What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. X)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 31 December 2013
On the cusp of 2014, we start a new thread...
Anyway, links:
Volume IX: https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...16#22826037054683416
Volume VIII: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...nt/12970396056050819
Volume VII: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...6878604287751/page/1
Volume VI: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878604097229
Volume V: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878605140495
Volume IV: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878605795042
Volume III: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878607309474
Volume II: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878606245043
Volume I: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878607464290
Bombay Bicycle Club - Flaws. Simple music but catchy and well played. Worth a listen. Easily the best of their albums IMHO.
Corinne West & Kelly Joe Phelps "Magnetic Skyline"
(iTunes download)
Bach Inspirations: Hannes Minnaar (harpsichord)
Johann Sebastian Bach/Franz Liszt
Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543
1] Prelude
2] Fugue
Johann Sebastian Bach/Ferruccio Busoni
3] Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 3:55
4] Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 4:55
5] Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g’mein, BWV 734 2:06
César Franck
Prélude, Choral et Fugue, M. 21
6] Prélude
7] Choral
8] Fugue
Johann Sebastian Bach/Sergei Rachmaninoff
from Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006:
9] Preludio
10] Gavotte
11] Gigue
Johann Sebastian Bach/Harold Bauer
12] Die Seele ruht in Jesu Händen, from BWV 127
Johann Sebastian Bach/Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ
13] Choral, BWV 253
14] Choral Prelude, BWV 649
Franz Liszt
Fantasia and Fugue on the theme B-A-C-H, S. 529 (2nd version)
15] Fantasia
16] Fugue
Percy Grainger
17] Blithe Bells, after BWV 208
Great music always inspires me. When it is in your ears, mind, fingers, bones, heart, soul - you have no choice. Sure I have my strong views on things non-essential but I sincerely hope I never lose my own focus and enjoyment of the essentials. I absolutely dispense of nonsense that would distract me from the musical core such as purporting to know what a composer who lived two or three centuries ago would or would not think or allow today. It is fun to surmise but further than this who am I to judge or proclaim what someone else might think about such a non-subjective topic such as music? I am only on this earth to find, seek, wonder...and nourish myself to hopefully grow in knowledge and understanding.
Minaar has chosen a very nice mix of transcriptions here although I wish he would have thrown in the Chaconne in D minor (from the Violin Partita no. 2, BWV 1004) as transcribed by Busoni. OK, not enough room so hopefully another full disc is coming!
What I notice about Minaar's playing is a very cool, straight distance. He doesn't get too involved with imposing anything of himself on the interpretation. Nothing gets too heated or worked up. What I very much admire though is his ability to play very softly and subtly. He caresses the keys beautifully with a velvet touch. You will never hear any bangy, clangy playing. You hear clarity and control instead with so many layers of rich colour. Once in a while you hear some lower register notes that although played softly just pop out with such a nice, interesting character. These are the kinds of things I applaud as it just makes me so happy.
Everything here is impeccable. The Liszt / Bach BWV 543, Liszt Theme on B-A-C-H just shine as does the Franck & Rachmaninoff. The Bach / Bauer BWV 127 has a nice unencumbered flow to it (Die Seele ruht in Jesu Händen) and is one of my favourite pieces of music although I truly prefer the Walter Rummel transcription which has a substantially more profound feel to it.
The Percy Grainger arrangement of Blithe Bells, after BWV 208 is a fitting way to end this excellent disc.
first spin, let's see how it compares with all the other examples...
G
Eric Wood "Illustrated Night" (cd rip to iTunes)
Elizabeth and the Catapult "Like It Never Happened"
(iTunes download)
These Joe Newman Swingville sessions, an object lesson in relaxed and intelligent blowing, are among the happiest recorded by the trumpeter. All the elements fit, compatible musicians, familiar material, congenial atmosphere dovetailed into a deceptively simple and always swinging whole. The potential of a two-horn front line has rarely been exploited as brilliantly as it is here by Newman with Wess or Foster. The three Basie-ites are in top form, playing with more imagination and vitality than in most similar dates. Tommy Flanagan, present in all tracks, is a constant delight, sensitive, forceful when necessary, always sympathetic to the soloist, an essential part of the ideal rhythm sections employed. And the quartet session is a model of complete relaxation and how to assimilate individual expression into a collective whole in itself an ideal summation of what Joe Newman achieved on these dates.
Patty Griffin "1000 Kisses" (cd rip to iTunes)
The very first Anais Mitchell album which I have asked her to re-release on a few occasions.
All to no avail.
Beastie Boys-Paul's Boutique
Steve Winwood "Nine Lives" ( iTunes download)
Bob Marley -Legend vinyl.
Having a evening listening to my wifes choice of music.
So I'm only posting the non embarrassing albums 
Stevie Nicks "In Your Dreams" (iTunes download)
