Views
8 years ago

Volume 12 - Issue 1 - September 2006

  • Text
  • Jazz
  • Toronto
  • Theatre
  • Musical
  • September
  • October
  • Choir
  • Festival
  • Orchestra
  • Arts

Editor's CornerContinued

Editor's CornerContinued from page 12~DIS~In the category of "This just in" , literallyas we were making the final edits on September'scopy, I received a very special packagefrom Universal Music containing a 14 CD setand 112 page booklet of James Levine's recordingwith the Metropolitain Opera ofWagner's Der Ring Des Nibelung (DeutscheGrammophon 4769803). Recorded between1987 and 1989 the performances feature GaryLakes, Kurt Moll , "fr~~~~~~~~:i..,James Morris, 11Reiner Goldberg,Jessye Norman,Christa Ludwig,JJ ••Kathleen Battle:-.·.1,,1,. ,.,,,, Iand many others.Released as a"Canadian onlyspecial edition" tocoincide with the Canadian Opera Company' sRing Cycle performances in the new FourSeasons Centre this month, the set will sellfor a remarkable .99. For any of you whoare unable to get tickets to the COC performances, or want to bone up on the cycle in advance,I want to draw your attention to thisincredible bargain.The final disc I willmention is a horse ofquite a different colour.Inspired by theGypsy jazz legendDjango Reinhardt,Newfoundland guitaristDuane Andrewsgives us an East Coasttake on the Hot Club of France. His secondindependent release "Crocus" (DA002www .duaneandrews.ca) was launched locallyat the Rex Hotel in July. Andrews andrhythm guitarist Steve Hussey are joined alternatelyby Dave Rowe or Skip Beckwith on uprightbass with occasional melodic flights fromtrumpeter Patrick Boyle. The material is amix of original compositions, traditional EastCoast fare and pieces written, or at least performedat one time, by Reinhardt. All of thesongs get a treatment that shows the influenceof Django's style and it's as if the mastertook a cross-Atlantic sojourn one year andspent his summer on The Rock . I wonderwhat he would have made of bi-annual SoundSymposium. Congratulations to Duane Andrewsfor his successful blending of two disparateworlds into a cohesive and very musicalexperience.We welcome your feedback and invitesubmissions. Catalogues, review copies ofCDs and comments should be sent to: TheWholeNote, 503 - 720 Bathurst St. TorontoON M5S 2R4. We also welcome your inputvia our website, www.thewholenote.com.David OldsEditor, DISCoveriesdiscoveries@thewholenote.comWholeNote MarketPlaceRecordingServices~~~www.timothyminthorn.comOn a budget but still need atop quality recording made?Save yourself some time & moneyand do it right the first time.On location or in my studio416.461.0635Venues for Hireand masterclasses ~at reasonable rent.The space has a 6' Bostongrand piano, an upright pianoand seats 30 - 40 people.Contact the North Toronto Instituteof Music at 416-488-2588 for information.Professional ServicesHealthRelease pain.Relax. Breathe. Move.'-Dr. Katarina Bulat 1J sc. o.c 1&w; s1c 1AN 1Chiropractor 416-461-1906Private practice. Coxwell & Danforth area.GOLD RECORDS ~JUNO AWARDSRecording & Mastering.Great live room in old movie theatre.Yamaha Grand Piano. Hammond M3& Leslie Milestone Drums. per hour 416.467.9597www.studio92canada.comCall for a coffee and tourElisabeth PomesMA Literature (Paris)MA Vocal Performance (Toronto)PsychotherapistPerformance Anxiety,a gentle approach416-769-8511·~ ~: -.. ; • •I·. I "'1Vocal freedomOpen heartI nspirationCreativityExistenceMICHELE GEORGEThe World Is In Need Of Your VoiceVOICE IS PRESENCEAssistingactors, singers, leadershipspeakers, storytellers, parents,ministers, lawyers, practitionerstel (416) 586-9669www.michelegeorge.comMISTER'SMASTERINGHOUSEDIGITAL EDITINGCD MASTERINGOPEN REEl & CASETTE TRANSFERS96/24 CAPABILITYCONTACT: KARL MACHAT416 503 3060 OR 647 227 K ARLMISTERS.MASTERS@S'IMPATICO.CAl.A"lexander Techniquewith Verna Johnson ....Cerri fled Alexander Teacher"22 years' reaching experience..-ENTERTAINERS NEEDED!We are now accepting new ArtistsSend your media package toEntertainment TorontoLtdEmail: Artists@EntertainrnentToronto.CAWebsite: www.EntertainrnentToronto.CA58WWW. TH EWHOLENOTE.COMS EPTEMBER 1 - O CTOBE R 7 2006

DIS~DISCS REVIEWED --~ "VOCAL;'1 lf"f.',irlisten to the entire opera and with yourheart still pounding, ask "Is it possiblethere are more?" And the happyanswer is: "Yes!"Robert Tomas111111 Ill Ill !ii 111111111 !IIjjjjf jjjjf jjjjf jjjjf jjjjfNAXOS111111111111111 1111111111OFCANADA LTD• Over 3, 000 titles• All digital recordings• New recordings andcompositions monthly• Critical acclaim in all keyclassical publications• Featuring great Canadian artistsAll this at an astonishingly low price!The world's leadingClassical Music label!Haydn - Orlando PaladinoPetibon; Gerhaher; Schade;von MagnusConcentus Musicus Wien;Nikolaus HarnoncourtDeutsche Harmonia Mundi82876-73379-2Even casual 1 isteners of classicalmusic have a good idea of whoFranz Joseph Haydn was: the fatherof the classical symphony andthe pioneer of the string quartet. Ifpressed, such listeners will also recalltwo oratorios, Creation and TheSeasons. Nobody, however, seemsto remember that Haydn alsowrote over fifteen operas and allof them achieved both critical andpopular success in their time.One of the reasons for this maybe the fact that for Haydn, operawas a source of musical entertainment.No grand themes, no heartwrenchingplots there. Instead, themore convoluted or comical the libretto,the better. The music alonewas supposed to transcend the plotfailings, whether it was a shaggydog story of a trip to the Moon andback or a parody of the seminal taleof Orlando Furioso.In fact, Haydn was right. His musicdoes transcend ridiculous plottwists and cartoonish characterizations.When given proper attention,Haydn's operas are musically daring,firmly gripping listeners and rewardingthem with unknown yetstrangely familiar tunes (it would beinteresting to study Haydn's influenceon 19th century opera composers).We are fortunate to have the workrediscovered by the brilliant NikolausHarnoncourt and the Concentus MusicusWien, with some fine singingfrom Michael Schade, PatriciaPetibon, Elisabeth von Magnus,Werner Gura and Malin Hartelius.So please listen to Angelica' s ariafrom the first act and then try toname the first three operas that tookit for an inspiration. Or better still,S EP TEM BER 1 - O CTOB ER 7 2006Wagner - ParsifalDomingo; Meier; Struckmann;Selig; Bankl; Wiener Staatsoper;Christian ThielemannDeutsche Grammophon 477 6006This live recording of Wagner's finalopera was made last year fromperformances at the Vienna StateOpera. Placido Domingo's voice hasbecome darker and more grainysince he last recorded Parsifal. Butit still rings with thrilling clarity,and shimmers with modulated colours.His German diction may containunidiomatic Mediterranean flavours,but his ability to immerse himselfin Parsifal's personality withintensity and conviction makes thisa thoroughly moving performance.The casting is remarkable here.Franz-Josef Selig is monumentalyet poignant as Gurnemanz, thecharacter who really holds the keyto this story. Falk Struckmann isregal yet very human as Amfortas,the character whose sufferingdrives the plot. Waltraud Meier,the Kundry of our age, brings welcomelyricism to her dramaticallyriveting portrayal of a characterwhose best lines, like, 'I never dogood' and 'I bring no happiness',are her most painfully anguished.Christian Thielemann's musicaldirection is impassioned, with eventhe most dramatically inert passagesimbued with sweeping drive.The large recording companies,like DG, have been threatening tostop producing expensive studio recordingsof complete operas. But thisrecording offers proof that live recordings,when produced with theexcellent sound, exceptional casts andpowerful direction of this one, cantake the place of the studio. The veryminimal stage noises here, like theclattering of swords, merely add tothe excitement. What's more, this liveI IU'\/J h/ Ift,, u,, .... 11 : "\Ill; lu• n:• •......... ~ .'\'!'1.1 11•• l'r;t1h1:1'"': .Bechara El-KhouryPiano ConcertoAbdel Rahman El Bacha, pianoOrchestre ColonnePierre Dervaux, conductor8557692Michalis KontaxakisGuitar RecitalMichalis Kontaxakis, guitar8570191SA~!UEI. BARBERChura[ \lu~irllr;111ri·lu11·11 • ~ur•• ••H l lli • , hl11 ! n~ nh.:lu • \ !:rn!•llfl' ' l o .. 11·. · P ISamuel BarberChoral MusicChoir of Ormond College,University of MelbourneDouglas Lawrence, conductor8559053.'-. p:rn i"h !Jann·'"' 1t r1.1f.r \mL.hua · Jtal.1d ;1Pablo SarasateSpanish DancesTianwa Yang, violinMarcus Hadulla, piano8557767American Saxophone MusicAlex Mitchell,alto & baritone saxophonesNeil Hornsby, guitarJeremy Limb, piano8559241

Volumes 21-25 (2015-2020)

Volumes 16-20 (2010-2015)

Volumes 11-15 (2004-2010)

Volumes 6 - 10 (2000 - 2006)

Volumes 1-5 (1994-2000)