Various Artists [The Eighties Mix] 

Here's something a bit different, i usually don't like these 'in the mix' discs, where one track merges into the next, they're so much a problem playing on shuffle [my preferred mode of listening], many of these are extended mixes as well, or '12 inch mixes' as they call them, deep down they're very much New Wave / Electronic chart hits, and i certainly love this stuff, it was also good to delve into a few tracks i've never actually heard before.

I originally bought these discs because i was attracted to the colours on the front and back, plus the track listing is so good too, a nice clever idea visually, a very dark grey background, with sunburst lines in black fanning out from the centre with the number 80, but it's those rainbow colours that especially stand out against the dark black background, nicely inspired!.

The tracks that really impressed me were 15-17, 22, 26 & 34, and the track which really got to me was 26 [track 9 on disc 2] 'It's My Life' by Talk Talk, they were a British group active in the Eighties [1981-1991], and 'It's My Life' is their best song, very Electronic and New Wave, a lovely rhythmic beat, full of synths, Mark Hollis has a vague sort of voice, quite nasally, it's the chorus that just explodes into a wonderful chant [1:05-1:21], but the last part of the verse changes wonderfully, and prepares for that chorus [0:51-1:04], the second verse has what sounds like electronic whales in the background [1:25 & 1:43], it's a song that has such a strong ongoing vibe to it, the longer it plays, the more you get into it.

Here's Talk Talk singing 'It's My Life' on YouTube.

Bruckner - Symphony 7 [Pesek-Czech Philharmonic Orchestra] 

Bruckner's Seventh was the very first Bruckner Symphony i ever heard [Bohm / DG, and amazingly i just found this Bohm disc going cheap on Ebay, so i bought it, it will be good to re-visit his interpretation again], and naturally it was the one i started to know the best, now that has been eclipsed by the Fourth and Eighth, i must admit that the Seventh gets played maybe once a year, and i've already played this work this year in February [20th February 2011], it's good to listen to Pesek's interpretation today.

Libor Pesek is a Czech Conductor, now 77 years old, this disc was recorded back in 1986, Supraphon i take it are a sister company to Denon, and as a general rule are less inspired in their booklet covers than Denon, but this one is actually very good, a nice portrait of Pesek, lovely lighting, a nice idea to create a roughly 1 inch grey band on the left, and the lettering half covers over this and the green of the background foliage, a nice overall layout.

Pesek takes an hour to play this Symphony, i especially loved the fanfares at the end of the first and last movements, really thrilling, and a glorious grand finale to the end of the Symphony, it was the first movement which impressed me the most, opening with tremolo violins as a backdrop [0:00+], and singing cellos in the main tune [0:05-1:02], and then they swap places, the violins take up the tune, and now the cellos play the tremolo [1:02-1:48], but this time Bruckner colours things with the brass, what a superb opening, Bruckner surely knows how to set the stage with a stunning opening couple of minutes, also he has these half minute episodes, where he presents a nice little idea, for instance the sweet singing violins, with bubbly woodwind at the end [6:35-7:03], and an angry and stormy brass moment [10:45-11:18], nice brittle trumpets here, towards the end the strings develop a passionate yet agitated forte [14:32-14:51], and a little later the violins reach a treble zenith [15:21-15:43], and the ending as i suggested earlier, is very inspired [18:11-19:27], with a slow and gentle build up, especially by the woodwind, but the brass come in, with the horns starting things up, and all of the brass have a tremendous fanfare, with the strings / violins in high treble forte mode, with the trumpets having the last say, again nice and sharp and piercing. 

Here's Eugen Jochum conducting the first movement on YouTube.

Brahms - Violin Sonata 1 [Perlman / Ashkenazy] 

This set of the Brahms Violin Sonatas is what i would consider my 'touchstone' set, they're what i would judge all other sets by, and because i really do love these works, i've listened to a fair number of these discs, some have not moved me, and it can be hard to pinpoint why [Capucon / Angelich for instance], but right from listening to the first note here, there was this yes!, this is what Brahms is about, Perlman / Ashkenazy get to the core of it all, one of those sublime experiences where it all just comes together today.

Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli, but now resides in the United States, he is 65 years old, he made this recording back in 1983.

The first movement was just sublime, really hit me where i like being hit, Perlman / Ashkenazy play the very opening in more measured tones, it gives a degree of gravitas to the work, a sense of calm and repose, but the duo skillfully make sure they don't indulge this same speed throughout, and the movement takes on a greater tension, and Perlman can launch into a section, and pull it off with ease [1:34-1:53], and conjure up exactly what Brahms wants, and later do the same with a sour passage [2:34-3:01], the violin pizzicato section was a lovely inspiration for Brahms [3:31-3:54], with lots of varied notes, not just keeping rhythm for the piano, Brahms called this movement 'vivace', and with lots of passion, there really is a sparkling life here, that passion zooms into the violin treble [4:32+], and lots of virtuoso playing too [5:02-5:41], in one of the very best sections of this movement, it's a warm recording, and at times Ashkenazy's piano can seem blunted, i don't hear those sharp ringing treble notes, Brahms brings back the 'sweet & sour' section [7:33+ & 8:34+] to great effect, these are just some of the gorgeous beauties of just this one movement, full of rich inspiration from Brahms, and treated by Perlman / Ashkenazy to a superb interpretation.  

Here's Itzhak perlman playing the first movement on YouTube.

Mozart - Clarinet Concerto [Collins/ Pletnev-Russian National Orchestra] 

The Beethoven coupling is a novelty i suppose, i can't quite get into it, even as a Violin Concerto i find it a little hard going, but the Mozart work is lighter, and perfect for the Clarinet, with the many Clarinet Concertos that actually do exist, i think it would have been better to have another Concerto [or two] instead, the Mozart Concerto must be the most popular of all time, and it's good to have a modern recording, especially with such distinguished musicians as on this recording.

Michael Collins is English, born in the early sixties i believe, he made this recording in 1997, i like the front cover booklet [photography by Regina Recht], showing a vague picture of Pletnev in the top right hand corner, a monotone yellow / browny colour, while Collins is shown in a more stark black and white [actually black and grey] shot, nice and sharp, with tremendous back / side lighting, a very tall thin shot, showing the fingerwork on the Clarinet, a really nice piece of photography / artwork.

The Mozart Clarinet Concerto is a really happy work, especially the outer movements, but it's the inner slow Adagio that has a degree of nostalgia about it, and it's this movement i liked the most, it's soothing and inspiring, with a fantastic tune, the penultimate section of this tune, is first stated by the Clarinet [1:08-1:39], and then there's a heart tug reply by the orchestra [1:42-2:13], the recording is wonderful, you're able to hear all the breathy moments from Collins, it's worth remembering that this work was composed for a Basset Clarinet, that can reach four semitones lower than a normal Clarinet, creating a nice deep darkness at times, and there's a couple of times where the Clarinet reaches deep into its bass [3:50 & 3:59], lovely and woody / velvety, eventually the original clarinet solo returns [4:36-5:08], and Collins really caresses a lot of mileage by stating this so simply and innocently the second time around, and the passion is just gorgeous from Collins [5:12-5:46], and when the orchestra repeat the theme stronger [5:48-6:19], the whole thing is perfectly complete, a lovely burnished autumnal feeling throughout this movement.

Here's Michael Collins playing the Mozart Concerto on YouTube, the middle Adagio starts at [12:25].