What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol.IX)

Jim Croce. Photographs & Memories His Greatest Hits. On vinyl from 1974.

Paul McCartney and Wings. Band on the Run. On vinyl from 1974.

Last of McCartney's LPs on the Apple Label. Great cover shot.

During workout..

at morning coffee...

On CD:-

Patterson Hood - Heat Lightning Rumbles In The Distance

a library loan CD.

After the release of "Small Changes" Waits quickly became a cult star with unique approach. In succeeding years he would become a film actor, release many more albums, write plays, and develop and mature his musical aesthetic. This concert captures the moment when it all began.

 

- William Hogeland 

First spin. I realize I have been critical of Grimaud's more recent work, and I do not like to say it but there's nothing here that changes my mind. In particular I find the performance of the first is below mediocrity, with neither soloist or orchestra able to maintain any semblance of tension throughout. The second finds everybody in sharper mood but there's little distinction to this performance, either.

From a sound perspective, these works are some of the most difficult to capture on microphones. DG have opted for a dark, reverberant sound that is not the worst I have heard but doesn't do a lot to help the performance. 

Cheers,

EJ

Huey brings his Radio 6 Music show to Saturdays. 

On vinyl, from the 15-LP "Atlantic Jazz" box set from 1986:

Haim,

although this work of J.S. is enormously famous - seems not a musical pleasure rather a complicated  appendix of  a musical master course;   there are some really better music/CDs based on a contrapunctual variations; I'd listen this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc6hmFp4lf0

Rgds

P.

Not bad MDS. Much better than TAAB. I'd give it 8/10 compared to the 1st press which is high praise indeed.

Another LP from the Atlantic box

Alex Cornish "Call Back"

Elbow "Build A Rocket Boys"

Yet more vinyl from the 15-LP box set:

 Thanks for the recommendation, P. An old (1995) Hueglas recording, the only one I have of the ensemble aside of a sampler:

Concerto for Cello no 1 in E flat major, Op. 107 by Dmitri Shostakovich 

Out of all the repertoire for cello and piano, I have a hard time imagining any other piece more fitting for the combination than Rachmaninov's Cello Sonata.  By this, I am specifically speaking toward that value of music emulating a true, honest and emotional human experience.  Russians of Rachmaninov's time and earlier of course had the penchant for emotion and exploring pain, suffering, death, beauty etc.  Sure, I realize that in this day and age this all sounds a little morbid and far fetched but like with many of the best things in life, you either get it or you don't.  It isn't for everyone nor should it be.  It might be like having to explain a joke in that doing so usually ruins it.  I realized at a young age already though that following your own bent is the only way to understanding yourself and by doing so you derive the most possible pleasure.  Following the crowd and fickle fads/trends leads only to emptiness.  All I know is that I receive equal pleasure from all music that I listen to so I must have a good mix of European blood in me (central, northern, southern, eastern, scandinavian etc).  It all makes sense to me and I easily relate to it on many levels.

One of the early examples where a composer uses the essence of a piano and cello correctly comes from Beethoven's Piano and Cello Sonata's.  For instance, the A-major sonata shows after much evolution before it that the Cello and Piano can (and should) share an equal voice.  The development section of this sonata show's how both instruments can switch between brutal anger/rage and slide into angelic beauty or even moans of sorrow.

Come Rachmaninov's time and I feel the genre has come into its own.  The piano being fully capable of presenting harmony as well as melody when needed.  The harmony is obviously emulating the more complex human emotion.  The cello on the other hand mostly emulates the softer human side being the inner sighs, moans, groans and humming.   Put this together and you have something awesome.

Each movement has so many incredible moments (for both instruments), however, this is one sonata where as a pianist, practicing the piano part alone one still feels very satisfied.  Of course you need the cello eventually and that is the goal but it almost works as a solo piece and this helps with the satisfaction of practicing - an job that eventually amounts to thousands of hours alone - just yourself and your instrument.  When you listen to a recording you probably are focused mostly on the cello part but the piano part is very complex and interesting.

Gabetta and Kern give a rather strong and meaty performance on all levels.  Fully engaged with each other they seamlessly work together.  I certainly hope to hear more from this pair in the future.  I specifically got this recording for the Rachmaninov and am glad I did.

Imogen Heap "Speak For Yourself"

Another double LP from the Atlantic box:

Aretha, Betty Carter, Al Hibbler, Joe Turner, Jimmy Witherspoon, Mel Torme, Carmen McCrae, Mose Allison, Chris Connor and many other greats. A real feast for the ears on a rainy Saturday when you've got the lurgy...

Knifeworld - Don't Land On Me (Taken from the forthcoming Knifeworld album)

http://knifeworld.bandcamp.com/ 

Thanks, Steve. Glad you like it.  I've not tried the Wilson re-master of TAAB and given your comments and others' I think I'll stick with the CD I've got. MDS