David Ayers

There is duty and handling charge to pay when the quoted value of the item(s) is over 15 UKP i.e. about $23. So one CD is fine, but after that...

For me that's $30 plus $23 S&H to UK plus UK duty @20% on the value of the item AND the shipping cost, plus the delivery service's handling charge of approx. $12 for charging the duty = ok you can see where this is going. Over $75.

Here's more or less what's going on: In the A sections, there are five even notes (or rests) in every four-beat measure. The bridge is mostly in three, but there are four even notes in every three-beat measure. There are a few little quirks, but that's more or less it. In my public school teaching days, I used to amuse myself when I had morning bus duty by practicing fours against threes and fives against fours with different hands. Thank you. And, yikes.

Can somebody explain 'Five' to me? I can't follow it.

Thanks for the report. She has a record deal with Decca, so far three titles in maybe two years, and seems to be touring hard. You can't be Yo-Yo Ma any more, but you can be Alisa Weilerstein. And record Elliott Carter on your first CD...

Or posting on their bloody stupid bulletin boards.

I find Aura pretty ear-tickling from beginning to end. Amazing near- static chords with slightly shifting (dis)colorations, lovely transitions between contrasting instrumental groups, delightful details and shading. I shall keep Magnus as my own special private friend. Although he is composer in residence with the LPO for the next three years, so I may have to share him.

Well, streaming is the new PD on this board. This is a commercial decision by the label in conjunction with the artist to maximise revenue by not on this occasion using the Spotify platform, and in doing so generate publicity. Nothing really follows from that. U2 went the opposite way and distributed their album for free on iTunes. So what, either way.

If we are to apply a swift test on Aho using Mom's parallel with Hindemith, we can arrive at a quick judgement. The works offered up for consideration have been the Insect and Luosto symphonies. How do these measure up to Mathis? The answer is, not at all. Re. Lindberg, Larry, I think you have it wrong - Aura is a subtle work and not all Star Wars at all. Lindberg is no Boulez, but I still do not think that the charge of 'civic modernism' sticks to him. And Lindberg really does get performed a lot - take a look at the history of performances at his Boosey and Hawkes page. I haven't performed a similar exercise for Aho, Rautavaara, Saariaho, or any of the usual Danes, but I suspect that they travel less well, so to speak. would welcome correction on that if someone wants to dig out the data from their publishers.

The Boston Symphony is magnificent and worth planning a visit.

The first Lindberg I heard was Aura, when Salonen conducted it with the Philharmonia. Quite a show, and I followed up with the CD of that work with BBCSO/Knussen and also the Philharmonia CD released in association with the concerts, which includes Cantigas (with oboe) and the Cello Concerto. The former I especially like. How much Lindberg I need is another question. I sampled the Ondine 4-CD collection on Spotify and concluded that it was more than I'd get round to. I have the Ondine CD of the Violin Concerto, as yet unplayed. The Clarinet Concerto I have so far ducked. What I know of his music though I have lived with. For most contemporary composers that's what I need - enough that I can know and care about. But if they are successful they have to write a lot. That's what makes it hard to know where and whether to begin. For me it is quite a good guide if the work actually gets performed - someone thinks it is worth doing. The violin concerto has been adopted by more than one violinist, for example, which is a start, though as it happens I never heard anyone actually do it. Whether and where to start, how long to stay. Questions questions. Re. Star Wars, Penderecki wrote the real music for Darth Vader. Nothing for the rebels though.

Nice one! You DO have to have it!

It's not that I wanted there to be more.

Concerto for Contrabassoon. Surely the only one ever - ? ...but no, Gunther Schuller wrote one, there are some short baroque-y ones, after that not sure...

Well, mom's the word on this one. I am auditing the 'Insect' symphony. I have now been twice through Luosto, which I started with first as I thought the project of writing 'outdoor music' (as in Music for the Royal Fireworks) was an interesting starting point. I don't love the wordless vocals though was otherwise more drawn on the second and more attentive listen. That said, I am not sure whether the freedom to 'do what one likes' - the merciless freedom of all capable contemporary composers - risks also in translating into 'now this happens' 'now this happens' - which I hear often in contemporary music. That can be though because the works are complicated and you don't always get the logic and feel, either in yourself or indeed in the performance. I shall press on. Re. Nordic composers, I have enjoyed investigating quite a few, but don't feel sure that some of these figures are not over-promoted by their national arts mechanisms. Among this 'Nordic' group I find Magnus Lindberg very compelling and very much to my liking. So far he's the only one I have really taken to...

I have never heard anything by Aho in concert, and had therefore never investigated. The local Blackwells had ten copies of the BIS SACD of his Ludus Solemnis; Works by or with Organ, as well as one or two other titles. Ten copies, so either they accidentally over-ordered or for some reason were promoting that disc heavily. Ten copies, so ten ordered and none sold. Anyway, I wondered if there were some reason for promoting Aho, a local following or something, or whether he is a cult figure and I don't know it. Rather than impulse purchase, I went over to Spotify and checked his Luosto Symphony and Contrabassoon Concerto. Nether work made much impact, though it wasn't the most concentrated listen. But I'd hate to miss out on a cult, so I am wondering if anyone has any knowledge of Aho they would like to share. An academic composer strongly promoted by a local orchestra and an effective conductor, with the help of a label fond of and looking for projects - or something more?

Influence with regard to procedure, a resemblance evident only to analysis, or regarding imitation in passing, which amounts to not much and is an odd endorsement.

...some classical training...Chopin... Faint praise.

Yes, origin of shawm is North Africa, I believe. From there, up into Spain.

I'm not sure but I get the impression that these only exist in reconstructions, that no older ones exist. Here's where you get them http://www.earlymusicshop.com/Browse.aspx/en-GB/store27_arrangement532/1/ As for transposing, no-one now would write for them and anything authentic you might play on a shawm would not be written in modern script, so I guess that transposing doesn't come into it. Enjoy browsing that store, which goes back decades and is one of the centres of the early music revival. Re. tuning system, these early music people are sticklers for all sorts of supposed authenticity, so who knows...

Well they are in different keys depending on type, but also wondering whether they build them A = 440 or what...

I suppose I was just wondering what tuning system they use....

Yeah I dumped Blackberry for iphone. I really don't see how they can make a comeback even with previous customers, let alone with new ones.

Oh sure I know there's people play it. Here's a famous early revival. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5XZihrNu3io&client=mv-vf-uk&safesearch=always

I had Dewey Redman in mind too. That and annoying the neighbors.