We saw Judie Tzuke at the new Emsworth Baptist Church last Thursday, which was very enjoyable. In a couple of weeks we are seeing Claire Martin at The Spring in sunny Havant. Then, the week after that it's the Heath Brothers at the Village Vanguard in Greenwich Village. From one extreme to the other....

Buqqer, I missed that one, how is she doing these days.

I saw her at Pompey Guildhall about 30 + years ago!

It was really very good, and the songs stood up very well to the acoustic treatment. It was just her singing with an acoustic guitarist and here two daughters providing backing vocals. She did quite a few covers, which actually were better than her own songs. The new church has only been open a few weeks, having caused something of a furore locally due to the design, but the acoustics are just brilliant.  I suspect the audience was somewhat larger than the usual congregation. 

I believe she had some serious health problems a couple of years ago. Good to hear she's back performing now.

i was just in front of you in row 17 on the 25th and you are right in that David was on excellent form!

Richard

Richard, we were dead centre. Where were you?

Pollini Plays Chopin

Schumann Allegro in B Minor, Op. 8
Schumann Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17
Chopin Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60
Chopin Two Nocturnes, Op. 55
Chopin Polonaise-Fantasy in A-flat Major, Op. 61
Chopin Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 39

My 2016 season started off with a Pollini recital at the Orchestra Hall yesterday.

This time I was sitting close on the main floor to him so I got to hear his Fabbrini Hamburg Steinway in a close range. the tone of piano was much sweeter than I can remember. So it had an intimate presence but I could hear his usual laser sharp crystalline notes.

C Major Fantasy was dynamic yet delicate. A lot of subtleties in piano where I don’t hear from his previous recording. Wide contrast both in colours and dynamics. Even he puts in a slight rubato! making it more personal than before. He lost a bit of control in the march sequence but his intent was undertsood.

A major niggle, for me, however was that he skipped the middle chromatic note before the final three chords ending. That one little *blue* note gives that extra melancholic and dear feelings which makes the tune bitter sweet.

So, I feel I was cheated out of a note!   ( you know what Sinatra says about cheating a note! )

The second half was all Crowd pleasing Chopin’s Greatest Hits. Starting out with a heavenly Barcarolle, there was no hint of nervousness or hurried notes.

Insightful Nocturnes where he still keeps some coolness but a lot more intimate. I treasure his later recording of Nocturnes and he did not disappoint. This time I got him playing just a few feet away which was a huge plus from my past Pollini concerts. It is interesting to note that the same piano he tours with sounds completely different depending on where I sit. I definitely prefer up lose to the artist where I can hear the slightest of dynamic shifts. These subtle cues tend to disappear when I sit far off to the balcony or terrace. ( Good view but bad sound for piano @ the Orchestra Hall )

 And this time he gave us THREE encores!

 He looks so frail he had even trouble walking to the stage back and forth between applause  yet when he whipped out Revolutionary Etude for his first Encore everyone was floored. And another wonderful Nocturne No.27. Audience wanted more cheering him with standing ovations and he obliged with a stunning Ballade No.1.

Pollini is still very much Pollini of the past and his styling is never be improvisatory as Kempff or overly passionate but he’s much mellower and a lot less metronomic. OK, so there were a few misplaying in tough spots but I certainly appreciated what he brought to the table.

There is no doubt he is one of the last piano virtuoso from the 20th century. I would love to hear his Preludes LIVE.

If you are in the NYC, he’ll be playing the same program at Carnegie this Sunday (10/11) and for extra week for Beethoven Sonata and Schoenberg program. (10/25) Get tickets and go hear him!

I personally love new Pollini. For those who liked his old way of ultra focused cool elegance, he has evolved from it.

We were right of you just by the aisle.

Richard

I’m not sure this qualifies as a concert, but as part of a holiday touring round California we also had two nights in Las Vegas and went to see the Cirque Du Soleil show ‘The Beatles Love’ which was a lot of fun.

A good sound system pumped out versions of Beatles music, re-produced by George & Giles Martin, with a very acrobatic stage performance.

Also on this trip we heard a bit of jazz, a very good alto player who called himself Top Cat, with piano, bass & drums, playing for tips at a bar on Columbus Ave in San Francisco.

The highlight for me was a fine version of Charlie Parker’s My Little Suede Shoes. Apologies for the picture quality!

Thanks Kuma,

Thanks for making me completely sick with envy.  I truly wish I could see Pollini in these solo concerts and experience this as you have nicely described the event.

Doug,

It's a life's little pleasure.

The performance I have heard on Sunday, if I could have recorded it from my location, that would have been my yard stick to see how capable my Hifi is reproducing. 

Classic Album Sundays - Jimi Hendrix / Eddie Kramer - 6th October

Donovan - 50th Anniversary Tour - Scarborough - 9th October 2015

Semyon Bychkov/CSO & Renaud Capuçon 

• Glanert Brahms-Fantasie [US Premiere]
• Brahms Violin Concerto
• Brahms Symphony No. 1 

US premier of German composer Detlev Glanert’s Brahms-Fantasie was like an overture to the all Brahms concert. It’s a weird mixture of old and new ideas. Pity that it was interrupted by so many coughing and hacking ( spittoon anyone!? ) audience as well as a cell phone ringing.

I was relieved that the audience was quiet for the next following programs.

Capuçon’s Violin Concerto had a fresh energetic approach filled with double and triple stops giving the fiddle strong and bold presence not too dissimilar from Heifetz. Altho, the girth was still not as wide as the old maestro in spite his large swaying body movement. ( but keep in mind that the only reference to Heifetz’s playing for me is close mic’d RCA studio recording from the 50s )

The middle movement also followed 'Heifetz style' i.e. sober over romantic with his crisp rendering. I would have liked a bit breathier style. Bychkov kept rather generic unintrusive backdrop for the soloist. He could have infused a bit more romance to help Capuçon's straight playing. 

The final movement was most exciting with contemporary rocking’ flair.

http://bcove.me/cqwddiba

 I’ve noticed the trend with French performers and their shiny patent leather shoes!

Bychkov/CSO’s Brahms Symphony 1 OTOH, was a bit of a mixed bag. From the top the tension was missing. I didn’t mind the fast brisk tempo he kept but surprised the tune didn’t have the same level of suspense and anticipation as his tremendous Shosty’s 8^th .

Sweet Andante sounded hurried and notes were delivered without finishing the previous sets not giving the music to breath. It sounded he was just going over the score.

He kept the same lowish energy level even to the horn call of the final movement so the piercing sunlight which supposed to cut through the dark cloud hardly sounded triumphant.

Astonishingly, however, in the last leg of the 4^th, I felt a jolt of energy and suddenly the tension was back. Literally Bychkov stepped on the gas at the last 10 min. ensuring the fiery finale.

I personally think that he might have had some health issue yesterday as after the performance, he had trouble stepping down from the podium. 

PACIFICA QUARTET with MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN

• Ligeti: String Quartet No. 1, Metamorphoses nocturnes
• Debussy: Images I
• Debussy: Préludes, Book II (selections)
• Dvořák: Piano Quintet

We've spent a sunny fall afternoon at University of Chicago Campus attending chamber program.

Originally Paul Lewis was to play Beethoven's late Sonata and Mozart Concerto but due to his recent injury, Hamelin was subbing for him with different program all together. 

Debussy pieces were too vague and soft for my taste ( clarity was missing ) albeit he was note perfect. They were less captivating than Ligeti's String Quartet before them. I wish he played Medtner or Alkan that would have been more interesting. 

I know nothing of this Quartet but I very much enjoyed their witty and lively style. Even Hamelin's piano playing in Dvořák piece was much in tune and firm showing they work very well together. ( perhaps livelier than with Takács Quartet I saw last year )

Logan Center situated in University of Chicago campus was quite lovely. The stage accommodates about 400 seating so more intimate than large scale Orchestra Hall and the atmosphere is relaxed and casual. I found the acoustics to be decent and well suited for small ensemble or solo piano. ( altho we were off center seating )

Pacifica Quartet

I went to St Martin in the Fields off Trafalgar Square on Thursday evening to hear the Skolia Choir sing a programme of pieces by Tavener, J S Bach, Rachmaninov, Nystedt, Gabrieli, Gjello, with the grand finale being Thomas Tallis' Spem in Alium.

It was a fun evening of choral music by candlelight spent among friends and family of one of the choir members - well sung Kate!

What was it like? I am going to see him in London at end of this month. Looking forward to it.

Symphony Hall Birmingham last night for;

Mozart; Piano Concerto No. 25 played by Francesco Piemontesi

Brahms; German Requiem.

I have been listening to two versions of the Requiem at home, but I have to say that the live performance in a hall with an excellent acoustic does rather highlight the limitations of my admittedly rather low level hi fi.

So do I spend money on up-grades, or just go to more concerts?

One thing though, I wish they would dim the lights at concerts, as is done at operas, to discourage people flipping through their programmes during the performance which I find very distracting.

Tonight, Joe Bonamassa, at Leeds First Direct Arena....................should be great! 

Great atmosphere in St. Martin's, Richard. Do you still get a free glass of wine with your tickets in The Crypt café during the interval?

Robert Cray at Alban Arena last evening. The first few songs were hampered by poor sound balance.  I was seated just behind the mixing desk and was surprised how long it took the sound man to sort things out.  By about the fifth song things were much better.  Cray himself seemed to get off to a slow start and took a while to warm to St Albans.  Overall, it was a very enjoyable evening.  The band produced exciting renditions of a good selection of Cray's work and the man himself seemed to be relaxed and enjoying himself after the slow start.  Richard Cousins wore his trademark bare feet and Robert played in flip flops!  You don't get that at the Proms!

I enjoyed every moment. I even got to meet Donovan afterwards, shake his hand and have a wee chat.

So take along an album of his for signature if you like as he is happy to do so.

Nice guy.

Richard

Yes, a lovely venue. No interval though, but visited the Crypt Cafe beforehand. Only shame was that there weren't that many candles out - probably a health and safety issue.

Last night we went to the RSM in South Kensington for a concert to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society. RVW was a student there and studied under Parry and Stanford.

Mark Messenger conducted the RCM String Players in a programme of English String Music; Vaughan Willams' Concerto Grosso, Walton's Henry V Suite, Holst's St Paul's Suite, Warlock's Capriol Suite, Elgar's Serenade for Strings, and finally Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.

I always enjoy the concerts at the RCM and by booking well in advance we seem to always manage to secure seats right at centre front of the auditorium.  The playing is usually of the highest standard, and this evening was no exception.  Indeed, it may well go down as one of the most enjoyable classical concerts I've attended, helped in no small measure of course by such a delightful programme of music. 

Looking very much forward to Radu Lupu's concert this evening, just hope my stomach calms down a bit......