BFT 37 - answers bonus disc

[mikeweil]

Organissimo Blindfold Test # 37 - mikeweil - bonus disc answers

The bonus disc continues the theme European Groove but expands the stylistics. There used to be a radio show by a local station called Schwarz-Weiss: Musik in Farbe (Black & White: Music in color) which mixed music from all styles and centuries in a most amazing way, with excellent sequencing - this was the main inspiration for this disc - and those who follow my posts a little know that I listen to all kinds of things.

I was pleasantly surprised when the discussion on this disc started before that about the main disc, and that the reactions were so positive, on a common note. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for making this experiment such a success.

# 1: Maurice Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin # 6: Toccata (Ravel). CD Early Recordings by the composer - Bellaphon / Condon Collection 690 07 005 (out of print)

Maurice Ravel, piano. Recorded June 30, 1922 for Aeolin/Duo Art.

I think we are very fortunate to have recordings of their own works by composers of the 20th century, because they give fascinating insights into the sonic worlds they lived in. Yes this is Ravel played by the composer himself, recorded on a highly sophisticated mechanical piano.

(Info on these pianos: http://www.pianola.org)) These instruments needed a complicated machine placed over the keyboard with as many levers as there are piano keys, all aspects of the striking were encoded. They were very expensive, and became obsolete when the first Edison phonographs became available, as they were cheap in comparison. But these machines give a much more accurate impression of a pianist's performance than early disc recordings or piano rolls.

I was delighted than one of you wasn't sure whether this was (partly) improvised or not: About twenty years ago when I bought this CD my partner of the time, who loved music but found anything after 1850 much too dissonant or disjointed for her ears, spontaneously exclaimed she heard some unity of composer and interpreter on this recording. There is a level of identification with the music I rarely hear among more recent players of Ravel's music who take it too much for virtuoso piano music - here it breathes. Ravel was much accused for inferior piano technique on these recordings, especially his own rendition of Pavane pour en infante defunte, but the emotion transported is so heartfelt I find this pointless. Technique is not everything .... Ravel "owns" this music, that's what counts in my ears.

Another revealing remark from one of you stated it sounded like music from an older era transferred through another player's mind into a more recent time: The series this piece is from was inspired by harpsichord music of the great French baroque master, Francois Couperin ....

# 2: David Friedman: Hand Dance (David Friedman). CD Air Sculpture, traumton 2406-2.

David Friedman marimbas (overdub). Recorded June 1994 at traumton studios, Berlin.

Friedman, of German-Jewish descent, spends part of the year teaching in Berlin - another US musician enchanted by the European vibe (pun intended). This is played on a malletech marimba 4.6. described by Friedman as the most beautiful marimba he has ever played. And the recorded sound and the quality of his improvisations and compositions matches this level easily. For marimba lovers, a must buy. I love the quasi minimalistic structures suggesting African as well as South East Asian music. The seamless rhythmic shifts are something to marvel at.

# 3: Paul Hindemith: 1922. Suite for piano - # 4: Boston CDDas Klavierwerk Vol. I, Wergo WER 6181-2.

Siegfried Mauser, piano. Recorded 1990?, Tonstudio Teije van Geest, Sandhausen, Germany.

I was delighted by the commentaries about this rendition, some being unable to tell whether this was (partly) improvised, or the composer at the piano. Siegfried Mauser is a rare bird, a pianist as well as a musicologist of the highest order. He recorded all of Hindemith's piano music for Wergo (which published many highly praised recordings of the composer's works, being the label of his publishing company, Schott at Mainz, 10 miles from where I live). His playing has some objective quality, like staying at a critical distance, and at the same time completely identifies with the work - which is pretty much the attitude Hindemith had towards his own works. The early piano music (he was born in 1895) is very close to expressionist literature in spirit - the other cycle on this CD, In einer Nacht. Träume und Erinnerungen (During one night: Dreams and Reminiscings) is the perfect accopanist for a pensive or reflective night and ranks among my desert island piano music.

This CD edition is highly recommended, and this disc a perfect introduction to the composer's world, with elaborate booklet notes.

# 4: Erwin Schulhoff: Hot Sonata for alto saxophone and piano, 1st movement. CD Jazzberries, Jazz inspired chamber music of the 1920's. Ars Musici AM 1100-2.

Hugo Read alto saxophone; Peter Degenhardt piano. Recorded 1992 or 1993 at Cologne Radio.

Contrary to Hindemith, who played entertainment music but didn't regard it very highly, Schulhoff took jazz music and other styles much more seriously, not just because he had to make a living on it for much of his (too short) life. Schulhoff was born in Prague in 1894 into a German/Jewish family and studied in Prague and Vienna. One of his artistic goals was to "elevate the modern dances to a higher level", which was not easy between the two world wars. His reputation as a jazz pianist was high; his decision to emigrate to Moscow came too late - he was internalized into a prisoners camp near Würzburg in 1941, where he died of tuberculosis in August, 1942. The two discs by the Dutch Ebony Band on Channel Classics are a good introduction to his music; there also is a double CD with jazz inspired works on Decca, including some of his own recordings from the 1920's; and there are several piano solo CDs, but not all of them feature jazzy music. I found JSngry's comments to this track very appropriate, and find it a much more convincing take on genuine jazz than what most composers made up.

Hugo Read I described in my answers to the first disc - some of the finest classical alto sound I have heard, and not as self-indulgent and overtly sweet as most others. The CD also contains works by Hindemith, Ibert and Milhaud.

# 5: Claude Debussy: Estampes # 2: La soirée dans Grenade CD Early Recordings by the composer, Bellaphon / Condon Collection 690 07 011.

Clause Debussy, piano. Recorded ca. 1913 for Aeolin/Duo Art.

As the Ravel track (# 1) this was recorded for mechanical piano reproduction. Belgian pianist Jos van Immerseel reported it was highly revealing to watch the piano while reproducing the Debussy pieces before his own recording: Debussy was known to use many more pedal positions than taught at the conservatory during his lifetime, and his touch was very developped Immerseel CD on Channel Classics on an old Érard grand piano is the closest to this). Also note the very personal and varied manner in which he plays the Spanish ostinato patterns. This almost sounds like an improvisation, and probably stems from one before he wrote it down. The pioneering character of this music is reflected in the rather tentative character many of you heard in this piece. Debussy was the first to incorporate Spanish folkloric elements without thrusting the middle European major/minor tonal system on them.

# 6: Werner Pirchner: Solo Sonata for Bass-Vibes I: Adagio Cantabile, II: Largo Arioso, III: Andante Risoluto. CD EU, ECM New Series 1314/15 - 829463-2.

Werner Pirchner, bass vibes, voice. Recorded April 1986

Probably nobody of you took this for a classical composed piece; the title and movement descriptions would have risen totally different expectations. Classical seriousness in the title, "light music" but with a twist, using preparation of the sound plates to achieve the buzzing sounds, and rattling mallets, vocalizing, on a custom made set of bass vibes. I find this a very enchanting piece of music, with an amazing range of sounds and dynamics. (I omitted the 4th movement for time limitations and because it changes the mood quite a bit, and tellingly it was recorded at a different recording session.)

The ECM double CD is the perfect introduction to the "Tyrolian Zappa", applying his weird sense of black Austrian humor to solo violin, accordion duos, chamber orchestra, choral music etc. These recordings were made by Austrian radio und do not feature the usual dreamy ECM sound.

I consider Pirchner one of the most unique musicians in European 20th century music! Pirchner website

# 7: Johann Jakob Froberger: Méditation fait sur ma morte future laquelle se joue lentement avec discretion, Part 1 of 4 of the Suite XX in d major. CD J.J. Froberger: Suites & Taccatas, Harmonia mundi France MHC90137-2.

Christophe Rousset, harpsichord (by Johannes Couchet, 1652). Recorded March 1991.

I love historic keyboards, and harpsichords in particular. Furthermore, on my quest for my own European roots and role models I found people like Hindemith (who was born and lived not far from where I live) and Froberger: Musicians that were open to all kinds of influences and merged them into a style of their own. Froberger (1616-1667) was born in Stuttgart, but little is known about his formative years. He obviously got a job a the court in Vienna but was sent to Rome to study with the famous Girolamo Frescobaldi almost immediately. He also travelled to Paris, the Netherlands, and London before returning to Vienna, where he had the highest position for a keyboard player available, but moved to Héricourt after his dismissal from the second emperor he had served, for unknown reasons. He spent the last years of his life at the court of a local duchess who once had taken lessons with him. We know his music only through several manuscripts; he didn't want his music to be printed as he thought only his personal students could play it properly; he even wished his manuscripts to ne destroyed after his death, which Duchhess Sibilla fortunately did not obey. Today he is considered the greatest composer of keyboard music before Bach in German speaking countries.

What fascinates me about him is what I consider the most positive of German personal traits: a combination of deep emotion with profound scholarship, forged into a highly personal and expressive music. His laments written upon the death of dear friends (one of whom died almost in his arms) are among the most moving pieces in this genre. The example I chose was written in meditation on his own inevitable death, after having arrived in London after a perilous journey that almost cost him his life through sinking ships and road hogs. He requests these pieces to be played without strict time, like a speech, and with "discretion" - it took modern players quite a while to figure this out. But his music is also very rhythmic - lovers of baroque harpsichord are in for a treat.

Today there are plenty of excellent recordings of his music; Rousset's has a good selection, is available at mid-price and displays many of the sonic and rhythmic curiosities of Froberger's music - he wrote some of the most unusual Gigue rhythms ever - and the meantone tuning gives this an almost blues-like quality.

Edited July 5, 2006 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

# 8: George (Jiři) Mraz : Aspen Leaf (Na Osičce) (Zuzana Lapčíková / Emil Viklický). CD Morava, Milestone MCD-9309-2.

Zuzana Lapčíková vocals, cymbalom; Emil Viklický piano; George (Jiři) Mraz bass; Billy Hart drums. Recorded at The Studio, New York City, June 9-11, 2000.

I have to say I was surprised that only few among you seem to own this CD, which is arguably the most beautiful jazz CD of folk tunes ever made. It was a dream come true for Mraz in several respects. I got me this immediately after the enthusiastic down beat review, and cherish it. ‚Nuff said! (If I hadn’t been robbed of 200 Euros on a vacation in the subway in Prague three years ago, I would have got me two or three of Zuzana Lapčíková’s Czech CDs – this is folklore singing that goes to your heart!)

# 9: Danny Thompson: Swedish Dance (traditional arranged by Danny Thompson). CD Whatever, Hannibal HNCD 1326.

Danny Thompson double bass; Tony Roberts ts, as, ss, cl, fl; Bernie Holland g. Recorded 1986 at Magritte Studios, Great Britain.

When I first heard this I didn’t believe this was a Swedish dance, as it is in 9/8 divided either in 3-3-3 or 2-2-2-3 – the latter is more charcteristic for Balkan folklore. Anyway, Thompson features some gorgeous bass tone, one of the greatest around IMHO, I dig his sound much more than Dave Holland’s. Usually I am not so fond of the ondulating style most British saxophonists display, but it fits in here. There is a reissue of this on Thompson‘s own Whatdisc label.

# 10: Lee Santana & Hille Perl: Courtney (Lee Santana). CD The Star and the Sea. Music for Viola da Gamba and Lute by Lee Santana. Carpe Diem 16264 ( http://www.carpediem-records.com).

Hille Perl viola da gamba; Lee Santana Renaissance lute. Recorded in Colnrade, Germany, January 2002.

Both musicians are mainstays on the German period performance scene; Perl’s father is one of the pioneer scholars in the field in Germany, and she has been playing the viol since childhood. Her interpretation of J.S. Bach’s Gamba sonatas is one of the best around. Santana came to this country to study lute playing, and stayed, like so many other Americans. They perform, among others, as a duo (see www.hillenet.net), and it was on the way back after a concert in East Germany that the music on this CD all of a sudden was revealed to him – he spent the next months transcribing from his memory and arranging it. It involves improvisation and picks up influences beyond the baroque and renaissance music they usually play – I hear some Zappaesque undertone in this piece. The story behind is told in detail in this lovingly produced audiophile recording. I find it great that performers from this scene get back to improvising!

# 11: Ensemble Ambrosius: Zoot Allures / Big Swifty (Frank Zappa). CD The Zappa Album, BIS Northern Lights BIS-NL-CD-5013. Website

Josu Moisio baroque oboe & oboe d’amore; Jonte Knif melodica & harpsichord; Ere Lievonen organ; Tuuka Terho archlute & baroque mandolin; Olli Virtoperko baroque cello. Recorded at TAVI Studios, Helsinki, August 9-13, 1999.

These guys met while studying baroque music in Finnland; since they liked Zappa as well they decided to arrange some pieces for their instruments and performed them at a summer course, where the oboist heard them and joined. These are painstaking transcriptions of Zappa pieces, and it works. (Their latest CD Metrix concentrates on original pieces in that vein.) I find it a sign of a truly great composer that the substance of Zappa’s music survives, no matter who plays it.

# 12: The Opera To Relax: To The Lord Of The Flying Carpets (Langguth/Hömberg). CD Kyle of Lochalsh – Confidential Rhythms Vol.1 –, Kapan 9801 (to be ordered from the artists: http://www.the-opera-to-relax.com/.

Veronika Langguth vocals, percussion; Martin Hömberg piano, effects, percussion, mixing; Michael Küttner percussion. Recorded at Big Ears Studios, Cologne, 1997/98.

I was pleasantly surprised by the positive reactions to this track: I know how critical most of you are towards vocals, and here comes one improvising syllables that sound like some foreign language nobody knows ..... The singer is one of Germany’s pionering breath therapists, Hömberg is an expert at music production and sound design. This is my favourite CD of theirs, I love those slow motion grooves, but it is hard to sell this stuff. They currently try some slightly more commercial version of this to get more airplay and concerts – I’m on one track of the follow-up CD and hope to join them for some gigs in the future, as soon as funds allow. Their second CD The Monastery Garden is the only Meditation music with certified relaxation effects!

# 13 – first bonus track: Werner Pirchner: Epilog / Coda / Ein hinterfotziger Streich (Pirchner). CD Ein halbes doppelalbum, Pirchner EU 1 ( http://www.extraplatte.at - http://www.wernerpirchner.com.

Werner Pirchner all vocals, talking, vibes, harpsichord, editing; Heinz Cabas g, electric bass; Hansjörg Maringer dr. Recorded sometime between 1966 and 1972 in some private Austrian home.

Does Humor belong in music? ................... (Consider the endless hours of editing and speed manipulation as this was before computers .....)

# 14 – second bonus track: Ludwig van Beethoven: Albumblatt für Elise (Beethoven). CD Pastime With Good Company 1998 – 2003, Alpha 901 ( http://www.alpha-prod.com.

Arthur Schoonderwoerd, clavichord. Recorded in Denderwindeke, Belgium, August 5, 2003.

This is taken from a sampler this French label released to celebrate its fifth anniversary. Instead of compiling tracks from previous issues they asked all their artists for a special piece – a very nice idea. The quality of recording and the level and originality of the performances are top notch – Schoonderwoerd, e.g. recorded one of the best discs of Chopin dances on a period piano ever made, and recently dared to record Beethoven’s 4th and 5th piano concertos with only one player per part, but in a smaller hall like that of the first performance – the result is a performance of stunning transparency and power. This well known ditty was probably improvised by Beethoven and then written down in the album of some fan – thus the clavichord, still the most common keyboard in German speaking areas during Beethoven’s lifetime.

Solo keyboard music was a subtheme on this bonus disc – some that bridges the gap between composition and improvisation.

Thanks a lot friends, for listening and posting (those who didn’t post convincingly explained what kept them).

If there are any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask them!

Edited October 30, 2007 by mikeweil

[king ubu]

Mike, thanks again for your effort! I've said it already: the track from "Morava" is a favourite. And that Danny Thompson tracks makes me willing to look for more, too!

[RDK]

Very surprising answers here - though I guess not really "surprising" just because i haven't heard of anyone save for Mraz and several of the classical composers.

Really a great disc, Mike. Some ear-opening stuff to be sure. I'll be the first to admit to actually digging this "bonus" stuff more than the official BFT disc (and my apologies for not getting in my comments on that disc in time).

I think I'll be off to Amoeba after work to see if I can dig up a couple of these discs... or at least pick up some other obscurities that may hold the odd surprise or two. Ah, the joy of new discoveries!

Thanks again!

[mikeweil]

Very surprising answers here - though I guess not really "surprising" just because i haven't heard of anyone save for Mraz and several of the classical composers.

Really a great disc, Mike. Some ear-opening stuff to be sure. I'll be the first to admit to actually digging this "bonus" stuff more than the official BFT disc (and my apologies for not getting in my comments on that disc in time).

I think I'll be off to Amoeba after work to see if I can dig up a couple of these discs... or at least pick up some other obscurities that may hold the odd surprise or two. Ah, the joy of new discoveries!

Thanks again!

Thanks for the kind words - I appreciated your comments, no matter how late they were! Please tell about your findings at Amoeba (what kind of store is this?).