What CD, book, DVD etc are you waiting for?

[Serial_Apologist]

Just this moment arrived: the double CD of Keith Tippett's first solo album, 1979's "The Unlonely Raindancer" - reissued by Sheffield-based saxophonist Martin Archer on his Discus label, part in support during Keith's recent long illness, part for the quality of the recording, and the wonderful music thereon, and strongly recommended. I only posted the cheque on Friday!!!

[Bryn]

"Morton Feldman Piano" (Philip Thomas)

Scheduled for release on Thursday of this week; though I am advised by Simon Reynell that he can but send the set out once he receives it from the manufacturers.

[Though it is not a work Feldman wrote for the piano, I am a little sorry not to find Frank Markel's arrangement for piano solo of Madame Press Died Last Week at Ninety (1971). This especially so since it was the brief work which opened Feldman's late period.]

[Joseph K]

What I'm waiting for in the post is 'Blues for Tony' an incredible double-album of Allan Holdsworth, Alan Pasqua, Jimmy Haslip and Chad Wackerman. I bought this when it came out originally in 2009 IIRC. It was robbed, and when I got some of what was robbed back it included this album, but only with the second CD. Although 33 quid is a lot, over double what I originally paid I think, if anyone has listened to performances via youtube, they'll know how awesome it is. It more than stands up to the John McLaughlin/Chick Corea double album released in the same year as it (ahhh 2009 ).

[Jonathan]

I been been trying to sell off my duplicates of the recordings included in the Alkan Edition (Brilliant) that I've bought seperately over the years with limited success but, seeing as Presto have a boxed set sale on, I decided to treat myself!

[Bryn]

I been been trying to sell off my duplicates of the recordings included in the Alkan Edition (Brilliant) that I've bought seperately over the years with limited success but, seeing as Presto have a boxed set sale on, I decided to treat myself!

The 3.1 GB FLAC download is a particularly good offer (booklet pdf and cover jpg available).

A weakness re. the download is the lack of attribution of each work to its performer. This can be resolved via the back of box image from amazon.co.uk

[pastoralguy]

The Bach 'Cello suites played by Emmanuel Bertrand as heard on Record Review last Saturday.

Very impressive playing from the little I heard.

[gurnemanz]

The 3.1 GB FLAC download is a particularly good offer (booklet pdf and cover jpg available).

A weakness re. the download is the lack of attribution of each work to its performer. This cqn be resolved via the bak of box image from amazon.co.uk

Thanks to Jonathan for nudging me towards this. I also went for the Presto download. The lack of artist attribution to the tracks is indeed a drawback and might even be a reason for the cheapness of the download. It was very easy to transfer the details to my database of recordings as one 206-track chunk rather than bothering to divide it into individual CDs. It took me an anorakish hour or so to append the track artists there. As well as the Amazon cover pic the Arkivmusic listing was also quite useful for artist and some recording details.

[Joseph K]

On Thursday I went into Waterstone's to pre-order Will Self's new book of memoires. I expected for them to get in touch with me next Thursday when I thought the book would come out.

To my delight, I received an email yesterday saying they had already received it! I picked it up today.

[teamsaint]

On Thursday I went into Waterstone's to pre-order Will Self's new book of memoires. I expected for them to get in touch with me next Thursday when I thought the book would come out.

To my delight, I received an email yesterday saying they had already received it! I picked it up today.

I expect they broke an embargo !!

Embargoes are there to be broken , it seems......

[Bryn]

"Morton Feldman Piano" (Philip Thomas)

Scheduled for release on Thursday of this week; though I am advised by Simon Reynell that he can but send the set out once he receives it from the manufacturers.

[Though it is not a work Feldman wrote for the piano, I am a little sorry not to find Frank Markel's arrangement for piano solo of Madame Press Died Last Week at Ninety (1971). This especially so since it was the brief work which opened Feldman's late period.]

In the programme notes for his 5 CD Feldman Piano boxed set, Philip Thomas states:

The approach taken with this set
of recordings has been to try to
capture the experience of the
pianist as closely as possible, or,
better still, to record such that
the resultant audio is as if the
listener is somehow snuggled
inside the body of the instrument,
ears almost touching the strings,
feeling the vibrations as the
hammer strikes. The aim in
recording was for intimacy of
private experience, distinct from
the shared experience of listening
to Feldman’s music in the concert
hall. Thus not only is the strike of
the piano hammers keenly felt, but
also the varied types of release
of the key and consequent sound
of the damper striking the string,
the shifts in pedalling, the sound
of notes being silently depressed
in order to create harmonics,
the more percussive properties
of the upper registers, and their
accompanying resonances, in
contrast to the booming gong-like
glow of the very lowest. It turns out
that Feldman’s music can, in fact,
be quite noisy.

However, Feldman recalled his one 'lesson' with Edgar(d) Varèse. Varèse advised Feldman to consider the time sound takes to get to and from the audience. Philip Thomas's approach to this recorded survey appears to take the direct opposite standpoint. It's an interesting approach but not, I think, what Feldman took from that 'lesson' from Varèse. I don't think the pianist was the audience Varèse (or Feldman) had in mind.

[pastoralguy]

Despite the distinctly odd artwork, I intend to buy the new Cecilia Bartoli album entitled 'Farinelli' when I'm in Milan next week which I will listen to on headphones whilst having a coffee in the vicinity of La Scala!

[cloughie]

Well today I was expecting receipt of a Nina Simone box set from Amazon - I received an empty envelope - this is first, and hopefully last for me. I contacted customer service - they said they would send a replacement but their email said they would refund - I await developments!

[Pulcinella]

Petrassi
Partita, Divertimento, and other works

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8028574--petrassi-partita-divertimento

Due tomorrow or Saturday.

[cloughie]

Well today I was expecting receipt of a Nina Simone box set from Amazon - I received an empty envelope - this is first, and hopefully last for me. I contacted customer service - they said they would send a replacement but their email said they would refund - I await developments!

All sorted trouble-free, replacement arrived this morning on ‘next day’ delivery.

[teamsaint]

All sorted trouble-free, replacement arrived this morning on ‘next day’ delivery.

Just ordered up ( despite my earlier comments on " this sort of thing", expanded editions etc ) a 3 CD set of the Kinks Village Green etc.