Liszt - Piano Music [Mardirossian] 

Liszt is a Composer that i have consciously tried to delve deeper into in the last year, at certain turns he has surprised me, Harmonies Du Soir and Un Sospiro have got a grip on my heart in the last year or so, so i'm wondering what other beautiful card Liszt's got up his sleeve that i haven't seen yet when he plays his tricks, i bought this disc from Ebay a short time ago, it wasn't cheap, but i got it for a good price, it's great in the sense that it fills gaps in my Liszt discography nicely, and who knows, maybe another piece to truly fall in love with.

Vahan Mardirossian is Armenian, born in 1975, he's now 37, he recorded this disc in 2007, the visual presentation is great, which includes the inner photos, the photo on the disc itself, and on the inside of the back insert, but i just love the front booklet cover [photo by Karim Rimzi], a nice tight face mugshot, hands placed in front of the nose to give emphasis, hairline showing, but top of the head cut off, i love the lettering in the two opposite corners, the whole thing really works for me.

Well this was a learning experience, believe it or not, even with a personal discography of roughly 1650 discs, and 25 years listening experience, this is the first time i've listened to Liszt's Piano Sonata!, and it certainly needs some more listening!, on this recital Mardirossian includes 4 pieces that are transcriptions from other Composers, these are all vocal works, where Liszt has to transcribe the human worded voice into pure piano sounds, and even though i guess they're not wholly Liszt's creations, it still takes great invention to turn something into pure piano sounds, consider his superb transcriptions of the Beethoven Symphonies, it was the last piece i was really wowed with, Standchen works so well without the singer!, Liszt spins it as if was always meant to be purely a piano solo, and Schubert is the one that transcribed it as a song!, and now i remember it on a Joshua Bell disc [21st February 2010], with its other name Serenade, the song is of a Serenader at his Lady's window in the moonlight, singing of love, the original song has five stanzas, but i believe Liszt only uses three here, here are the timings for the work,

A - 0:00-1:45

B - 1:46-3:18

C - 3:19-4:50

D - 4:51-5:55

A-C are the first three stanzas / variations, and D is the coda / finale, after a short prelude the treble in the right hand comes in [0:12+], and it's a gorgeous tune, the main tune and the accompaniment take it in turns to 'sing' the first stanza [0:00-1:45], it's simple and just so beautiful, in the second stanza there's a lower part for the 'voice', and higher for the accompaniment [1:46-3:18], it's a nice variation, the real magic is in the third stanza, it's high in the treble, and there's an immediate echo from the voice, just slightly higher in the treble [3:19-4:50], it's so magical and chimerical, it's the highlight of the piece, there's an angry middle part, but it soon turns to the beginning, then comes some sort of coda to close the whole thing down [4:51-5:55], it's a glorious piece of music.

Here's Dora Deliyska playing the transcription of Schubert's Standchen on YouTube.

Bach - The Well Tempered Clavier - Books 1 & 2 [Richter] 

This is a mammoth work, four and a half hours of music, not to be wolfed down in one sitting, i listened to this over roughly a week, it's a lot to take in, and if you don't know the WTC very well, then one Prelude can fuse into another Fugue, and it's hard to differentiate one from another, i've heard the work a fair amount of times myself, but there's 48 to learn and know and fall in love with, i'm slowly getting there, and it's certainly a work that i always relish listening to, i gave this a spin roughly the same time last year [21st August 2011].

Sviatoslav Richter is Ukrainian, 1915-1997, considered to be one of the greatest Pianists to have ever lived, but i'm not so sure myself, he recorded this great work in 1970 & 1972-1973, i must admit that the recording isn't great, there's a fierceness there, and with different recording venues as well, there's also the huge controversy of the interpretation by Richter, some devotees look at him as a piano demi-god, others like me wonder what all the fuss is about, i admit that he's very good, and in certain instances there's a superb level of genius, but on too many occasions he left me unfulfilled and wanting more, i found some of his decisions uninspired, and others just flatly 'wrong', he can certainly be a fast Pianist, and sometimes he gets ahead of the music he's playing, also in loud passages, he overemphasises the volume, yes he likes hammering out a section here and there, where more restraint would have worked wonders, some of my feelings for him should squarely be blamed on the piano / recording, i find it hard to love a piece if it's recorded poorly, the front booklet is very stark, a medium grey on very dark grey, just lettering and lines, though there's a wonderful symmetry to it all.

Well i could be here forever talking about all sorts of enlightening things happening all over the place, however i would like to focus down to just one Prelude & Fugue, and that's the Third one from the First Book BWV 848, Richter takes the Prelude fast, but not overly, it's actually a thrilling speed, all those fast treble notes that start things off [0:00-0:05], actually they're not really treble notes, they're mid keyboard notes by the right hand, loads of black keys here, it rocks back and forth between staccato and legato in such a superb way, there's a real motion to the whole thing, like a train going over the tracks, and the rhythm that it gives, towards the end of the prelude there's a nice density [0:42+], the Fugues can sometimes let the show down with Bach, but this time the Fugue is nearly as good as the Prelude, an impish thing, but it grows in stature as it continues, and has a depth to it, love the trill toward the end [1:19], this now takes its place as my favourite Prelude & Fugue of the 48 [until next time!].

Here's Richter playing the Third Prelude & Fugue of Book One on YouTube [BWV 848].

Various Composers - Overtures & Intermezzi [Varviso-Staatskapelle Dresden] 

What an excellently compiled disc this is, a really well chosen programme, a lovely mix of different composers, and some very well chosen works, this is not like some compilations by Karajan / Marriner etc, that bring together a bunch of different performances recorded at different times, but this is a planned recital, all recorded together for this disc especially, some real thought has gone into it, the works were composed roughly around the same time, the first half of the disc is dedicated to Italian Composers, and the second half to French Composers, i love the way it mixes some very well known works, with some rarer items, the end product is more than the sum of its parts.

Silvio Varviso is a Swiss Conductor, he was born in 1924, and died nearly 6 years ago in 2006, he recorded this disc in 1983, the front cover picture [by Vulvio Roiter] is strange, i think it's of a mummer at the Carnival of Venice, yes Venice does get snow, but i don't think at Easter when the Carnival is, i guess this is a bird man, it's actually a really good shot, i like the lace wings, the black of the guy in stark contrast to the white of the snow, the lettering is excellent also, listing all the Composers, a great idea visually.

There was so much good stuff on here, one after another i was wowed at the inventiveness of so many great Composers, the military / brass in the Rossini Thieving Magpie, the Ponchielli Dance Of The Hours is a favourite of mine on this disc, and the different sections are thrilling, the Mascagni Intermezzi is something i would love to have played at my funeral!, and the Saint-Saens Bacchanale is full of Eastern flair and wonder, but very surprisingly the piece that really got to me was the Puccini Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut, a piece that on previous listenings hadn't truly caught my attention, it starts off very low key, almost like a String Quartet, Cello and Viola playing a duet, but when it opens up [1:15-1:48], the whole thing explodes into a sad refrain that only Puccini knows how to do, and then the strings swoon [1:48+], it's a glorious moment, Puccini really knows how to tug those heartstrings, and also he knows how to brings the piece down into a lovely refrain after a forte [3:04+], and even further along there's a cherishable moment of denouement on the refrained violins [3:29-3:46], Puccini certainly knows how to bring things to a close, the closing thoughts of this short piece are expertly done [4:01+], wow! a nice new favourite.

Here's Pablo Varela conducting Puccini's Manon Lescaut Intermezzo on YouTube.

Rodrigo - Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre [Fernandez/Martinez-English Chamber Orchestra] 

What a nice little disc this is, it's re-issued by Decca in a number of guises, but the original as here, is the best way to acquire this, the visuals are excellent, but i'll speak more of that in the next paragraph, of course Rodrigo's two most popular Guitar Works go well together, but since they only make up roughly 45 minutes of music, the question is what to couple them with?, and it's good to have Castelnuovo-Tedesco's work here, the Rodrigo is justly famous for its quotations from the solo guitar works of Gaspar Sanz, Rodrigo orchestrates them, and adds his own special touch to the four pieces, there's very much a sense of the baroque of yesteryear in the writing, which is very similar to what Respighi did with his Ancient Airs And Dances, the same sort of feel, it's a lovely work regardless of how it was 'mined' from another Composer.

Eduardo Fernandez is Uruguayan, he is now 60, he made this recording in 1985 when he was 33, the front cover is a truly superlative photograph, the photographer is not mentioned in the booklet / back insert, which is a shame, the photo is of a courtyard in Navarra, showing the ancient building, lovely tiled roofs, and an octagonal fountain in the middle, but what really makes the picture are three elements, the sunshine, which seems a little washed out on the foreground wall, the darkness of inside juxtaposed against the light outside. and especially the arch which frames the whole thing so superbly, the colours and the lettering add to the whole thing.

The second movement is so wonderful, it's the slow movement of the work, and the longest at just over 10 minutes, in fact it's almost as long as the other three movements put together,.

Here's Ekachai Jeerakul playing the second movement on YouTube.

Various Artists [The Best Of All Woman] 

These compilation albums are really useful, collecting together many tracks i otherwise wouldn't really bother with, it's a good concept, and there seems to somewhat of a theme, or rather a nice bringing together of like minded songs, no track seems awkward or out of place, and even though there are lots of famous tracks, there are also tracks that aren't exactly popular, it's a great double disc which veers from my usual, a nice bit of escapism if you like, i played this over the park, sitting on a bench and watching the world go by, also i played these discs early last year [22nd January 2011].

Well this compilation came out in 1995, the front cover of course has a picture of a woman on it, a sepia toned black & white shot, i guess a poolside shot considering the wet hair, a nice pose with elbows on knees [well almost], the background is very much washed out, concentrating on the arms and face, the lettering is great, and i just love that pink 'All Woman', and then a smattering of a list of Artists below, nicely well laid out.

The tracks i liked most of all were 9-10, 18, 23, 26 & 30, and i would like to give a short synopsis of each of these tracks,
9 - Joan Armatrading - Love And Affection, A very acoustic track from Armatrading, strumming and plucking guitars, i love the way Armatrading almost ad-libs the vocals, she nicely staccato's the wording, then launches into legato, a nice and effective idea, the song builds up into something really soulful, and a superb saxophone solo [2:51-3:14]. 
10 - Sinead O'Connor - My Special Child, This is a song that i don't know that well, i remember buying a Various Artists package that had her song 'This Is To Mother You' on it, another great song, there's certainly a hidden talent there, the intro is great, a vague tune that is quite haunting, her vocals are nicely ghostly, and they get more serious as the song goes on, halfway through there's a solo for uilleann pipes [a sort of Irish bagpipes], where O'Connor talks over the solo, the best lyrics are at the beginning 'Think about my little girl, her yellow skin and her dark curls'. 
18 - Dinah Washington - Mad About The Boy, An old song from 1963, with an orchestra to back her up, there's a constant trickle / cycle in the piano keys, sounding backward to the point at first i thought it was a harp, and a gentle brushes on the drums, this underpins the whole song, Washington constantly swings from half talking to half singing, and that's just fantastic, i love the way Washington drags out the first word of each verse like a long stutter [0:16], the second one is great [0:42] as the strings come in right afterward [0:47+], a lovely lazy serenading addition, and the piano in the background that just ups the volume, as well as goes up into treble territory [1:16+], that's another lovely addition, but can easily be missed, there's a nice serenading instrumental interlude by the strings [2:01-2:18], this track might be considered easy listening, but there's more than just a simple tune being played. 
23 - Kate Bush - The Man With The Child In His Eyes, A lovely atmospheric opening, just piano and voice [0:00-0:10], that piano is so affecting, the cello comes in [0:11+], and it really creates a mood, the music changes into high strings [0:32+], it's a nice slight change of direction, and the lyrics are great here, epitomizing the whole meaning of the song, 'And suddenly i find myself listening, To a man i've never known before', it's almost Classical in its conception, there's flute [1:10], horn [1:21], and oboe [1:23].
26 - Dorothy Moore - Misty Blue, A wonderfully soulful song, Moore has such a compelling voice, tinkling piano and soft strings as an intro [0:00-0:16], Moore has this ability to add oohh's and mmmm's, and lengthen out her words, and hesitate in the most stunning way, it's that gently twanging guitar that makes the song so affecting [0:19+], the background strings are lovely and swooning, going well with the music and the gist of the lyrics.
30 - Hazel O'Connor - Will You, The 'saxophone track', rather like Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty, it uses a very upfront and central use of the saxophone [played by Wesley McGoogan], the lyrics are fairly banal, but the music slowly builds up and up, the second half of the song is really just a saxophone solo [2:45-4:44], over a constant beat and background strings, there's an 'overblown angry' feel to the solo, the solo develops a real intensity the longer it goes on, and right at the end McGoogan blows and only air comes out! [4:41+], quite possibly the best long saxophone solo in Rock music, but the Gerry Rafferty / Baker Street use of the sax is more memorable / famous.

Jackson Browne [Late For The Sky] 

Ah, another Jackson Browne album, that's two in one month [1st July 2012], with the album I'm Alive, these are the only two studio albums i own of his, in a sense the two pillars of his discography, they're almost 20 years apart, but musically they could be next door in time to each other, but they're written from a perspective of a 26 and 45 year old person respectively, this was the very first Jackson Browne album i bought, it wasn't long after the album was released [of course i bought it on LP vinyl], i discovered Jackson Browne when i heard 'Before The Deluge' playing on the radio, i was so impressed, and yet i feared that at the end of the song they wouldn't say who it was by, or i wouldn't catch it, i rushed out and bought the album, and the rest is history, a start of something big.

Jackson Browne is American, he's now 63, it almost seems i'm catching up with him, like i said he recorded this album when he was 26 in 1974, the front cover photograph gives the album its name [by Bob Seidermann], a bright blue cloudy sky, but a dull enough house / car that a streetlight is needed to see.

It was good to revisit this album again, and to renew my acquaintance with certain songs, the tracks i most enjoyed were 2-3, 6 & 8, i was surprised by tracks 3 & 6, 'Farther On', and 'For A Dancer', there's a sadness of regrettable days passed, but ultimately it's the last track 'Before The Deluge' that moved me, the whole thing seems powered by David Lindley's electric violin, it gives it a lamenting quality, and Jai Winding playing the organ creates a religiosity to the song also, of course the imagery i get from the song is of Noah and the flood, but it's more than that, some have commented that it's about impending nuclear war, my own feelings are it's about Ecology and the planet, and people are travelling in two extremes, one to a simpler way of life 'back to nature', and the other to raping the planet 'forging beauty into power', my take on certain passages are, 'the sand slipped through the opening', means the sands of time trickling through an hourglass ['we only have x number of days to save the planet!, time is running out!'], i love the words in the second verse,

And exchanged love's bright and fragile glow

For the glitter and the rouge

meaning there's a simple quiet beauty in the world too many people don't see, because they're fixated on the flash and noise, right at the end there's a musical outro [4:55-5:47] which lasts nearly a minute, really it's almost a jam session, and prominently features David Lindley's violin, which starts to turn into a nice bit of fiddling as the fade comes in [5:30+], it's a powerful song, and one of Jackson Browne's best sermons to boot.

Here's Before The Deluge being played on YouTube.