parts. The work is in two movements and contrasts a number of ideas, one kind of supsenseful at the start, another one quite whimsical, and it all comes together at the end with a big tune reminiscent of French folk-song. This work was dedicated to Bizet, a fellow composer and friend of Saint-Saens, who had just died before it was written.

Michele Campanella was the pianist, with the Monte Carlo Opera Orch. under Aldo Ceccato.

To finish, continuing with Bartok's string quartets, this time it was the fifth quartet. This work is in the 5 movement 'arch' form, same as the later Concerto for Orchestra. The pivotal movement is a Bulgarian dance which is quite joyous, but the rest of the work is quite full on and even disturbing. The second and third movements are 'night music' pieces, and speak to disturbing thoughts in the dark of night. In the third movement, it comes to a head with this mechanical rhythm on the cello, culminating in a number of clusters that to me speak to the deteriorating political situation in Europe at the time (1930's). The final movement ends in a quite resolved way though, but with many twists and turns along the way.

This performance was by the Alban Berg Quartet.

The weekend's listening, which I'm putting on my blog on this forum too. Got into some vinyls which I haven't heard for ages.

1. George Shearing Quintet: Shearing on Stage! live album on Capitol label
Shearing on piano/leader with Percy Brice, dr. ; Al Mckibbon, bass ; Emil Richards, vibes ; Jean Thielemanns, guitar & harmonica ; Armando Perazo, Latin percussions
This is jazz, but I put it here to give you the full 'playlist.' This was done at Claremont College in California in about the 1960's. The English pianist Shearing was an innovator of post 1945 jazz, esp. in terms of being among the first to use Latin rhythms and things like odd rhythms and key changes. But his music is very listenable and basically easy to listen to. I really liked the Randy Weston composition Little Niles, which Shearing joked was "like a civilised Thelonius Monk." It was a swinging waltz. I really liked Shearing's down to earth sense of humour when he introduced the pieces.

2. DEbussy: La Mer ; Prelude to the AFternoon of a Faun ; Jeux - on Columbia label
New Philharmonia ORch. under Pierre Boulez
I really connected with La Mer, a work that I've had 'issues' with in the past. I heard the thematic connections more this time. The ending, Dialogue of the Wind and the Sea, makes me think I'm at sea rocking quite violently in a ship. Also amazing is Jeux, my favourite orchestral work by Debussy, here done with quite a strong dark undertow I thought, bringing out the psychological aspects of the music.

3. Brahms: String Sextet #1 in B flat, Op. 18
Principals of the London Philharmonic Orch. (EMI, publ. 1975)
One of my favourite works by Brahms, and he wrote it when he was only 27. His lifelong friend, violinist Joseph Joachim, consulted him on the string writing. Clearly audible in the second and third movements is a strong Hungarian flavour, which was Joachim's homeland. This performance was quite vigorous I thought, compared to others I'd heard.

4. Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35
David Oistrakh, vln. / Philadelphia Orch. / Eugene Ormandy (CBS label)
Although this concerto is in the same key as Brahms' one from about the same time, they don't have much else in common. Tchaikovsky's concerto is more song-like and has these long sinuous lines for the soloist as well as pyrotechnical virtuoso fireworks in the famous finale. This performance was among the first David Oistrakh recorded in America, and its still a 'benchmark' interpretation after about 50 years. Just amazing synthesis here of emotional expression as well as technical brilliance. Listening to this after so long time was an adventure of sorts, and a treat.

The weekend's listening, which I'm also putting on my blog on this forum.

Debussy
La Mer ; Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun ; Danses sacre et profane for harp & strings
Saint Louis SO / Leonard Slatkin, cond. with Frances Tietov, harp (Telarc)

Continuing with Debussy as last weekend, another interpretation of the first two works and also the Danses Sacre et profane, which is quite light and airy, very chamber like & incorporating the Ancient Greek modes. Combined with that in a simple way is the feel of French popular song of the time.

Debussy
Preludes, books I & II
Hans Henkemans, pno. (Eloquence)

These are my favourite works by Debussy. They incorporate many things, from modal and pentatonic scales, the influence of gamelan and also quotes from everything from the British national anthem, to Debussy's own music and American song and ragtimes. I can go on about these, my favourites are The Engulfed CAthedral and Fireworks. I like how Debussy simply lets tonality kind of hang around and does not resolve things by the end of each piece. Its also about many kind of ephemeral things like memory and images in our minds, and symbols. This recording was by a Dutch pianist and made in the early 1950's (mono) but it sounds pretty good. I think he bought out the humour of some of these pieces, and those quirky rhythms as well.

Edouard Lalo
Symphonie Espagnole in D minor, Op. 21
Ruggiero Ricci, vln. / Bochumer SO / Matthias Kuntzsch, cond. (PILZ)

To remember the passing of a great violinist, Ruggiero Ricci, it was this work, which is more a suite for violin and orchestra than a symphony. Its full of warm Spanish melodies and also vibes of gypsy music. The concluding movement has some pyrotechnics for the violinist which is a thrill to hear, Ricci makes it sound so effortless.

Selections from album: Nina Simone, Jazz Masters 17 (on Verve)

To conclude, the unique voice and playing of Nina Simone. Hard to categorise, she combined everything from jazz to classical to blues and beyond. Some of these songs are very autobiographical and also political, as she was involved in the black civil rights movement in the 1960's. Trained at Julliard as a pianist, she can't help but sneak in things like a Bachian cadenza here and there, and her vocal range was considerable. However, many of these songs show her bitterness with American politics and 'the system,' and she eventually went into self-exile, settling in France for two decades, but making a comeback of sorts in the mid 1980's. A phenomenal artist of her time of any genre.

First, Haydn's Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ, Op. 51. A unique work in many ways, in terms of being purely instrumental but also a religous work, and also consisting entirely of slow movements (except the final movement). I love how Haydn's writing has this vocal quality, its as if the instruments are speaking, and also the sheer variety Haydn gets out of the seemingly limited template of having to write only in slow tempos. The cd included the incomplete String Quartet #68, Op. 103, the composer's final work in the genre. This performance was by the Kodaly Quartet.



Next, a cd of tenor Jussi Bjorling, doing some tracks on his own, others with baritone Robert Merrill. The title track, the famous Pearl Fishers duet by Bizet, is my favourite on this Regis cd. The singers where accompanied by various orchestras and conductors, including the RCA Victor Orch. under Renato Cellini.



Finally, from the sublime to the ridiculous, some of the music of Florence Foster Jenkins. She was quite a celebrated singer in her day, she even filled Carnegie Hall in New York in the 1940's (right towards the end of her life). She was a rich heiress and deeply involved in the cultural life of America, for example taking part in setting up the Verdi Society there. I don't know what to make of this other than its hilarious. So bad that its good kind of thing. My favourite tracks are the Aria of the Queen of the Night (Mozart) and Adele's Laughing Song (J. Strauss II). She's got a cult following of sorts, still. Check her up on youtube. The cd also has some tracks done by two others (but not as funny overall). Baritone Thomas Burns singing the Gounod song Emotions Strange (Salut demeure, chaste et pure) from Faust does come across as some joking comments on youtube, as if the poor man is constipated. Jeez.

Glenn Gould's 1981 recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations, including a fascinating interview between him and Tim Page on the making of this album. The over 20 minute long interview has increased my appreciation of this work many times over, as has this performance. This is a recent reissue on the Sony label of the analogue tapes of this performance. I did a discussion of this interview on this thread: http://www.talkclassical.com/19922-how-do-you-like.html



Then Chopin's complete waltzes performed by Cyprien Katsaris on the Teldec label. Quite relaxing listening & some very colourful playing.



Finishing with Kodaly's Hary Janos, based on a comical story of a teller of tall tales who defeats the mighty Napoleon (in his dreams, most likely). Some neat touches such as adding the traditional instrument, the cimbalom and also saxophone in one of the movements, quite whimsical. Ferenc Fricsay (who had studied under the composer) conducted the Berlin Radio SO, with John Leach playing cimbalom.

Elliott Carter Concerto for Orchestra ; Three Ocassions for Orchestra ; Violin Concerto
Ole Bohn, violin with the London Sinfonietta under Oliver Knussen (EMI)

Berlioz Harold in Italy
Daniel Benyamini, viola with the Israel PO under Zubin Mehta (ELoquence)

Schumann Fantasia in C, Op. 17
Liszt Rhapsodie Espagnole
Schubert/Liszt Der Muller und der Bach ; Augenthalt
Schumann/Liszt Widmung
Played by Nina Lelchuk on piano (Telarc)

Liszt 6 Consolations, S. 172
Lilya Zilberstein, piano (Eloquence)

Brahms Double Concerto ; Academic Festival Overture
Gidon Kremer, vln. ; Mischa Maisky, cello ; Vienna PO under Leonard Bernstein (DGG)

Beethoven Triple Concerto
David Oistrakh, vln. ; Sviatoslav Knushevitzky, cello ; Lev Oborin, pno. ; Philharmonia Orch. under Malcolm Sargent (EMI)

Album: The virtuosi of the Gipsy music
Lajos Boross, vln. ; Andor Treger, cimbalom ; Lajos Boross and his gipsy band (Qualiton)
Hungarian gypsy music, as well as music from Romania, Russia and Duke Ellington's 'Sophisticated Lady.'

Bernstein: West Side Story (Original film soundtrack recording)
Cast incl. Marni Nixon singing role of Maria played by Natalie Wood; Orch. under Johnny Green (Columbia)

Chopin
Nocturnes (a selection of 13)
Daniel Barenboim, pno. (DGG)

Beethoven
Fidelio (highlights)
Cast incl. Birgit Nilsson (Leonore), James McCracken (FLorestan), Kurt Bohme (Rocco) with Vienna State Opera Chorus & Vienna PO under Lorin Maazel (Eloquence)

John Cage
Sonatas and Interludes (1946-50) ; Music for Marcel Duchamp (1947) ; The Wonderful Widow of Eighteen Springs (1942)*
Nigel Butterley, prepared piano ; *with Gerald English, tenor (Tall Poppies)

Schumann Symphonies 1 "Spring" and 4
Baltimore SO under David Zinman (on Telarc)

- I really enjoyed these works after not hearing them for ages. I esp. like the fourth symphony, an example of Schumann's creativity and imagination in making a symphony into a set of variations which is thematically very tight. This interpretation bought out the contrapuntal qualities of the music, but with a kind of ebb and flow that was natural and not stodgy at all. Great stuff.

Schutz The Nativity (Weihnachtshistorie) & a selection of his Little Sacred Concertos (Kleine geistliche konzerte)
Rene Jacobs directing Concerto Vocale group (Harmonia Mundi cd)

- Some lyrical music here from Schutz, a composer who often goes more into darker emotional spaces. But this music is nothing like that, it is very much easy listening, and the coupled Sacred Concertos readily display the more sunny Italian influence on his music, him having studied in Venice under Gabrieli. Really great sound in this recording, a joy to hear this.

Shostakovich Cello Concerto #1
Maria Kliegel, cello with Polish National Radio SO under Antoni Wit (Naxos)

- Into more darker and angsty territory here with Shostakovich's first cello concerto, written 6 years after Stalin's death and like many of his other works, bearing strong imprint of the traumas caused by that dictator. The DSCH motto theme starts it and finishes the work, but in between there is a gut wrenching slow movement and cadenza which is like a requiem for the victims of the dictatorship. In the final movement initally, two of Stalin's favourite songs are quoted, but in a twisted, mechanical and downright brutal and ugly way. However DSCH returns triumphantly, or is it just false happiness, or temporary hope, to be inevitably crushed under the weight of yet more repression, with seems to be the lot of the Russian people? Who knows, only the listener can 'resolve' this question, and how I answer it depends on the mood I am in when listening to this.

Ravi Shankar
Morning Love - with J-P. Rampal, flute
Raga Piloo & Prabhati - with Yehudi Menuhin, violin
Sitar Concerto #1 - with Terence Emery, bongos & London SO under Andre Previn
Ravi Shankar on sitar (in all above)
(Disc 1 from EMI 2 cd set)

Album: Placido Domingo "Amore Infinito" - Songs inspired by the poems of John Paul II
With guest appearances by Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo Jnr., Katherine Jenkins, Vanessa Williams, etc. & London SO under Nick Ingman
(on DGG)

Shostakovich Cello Concerto #2
Maria Kliegel, cello with Polish National Radio SO under Antoni Wit
(on Naxos)

Bloch Voice in the Wilderness (Symphonic Poem for orch. with cello obbligato)Janos Starker, cello with Israel PO under Zubin Mehta
(on Eloquence)

Holst The Planets
John Williams Star Wars - Suite
Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles PO under Zubin Mehta (Decca)

Beethoven Violin Concerto
Itzhak Perlman, vln. with Philharmonia Orch. under Carlo Maria Giulini (EMI)

Weber Symphonies 1 & 2 ; orchestral pieces from Turandot, Silvana, Die Drei Pintos
Queensland PO under John Georgiadis (Naxos)

Tchaikovsky Symphony #4
Cleveland Orch. under Lorin Maazel (Telarc)

Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht (Transfigured Night)
English CO under Daniel Barenboim (EMI)

Art Blakey: 1958 Paris Olympia (Live in concert)
Blakey on drums / leader ; Lee Morgan, trumpet ; Benny Golson, sax ; Bobby Timmons, pno. ; Jymie Merritt, bass (Universal / Gitanes)

Schubert Piano Quintet 'The Trout'
Elisabeth Leonskaja, pno. with Alban Berg Quartet, recorded live in Switzerland (EMI)

Album: Voices All by The Jazztet
Art Farmer, flugelhorn ; Benny Golson, tenor sax ; Curtis Fuller, trombone ; Cedar Walton, pno. ; Buster Williams, bass ; Albert Heath, dr.
All compositions by Benny Golson, incl. the standards Whisper Not & I Remember Clifford
(Toshiba-EMI)

Schoenberg Pelleas und Melisande
New Philharmonia Orch. under Sir John Barbirolli (EMI)

Richard Mills Symphony of Nocturnes
Melbourne SO under the composer, featuring Geoff Lierser on theremin in the second movement (ABC Classics)

Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34
Elisabeth Leonskaja, pno. with Alban Berg Quartet, recorded live in Vienna (EMI)


Album: Passion, Grace & Fire
John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia on guitars
Original compositions in the style of flamenco by the three guitarists (Philips)


Schoenberg Chamber Symphony #1, Op. 9
Brahms orch. Schoenberg Piano Quartet #1 in G minor, Op. 25
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group & City of Birmingham SO under Sir Simon Rattle (EMI)

Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat, Op. 44
Phillippe Entremont on piano with Alban Berg Quartet, recorded live at Carnegie Hall, New York in 1985 (EMI)


Album: Ottmar Liebert + luna negra - opium (cd 1 of 2 cd set, wide-eyed)
Liebert (composer, arranger) on guitar leading his luna negra group (Epic)


Schoenberg & Sibelius - Violin Concertos
Hilary Hahn on violin with Swedish Radio SO under Esa-Pekka Salonen (DGG)