Rafaele Carpino sources Mauro Giuliani guitar works

Mauro Giuliani was the pre-eminent guitar virtuoso of the early 19th Century. And, as was the practice, virtually all of his compositions were for his instrument. 

This release features six works, four of which in Giuliani's favorite form -- theme and variations. 

Guitarist Rafaele Carpino is also a historiographer of the instrument. For this recording, he uses the first edition scores of the music. 

That's important because Giuliani's music has been tweaked by different editors over the centuries. One of the significant differences here is that Carpino observes all of Giuliani's notated reprises. 

Yes, it does lengthen the works. But it also changes their shape. The reprises bring the listener back home to the theme after the wide-ranging voyages of Giuliani's variations. 

Carpino performs with precision and taste. His phrasing is elegant and often helps the listener follow the often-obscured melody. 

A beautiful recording with a fresh take on familiar music.

Mauro Giuliani: Guitar Works 

Rafaele Carpino, guitar 

Tactus TC 780704 

Concurrences - music of Iceland refreshingly diverse

This release features all world premiere recordings by Icelandic composers. If there's a common thread that gives this music an "Icelandic" quality, I didn't hear it. What I did hear were four talented composers expressing themselves in four very different ways. 

The Iceland Symphony Orchestra directed by Daniel Bjarnason delivers exciting performances of some very difficult music. And the ensemble exceptionally well-recorded, too. The fine details revealed in the recording are essential to the success of some of these works. 

Anna Thorvaldsdottir's "Metacosmos" starts the program. It's a tightly-knit web of motifs. They interact, change, yet always retain their identities.

The Piano Concerto No. 2 of Thomasson is quite different. The work builds slowly in a minimalist fashion. Rhythmic patterns play against each other, increasing in tension as the work progresses. The shifting relationships between the patterns and those between the piano and orchestra seem to reinvent the concept of the concerto. 

"Oceans" by Sogfimsttir reminded me slightly of Kaija Saariaho. But only slightly. Sgfimstter uses long, sustained chords that change very slowly over time. But her sound clouds have a thicker texture than Sarriahos. This is a work of contemplative beauty. 

Palsson's work "Quake" also reminded me of another work -- the "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima" by Penderecki. While similar, the emotional center of the work is quite different. Quake communicates mystery and foreboding rather than sorrow. Saeunn Thorsteindóttir, cello;

 

This is actually the second volume in this series. I'm very sorry I missed the first.

Concurrence 

Music by Anna Torvaldsdóttir, Hauker Tómasson, Maria Huld Markan Sifgusdóttir, Páll Ragnar Palsson 

Iceland Symphony Orchestra; Daniel Bjarnason, conductor 

Sono Luminus DSL-92237 

World Premier Recordings 

Voting should be more than a once-in-a-lifetime experience

It looks like the 2020 election will have one of the highest turnouts ever. If this is the first election you've participated in, thank you for being a responsible citizen. But please don't consider this a one-shot.

Every year you, dear citizen, have the opportunity to make equally important decisions. Yes, national leaders steer the country as a whole. But what impacts all of us most is what happens locally. 

Concerned about taxes? Then vote to decide who will set the state tax rates, the county tax rates, and perhaps your town or municipality tax rates. 

The President doesn't determine if the town sewer system's going to get that much-needed repair -- the town council does. And they decide who gets to do it -- be it a competent contractor or incompetent inlaw. 

And remember -- the appointed officials in your local government are selected by your elected ones. So if you don't the job your planning commission is doing, express your displeasure in your vote for the officials that hired them.

Case in point. Our local board of supervisors met in person for their August meeting. It made headlines. "Orange County investigated by health officials after unmasked supervisors hold first meeting in pandemic era."

Our fearless -- no, make that feckless -- leaders.

Our local leaders all walked into the room, through the doors with "masks required" signs, and sat down -- all without masks. They conducted their business and did grip-and-grin photos to present citations and awards -- all without masks. 

When interviewed, one supervisor said it was a "personal decision" not to wear a mask.

Fine. 

I will make a personal decision myself the next time my supervisor comes up for reelection. 

So for all you first-time (or first-in-a-long-time voters), good on you. If you truly care about democracy, I'll see you again at the polls next year.

Morton Feldman - For John Cage

"For John Cage" is one of the seven musical portraits Morton Feldman composed for friends. And it's the third issued by Bridge Records. 

"For John Cage" doesn't quote any of Cage's music, but Feldman perfectly captures his aesthetic, I think. This 71-minute piece draws the listener in, and heightens their awareness of the ambient sounds -- and silences -- around them. 

This has to be a difficult work to perform. The entire piece is played at piano or pianissimo. The piano (one stave only) and violin have equal weight. Often both instruments are playing the same motifs, but not exactly.

The piano's half-pedal slightly smears its notes, while the violin's are cleanly articulated. Rhythms are slightly mismatched. The precise notes of the piano grind against microtonal inflections of those same pitches on the violin.

All of these differences though are quite subtle. The soft volume throughout encourages attentive listening -- and that's when those differences become apparent.

Erik Carlson and Aleck Karis deliver a tremendous performance. It takes extraordinary control to play softly for so long. And to do so expressively even more so.

This music reveals something new with every listen. And the more carefully you listen, the greater the rewards.

Morton Feldman, Vol. 6
For John Cage
Erik Carlson, violin; Aleck Karis, piano
Bridge Records 9498

Spam Roundup October, 2020

There's spam, and then there's spam so oddly written it's somewhat amusing. Here's a roundup of some of the "best" comments I received this month from spambots around the world.

I'm sorry, what?

 - Nice on both you and your somebody has a intimately-outlined pouring body part. [My body parts don't pour, though they are poor.]

 - Businesses are always take to ask during the discourse and the info and processes participating.

 - Forbid the near ability to see the results of your cheeks. regain the gross iciness. [I hate that feeling of gross iciness.] 

 -  If not, you should ever familiarize yourself with your whispered earned medium of exchange to expend national leader wealth. [My whispered earned medium of exchange is certainly nothing to shout about.]

Lumbering Along still pulls in the bots

My modest post about a cheap Japanese toy remains popular. The Straco Express Layout, Part 23 - Lumbering Along is in no way related to the comments it generates.

 - Thank you a lot for sharing this with all folks you really understand what you're speaking about! 

 - I get pleasure from, result in I discovered just what I was taking a look for. [Glad I could pleasure you.]

 - This piece of writing is actually nice and I have learned lot of things from it. [You sound surprised.] 

 - Howdy, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam feedback? [You mean like this?]

Then there's this

 - Get a decrease on machine protection reward by fosterage your nipper,

Words fail me. More next month!