The MUSIC & VISION Classical Music Newsletter

ISSUE 34, MARCH 2002

- MR VALIANT FOR TRUTH -
CD REVIEWS WITH REAL AUDIO SOUND EXTRACTS

'Death and taxes we know about. Another potential 'certainty' to toy with is the pre-eminence of Gunter Wand as a Bruckner conductor. We had four previous commercial recordings of the Eighth Symphony from him. Now that he knows all of death and no more of taxes, it is fitting to celebrate the achievement that these final thoughts constitute. Although the catalogue boasts many other fine interpretations ... Wand's unassertive magic with this work seems to inhabit a different realm of knowledge and identification.'

David Wilkins pays tribute to the late Gunter Wand.

Robert Anderson considers a sound picture of Birtwistle on CD. Peter Dale draws our attention to the music of George Nicholson. Patric Standford explores the music of Archie Potter. David Thompson considers James MacMillan's music for Westminster Cathedral. John Bell Young finds Paul Sperry's interpretations of Poulenc 'immeasurably sophisticated' and considers Boris Bekhterev to be one of the greatest Scriabin interpreters. David Wilkins listens to a CD of American Orchestral music.

In Record Box, Basil Ramsey, David Thompson and Chad Neuman feature music by Peter Aston and Langgaard, volume six of Priory's New English Hymnal and an album by Josh Groban.

http://www.mvdaily.com/cdbrowse/?0203

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- Advertisement

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- BEING TRUTHFUL TO THE MUSIC

'The reformation of our language which took place after Mao means that young people now can't read the books from three hundred years ago. It's as if they're written in a foreign language which we don't understand, and they have to be studied and translated. The knowledge and culture from at least five thousand years and carried through books has been lost, and this generation has been cut from its roots. I feel very sad about this.'

Chenyin Li, the young Chinese winner of the 2001 Scottish International Piano Competition, talks to Keith Bramich about experiences, East and West :

http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2002/02/chenyin1.htm?0203

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- A SLEEPING BEAUTY

'How could there have been so much injustice, a conspiracy of silence, a ban on publication, so many complexities in finding the manuscript as well as Nazi propaganda, all surrounding such a beautiful work?'

Jennifer Paull tells the unlikely story of Schumann's Violin Concerto.

Follow the links at the end of this feature to read Jennifer's essays on 'Geographical Gilbert and Surreal Sullivan' and 'Wonderful Walls' in the 'Reminiscent Retrospectives' series.

http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2002/03/schmnn1.htm?0203

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- Advertisement

Whether soloist, ensemble or orchestra, concert agent or manager, Classical Music Programme Notes offers you an ideal and convenient way to enhance your concerts and recordings. Malcolm Miller is a musicologist and critic with considerable experience writing for leading international artists and record labels. In addition to mainstream concert fare, he specialises in contemporary and unfamiliar repertoire.

Accessible and scholarly, abreast of the latest research, his programme notes are delivered with speed and efficiency by e-mail, fax or post, at reasonable expense, tailor-made to suit your musical needs.

So whether your taste is Bach, Blacher or Birtwistle, Scarlatti, Schubert or Schafer, Classical Music Programme Notes provides the ideal complement to enrich your recording or performance.

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and request any further information you need.

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- THE NORTHERN SCHUBERT

'Liszt called him a genius; Wagner admired his use of Leitmotif, and rated his ballad settings above Schubert's. Carl Loewe's oratorios were ranked alongside Mendelssohn's; his one fully staged opera was a Berlin triumph. His name was every bit as famous as that of his Viennese-born 20th century namesake, Frederick Loewe (composer of My Fair Lady), whose own centenary fell last year.

'The great German Lieder composer Hugo Wolf held Loewe in awe. Schumann, writing in 1835, had this to say : "The living composer who has expressed the German spirit at its tenderest and most savage, encompassing the language of tenderest love and wildest fury alike, is Carl Loewe."'

Roderic Dunnett investigates :

http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2002/02/loewe1.htm?0203

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- MOMENTS OF WEAKNESS - PATRIC STANDFORD'S PROVOCATIVE THOUGHTS

'Even loved ones can have their irritations. It is as true with music as it is in all other close relationships. That moment of weakness in a piece of music, the seemingly ill judged inflection or feature, perhaps lasting only a moment, can with repeated hearing create an anticipation of embarrassment, annoyance, wrath or exasperation that distracts out of all proportion.'

Read Patric Standford's latest provocative essay, along with some of our readers' comments. (Follow the links at foot of the pages to read comments about previous articles.)

http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2002/02/ptmoment.htm?0203

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- EVOLUTION OR REVOLUTION? - LIVE CONCERT REVIEWS

'"My music isn't modern, it's merely badly played." Arnold Schoenberg's words could be true, but one of the biggest problems for any listener wanting to make their own mind up is the relative lack of performances of the composer's music. With the exception of "Verklarte Nacht" and perhaps the Variations for Orchestra Op 31, over fifty years after his death it is still unusual to see Schoenberg's name on an orchestral programme.'

Samuel Brown writes about RTE's Second Viennese School weekend in Dublin.

Malcolm Miller admires the Etesian Ensemble's period performance concert with a Beethoven arrangement premiere.

http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2002/02/sbwer1.htm?0203

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- PROFESSIONALISM : YOUR REPLIES

'The musical world has dumbed down so much it hardly exists'.

Our readers' reactions to this, along with further thoughts from The Editor, can be read online :

http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2002/02/emreply.htm?0203

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- CLASSICAL MUSIC NEWS

We mark the deaths of Leo Ornstein, Gunter Wand and Nathan Perelman.

Ivan Torzs is to be the new Principal Conductor of Flanders Opera. Lance Friedel takes first prize in Italy's Mario Gusello Conductors' Competition. David Handel renews his relationship with the National Symphony Orchestra of Bolivia.

Various competitions for composers and conductors are announced.

Regent Records introduces the first release from its new 'English Cathedral Series' of recordings, and SOMM Recordings launches a new series entitled 'New Horizons'. 'Guitar Trek' receives a grant from the Australia Council to tour Europe in May and June 2002.

http://www.mvdaily.com/news/?0203

Send us your classical music news:

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- MARCH CONCERTS

North America:

Raphael Wallfisch is the soloist in the American premiere of Giles Swayne's 'The Silent Land' for cello and chorus. Robert Debbaut and the Lake Shoe Symphony give the Chicago premiere of David Amram's 'Honor Song for Sitting Bull'. Andrew Kohji Taylor and Max Levinson perform the complete Brahms sonatas for violin and piano in a single concert.

Europe:

Leslie Howard and Stephen Coombs give recitals in Sweden. The International Guitar Festival Ramon Roteta takes place in Spain. Stephen Gutman gives first performances of new works by Alison Kay, Mary Bellamy and Tansy Davies in Bulgaria. The National Opera of Moldova tours Ireland and the UK. Gillian Weir gives organ recitals in Edinburgh and Wimbledon.

In London, Haruko Seki gives the first British performance of Wolfram Wagner's 'Variationen fur Klavier', Colm Carey directs Baroque Masterpieces at The Tower, Romanian pianist Mihaela Ursuleasa makes her debut, Alibas premieres new music by Enid Luff at Music Past and Present, and a new exhibition commemmorates Frederic Austin.

http://www.mvdaily.com/concerts/?0203

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