The Tenor Diaries

Help for the Resource Center

2011-03-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

I recently took a friend of mine to the food pantry at the John Thomas Resource Center in Dallas. I was shocked by just how little food they have on hand at any given time, and how very limited they variety was. We all have friends and acquaintances that are affected by HIV and AIDS, and I think we all know that for many of these people, the cost of medication and treatment can be overwhelming. There are times when our brothers and sisters truly need our help just to survive.

Beginning in April, I am pledging to spend $30 a month on food for the food bank. That's a small amount, I know. But for many of us that represents a couple of hours worth of bar tab on the strip. If a thousand of us give up a couple of cocktails, the food pantry could be well stocked with real, healthful foods. Please join me in either contributing food or funds to the Resource Center on a regular basis. Your help might make the difference between being healthy or being hungry for one of our own in need. I hope that you will join me in this effort to provide food for those who truly need it.

Thanks for reading...

Some New Beginnings

2011-02-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

Most people who know me well know that my life since the middle of 2009 has seen a lot of turmoil. The fear and uncertainty that went along with my nearly two year long legal woes left me exhausted and bottomed out by the end of 2010. I had run out of money, was living in a squalid apartment complex that was ridden with noise, crime and a bad smell. I lost my car to repossession in October, and had taken to spending most of my time, and most of my money in the bars on Cedar Springs. My career was going nowhere and my voice was wrecked for a couple of months by a nasty bout of bronchitis and laryngitis. Let's just say that 2009-10 were the collective low points of my life.

I confess that I wallowed in it for a long time, content to just be a bum getting by. But after 2011 came rolling in (I got drunk early, fell asleep and missed the whole New Year's shabang!) I decided on January 1 that it was time to get beyond all that had happened to me and as Mom Thieme used to say, "get off my ass and on my feet, this ain't the promised land." Thus I am happy that I have found a beautiful new apartment and I take up residence there permanently in a week or so. I also got really lucky and was able to buy a fantastic car at a very reasonable price and on very easy terms. I get that on Monday. And my career is picking up too. I have just signed on to be musical director for a review/musical, I am getting new students and my continuing students are succeeding.

In just a few more days I will be living in a home that I enjoy and will be proud of, and thus I will actually want to stay home and entertain. Hell, I will have to because I won't be able to afford to go out that much for the next few months. Sorry Drama Room! I am so looking forward to being able to cook again and to entertain guests, and to go to sleep at night knowing that a fight won't break out in the hallway or a drug deal won't go down upstairs.

Thus far 2011 has brought pretty much all good news. I hope it stays that way, and I hope you'll all want to come visit me at the new villa often.

By Request....The Christmas Letter

2011-01-14T09:23:00.000-08:00

Many of you have requested that I publish my Christmas Letter on my blog. I am touched by the many nice responses I have gotten. So, for those of you who want it again, here it is. Best wishes!

Dear Friends,

Peace be to you and grace from Him who freed us from our sin, who
loved us all and gave his life that we might be saved.

I must confess that after this most trying year, I was finding little
inspiration for this letter. But so many of you have told me how much
you look forward to it, I was moved to give it another go. I thought
for some time about what profound turn of phrase I might end with this
year. I looked for some angle or another, be it angels or carols or
Christmas mass. Nothing much worked. Then my dear friend Rick
Vanderslice suggested that I take it back to basics. Reflect on the
simple things. So here we go.

As we face the coming year, and as we end a year that was filled with
uncertainty, economic unease, political upheaval, warfare and needless
bloodshed, perhaps it is time that we take stock of those eternal
simplicities, those timeless gifts that can never be taken away.

As we enter this holy night, look for the beauty in the common. Take
the time to enjoy the wonder of rain. Think about how amazing it is
that moisture can be carried up into the atmosphere and dropped again
to the land, giving the soil the nourishment to produce plants and
trees and flowers that in turn grow up to sustain life by making
oxygen and giving food to breathing creatures. Think for a bit about
the miracle of our planet's placement from the sun. How that by some
divine science this ball of dust and water is the only place in the
known universe to have the perfect combination of air, water and light
to support life, and how diverse, unique and wonderful all that life
is. Take some time to look at a small animal, even your own cat or
dog. Give thanks that a little furry sentient creature can show such
undying loyalty, how it can sense when you're troubled and climb into
your lap to comfort you, how it cannot live without you, and how you
wouldn't live without it.

If you are a parent, look back upon the birth of your children. Pause
to imagine what an amazing sequence of biological events it is to
start from nothing and produce a human life. Look at the amazing
growth of those children; how they evolved and grew and learned, how
they went from utter dependence on you to being their own thinking,
feeling beings. Give thanks for the joy they have already brought you,
and for the limitless contributions that they might leave to the world
yet to come.

If you are employed, give thanks for your livelihood, and pray
diligently for those who need a job. If you are well fed, give thanks
for your food, and take the excess of your pantry and give it to
someone who might not get a meal today. If you are well clothed, take
that extra coat or garment and give it to someone who may leave his
house without enough on to keep warm. If you are surrounded by friends
and family, take some time in the near future and visit someone who
will spend this holiday, and every day after, alone. If you have a
skill, teach it to someone who needs a way to make a living. If you
have a voice, record a book for the blind.

Most importantly, think upon Him who was born this night. Try to live
by His example. Seek justice, and don't judge. Speak out against
oppression, and don't let selfishness impair the progress of another.
Forgive freely, and don't hold grudges. Think before you speak. Sleep
a night before you hit "send". Try to resolve a dispute through calm
reason and not rash words. Live because we only have today. Laugh
because your joy will lift the sad. Love, because love is the food of
life and we can only harvest and eat that which we have sown and
tended well.

And as for this night, and this celebration of birth, take a moment
before you sleep and look for a star. If it is still cloudy, light a
candle and set it in a place where you can walk around it and see it
from all sides. In so doing, remember that Christ Jesus came into this
world to bring light. Let that flame be the symbol of his love, let
the heat from that flame be the fuel and energy for your life. Then as
you awaken on Christmas morning, let that fuel power your life, drive
your soul and generate your dreams.

Live in peace my friends, and may the spirit of the Christ child keep
you in safety.

With all my love,

Kevin

A Remarkable Chopin Set

2010-12-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

This review originally appeared on Musicweb-International.com on Wednesday, December 8, 2010.

CHOPIN: His Contemporaries and His Instruments
Frederic CHOPIN (1810-1849) John FIELD (1782-1837) Charles-Valentin ALKAN (1813-1888) Friedrich KALKBRENNER (1785-1849) Clara SCHUMANN (1819-1896) Louis LEFÉBURE-WÉLY (1817-1870) Edmund WEBER (1766-1828) Mikhail GLINKA Maria SZYMANOWSKA (1789-1831) Ignacy Feliks DOBRZYNSKI (1807-1867)Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Charles-Valentin ALKAN (1813-1888)
Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Recordings Historical - 2003
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94048 [6 CDs: 66:30 + 58:21 + 49:31 + 66:58 + 72:09 + 77:29]

CHOPIN: His Contemporaries and His Instruments
CD 1
John FIELD (1782-1837) Nocturnes, Complete [66:30]
CD 2
Frederic CHOPIN (1810-1849) Nocturnes, Complete, Volume I [58:21]
CD 3
Frederic CHOPIN (1810-1849) Nocturnes, Complete, Volume II [49:31]
CD 4
Charles-Valentin ALKAN (1813-1888) Nocturne alla Field in B-flat [4:38]; Nocturne in B, Op. 22 [5:40]; Notturnino innamorato in f-sharp minor, Op. 63, No. 43 [2:10]
Friedrich KALKBRENNER (1785-1849) Les Soupirs de la Harpe Eolienne: Nocturne in A-flat, Op. 121, No. 1 [4:12]; Nocturne in F, Op. 121, No. 2 [4:03] (a trois mains)
Clara SCHUMANN (1819-1896) Nocturne in F, Op. 6, No. 2 (Soireés musicales) [5:09]
Louis LEFÉBURE-WÉLY (1817-1870) Nocturne in D-flat, Op 54 (Les Cloches du monastère) [5:14]
Edmund WEBER (1766-1828) Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 1 (Première pensée) [3:46]
Mikhail GLINKA (1804-1857) Nocturne in E-flat [5:45]
Maria SZYMANOWSKA (1789-1831) Nocturne in A-flat (La Murmure) [3:02]
Ignacy Feliks DOBRZYNSKI (1807-1867) Nocturne in g minor, Op. 21, No. 1 [4:55]; Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 21, No. 2 [6:08]; Nocturne in f minor, Op. 24, No. 1 [4:05]; Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 24, No. 2 [5:25]; Nocturne in g minor (Pozegnanie) [2:41]
CD 5
Frederic CHOPIN (1810-1849) Early Works: Polonaise in A-flat, dedicated to Zywny (1821) [4:32]; Rondo in c minor, Op. 1 (1825); Mazurka in G (1825-6) [1:06]; Mazurka in B-flat (1825-6) [1:33]; Polonaise in B-flat minor (1826) [6:20]; Rondo à la Mazur in F, Op. 5 (1826) [10:35]; Three Polonaises, Op. 71 (1827-9): in d minor [6:31]; in f minor [10:10]; in B-flat [7:03]; Polonaise in G-flat (1829) [8:22]; Variations in A (Souvenir de Paganini) (1829) [3:45]; Casta Diva from Bellini’s Norma (transcription for P. Viardot) [3:00]
CD 6
Frederic CHOPIN (1810-1849) Mazurka Op. 7, No. 1 in B-flat [2:26]; Mazurka Op. 17, No. 4 in a minor [4:25]; Mazurka Op. 24, No. 1 in g minor [2:58]; Mazurka Op. 30, No. 3 in D-flat [3:00]; Mazurka Op. 50, No. 3 in c-sharp minor [4:57]; Mazurka Op. 59, No. 2 in A-flat [2:46]; Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Piano Sonata No. 3 in d minor, Op. 49 [27:26]
Charles-Valentin ALKAN (1813-1888) Barcarolle [3:34]; Petit Conte [3:57]
Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Études d’exécution trancendante: Ricordanza [11:38]; Harmonies du soir [10:22];
CD 1: Bart van Oort (Broadwood piano 1823 from the collection of Edwin Beunk); CD 2: Bart van Oort (Pleyel piano, 1842 from the collection of Edwin Beunk); CD 3: Bart van Oort, (Érard piano, 1837 from the collection of Edwin Beunk); CD 4: with Agniezska Chabowska, (Erard piano, 1837 from the collection of Edwin Beunk); CD 5: Constantino Mastropirmiano (Graf piano, Vienna, 1826); CD 6: Cor de Groot (Chopin) (Pleyel piano 1847, Collection Haags Gemeentemuseum); Jan Vermeulen, (Weber) (fortepiano, Tröndlin, 1828, Leipzig); Stanley Hoogland (Alkan) (Pleyel piano 1828, from the collection of Edwin Beunk); Fred Oldenburg (Liszt) (Erard piano, 1842 Collection Haags Gemeentemuseum).
rec. CD 1: 26-29 June 1995, Doopsgezinde Kerk, Haarlem; CD 2: 1-2 September 1998, Maria Minor, Utrecht; CD 3: 25 June, 30 September, 1 October 1998, Maria Minor, Utrecht; CD 4: 23 January, 23-24 June 2003, Maria Minor, Utrecht; CD 5: 16-18 October 2009, Palazzo Contucci, Montepulciano, Italy; CD 6: October-November 1988, Gemeentemuseum, The Hague; 1991-92 Steurbart Studios, Ghent; 16-18 September 2002, Maria Minor, Utrecht; September 1990, English Reformed Church, Begijnhof, Amsterdam.

The Nocturne as a Musical Art Form

Mention the term Nocturne to a music-lover and the name of Frederic Chopin should come almost immediately to mind. It was the Irishman John Field, however, who actually pioneered the form, and Chopin, having taught and performed Field’s music, refined it and perhaps set the gold standard for the genre. The Nocturne came about as a result of improvements on the piano as an instrument. With the advent of the sustaining pedal, left hand harmonies of a wider scope became possible since the figures no longer needed to fit under the hand to be played - like the Alberti bass prominent in the music of Mozart and Haydn, for example. Field was highly influenced by the cantilena arias of Rossini and thus imitated them at the piano. The melodies are characteristically flowing with occasional outbursts of coloratura fanciness. The accompaniments are always broken and cover a range of two to three octaves. Cast as a rule in ABA form, the middle sections are often turbulent, in surprising contrast to the languid and somewhat melancholy outer sections. These works, although often simple-sounding to the untrained ear, can require great technical prowess on the part of the pianist, due both to the wide leaps in the left hand and the demanding middle sections. Chopin’s nocturnes in particular present an added difficulty, in that he had a propensity very subtly to alter his melodies, repeating many notes but changing just a few so that memorizing the music can be a great challenge. There is also the frequent use of right hand flourishes of anywhere from eleven to fifty notes all squeezed on top of a left hand figure of six or nine notes, making hand coordination a bit of a nightmare.

The focus of this set from Brilliant Classics is the Nocturne, mainly as seen through the eyes of Frederic Chopin. The guise is to compare and contrast Chopin with his peers. Four of the six discs are exclusively dedicated to this form, including the complete outings by Field and Chopin in the genre. We then get one disc dedicated to Chopin’s very early music, and one to smaller works (mostly nocturnes) by his contemporaries. They are all performed on historic instruments that would have been familiar to Chopin, and for which he would have composed his music.

A Note about 19^th Century Pianos

Pianos in the nineteenth century were not nearly as standardized as today’s modern concert grands, and each builder had a distinct and individual style. Of the many competitors, two cities became the leaders in the building of pianos, Vienna and London. Viennese instruments were lighter in touch and enabled rapid passage-work to be executed with minimal strength of hand. English pianos on the other hand were firmer to the touch. The keys sank a bit deeper when depressed and required more strength. As a result, English instruments were often favored for works with orchestra. The end result of these contrasts was the formation of two very different techniques, and the switch from the two styles of instruments was often problematic for performers.

The Music and Performances

Although he invented the genre, and his works were immensely popular during his lifetime, John Field’s nocturnes, elegantly performed here by Bart van Oort have a certain sameness about them that gets a bit tiring to the ear if you sit through an entire program of them. Having said that, it is also obvious that Field was a fine craftsman, and his pioneering techniques and his carefully studied use of rubato are signs of his complete mastery of his instrument. It just seems that he never goes as harmonically far afield as Chopin did, making for a certain sweetness that doesn’t wear well over time. Mr. van Oort coaxes a lovely tone from an 1823 Broadwood piano. There is a richness here that I didn’t quite expect to hear, particularly in the upper register. Past experience has led me to dread a tinkly and shallow sound from nineteenth century instruments. Van Oort is clearly a master of these early pianos, not just a modern player moonlighting in the museum for extra bucks.

Frederic Chopin preferred the pianos of the French firm Pleyel for their veiled tone and nuance. Bart van Oort comments in his excellent notes that it took him some time to get accustomed to playing these two lovely instruments dating from 1842 and 1837. He states that it is very difficult to make them sound beautiful. We would never know that from his elegant and graceful performances of Chopin’s Nocturnes. If one were to complain at all it would be that there is the occasional note that simply thunks a bit without having a lot of resonance. Van Oort however coaxes a rich and warm tone out of these instruments, and his command of Chopin’s style can easily be compared to that of Rubinstein. He brings out melodies most beautifully, is not afraid to let go and show off a bit in the stormier sections, and he is a master of rubato. His approach is subtle, and it is obvious that he simply knows how to play the music.

Mr. van Oort concludes his contribution to this set with a strikingly beautiful recital of nocturnes by some lesser-but-still-very-fine composers. Of particular beauty are the works by Charles Alkan, a child prodigy who later went on to compose some monumental works for piano, and whose music has been championed by the pianist Raymond Lewenthal. The brief but passionate nocturnes performed here are of a unique harmonic richness and thankfully lack the kind of meandering quasi-virtuosity so prevalent in later 19^th century salon music. Works by Glinka, Clara Schumann, Kalkbrenner are noteworthy for their understated grace. Mr. van Oort plays them with particular panache. Maria Szymanowska’s single contribution to the recital is a particular delight, reminding me very much of Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words. The five examples by Dobrzynski were a pleasant surprise indeed. Dark in hue, rich in melodic inventiveness, one wonders why such pieces languish in obscurity when so many bad war-horses refuse to die! Of all the instruments used by Mr. van Oort, this 1837 Erard has the most rich and beautiful tone.

Most accounts of Chopin’s own playing indicate that he had a very light and delicate touch - that his playing was graceful and never thundery and that his choice of pianos would often change dependent on his physical strength at the time. When he was well, he preferred a Pleyel, but when weaker, he would return to the less heavily weighted keys of an Erard. Constantino Mastroprimiano performs these boyhood works of Chopin on a Graf piano, which is most closely related to the action and sound of the pianos Chopin would have played as a young man. As the program booklet mentions, a modern virtuoso is faced with a huge challenge when performing on a period instrument. The first of which is to find a playable piano, as of all the musical instruments around, pianos age the most poorly. Then the player is forced to do a great deal of research into treatises of the period to rediscover long-forgotten techniques of playing, techniques that would never work on the modern Steinway. Mr. Mastroprimiano’s work has obviously paid off.

These youthful works display Chopin’s early delving into the folk music and dances of his native Poland. And although the pieces presented here are of nowhere near the harmonic and technical complexity of his later ventures, they are indeed harbingers of the greatness to come. Much simpler in melody and far less well developed in structure than his mature pieces, Chopin nonetheless displays his early mastery of the keyboard. I was particularly delighted with the Polonaise in b-flat minor. It is pretty safe to say that very few modern sixteen year olds could write with such confidence and mastery. There is also ample evidence of Chopin’s ability to improvise and ornament, as we often get little versions of the kinds of pianistic coloratura that would eventually be hallmarks of the mature nocturnes.

Although I am not as much in love with the sound of the Graf piano from 1826 used here, its lighter tone and lack of bass thunder although characteristic of the Viennese style of piano building, is still missed. Nonetheless, Constantino Mastroprimiano proves himself to be master of both the instrument and the music, and these performances are packed with youthful exuberance and panache.

Finally, we are left with a recital of mature works by Chopin and some of his more significant colleagues. Cor de Groot’s sampling of the Mazurkas is beautifully played and we now see where Chopin was headed when he penned his teenage works in the genre. These are works of deep feeling and often express a kind of longing homesickness. The 1847 Pleyel piano used here has a gorgeous, sweet and resonant tone. It is no wonder that Chopin liked to play these instruments.

Weber is considered by many to be the founder of the Romantic Movement, the predecessor that allowed the likes of Wagner to come into being. Highly nationalistic, Weber first became known as a piano virtuoso and as a composer of songs. He would later go on to be a major opera composer with a dramatic flair that would inspire the likes of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. His piano sonatas were immensely popular in their day, in spite of their tendency to be a bit sprawling and over-long. This example, coming in at nearly half an hour is longer than many of Mozart’s symphonies, and does not always keep the listener’s attention. The first movement in particular rather loses it at mid-point before finding its way home at the end. Jan Vermeulen is a pianist of formidable force, and he does everything in his power to keep the music interesting. There is much to enjoy here, just be fresh when you listen.

Charles Valentin Alkan had a brief but brilliant career as a pianist, and for someone as popular as he was in his day, it is easy to wonder why he is so neglected today. It is perhaps due to the overly demanding complexity of his works, the hugeness of form that borders on self-indulgence and the harmonic language that can seem bizarre even into the 21^st century that keeps him from being played as much as perhaps he should. The two brief but elegant works performed here by Sanley Hoogland should give the listener nothing to fear. I found the music to be enjoyable, but rather wanted a bit more expression. Tempi tend to be set in stone and there is certainly room for a bit more rubato. I found these performances to be disturbingly static.

We conclude with the grandfather of all virtuosi, Franz Liszt. Music’s first real superstar, Liszt was highly inspired by Nicolo Paginini, whose playing caused Liszt to disappear for weeks, sequestering himself alone with his piano until he developed the perfect technique, mastering every possible challenge and creating a number of new ones along the way. He would later go on to have a major career as a conductor, composer and, astronomically paid soloist. His later life was marked by generosity and pedagogy, and he inspired more than a generation of other composers, championing the works of Berlioz and Schumann and Chopin amongst other luminaries.

Of all the composers featured in this set, it is perhaps hardest to hear Liszt’s music on an antique instrument. These ears are just too accustomed to the likes of Van Cliburn, Lazar Bermann, Artur Rubinstein or Claudio Arrau hailing forth on the modern concert grand. Fred Oldenburg plays convincingly on this 1842 Erard, and the glittery filigree of the Ricordanza and Harmonies du Soir shines beautifully on this instrument.

Brilliant Classics is a label to be reckoned with for their inexpensive price point, and their huge span of repertoire. Although most of their catalogue is licensed from other labels, they give Naxos a run for their money, particularly in the presentation. Program notes are thorough and interesting, and the packaging is quite attractive, compared to Naxos house-brand approach to marketing.

For lovers of romantic piano music, this is a most fascinating look at the development of the romantic piano. The ample doses of Chopin are handsomely offset by the selections from his contemporaries, and overall there is little to fault with any of the performances. Not every historical piano featured here will suit every ear, but that’s OK. This set provides a remarkable look back into the history of the piano. This is a journey that most music lovers will enjoy taking, even if it takes a few days to get from one end to the other.

Some Fine Mendelssohn

2010-12-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

This review was first published on Musicweb-International.com on Tuesday December 6, 2010

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)

Lieder ohne Worte (Songs Without Words)

Disc One [66:53]

Book One, Op. 19 (1829-30)

Book Two, Op. 30 (1833-34)

Book Three, Op. 38 (1836-37)

Book Four, Op. 53 (1839-41)

Disc Two [54:38]

Book Five, Op. 62 (1842-44)

Book Six, Op. 67 (1843-45)

Book Seven, Op. (1834-45)

Book Eight, Op. 102 (1842-45)

Roberte Mamou (piano)

Recording dates and locations are not listed.

MERIDIAN CDE 84576/7-2 CD I [66:53] CD II [54:38]

Felix Mendelssohn’s forty-eight exquisite Songs Without Words met with mixed opinion when they originally appeared. Composed throughout the 1830s and into the early 1840s, Mendelssohn seemed to defy the penchant of the day to compose the kind of ultra-virtuoso works that had made Franz Lizst and the like international sensations. These little gems are certainly based on the lied, and often take on the typical three part song form in which the opening material returns with some sort of variation. Also as in many songs, Mendelssohn provides an introduction and a postlude (the lovely Op. 30, No. 3 is a fine example.) Schumann was led to speculate that the composer might have even had a text in mind when he conceived the pieces and simply left it out when he composed the music.

In spite of their simplicity of harmony and clarity of melodic line, there are many technical challenges in this music. Left hand accompaniments are often made of wide leaps that begin with a low octave followed by a full chord some distance away. This is not an easy thing to execute even for the finest pianist. Mendelssohn was himself a first rate pianist and many of the songs require fleet finger work and the ability to fly through note-laden passages with deft ease. Yet even in the more speedy works, there is never a lack of beautiful melody. The slower works are almost hymn-like in their serenity.

Roberte Mamou is new to me, but certainly no disappointment. She has ample virtuoso technique and displays a sensitivity to balance and inner voices that is quite refreshing. There is the occasional tendency in this performance to over-use rubato, making Mendelssohn’s more classically oriented style come across too much like the more blatantly romantic works of say Schumann or Chopin. But that is a small complaint in what is on the whole a splendid two hours of music making. It would be easy enough to fall into a sort of sameness trap in these works given their similar style and structure. Ms. Mamou, however finds the individuality in every song making each little moment fresh and pleasant.

Meridian does not provide recording dates or locations, and the program notes are, well, long. Of course there is a lot to cover, but I have never been fond of blow by blow descriptions of music. I find that most listeners are smart enough to figure out what is going on by using their own ears, and I confess that it was a labor to get through all the descriptions. A good proof reader would have been nice too as the typos are fairly abundant.

Recorded sound is of the first order. There is plenty of warm reverberation and yet there is perfect clarity as well, nicely accenting Ms. Mamou’s fine ability to sing with her instrument. Her biography touts her recent Mozart sonata recordings, comparing them amusingly to those of the late Glenn Gould. One can’t quite imagine how anyone could perform Mozart and remind the listener of Gould’s highly idiosyncratic playing, but that’s a discussion for another page.

In all, this set is a worthwhile investment, an ample helping of beautiful music played beautifully.

Farewell Reb Tevye

2010-12-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

It is with the greatest sadness that I tell you of the death of my longtime student and friend Nash Long. Nash died on Sunday after valiantly battling ALS, or Lou Gherig's disease.

Nash was one of the most gentle, sensitive and kind men I have ever known. Although he had a lengthy career in city government, his first love was music. Nash was a member of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, and the choir of First United Methodist Church of Garland, institutions which he loved dearly and served faithfully for decades. Nash loved to sing, and continued to study singing and learn new vocal literature right up until the time that his health condition made it impossible for him to sing anymore. Of all the things that ALS took from Nash, the loss of his ability to sing was the greatest blow.

Of the many fond memories I have of Nash, the fondest are from our annual "geezer" recitals, in which all of my shall we say, more mature students would gather at the home of Russel and Marion Young for an evening of singing and dining. One of Nash's favorite musicals was Fiddler on the Roof, in which he played the role of Tevye on a couple of occasions. He loved to sing "If I Were a Rich Man" complete with fantastic animal impersonations.

Nash was taken from us far too soon. But if there is comfort to be had in such a loss, it lies in the fact that Nash is with the Lord he loved so much, full and whole in body and spirit, singing in the heavenly choir. I rather envy him actually. For now, he is singing music more beautiful that we can even imagine on earth, and he's singing it in the very presence of God.

You will be sadly missed Nash. You were not just a nice guy and a good friend. You were truly the embodiment of good. Thank you for all the music you shared with us, and thank you for all the good deeds which you modestly and quietly went about doing every day. You made the world better and kinder by being here, and I know that your generous spirit will live on in the hearts of all of us who knew you. I hope that we all remember how kind and generous you were, and live by your example.

Big Brother Is Watching

2010-12-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

I encourage all of my readers to read the following article:

http://www.alternet.org/story/149059/here_come_homeland_security_internet_police%2C_and_they%27re_already_shutting_down_web_sites_they_don%27t_like

It seems that big brother is watching us even more than we care to think, and now the government is trying to censor what we can read on the internet. It's not a pretty picture, and this article from Alternet will fill you in on the details. I encourage you to read it, take it seriously and write to your elected officials demanding a stop to yet another government invasion of privacy.

A Serious Topic for All My Younger (and older) Gay Friends

2010-10-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

Guys, most of the time you'll see me spout off here in my best imitation of David Sedares. I try to be witty and sarcastic even when I am wanting to get a serious point across. But this next topic is one that can stand no bullshit, so I am going to be direct. I hope many of you read this and take it to heart.

In the past year, I have seen two of my friends, under the age of thirty, die because of their involvement with drugs. I know that the gay life is often synonymous with the party life, and no one likes to stay out all night having a good time more than I do. But let's sit down together here and take long look at why so many in our community see the need to escape into a world of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and other illicit substances. Hey, it's bad enough that we drink ourselves silly every other night on Cedar Springs isn't it?

I know it's cool to party. But the consequences of drug use are substantial. They include excessive wear and tear on your heart, a wasting of your facial muscles which makes a 29 year old look 50, permanent brain damage, the possibility of getting yourself or someone else killed in a car accident, or, in the worse case, landing in a copper box before you're thirty. Drug use lowers our inhibitions and it dulls our common sense. Far too many of my gay brothers (and some sisters) are fighting HIV infections because they made stupid choices while under the influence of drugs.

In addition, you risk jail time, an end to your career and the loss of your friends and family.

Let me say here that I am the most liberal person in the world when it comes to altering your state of being. I do not believe that mind altering substances should be illegal, and I believe that our government, with its medieval political mindset is fighting a losing and costly battle in its so-called war on drugs. Having said that, I also believe that it is our individual responsibility to look after our own well being and the best interests of all of us in our community. The excessive and careless use of substances which have no oversight as to their content, safety or dosage is irresponsible behavior, period. It is a risk that could cost you your life.

Our gay community is full to the brim with brilliant, talented, beautiful and gifted men and women. We have so much to offer a world that needs change and good leadership and direction more than it ever has before. We need each and every mind and body to help us win our fair rights as citizens,We need every talented person to continue to create the world's most beautiful art, music, design and architecture. We need the scientific and medical genius that runs like a river through our community. How can we possibly know what we've missed when a life is cut short at twenty-three because of a bad choice with drugs? We will never know what potential might have lain ahead. We will never know, because those people are gone, forever.

Please take a moment to think about what I have had to say here. Think twice before you do that bump or decide to spend the night rolling in the bars. Think about who you are and what you have to give. Think about how much better we all can be if your talent, your gift, your genius is allowed to mature into its full fruition. Think twice before you succumb to unfettered hedonism. Your worth lies in your potential, please don't kill it before it blossoms.

Dos and Don'ts for a Happy Gay Life

2010-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking recently about some of the little quirks that exist in the gay community that make us look, well, stupid. And I thought I might put together a little list of things that might enhance the experience of being out and gay in the big D. Here we go:

1. Don't brag about living at the Illume. It is a shabbily constructed architectural abortion with beautiful balcony views of parking lots. And face it, if you live there, you are likely to drive a leased luxury car. Between the car payments and the rent, you are not likely to afford furniture on your salary.

2.When creating a profile on a dating or networking site, don't tell us that you want to meet an intelligent person who can hold a conversation if your profile is then filled with grammar errors and misspelled words. Know the difference between dominate, the verb, and dominant, the adjective. Know that your is possessive and you're is the contraction for "you are." Know that their, they're and there are different words with different meanings. Know that apostrophe s shows possession, not plurality. Sheesh. Didn't any of you make it out of third grade?

3. Never piss off the doorman at the Drama Room. He'll grab you by the tits and kick your ass if you cross him.

4. To my young friends: not everyone is 22, an Abercrombie model and hung like a grandfather clock. Branch out a bit. Some off sizes can be loads of fun.

5. To my older friends: If you're into younger guys (and I am), most of them will want your money before your love. Those that claim otherwise probably have some serious issues with their biodads. Remember that boys under twenty-five can't see beyond their next cocktail and not only won't, but can't understand how their disregard for your feelings could really hurt you. If you can live with that, then by all means shop in the kids department. But if you can't, prepare to be hurt and lonely and consider a hunk over thirty.

6. Remember that life is a time line. What you did in the past cannot be changed, what lies in the future is unknown. Be a good Buddhist and live in the present, rejoicing in who you are and what you have to offer. The moment you radiate that confidence in yourself is the moment when that man of your dreams will be attracted to your aura.

7. Most people, if given half a chance, are pretty nice. On the other hand, there are lots of arrogant bitches out there too. Give most people half a chance. Slap the bitches and move on.

Happy Hallowe'en.

My Grandmother's Eternal Vigilance

2010-09-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

My Grandmother left us in March of 2008. She lived a very productive ninety-one years and was a huge influence in my life. She taught me all the good stuff in life, like how to drive in big cities and how to bargain shop! She rescued me countless times from both financial and moral ruin.

I was always amazed at how in spite of her limited means she always managed to find the funds to bail our family out of any financial disaster we came across, and they were legion.

I was amazed today when the executor of her estate contacted me to tell me that a refund check from an insurance company had come in some two years after her death. It wasn't too much money, but both my mother and I benefited from the little surprise gift. It seems that even now, she's looking down on us and finding little ways to help from beyond the great divide.

I don't know if there's anything profound in this story, but it's interesting that just when it was most needed, we discovered the checks just one day before the post office would have returned them to sender! Thanks Granny. I love you and I miss you very much.

Daron Hagen Shines as a Composer of Chamber Music

2010-09-08T11:31:00.001-07:00

Daron HAGEN (b.1961)

Complete Piano Trios

Piano Trio No. 3 “Wayfaring Stranger” (2006) [17:56]

Piano Trio No. 1 “Trio Concertante” (1984) [14:40]

Piano Trio No. 2 “J’entends” (1986) [17:02]

Piano Trio No. 4 “Angel Band” (2007) [22:10]

Finisterra Trio

Kwan Bin Park (violin)

Kevin Krentz (cello)

Tanya Stambuk (piano)

Recorded at The Seasons Hall, Yakima, Washington, 24-27 April, 2008

NAXOS 8.559657 [71:48]

Daron Hagen is a prolific American composer whose music was until now, completely unknown to me. Educated at The Curtis Institute and at the Juilliard School, Hagen has an impressive catalogue of works that range from operas to songs, to chamber and orchestral works. He has taught on the faculties of several prestigious institutions and his works have been commissioned and performed by many of the major artists and ensembles active today.

The 2006 trio, subtitled “Wayfaring Stranger” was doubly inspired by the composer’s late brother and by a trip through the grounds of the civil war battle of Bull Run. While passing through the historic site, the composer heard the American folk hymn and was inspired by the tune. All four movements have some element of the tune in their fabric, but it is in the beautifully lyrical second movement that the tune is most prominent. At times quasi-impressionistic, at others rather shamelessly romantic, this brief but substantial four movement work is full of contrasting colors, such that the ear is always piqued with interest. The Finisterra trio delivers a confident and well balanced performance.

The “Trio Concertant” is a much more academic work, composed while Hagen was a student of David Diamond. Considerably more serious than the folksy third trio, this student work is more of a challenge to the ear. More dissonant, it is obviously geared toward pleasing the jury more than the audience. Having said that, it is a piece that is filled with creative gestures and original thoughts. In spite of the generally tangy harmonies and angular rhythms, there are lyrical moments of repose, and these moments are what save the work from the ivory tower.

Inspired by the last words of Nadia Boulanger (“I hear a music without beginning or end.”), Hagen’s Second Trio from 1986 is both angular and lyrical, dissonant and melodic. Even though some of the terse harmonies are a bit challenging to the ear, the use of intricate counterpoint and some wonderfully virtuoso writing for violin harmonics in the second movement make this work a fascinating listen.

Perhaps my favorite of the program here is the Fourth Trio, “Angel Band” from 2007. Based on an blue grass hymn tune and further inspired by Appalachian folk instruments, the work is a tribute to Joyce Richie Stosahl, a violinist and impresario who grew up in Kentucky during the depression and went on to have a remarkable career as a soloist and orchestral musician. Set in five movements, the work is full of folksy color while still maintaining Hagen’s unique harmonic voice. It is evident though to these ears that the older Mr. Hagen gets, the more lyrical his music becomes. Some of the melodies in this, the newest of the works presented here are downright gorgeous; a trait that sharply contrasts the more academically oriented pieces from the 1980’s.

This is one of those discs that present both challenges and delights. And it is a happy occasion to report that the Finisterra Trio performs it all with a deft hand. The trio is obviously committed to the music and they perform with a fine sense of ensemble and balance. It is difficult to comment on interpretation when these works have had little recorded exposure, so I will simply say that these are convincing performances that sell the works quite well. They definitely merit repeated listening.

As for Hagen, this is my first exposure to his music, and with all first hearings, my first tendency is to ask “do I wish to hear more?” The answer is definitely yes. If Mr. Hagen can compose music this diverse for just three instruments, it will be a very exciting adventure to hear what he does with a full orchestra. Viva Naxos for their continuing commitment to bringing out the best music, whether it be widely known or not!

My Evening with Sebastian

2010-09-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

I have never been the kind of person who particularly enjoyed practicing the piano. That I ever became a decent pianist is amazing in its own right, and thank God my skills as a singer and conductor have been such that I could make a living in music. If I were dependent on the piano, I would surely have starved years ago.

But on rare occasions, I get into just sitting at the keyboard and actually practicing, slowly and methodically practicing a piece of music. Such was my encounter yesterday evening with Sebastian Bach.On some inexplicable whim, I opened the score to the Well-Tempered Clavier, turned to the fugue in C minor and began to play. The preludes and fugues in the WTC are some of the most intricate and perfectly elegant pieces of music ever written for the keyboard. At the time of their composition, the practice of tuning an instrument to equal terperament, a system in which you may play in any key without retuning the instrument, was relatively new. Bach set out in his twenty-four preludes and fugues to show off the new system. And in typical fashion, he created a masterpiece of perfection.

There is something about Bach's music that is medicinal to me. The often irascible and defiant kappellmeister of Leipzig was so attuned to all things spiritual, so in touch and confident in his personal faith, that his music, practically every piece of it, is infused with a sublime serenity. As I sat at the keyboard, I started by slowly playing each of the three voices of the fugue alone. I wanted to hear the contour of each line; to discover where and when that individual voice should be in the forefront or the background.

As I began to put the voices together, the most wonderful, peaceful feeling came over me. It was as if time had stopped and I was floating in the air, suspended by the power and perfection of these brief two pages of music; pages which seemed at the time to hold the secrets of the universe.

Perhaps this isn't much of a story, but the place to which I was taken yesterday by my old and trusty friend Herr Bach was a beautiful one, and I want to go back there soon. And if you, dear friends, are not piano players, perhaps you would enjoy listening to someone like Glenn Gould, Angela Hewitt or Andras Schiff display the wonders of this marvelous music for you.

I wish you peace!

Farewell to Dallas' Master of Good Times

2010-04-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

Dallas' gay community has lost one of its stars with the sudden and untimely passing of Marty Hershner. Marty owned one of Dallas' most popular night clubs, The Tin Room, and had just recently opened a second venue on the Cedar Springs Strip, The Drama Room, a club that is fast gaining in popularity. Marty left us while in full stride. He loved what he did, and never ceased to have a good time doing it.

Dallas bar owners and their patrons can be notoriously bitchy, and as Marty's success grew, so did the gossip, back biting and rumors of the demise of his clubs. I'll even admit that when BJ's NXS opened last spring, that I predicted the end of The Tin Room. I couldn't have been more wrong. Regardless of what was said behind his back, Marty kept a genuine smile on his face and never let the bastards of the world get him down.

Since he opened The Drama Room, I was becoming one of Marty's bigger fans. He took a less than stellar venue and turned it into a great party spot by hiring a first rate, friendly and attractive staff, keeping his prices within reason and making it his personal mission to see to it that every patron that walked through the door had a good time. I even once overheard him chastise a bartender for speaking about business matters in front of a patron.

It was Marty's mission to throw a good party, and at both The Tin Room and The Drama Room, the party never stopped. He was a hands on owner. You would see him dashing in and out of both clubs at all hours making sure that everything was running to his satisfaction. And he wasn't all that easy to please!

That he has died at such a young age (he was only thirty years old) and while he was standing at the threshold of major success in the community is sad indeed. I will personally miss his laugh, his wry sense of humor and the gentlemanly way that he treated all of us who patronized his clubs.

One of his employess told me that Marty would roll over in his grave if the clubs were closed today. And so, the party continues, even in less than twenty-four hours of his passing. I have a feeling that Marty has found the party on the other side, and is redecorating some gay bar in heaven.

Marty, we'll miss you very much. Thank you on behalf of all the people that you've entertained over the years, for being the master of the good times, the proprietor of the party, and most importantly, the fun loving, compassionate good friend that you were to so many people.

And as tough as it is to say goodbye to someone who should still be with us, I will do so in the way he'd want me to. I'm headed to The Tin Room, right after I hit "send."

Good Things from Transfiguration

2010-03-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I am an Episcopalian. You know, Catholic lite, all the ritual half the guilt.I am very fortunate to belong to a wonderful parish here in Dallas, The Church of the Transfiguration. It's the kind of place where you don't have to check your brain at the door, you know? We have wonderful clergy, dozens of active groups and a great music program, complete with a brand spanking new Richards and Fowkes organ that will blow your socks off!

What's best though about this wonderful church is not that we have great facilites or world class music or gorgeous art work in the building. Rather, what makes this place stand out from all of the other churches that I have served or been a part of (and as a professional church musician, there've been a lot of them) is the way that the people of the parish take very seriously their duty to serve Christ in the church, the community and the world at large. They don't do it with much fanfare either. Rather, the obey Jesus' command to keep their prayers private and not to demonstrate on the street corners as the hypocrites do.

Last night, at our weekly compline service, a group of about fifteen of us gathered to pray, sing and end the day in a spirit of peace and repose. Before the service, a class had met, and there were leftover refreshments. Any Anglican reading this will know what I mean by that, and the compline folk were invited to hang out and finish them off.

Ours is a church where not only can you have the best worship and music and liturgy, but you can also find the best parties as well. It's not at all uncommon to find us hanging around the church well after midnight enjoying each other's company and friendship after an evening service.

Anyway, for some time now I have been struggling a bit through a tough personal situation, and because of the financial stress it's put on me, I have had to be away from "the fig" as we call it, more than I care to in order to sing in other churches for pay. I have felt a bit out of touch with my friends and church family. Last night, by really doing nothing other than what this wonderful group of peolpe does naturally, I felt an overwhelming sense of community, of the presense of the God the Spirit, and of love, understanding and acceptance.

I am normally not the type to preach from the rooftops, but last night was really special, and Iwanted to share it. I invite anyone who lives in the Dallas area to join us for one or more of the many services at Transfiguration. Visit our website at http://www.transfiguration.net/. If you are seeking a spiritual place to call home, I think you might just find what you need with us!

Crowding In Los Angeles

2010-03-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

A report yesterday on NPR's All Things Considered explained how many jail inmates in Los Angeles are being released after serving only ten per cent of their sentences due to drastic budget shortfalls and overcrowding in jails. Perhaps this situation should lead us to rethink our sentencing guidelines and to reevaluate just what infractions deserve jail time.

I propose that only violent offenses be punishable by incarceration. Only those people who are a real and present danger to society should be locked away. Other offenses, such as white collar crime, non-violent theft, fraud, forgery, and especially recreational use drugs offenses, should be punished by requiring the offender to restore to society what he took.

For example, if you steal from your company, you should be required to work for that company with only subsistence wages until you have repaid in time and productivity, the value, plus damages of what you stole. If you forge a check, then you should be required to perform such community service that would both enhance the public good (repair a dilapidated school, for example) and suitably atone for your crime.

The fact that the most advanced civilization in the world has more than ten per cent of its population in cages is obscene. Add to that that a hugely disproportionate amount of those locked up are black or Hispanic, and we have an even bigger inequity that needs must be addressed. Let's start by looking at the practical ways that we can reduce the prison population while at the same time repairing and restoring our crumbling infrastructure. I believe that a work release program for non violent, non repeat offenders is an excellent way to start. The streets around my house need repair.....just a thought.

Three Hours of Slow and Pretty

2010-03-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

Complete Tranquility
Disc One

Johann Christian BACH (1735-1782)
Concerto in c minor for cello and orchestra (Adagio molto espressivo) [7:04]
Count Unico Wilhelm van WASSENAER (1692-1766)
(formerly attributed to Pergolesi)
Concerto armonico No. 3 in A (Largo, andante) [3:55]
Concerto armonico No. 4 in f (Largo) [4:19]
Concerto armonico No. 1 in G (Grave, staccato) [4:57]
Concerto armonico No. 5 in B flat (Largo, andante) [4:25]
Concerto armonico No. 4 in f (Adagio) [2:50]
Concerto armonico No. 2 in G (Largo affetuoso) [4:35]
Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Concerto in C for Recorder and Orchestra, RV444 (Largo) [4:14]
Concerto in C for Oboe and Orchestra, RV449 (Largo) [2:44]
Concerto in A for Strings, RV158 (Largo) [3:24]
Concerto in g for Two Cellos and Orchestra RV531 (Largo) [3:31]
Concerto in F for Flute and Orchestra RV433 (Largo) [2:14]
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Concerto in D for strings (Arioso) [2:35]
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Concerto No. 2 in F for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 102 (Andante) [6:01]
Luigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805)
Concerto in B-flat for Cello and Orchestra, G482 (Adagio non troppo) [6:34]

Disc Two

Giuseppi TARTINI (1692-1770)
Concerto in D for Cello and Strings (arr. Louis Delune) (Grave espressivo) [6:17]
Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Concerto in F for Violin, Organ and Strings RV542 (Adagio) [3:39]
Concerto in D for Two Violins, Cello and Strings, RV565 (Largo e spiccato) [4:11]
Concerto in G for Two Violins, Two Cellos and Strings, RV575 (Largo) [2:56]
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Divertimento in B flat, KV 137 (Andante) [4:09]
Church Sonata in F, KV224 [4:24]
Divertimento in F, KV 138 (Andante) [5:56]
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Minuet No. 3 in d, D89 [5:40]
Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976)
Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10 (Romance) [1:37]
Georg Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Concerto grosso in a, Op. 6, No. 3 (Larghetto affetuoso) [2:33]
Concerto grosso in e, Op. 6, No. 3 (Larghetto) [1:31]
Concerto grosso in B flat, Op. 6, No. 7 (Largo e piano) [2:43]
Concerto grosso in c, Op. 6, No. 8 (Adagio) [1:27]
Concerto grosso in b, Op. 6, No. 12 (Largo) [1:12]
Rodion Konstantinovich SHCHEDRIN (b. 1932)
Carmen Suite (Second Intermezzo) [1:59]
Josef SUK (1874-1935)
Serenade in E-flat for Strings, Op. 6 (Andante con moto) [6:10]
Camille SAINT- SAËNS (1835-1921)
Carnival of the Animals (The Swan) [3:31]
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Album for the Young (The Old Nanny’s Tale) [2:54]
Franz Josef HAYDN (1732-1809)
Divertimento in D for Cello and Strings (arr. Gregor Piatigorski) (Adagio) [5:23]

Disc Three

Antonin DVORAK (1841-1904)
Serenade in E for Strings, Op. 22 (Moderato) [4:54]
Waltz No. 1 in A, Op. 54 [4:46]
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Serenade in G for Strings RV525 (Eine kleine Nachtmusik) (Romanze, Andante) [5:44]
Marc-Olivier DUPIN (b. 1954)
Fantasia on Arias from La Traviata (Allegretto, Andantino, Allegro Brillante) [11:22]
Franz Josef HAYDN (1732-1809)
Twelve German Dances, H. IX: 12 [8:32]
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Liebeslieder Waltzer, Op. 52 (Arranged for strings by Friedrich Hermann) (No. 6, No. 1 and No. 9) [4:43]
Alexander Porfir’yevich BORODIN (1833-1887)
String Quartet No. 2 in D (Notturno, Andante) (arranged for String Orchestra by Lucas Drew) [9:09]
Samuel BARBER (1910-1981)
Adagio for Strings [10:17]

Yuli Turovsky (cello)
Timothy Hutchins (sopranino recorder, flute)
Theodore Baskin (oboe)
Alain Aubut (cello)
Dmitri Shostakovich, Jr. (piano)
Elenora Turovsky (violin)
Geneviève Soly (organ)
Edvard Skerjanc (violin)
Christian Prèvost (violin)
Lucia Hall (violin)
Benoit Hurtuboise (cello)
David Owen Norris (piano)
Gregory Shaverdian (piano)
Alexander Trostiansky (violin)

Ensemble Repercussion
I musici de Montreal

Yuli Turovsky
Maxim Shostakovich

Recording locations and dates are not given.

CHANDOS 10565(3) Three Compact Discs [64:32] [73:05] [60:03]

Cellist Yuli Turovsky founded I musici de Montreal in 1983 and since that time has turned the fifteen member chamber orchestra into the Canadian version of Britain’s Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, racking up more than forty recordings and presenting more than one hundred concerts each season throughout the world. In this collection of sedate slow movements, the orchestra has compiled more than three hours of down-tempo excerpts sure to be a hit in doctors’ offices all over the globe.

There is a great deal in these full discs to enjoy. In particular, Turovsky’s amber toned cello playing, featured in a number of concerto movements is worth the price of admission. There is quite a lot of Baroque music featured, some of it adapted for modern forces by various skilled arrangers. I musici de Montreal is a modern instrument band, and although they perform with great sensitivity and taste, there is a good deal more vibrato in the string playing than is allowed by the period folk. Frankly, this richness of sound is rather refreshing to these ears and I am reminded of the great body of recordings made by Sir Neville Marriner and the ASMF, Jean Francois Paillard and his chamber orchestra, and the Italian ensemble, also known as I musici.

Other fine solos are delivered by Timothy Hutchins, particularly in the gorgeous Largo from Vivaldi’s Concerto in C for Sopranino recorder. Theodore Baskin also turns in some luscious playing in another Vivaldi work, this one an Oboe concerto, also in C. We get a goodly chunk of van Wassenaer’s Concerti armonico, works that for years were attributed to Italian boy genius Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, whose brilliant reputation led to all kinds of misleading publications after his tragic death and the tender age of twenty-six. These are lovely concertos, brimming with melody and rich harmonic suspensions, and the slow movements presented here are lovingly phrased.

Disc two is an interesting hodgepodge of old and new(er) music with items from the baroque sharing the stage with classical period, romantic and even a piece or two by more or less contemporary composers. Each selection, however is geared toward the theme of tranquility, and after a couple of hours of straight listening, I found myself going a bit numb from all the pretty slowness. With many of the excerpts coming in at under two minutes, I found that I barely had time to enjoy the music before it was over. Perhaps fewer works of somewhat more substantial length would have been a bit more engaging, but then again, that is a rather minor quibble.

Other highlights include a beautiful rendition of the Andante from Josef Suk’s E-flat serenade for strings. Suk is a composer that deserves to be heard more often in the concert hall, and this lovely excerpt is proof of that assertion. Borodin’s gorgeous Notturno from his second string quartet, here arranged by Lucas Drew for string orchestra receives a fine reading as does Samuel Barber’s ubiquitous Adagio, in a performance that spares us the gushy hyper-emotionalism of Leonard Bernstein’s lugubrious old recording.

Serious music buffs will likely thumb their noses at this compilation that is obviously designed to appeal to the “pretty music” set. But, for a long evening of peace and quiet, an elegant dinner party or a romantic encounter with one’s significant other, this attractively packaged set contains a lifetime’s worth of mood music, performed by a superb ensemble in top form. One can hope, however that the buyer will be inspired to explore the complete works from which these excerpts are taken. Slow and pretty is all fine and good, but the composers put forth complete sets of ideas in the works represented, and they are deserving of a full hearing.

MTT Brings Shostakovich to Life

2010-03-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)

Symphony No. 5 in d minor, Op. 47 (1937)

Documentary and performance by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

Michael Tilson Thomas

Recorded at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco and the Royal Albert Hall, London, 2007 as part of the SFSO’s “Keeping Score” series, an in depth look at works from the classical repertoire.

SFS MEDIA 8 21936 0026 9 8 [1:49:08]

In 1936, Josef Stalin, the repressive dictator of the Soviet Union, went to see a performance of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, an opera by the golden boy of Soviet Music, Dmitri Shostakovich. The young composer rushed to the theatre, hoping to bask in the glory of Stalin’s approval, only to discover to his horror that the communist leader had left in disgust after the first act. The next day, the now infamous Pravda editorial entitled Muddle instead of Music, which denounced Shostakovich as a composer of confusing, jarring noise appeared. The composer went immediately from socialist darling to a man in danger for his very life. Some believe that the only reason he was spared the gulags was because Stalin was in love with a patriotic song that Shostakovich had composed for a propaganda film some years earlier.

In a captivating hour of discussion, Michael Tilson Thomas plays heir to the legendary Leonard Bernstein as he teaches a fascinating lesson in musical analysis, political intrigue and biography. He dissects Shostakovich’s complicated score, exposing the composer’s protest, cleverly disguised as an apology. Did he compose a great patriotic score, or did he use every ounce of his genius to speak for a people oppressed and living in constant terror?

Tilson Thomas makes a strong case for the latter by pointing out the many subtle twists and turns of motif and harmony, revealing places where had Shostakovich chosen something as minute as a single different note, the outcome would have been completely different. In a well paced hour of discussion and musical examples, Thomas not only presents an intelligent analysis of the score, but he gives us a good look into the complex and tragic life of one of the twentieth century’s most significant musical figures.

Following the documentary, MTT leads the San Franciscans in a taut, well paced reading of the symphony from a 2007 appearance at the BBC Proms Concerts. There is no shortage of drama in the boldly dissonant opening movement, yet Thomas never resorts to the sort of extroverted emotionalism that was characteristic of Bernstein’s later readings. The brief scherzo is delivered with appropriate sarcasm, and then Thomas lowers the boom in this exquisite reading of the hauntingly personal third movement. Thomas places just enough hurt into the music to make the bitterly ironic final movement come across as the nose thumbing that it really is.

Production values are outstanding throughout, but I was disappointed that there was no documentation whatever in the booklet. Granted, Thomas tells you everything you need to know in the hour long documentary, but it would have been nice to have had some sort of outline to follow. This series would be a great aid to teachers teaching entry level music appreciation classes.

Bravo Royal Lane!

2010-03-19T14:29:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Royal Lane Baptist Church for having the guts to do what's right! In an article in the Metro section of yesterday's Dallas Morning News, Royal Lane went very public in their conviction to welcome any and all into the family of Christ, regardless of their gender, race, age, or sexual orientation.

Of course, the fundies are having a field day condemning RLBC for including such a sinful lifestyle as homosexuality in the church. Heaven's to Betsy, Jesus must be breaking dishes in heaven!

It speaks volumes as to the compassion and love that have always been hallmarks of Royal Lane to see them take such a public and, in Baptist circles, controversial stance.

Bless you RLBC, and may you long live and prosper to spread the love and acceptance (not hate and fear) that is message of Jesus Christ!

Some Nice Discoveries from the Baroque!

2010-03-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Johann Adolf HASSE (1699-1783)
Cantatas, Volume I

Come l’ape di fiore in fiore [4:28]
Il nome [15:21]
Sonata a tre in e minor for two flutes and basso continuo, Op. 3, No. 2 [8:49]
Chieggio ai gigli ed alle rose [10:03]
Sonata a tre in D, Op. 3 for two flutes and basso continuo, No. 3 [7:38]
E ver, mia Fille, e vero [12:46]
Muta e l’imago dell’idolo amato [4:48]

Lia Serafini (soprano)
Gabriella Martellacci (contralto)
Accademia del Ricercare
Pietro Busca

Recorded at Ex Salone Comunale, Verolergo, Italy, 17, 18 & 24 February, 2008.

BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93636 [64:00]

Johann Adolf Hasse, although German born, spent the bulk of his career in Italy, studied with the renowned Alessandro Scarlatti, spoke only Italian and composed vocal music exclusively in his adopted language, or in the case of sacred music, Latin. Although relegated to the sidelines in modern days, he was greatly respected in his day. Mozart held him in the same lofty company as Handel, and aspired to be himself remembered in such as league as Hasse.

Much of the vocal music presented on this elegant program has never been recorded before, and we have the Accademia del Ricercare to thank for bringing such engaging music back to life. Two fine soloists, soprano Lia Serafini and contralto Gabriella Martellacci alternate to present rich performances of arias and cantatas meant to entertain and impress guests in small intimate gatherings in the home. How lovely it is to hear a female contralto sing these lovely melodies instead of having to endure yet another failed baritone in the guise of a countertenor. (Note to conductors: unless you can get a Mark Crayton or a David Daniels, use girls!)

Hasse favored flutes as accompanying instruments but in keeping with common Baroque practice, any handy melodic instrument could be substituted, and we get superb playing from some outstanding Italian instrumentalists in both the wind and string sections. Of particular merit are the two dreamily charming trio sonatas from Op, 3, which are delivered with both serene airiness and sprightly rhythmic vitality.

Both vocal soloists deliver superb performances. Ms. Serafini’s light and radiant soprano is beautifully contrasted by Ms. Martellacci’s warm yet ever-clear contralto. Both ladies sing with distinct enunciation making the texts easy to understand. Both use ornamentation with ease, employing just enough to make things interesting without it getting in the way of the composer’s lilting melodies.

Kudos go to Brilliant Classics for joining Naxos and Arte Nova in bringing forth fascinating recordings at such a budget price. Program notes are informative and of just enough length to avoid being too academic or tiresome. Texts are provided, but sadly are presented only in the original language. If Brilliant can afford to translate the program note into three languages, why not the texts? Ahem!

Some Hasty Brahms

2009-10-26T18:07:00.000-07:00

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)

String Quartet No. 1 in c minor, Op. 51, No. 1 [34:33]

Piano Quintet in f minor, Op. 34 [43:21]

Quatour Ébène

Pierre Colombet (violin)

Gabriel Le Magadure (violin)

Mathieu Herzog (viola)

Raphaël Merlin (cello)

Akiko Yamamoto (piano)

Recorded at Ferme de villefavard en Limousin, France on 5-8 May 2008 (Quartet), and Fondation Singer-Polignac, Paris, 1-3 October, 2007 (Quintet).

VIRGIN CLASSICS 50999 216622 2 S [78:42]

Brahms’ Piano Quintet, which was published in 1865, saw several incarnations before taking on its masterful final form. It began life as string quintet with two cellos, modeled after Schubert’s famous example in C major. Neither Clara Schumann nor Joseph Joachim found much good to say about this initial effort. Brahms later cast the work as a sonata for two pianos, which pleased him, but was still met with a cold shoulder from his mentors. The conductor Hermann Levi encouraged Brahms to visit the composition a third time and in the summer of 1864, he finally created what was to be one of his finest examples of chamber music. The work was immediately declared a masterpiece by Clara, Joachim and Levi.

The stormy opening is full of sweeping gestures, thunderous episodes and complex rhythms. The Quatour Ébène and Akiko Yamamoto tear into the music with youthful abandon, and although their playing is of the highest technical order, I found the tempi to be rushed and breathless, leaving little room to express Brahms’ sweeping lines and seldom allowing phrases to settle before the next one is begun. Things go better in the slow movement where the music is allowed to breathe more and there is elegance in the turns of phrase. The Scherzo and trio hops along at good pace and the finale is performed with confidence and power in spite of the tendency to again rush a bit. Overall balance is fine and there is good give and take between the players, each allowing the other a moment in the sun where needed.

The same observations can be made of the String Quartet, a work that caused Brahms a bit of apprehension given the shadow of his predecessors Brahms and Schubert and their supreme achievements in the genre. Again, the ensemble seems too often to be on the verge of a loss of control where tempos are concerned. Too often I heard unseated phrases, gestures that were not given enough time to breathe and come to completion before the next idea was barreled into. Things were better in the slow movements, and it is evident that this group can play with a sense of lyricism when it has a mind to. It would have been nice to have heard a little more self-control in the outer movements though instead of just pure virtuosity for its own sake.

A Little Sample of von Karajan's Ego

2009-10-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

Herbert von Karajan, Maestro for the Screen
A film by Georg Wübbolt. (2008)

ARTHAUS MUSIC 101459 [52:00]

Herbert von Karajan was not only one of music’s giant conductors; he was without a doubt in possession of one of its most giant egos. In an effort to secure his place in history, he left behind a huge trove of filmed performances, oftentimes reworking music from the standard repertoire with each new development in technology. The result is a trove of hundreds of hours of performances that document Herbert von Karajan. Oh yeah, and there is some pretty nice background music by Beethoven, Bach, Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, and Brahms et. al.

Georg Wübbolt has put together and interesting portrait of Karajan the technology buff by using very candid interviews by some of the key people who helped make his films possible. He speaks with members of the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras, Karajan’s personal secretary, music journalists, directors and key figures in the recording and television industry.

Karajan was practically unrivaled in his use of technology. The only other superstar musician to exploit the media so completely was Leonard Bernstein, who was rather a constant thorn in Karajan’s side having adopted especially the use of television some years earlier than his German colleague. Members of the Berlin Philharmonic began to have a love-hate relationship with Karajan’s media exploits, being annoyed at the amount of focus being placed on the conductor as opposed to the music and the orchestra, but at the same time, relishing the considerable extra income they received from the filming sessions and royalties. Much emphasis was placed upon appearances and musicians were forbidden from wearing beards and bald players were required to wear wigs.

Karajan’s relationships with film directors were often nightmares and after a few years, Karajan became his own director, further slanting all of his projects to be all about him. Whether or not the music suffered from the conductor’s ego can be debated. What is certain however is that Karajan was an innovator and pioneer, and despite his self-centered nature, he was a master musician. As such, he delivered the goods with the orchestra. His interpretations of the standard repertoire, particularly the romantic literature are often second to none.

This brief documentary (in German with French, Spanish, English and Italian subtitles) is a rather fascinating look at a man of tremendous talent and ability who for good or ill left an indelible stamp on the world of classical music. It is most interesting to see how the filming of music performances evolved from the earliest television broadcasts into the 1990s and how von Karajan learned, adapted and developed with the technology and the times. I am not sure that this is a DVD that deserves a permanent place on the shelf, but it is definitely worth renting once or twice.

Some Lovely Choral Music from Rheinberger

2009-10-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

Joseph RHEINBERGER (1839-1901)

Sacred and Secular Choral Music

Morgenlied [4:49]

Abendlied [2:29]

Warum toben die Heiden [3:03]

Es spricht der Tor in seinem Herzen [3:06]

Adoramus te [3:11]

Ave vivens hostia [3:36]

Salve Regina [3:25]

Dextera Domini [2:36]

Eripe me [3:52]

Missa Sanctissimae Trinitas, Op. 117 [16:40]

Waldblumen, Op. 124 [18:52]

Regensburger Domspatzen

Georg Ratzinger, conductor

Eberhard Kraus, organ

Recorded July 12-15, 1993 at St. Emmeran, Regensburg and at the Tonhalle der Regensburger Domspatzen.

ARS MUSICI 232154 [67:09]

Joseph Rheinberger belongs to that large swathe of composers whom musicologists term “minor masters.” Usually well respected or even famous in their own time, for whatever reason these often prolific and highly skilled craftsmen have failed the test of time. Thanks to the seemingly endless thirst for underperformed or undiscovered works in the digital age, a number of these musicians have made a post-mortem comeback. One such composer is Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger, a man of considerable ability whose refined technique and graceful style might easily compare favorably to that of the early romantics such as Schubert and Schumann and especially Mendelssohn, a composer with whom Rheinberger shared a very similar harmonic language.

Choral and instrumental music shared an equal place in Rheinberger’s output. His deep personal faith is reflected in his many works for the church which include numerous motets and mass settings and a sizeable collection of pieces for the organ. His intimate knowledge of renaissance counterpoint and thorough grounding in classical forms make for a winsome combination in his compositions. Couple his taut formal structure with a delicious harmonic language and you get music that is always pleasing to the ear.

This performance was a pleasant surprise to these ears, ears that as a rule find men and boys choirs a bit of a chore to listen to for very long. Over the years I have found that many a cathedral choir lacks the elements that make for a good choral sound. The boys are often shrill, the men harsh and abrasive and the blend nonexistent. Not so this choir which was initially established in the year 975! Truly deserving of their international reputation, this ensemble sings with a sweet and refined tone and with unanimity of sound that allows these gorgeous harmonies to ring out. This is the kind of music that is just awful if sung out of tune. With its predominance of dominant seventh harmonies and subtle shifts of tonality, one wrong turn can lead to an intonation disaster. Maestro Ratzinger shapes lovely phrases and only seldom is there a hint that a third or two might be pushed a little higher.

Highlights in this consistently fine recital include the lovely and contrasting Morgenlied with its joyous and sweeping melodies, and the intimately prayerful Abendlied with its text from the gospel of Luke in which the disciples implore Jesus to remain with them as the night is falling and they are afraid. Also of merit is the compact Missa Sanctissimae Trinitas, a work that is sharply contrasting to the expansive and glorious Cantus missa,(not recorded here) which is scored for double choir and won the composer a special citation from the Pope.

Rheinberger shows the influence of Schubert and Schumann in the charming set of nature poems Waldblumen. These little songs about the birds and the flowers are quite charming indeed, but Ars Musici are most remiss in providing no translations for the texts, an inexcusable act for an international release. That little flaw notwithstanding, this is a delightful collection of music, sure to please casual and serious listeners alike.

Elegant Chamber Music

2009-09-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924)

Piano Quintet No. 1 in d minor, Op. 89 (1905-6) [30:59]
Piano Quintet no 2 in c minor, Op. 115 (1921) [32:17]

Cristina Ortiz (piano)
Fine Arts Quartet: Ralph Evans and Efim Boico (violins); Yuri Gandelsman (viola); Wolfgang Lanfer (cello)

Recorded at the Performance Arts Center at purchase College, Theater C, Purchase NY, 20-22 December 2007.

NAXOS 8.570938 [63:24]

Gabriel Fauré was the youngest child in a family of six, the son of a school administrator and teacher with aristocratic connections. Encouraged as a child to pursue his musical interests, he was fortunate enough to study with Camille Saint-Saëns, with whom he maintained a close relationship until the elder composer’s death in 1921. Fauré would begin his career as a teacher and organist in smaller parishes, all the while composing songs. Ever self-critical, particularly where larger musical forms were concerned, it would be a few years into his career before he established himself as a major composer and pedagogue. Eventually his career would take him to the organ benches of several major Paris churches and to the directorship of the Paris Conservatoire, where his pupils would include the likes of Koechlin, Ravel and Nadia Boulanger to name but some of the stars.

Unlike many composers, Fauré seemed to have lived a charmed life, free from much of the poverty and personal stress that faced many of his predecessors and colleagues. He held steady jobs in worthwhile institutions throughout his career, was happily married and raised two sons, and lived to see his work internationally respected and to leave a legacy in the hands of several renowned composers that were his pupils. Consequently, his music reflects the serenity of his life. Although it never lacks passion, it seldom contains much angst, and as such has a soothing quality about it that makes most any work from his pen immediately appealing.

Harmonically, Fauré was a bridge figure between the romantics and the more modernist composers that were to be both his contemporaries and successors. Although often subtly adventuresome, his harmonic vocabulary never strays far afield and yet has a certain individuality that makes it both instantly appealing and rather difficult to play, given its tendency to turn right when you expect left, as it were.

These two major works of chamber music are nothing short of masterpieces, and show the care and time that Fauré took in composing them. At times dreamy, as in the opening movement of Op. 89 with its delicious d minor piano arpeggios, at others luminescent as in the gorgeous Andante of Op. 115. This is music that is indeed melodic, but not necessarily tuneful. In other words, a listener will get up having had a beautiful experience but perhaps not whistling any themes.

Cristina Ortiz and the Fine Arts Quartet are very welcome additions to Naxos’ endless supply of fine artists, giving us performances that are marked by understated virtuosity, subtle shadings of color and finely honed ensemble playing. The strings perform with a shimmering uniformity of tone and the balance between the keyboard and strings is never off. Ms. Ortiz has had a distinguished career as a soloist, her early concerto recordings of Villa-Lobos and Shostakovich garnering her many rave reviews. Here as a chamber musician, she proves herself to be similarly superior, playing with verve and panache, and as a complete partner in the music making.

This is music of immeasurable elegance. Yes, there are technical challenges to be met, but this ensemble plays with such refined finesse that the only thing that comes across is beauty. These are performances in which a listener can simply luxuriate, thoroughly enjoying the wash of sound that comes out of the speakers. Let’s hope that these artists come together again soon. Perhaps some Brahms and Schumann? Shostakovich maybe? The possibilities are exciting just to think about!

Some Flawless Violin Magic from James Ehnes

2009-09-22T16:07:00.000-07:00

JAMES EHNES IN RECITAL

Disc One

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)

Tzigane [10:44]

Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré [2:50]

Sonata for Violin and Piano in g Major [18:40]

Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)

Sonata for Violin and Piano in g minor [13:26]

Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)

Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in d minor, Op. 75 [22:41]

Disc Two

Henryk WIENIAWSKI (1835-1880)

Polonaise brilliante No. 2 in A, Op. 21 [8:32]

Polonaise No. 1 in D, Op. 4 [5:30]

Mazurka (Obertass) Op. 19, No. 1 [2:01]

Scherzo-Tarantella, Op. 16 [4:36]

Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 15 [11:06]

Pablo de SARASATE (1844-1908)

Spanish Dances, op. 21 [9:42]

Spanish Dances, op. 22 [9:50]

Spanish Dances, op. 23 [8:21]

Introduction and Tarantella [5:00]

James Ehnes (violin)

Wendy Chen (piano, disc one)

Eduard Laurel (piano, disc two)

Recorded December 20 and 22, 1999 at the Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto (disc one) and May 20-21, 2003 (disc two).

CBC RECORDS MVCD 1177-2 Disc One [68:17] Disc Two [65:34]

James Ehnes is almost without question the finest violinist of his generation, and as his career grows and he adds maturity to his immense talent, will surely soon rank as one of the greatest in history. Possessed of a flawless technique (British violinist Jack Liebeck once told me that his playing was “bulletproof”) and peerless musicality, Ehnes has a remarkable ability to shift from style to style with complete ease and facility. Whether playing big romantic concertos with the world’s finest orchestras or in this recital with piano, Ehnes is totally in his element, pulling off challenge after challenge with utter ease, poise and control.

In this combination of French masterpieces and Spanish fluff, Ehnes shows off both his serious side and his penchant for flashy showmanship. He pulls both off with aplomb and good taste. Joined by pianist Wendy Chen for a collection of staples from the impressionist canon, Ehnes plays with spot on intonation and natural sound. Of particular merit is the Ravel Sonata, which flows from dreamy to sexy to almost raunchy with its blues movement. Ehnes plays with silky elegance while not eschewing a foray or two into pure cabaret sensuality. Saint-Saëns more classic harmonies make for a pleasant contrast to all the languid impressionism of Debussy and Ravel. A composer that should be far more respected than he is, Saint-Saëns never ceases to amaze as one of the true musical craftsmen of his era. There is nary a genre in which he is not completely facile. His writing is idiomatic, his sense of form and structure are all but flawless and his works have a way of sticking to your musical ribs in a way few other composers’ music can. Ehnes and Chen spin out line after seamless line to make this tuneful showpiece a thrilling ending to the first disc of this set.

Joined on disc two by his long time recital partner Eduard Laurel, Ehnes gives us a sizable program of virtuoso gems from two of the better nineteenth century musical circus acts, Wieniawski and Sarasate. If you are seeking depth and profundity here you won’t find it, but you will leave the room satisfied with some catchy tunes and amazed at how easily James Ehnes can execute every technical magic trick in the book. I confess that I am not really as in love with this music as I am the French, but one cannot help but sit back in awe of just how well this music is performed. Alas, Mr. Laurel, who has in other outings has proven himself to be a pianist of exceptional abilities, does not get to shine in the way that Ms. Chen does in the more demanding works of the first disc. Nonetheless he seems to have a good time and plays with panache.

To date, I have not found a bad recording in all the discs that Mr. Ehnes has released and this is no exception. Now that he has recorded a great deal of the classic repertoire, it would be great fun to hear him tackle some more modern works. Maybe Paul Moravec will compose a sonata or concerto for Mr. Ehnes. Good idea, no?

A New Piano Discovery

2009-07-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)

Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight) [16:03]

Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)

Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 [28:13]

Frederic CHOPIN (1810-1839)

Fantasie Op. 49 in f minor. [13:02]

Kevin Kenner (piano)

Recorded at the Opole Philharmonic Concert Hall, February 2008.

DUX 0633 [55:57]

The idea of the Fantasy (Fantasie, Fantasia, Phantasy…pick your preferred spelling) has been around for a few hundred years. And why not? What would be more tempting to a composer than to let his or her imagination run free, unrestrained by the rules of form? Works by some of the earliest keyboard composers in the early sixteenth century bear the title. The romantic composers had a field day with the genre, producing some magnificent and original works.

Beethoven’s two sonatas Opus 27, which bear the name “quasi una fantasia”, make use of this musical free-wheeling in their opening movements. The “Moonlight” so named by the poet Heinrich Rellstab when he commented that the first movement reminded him of the moonlight over Lake Lucerne, opens with what in other hands could have been a monotonous chord progression of broken traids, followed by a rather out of character and jaunty second movement, and ends with a c-sharp minor thunderstorm by which a pianist could easily sprain a wrist.

Robert Schumann’s collection of miniatures is intentionally programmatic, each with whimsical titles. Rapid-fire shifts of emotion mark these gems that can at one moment lull the listener into reveries and at the next send him bolting out of his easy-chair.

Chopin gives us a work on a far grander scale, a composition that runs the gamut of emotions from serenity to broad rushes of emotional turbulence.

It is all delivered with great finesse by the American Pianist Kevin Kenner, heretofore unknown to me, but who seems to have established a fine working relationship with the Polish Dux label. A musician of excellent pedigree, Mr. Kenner plays with great technical authority and with a fine sensitivity to structure, form, tonal shading and expression. Perfectly able to exhibit technical brilliance, Mr. Kenner chooses to disguise his prowess in subtleties rather than to blast us with unseemly keyboard pyrotechnics. His playing of the much over-recorded Beethoven sonata is governed with impeccable taste. Even the flashy finale is rendered with much elegance, with careful attention to inner voices, and with special care to make the perpetual arpeggios come across with clarity and precision.

His Schumann can be positively dreamy where allowed; powerful and authoritative where appropriate. The contrast between Evening with its serene melody and Soaring with its jet engine power is so pronounced that the shift between movements can be startling.

Finally, Mr. Kenner delivers a beautifully restrained account of Chopin’s Op. 49. It is so easy to romp through Chopin’s music just to show off, and somewhat rare to find a player who has discovered the poetry in the music. Kenner is just such a musician, and he is able, through carefully crafted phrasing and a fine singing melodic line to bring off this music in such a way as to never belie its technical sand traps.

As always, the highest compliment I can pay to a recording is that it left me wanting to hear more from the artist. This is just such a disc. Kevin Kenner is a fine discovery; one that I hope will come to even more international attention in the future.