David Ayers

I've never been to hear an oboe concerto, and the only non-baroque one that seems to get done with any kind of regularity in concert is that of Strauss. On disk it sometimes appears with oboe works by Martinu and Francaix which I don't think much of, and indeed I am not so fond of the Strauss but it stands up if you like it. On the modern front there is the Elliott Carter oboe concerto, good enough but maybe not the most important Carter. There are three oboe concertos by Bruno Maderna, who should have earned some special plaudit (other than his legendary status) for service to oboe and orchestra. There is also music for oboe and orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm but I don't know it. I've noticed a few around by conservative composers but don't know them (even if I have heard them, I can't remember them!). Wind quintets meet your bill quite well, I think, since they usually have oboe and bassoon. People often mention the Nielsen, I'd pick out those by Ligeti, and quite a few composers have had a go (notably Hindemith and Schoenberg). Depends how much wind quintet you can stand (in my case not too much). That's what comes to mind for now... Edited to add: I guess Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments would go a long way to satisfy you in this vein, too.

My dog wraps himself up in his blanket so that he is entirely covered and the blanket is tucked in all the way around him. Or so that just his head is poking out. I have no idea how he does it. He's a staffie so not super clever. How unusual is this? (Guess I should post a pic...)

I'm with you on that. Surprising, isn't it?

That's the streaming cost, right? Different world.

I'm not a Jarrett fan, by a long chalk, but I find this a nice set, and there is something to be said for listening to a series of five related concerts instead of one concert five (or fifty) times over.

Best (if belated ) wishes!

He's holding a soprano sax on the cover photo for Monoceros! Chicago Solo was his first (and only?) solo tenor venture.

I guess we are basically talking about his solo recordings on soprano sax here, and I guess a good place to start is with one of the solo recordings on Incus (Saxophone Solos is probably easier to find than Monoceros). Other things to try include probably something with Alex Schlippenbach, more of a 'free jazz' context, and definitely some group improv with Guy and/or Lytton (Tracks, or Hook, Drift and Shuffle which also features George Lewis), or with Bailey and/or Stevens (Topography of the Lungs). I like early period Parker so favor the Incus recordings. You might also try the electronic material which is is less abrasive (on ECM). Really though we have discussed Parker here in terms of one aspect of his work he is actually quite adaptable and over time has pursued a number of different (if related) aesthetics. I'd say start with those early period Incus releases. If you want just two go for Saxophone Solos and Topography of the Lungs. The first call for Parker information is here: http://efi.group.shef.ac.uk/mparker.html, as for all European Free Improv discography etc.

I like Randy's answer a lot. This 'trance' element is only one aspect of Parker's aesthetic, mainly realized on soprano. Incidentally I'd say the trance idea is found in some of the Eastern musics which Coltrane was studying, and therefore I think there is more continuity between Coltrane and Parker than Randy does. It actually does go back to 'where's the melody?', and in that respect the notion of rapidly fluctuating variation against a heard or implied harmonic framework is a constant from Parker to Parker.

Agreed. I gave up.

See These are reissues of the earlier 24-bit post-RVG series.

Pete King http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_King_(saxophonist) is not to be confused with Peter King http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_King_(saxophonist).

You know, this is not a bad question. There really are a lot of potential answers, but from my personal point of view it is a question of works which I have heard in performance and which preferably have some sort of performance tradition. I'll pick a handful and see where that leaves me: Boulez, Notations (orchestral version: surprise choice?) Ligeti, Violin Concerto (as a composition I'd pick the Piano Concerto, I suppose) Rihm, Gesungene Zeit (violin concerto as played and also recorded by ASM) Lindberg, Aura (big bold and um a bit hollow I guess, but fun) Tippett, King Priam (would I spend much time with the recording? I've got it and never do, but I'd go and see it again any day) Ades, The Tempest (the recording exposes the faults - it comes across in performance and on record as a series of chunks, but seeing it done is well worthwhile) Birtwistle, Secret Theatre (a few of his I'd go for, but this is wonderful in performance) OK I said only a few. Of things I know from record that I am desperate to hear done I'd put Henze 9th Symphony at the top (I missed it at Proms: I kick myself over that) and I would love to hear El Cimmaron done too. Henze day at Barbican coming up mid-Jan so chance to hear Voices, some orchestral works, and Phaedra. Things I know only from record but still rotate around in some way include the string quartets of Rihm and Maxwell Davies. All that Rautavaara, Aho etc stuff does nothing for me - just not up to speed IMO and no real performance tradition here in UK. I guess quite a few other things I heard done at one time or another were pretty kickass though whether you want to pore over the records is another matter - I'll throw in George Benjamin, Antara, and Boulez, Sur Incises (OK that stands up well on record!) and - Oh, I'll stop there....

Funny. In fact what she wants is a Mulberry handbag. Trust me, she does. Make sure you get one a similar size to her current bag, and certainly not any smaller.

'Don't mention the war. I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it.'

These are 'new' TOCJ.

Ah! Came to this late - thanks for the news! That is what this board is about!

Yes you can - people on this board can afford *everything* - it's a condition of entry! Oh some may pretend they can't, but when the last chance arrives they can, my friend, o they can... I know for a fact that one board member happily sold his body to get the $2 he needed to buy up some Earl Klugh LPs in a garage sale. And with the change he bought a broken hairdryer. He's gonna fix that up as soon as he can figure out how. And then, use the time he saves on towel drying to check out those Earl Klugh LPs. Call it Karma.

Well, I hope they pay as much per infringement as the illegal downloaders they occasionally clobber. RCMP Piracy Warning: 'Canadian compilation CDs are illegal, and they're killing music' etc. [heh heh - OK let me enjoy this - for once it's not European copyright issues...]

Well yeah, but I've heard Boulez speak quite a few times and he is lucid and charming - really quite good with an audience.

Yeah some truth in that! I suppose the main thing I dislike is the way that recent and contemporary music is downplayed in favour of endless core repertoire and as you say 'essential' versions (which are frequently just old favourites and don't seem to embody music as a living practice). I could go on...

Here's my top ten: Ligeti, Piano Concerto Boulez, Sur Incises Shostakovich, Leningrad Symphony Henze, Gogo No Eiko Tristan und Isolde Mahler 7 no wait 9 no wait 2 no wait Stravinsky, Firebird Khovanshchina Henze 9 Ligeti, Violin Concerto I'll have another ten for you tomorrow. By way of saying I hate these conservative and consumerist lists.

Yes - Argo LPS683 is the stereo version; issued in 1961. MG Murky bow-coop

So - my original (?) LP is mono - is there a sterero version? (Kickass session, btw)

Felicidad of the old cumpleanos, mon vieux, in a seaside town which I do not remember, poised in the quiet Parisian cafe with the cracked plaster, under the sounds of substitute diminished chords sounded in a hairsbreadth........oh and did I say this is not for the record, in the Largo di Torre Argentina, you've been out painting the town, I tried to avoid all of this but I can't, but where...