New releases

[RichardB]

Pace the usual snooterati about Steve Reich

For some of us this was the composition in which all the elements of Reich's music came into focus and into balance with one another, so that you can imagine everything he'd previously written as leading up to it, and everything he's subsequently written as leading away from it. If only he'd remained at that peak for a bit longer! But it's hard to imagine how that might have happened, without him just repeating himself.

[Master Jacques]

Interesting - is there anything to read about this? [on 'teare' double meaning] Very good factoid! The preface makes it clear that tear is already complex idea, with seven nuances, without that additional one. Hard to play in a way which brings out the different senses.

It's something I picked up - somewhere - and kept in my head - somehow. Your post made me dredge it up; but apart from suspecting I probably heard it on Radio 3, or read it in a programme note somewhere, I'm deuced if I can remember where. Obviously Musicall Humours picked up on the idea too!

As to playing it in a way which brings out the different senses ... I don't think you'd try, would you? Contemporary cultural references are part of any performer's background armoury, except of course when it comes to making technical, physical choices re. notation, ornamentation and other matters musical. After getting that sorted out and into the bloodstream, you just perform, without consciously remembering all the contextual material you've accrued.

My experience is that artists are generally innocent of "interpreting" art works. It tends to be critics and audiences who impute such ideas to them!

[Joseph K]

Oh yes, and the two new James Dillon discs. Fascinating and attractive music as always, and so much more individual and original than 99% of contemporary chamber music. I do find the echoes a somewhat heavy-handed way to use "live electronics", but that's a small complaint under the circumstances.

Might have to investigate...

[Mandryka]

It's something I picked up - somewhere - and kept in my head - somehow. Your post made me dredge it up; but apart from suspecting I probably heard it on Radio 3, or read it in a programme note somewhere, I'm deuced if I can remember where. Obviously Musicall Humours picked up on the idea too!

As to playing it in a way which brings out the different senses ... I don't think you'd try, would you? Contemporary cultural references are part of any performer's background armoury, except of course when it comes to making technical, physical choices re. notation, ornamentation and other matters musical. After getting that sorted out and into the bloodstream, you just perform, without consciously remembering all the contextual material you've accrued.

My experience is that artists are generally innocent of "interpreting" art works. It tends to be critics and audiences who impute such ideas to them!

Well the different senses are part of the tile - sad, lover’s, true, forced etc. I think that it’s a worthwhile experiment, to try to find a way of expressing these differences in the performances. Not a totally spontaneous intuitive approach, but one where the spontaneity and intuition is guided by the learning of the musician. The music is partly, after all, a study of different types of melancholy, and it seems valid and promising to explore bringing this out. Otherwise - what exactly was Dowland’s point when he wrote seven pavans?

While we’re on the subject of lachrimae, my favourite is not by Dowland at all but by Anon - just listen to the imagination in this. No need for five instruments, one is sufficient.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__vFsfmAxzg

[Master Jacques]

Well the different senses are part of the tile - sad, lover’s, true, forced etc. I think that it’s a worthwhile experiment, to try to find a way of expressing these differences in the performances. Not a totally spontaneous intuitive approach, but one where the spontaneity and intuition is guided by the learning of the musician. The music is partly, after all, a study of different types of melancholy, and it seems valid and promising to explore bringing this out. Otherwise - what exactly was Dowland’s point when he wrote seven pavans?

It's equally possible that Dowland was - very simply - absorbed by the endless musical possibilities of his own lute song, and realised he was on to a winner. Of course melancholy was a great fashion of the time, soon to be summed up in Burton's Anatomie, and it made a great sales pitch. As you say, the word's range of reference is deep and wide.

(The word I'd query in your summary is "expressing": I'm not sure that's what performers, in the main, are are the business of doing - what happens in the moment is closer to "being", beyond the self-consciousness implied by "expression". Once again, "expression" lies in the eyes, ears and minds of the beholder. But that debate is far beyond the limits of this thread, so I'll leave it there!)

[vinteuil]

.

... something for those interested in Emánuel Moór and his duplex piano -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emanuel-Ernst-Dohnanyi-Richard-Strauss/dp/B0BV453Z15

looks fun...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Em%C3%A1nuel_Mo%C3%B3r

.

[Bryn]

.

... something for those interested in Emánuel Moór and his duplex piano -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emanuel-Ernst-Dohnanyi-Richard-Strauss/dp/B0BV453Z15

looks fun...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Em%C3%A1nuel_Mo%C3%B3r

.

https://livingpianos.com/what-is-duplex-scaling-piano-questions/

[vinteuil]

https://livingpianos.com/what-is-dup...ano-questions/

Bryn - that's not what the Moor piano is, though!

.

[Bryn]

Bryn - that's not what the Moor piano is, though!

.

No, the term "duplex" has more[sic] than one meaning in relation to pianos, it would appear.

[silvestrione]

It's equally possible that Dowland was - very simply - absorbed by the endless musical possibilities of his own lute song, and realised he was on to a winner. Of course melancholy was a great fashion of the time, soon to be summed up in Burton's Anatomie, and it made a great sales pitch. As you say, the word's range of reference is deep and wide.

(The word I'd query in your summary is "expressing": I'm not sure that's what performers, in the main, are are the business of doing - what happens in the moment is closer to "being", beyond the self-consciousness implied by "expression". Once again, "expression" lies in the eyes, ears and minds of the beholder. But that debate is far beyond the limits of this thread, so I'll leave it there!)

Rather profound, I think, that last remark! Thanks for that...

[gradus]

No, the term "duplex" has more[sic] than one meaning in relation to pianos, it would appear.

Bluthner grands have used Aliquot strings for well over a century. |They are claimed to enhance the tone of the instrument buy I'm not entirely sure that it makes a great deal of difference

[vinteuil]

Bluthner grands have used Aliquot strings for well over a century. |They are claimed to enhance the tone of the instrument buy I'm not entirely sure that it makes a great deal of difference

... and anyway duplex scaling - and the Bluthner aliquot system - has nothing to do with the Moor duplex piano !

.

[Bryn]

The SACD arrived this evening. It was listening to the hi-res stream via QOBUZ which prompted me to order the SACD for its surround layer. This is quite exquisite playing which allows the different layers of interaction between pitch, timbre, rhythm etc. to be followed as closely as one might care (or just to luxuriate in it). The performance is beautifully captured in these mixes. Sorry if this has already been mentioned.

[johnb]

I was looking in here after a long time away and the posts about this recording of Dowland caught my eye. I confess to finding it very, very odd indeed - more of "Dowland as pleasant wash of sound". The balance is very strange, and where oh where is the top line of the viol consort.

Anyone with, say, Qobuz might like to compare the recording by Elizabeth Kenny and Phantasm of, say, Lachimae Antiquae, the first of the set.

[ostuni]

The balance is very strange, and where oh where is the top line of the viol consort.

Anyone with, say, Qobuz might like to compare the recording by Elizabeth Kenny and Phantasm of, say, Lachimae Antiquae, the first of the set.

I've listened to the whole of this recent Lachrimae recording, and wasn’t as worried as was johnb by the slight reticence of the treble viol; I sometimes feel that, when the director of the consort is on the top line (Dreyfus with Phantasm, Savall with Hesperion) that the balance can be too treble-dominated. For me, the balance between lute and consort is more of an issue - and here, I find Thomas Dunford's lute rather more clearly audible than is Liz Kenny's. Some lovely ornamentation from Dunford, too.

On the subject of ornamentation, the most interesting recording for me is Les Voix Humaines with Nigel North (ATMA, also on Qobuz): very effective ornamentation on repeats by all the viols, as well as by lute, and another good lute/consort balance.