T.D.

I strongly second the recommendation of Bylsma (the earlier of his two recordings, reissued on Sony Essential Classics) for the cello suites. Didn't mention it earlier b/c the OP said he was "in OK shape there". Re. the reviews at earlier cited link: I'd use that source as a data point but not gospel. I recall one of the more frequent reviewers there as somewhat of a nut-job poster on rec.music.classical.recordings. [Disclaimer: I gave up reading Usenet newsgroups several years ago, the proximate cause being the Joyce Hatto furore on r.m.c.r., which has been discussed at length in old threads (which I can't figure out how to recall) on this forum.]

Re. the Matthäuspassion, I was dumbfounded when an excerpt figured prominently in the soundtrack of Martin Scorsese's film Casino (though it was a pleasant surprise in some sense). Apparently the recording used is on London with Solti conducting; it's got an all-star cast, but I've never heard it (aside from the soundtrack excerpt).

I really like the Partitas for keyboard. Favorite recording so far is Schepkin (piano) on Ongaku (probably oop). With Easter coming up, have to mention the Saint Matthew Passion. I have only the Gardner (DG) recording, which is good, but can't make any comparison with others. The B Minor Mass is also an excellent piece, but I haven't heard enough recordings to recommend one - I only have it as part of a Brilliant Classics set. For sure the Goldberg Variations: I've heard several on piano and can't really give a favorite (Gould is an obvious starter), and have only heard Hantai (who's very good) on harpsichord. Can second the above rec. of • Arthur Grumiaux: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, BWV 1001-1006 – 2CD, Philips

Agreed.

"...narrowing the capabilities of the piano." Huh? Bebop/bop requires the ability to improvise on the fly as well as provide accompaniment for those who are doing so. By its very nature this sort of playing demands full and complete control of the keyboard. Mentally, but not physically. Even in comparison with playing Cherokee at breakneck speed in B major, an average Beethoven sonata places far more demands on both hands (especially the left). Are we really going to try and claim that comping behind yourself with the left hand maximizes the capability of the instrument as much as a Bach 3-part invention? Uh uh. It takes a lot of physical stamina---on any instrument---to keep up those tempos, execute, etc. It's a discipline and this is why there are relatively few dedicated bebop pianists. There are hardly any chances to play that music in the purest sense. The term 'bebop' itself is bastardized and now means just 'mainstream' to a lot of people---or nothing at all. But it---the true, undiluted thing---is as technically exacting---physically---as music gets. I'm not even touching the mental part. We'll be out of here next Thursday.... Agree 100%!! How many true bebop piano players are playing these days? REAL bebop not guys who everyone call bebop pianists when they come out of more of a McCoy influence than anything else. BTW I LOVE McCoy (early) and he could really play the stuff his way like on those early Freddie records like Goin Up and Open Sesame. Aside from Barry Harris I can only think of a few (in NY): Tardo Hammer. If anyone gets the chance to hear him, run. He's a badass. Also Sascha Perry is very fine and Rodney Kendrick when he does that is also very good (meaning he has other influences but leans a lot to Barry--a teacher and mentor---and Bud). Fair disclosure: these guys are all my friends so maybe my objectivity is somewhat compromised. Listen and judge for yourselves.(I hope I'm wrong, BTW, and there are many more). What about Hod O'Brien?

Over the past 10 days:

PM sent on Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Elllington. Sealed. K2 20 bit.

GM Svetozar Gligoric (88) presents first music album He was a world class chess player for decades, but at 88 he returned to his first love. Last Tuesday, the legendary Serbian grandmaster Svetozar Gligoric presented in Belgrade his first music album. Serbian and Spanish media report that the album consists of twelve compositions in different genres, like blues, jazz, ballads and rap.

I once worked summers in an auto parts plant, and "journeyman" was a positive term, used for people who had completed apprenticeship training in a "skilled trade". The related dictionary meaning is "One who has fully served an apprenticeship in a trade or craft and is a qualified worker in another's employ". I've always considered the term far less pejorative than the almost universally implied "mediocrity".

What about Réseau des sports (RDS) in Québec? I watched that network quite a bit during my visits to Montréal. Their site has decent-looking Francophone Grey Cup coverage. TD, RDS and TSN are owned by the same company. RDS is considered the French-language TSN. I'm not sure if it is carried outside of Quebec. There are francophones in Manitoba. Perhaps it is carried there. Do any of you Canucks know? ... Thanks, GA. I never suspected that TSN and RDS have the same corporate parent.

What about Réseau des sports (RDS) in Québec? I watched that network quite a bit during my visits to Montréal. Their site has decent-looking Francophone Grey Cup coverage.

As excessive as A-Roid's contract is, the Texas Rangers are still paying a good chunk of it. Funnily, A-Rod was one of Texas's biggest creditors when the club went bankrupt. I don't know how the payments are spread out, but according to this article, "...The team traded him to the Yankees in 2004, but agreed to pay an estimated $67 million of the $179 million still owed." IIRC, net of the Texas payments, the Yankee$ themselves have been paying A-Rod somewhat less than Jeter. And I suspect that the unpaid Texas salary is worth somewhat less than 100 cents on the dollar on a mark-to-market basis...

I don't follow the CFL at all, so have no clue. But I'll take Saskatchewan 80...

All the best, and have a great birthday! :party:

Happest of birthdays to GA! :party:

CDs arrived, condition as advertised, fast. Many thanks!

I'm very careful about what I eat (vegetarian except for certain social occasions), but I voted for #3 instead of #4 because I will occasionally have dessert. But even my desserts aren't very extreme (Fig Newtons are a recent example). Haven't drunk alcohol for over 12 years (but drank far too much beer up to that time). Started turning the diet over 7-8 years ago, and have gradually gotten stricter. I've always exercised a lot, and have never been overweight. [Added] I'm 6 foot 2-1/2 (may have once been 6-3 before age started shrinking the spine ), don't weigh myself (or own a scale), but probably average in the 170-175 pound range. Probably was well below 170 as a marathon runner, up around 190 when playing recreational hockey.

PM sent on: Eric Dolphy Quintet featuring Freddie Hubbard - Outward Bound (New Jazz/OJC) 20-bit remastered/ZYX, digipak $2.50 Jaki Byard - Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, volume seventeen (Concord) $12

Funny, the Pats just reacquired Branch on Tuesday, from the Sea-aints for a 4th-round draft pick. Also interesting, considering that Moss only brought back a 3d-rounder.

Many thanks, dudes! I've rarely posted in the last year-plus, but still lurk. Appreciate the thought.

There's been talk of the Pats using their cache of draft picks to trade for Vincent Jackson of the Chargers. I doubt it's anything more than tabloid/talk radio babble, but the rumor's out there...

Nah...Mangini's good at motivating teams late in the season (esp. garbage time when the club's already been eliminated). For instance, they were 1-11 last year, but won the last 4 games (!) to finish at 5-11. A classic "Mangenius" finish (I harken back to his Jet days). I figure the Browns are a lock to win at least four games this year.

Now there's a report that the Vuelta runner-up tested positive.

Check out this interesting book review: http://www.chessvibes.com/reviews/review-the-kgb-plays-chess/ Chessvibes has become my favorite chess news source.

Fer sure.