the first time around, but ....Pianist Jeff Johnston joins the group for thefinal track, the John Coltrane piece India,which is given an extended exploration. Thereis a trnly remarkable cohesion to the playing ofall the performers on this live recording andfollowers of Liebman and Murley will be richlyrewarded.Jim GallowayTo ContinueJean Derome et Jes Dangereuz Zhomsambiences magnetiques AM 172 CDClicBernard Falaiseambiences magnetiques AM 174 CD(www.actuelllecd.com)Collage, parody, homage, elements of electronics,improvisation and composition enliven theseenergetic CDs, products of Montreal 'severpliableMusiqueActuelle scene. Strongly influencedby - but not quite - jazz, the discs announcetheir distinctiveness by adding tincturesof rock music, studio wizardry and poetry.clarinettist Lori Freedman's chalumeau elaborations.Meanwhile Jean Martin's sympatheticrhythmic underpinning was wedged in from aseparate session, as were the spidery strokesof Julien Gregoire 's marimba.Ranging from pieces written for chorographersto a homage to composer Franco Donatoni, "Clic" announces its versatility with subsequenttracks, which, for example, mate alyrical, madrigal-style horn line with drnmbackbeats, wooden marimba strokes and folksymandolin licks; add slinky, electric trnmpetpops to chromatic banjo fills and a stop-timesection from electric guitar and bass; or matepercussive shuffle rhythms, dense horn vamps,and a frnity saxophone vibrato that would fit1960s' mood music. Among bottleneck guitarlicks, reed spetrofluctuation, pseudo-Africandrum flams and Mariachi-styled trnmpeting,Falaise also japes on the tonal similaritiesamong spoken word, penny whistle and calliopesounds."To Continue" showcases words as well.Some are sung lyrically in French by electricbassist Pierre Cartier, in counterpoint withpianist Guillaume Dostaler's strummed chordsand Derome's slurry split tones. Converselythe title track features a unison recitation of anEnglish poem by the entire band, interspacedwith tail-gate trombone lows, serpentine saxophonetrills and honky-tonk keyboard jumps.Versifying is one thing, but Prieres - orprayers - is a summation of the DZ's individuality.Languid and processional, it moves froma piano fantasia to distinct horn palindromesinterspaced among the backbeats and militarypress rolls of drnmmer Pierre Tanguay. Asmetronomic piano clinking extends the pace,soprano saxophone timbres resemble both abagpipe chanter and human laughing. Skirtingcontrapuntal trombone asides, the diminuendovariation decelerates the tempo, stressingDerome's conclusive flute burble and a fiercedrum whack. Words and music meld perfectlyon both CDs.Ken WaxmanOLD WINE IN NEW BOTTLES- Fine old recordings re-released By Bruce Surteeset , a1- LJEAM DANG'D.6._R ( )ER_EOUI'.)OME .Z' HOMS .t.-- 'itAlthough saxophonist and flautist Jean Deromeand trombonist Tom Walsh appear on bothsessions, the individual discs are as dissimilaras they are notable. "To Continue" is the reunionCD - after a decade-long hiatus - of LesDangereuz Zhoms (DZ), playing eight newDerome compositions. On the other hand,Clic's 13 miniatures highlight the versatility ofBernard Falaise, who manipulates stringedinstruments, keyboards and percussion. Alsoheard- besides Derome's vibrating altissimotones and Walsh's gutbucket growls - aretrumpeter Gordon Allen 's brassy flourishes andA new release features two of the most deservedlyrespected musicians of the 20th century,both from Russia, who played together foralmost half a century: Mstislav Rostropovichand Sviatoslav Richter. Their very firstbroadcast recital fromMarch 1950 is included " • ·· •, • ~··in its entirety and severalperformances are releasedhere for the veryfirst time (DOREMIDHR-7931/2, 2 CDs).The world premierefrom 1950 of the CelloSonata, op.119 by Prokofiev is heard in a readingwhich may very well be its finest recordedperfonnance ever, hallmarked by impeccableexecution and striking communication ofProkofiev's intentions. The same Moscow recitalincludes a robust interpretation of theBrahms' first cello sonata, op.38, by these twoyouthful artists. The impetuosity of youth contrastswith the maturing performers heard in a1964 performance from Aldeburgh where theirBrahms is gentler and silkier and less aggressivelydriven. I find the earlier, impassionedreading a startling contrast to the lyrical second.What a nice ideawww.amorosomusic.comUSED CDs VINYL RECORDS & DVDsBUY SELL TRADE CLASSICAL OP ERR JAZZ4 ST. PATRICK ST. (at Queen) WORLD BLUES ;t: & '8 AUDIOPHILETORONTO MST 119416-591-1313 il:Oe'K SOUNDTRACK COLLECTABLESto put them both in thesame collection wherecomparing them is easy.Included are theBeethoven sonatasnumbers three and fourwhich eclipse their studioversions on Philips,together with the Griegsonata (Aldeburgh1964) which Rostropovichplayed in his last recitalin Toronto.64 WWW. TH EWHOL ENOTE. COMRostropovich can beseen playing three concertedworks on a newDVD (DG 073 4381)which contains Schumann'sCello Concerto inA minor, Bloch's Schelomo,and Richard Strauss'sDon Quixote. Both theSchumann and the Blochderive from concertsgiven in Paris at the Theatre des ChampsElysees during October and November 1976with the Orchestre National de France underLeonard Bernstein. The Schumann is a latework, op. I 29, written when his muse was allbut exhausted, nevertheless it is clearly Schumannand one of the more charming pieces inthe repertoire. Ernest Bloch's evocation of thepower and majesty of Solomon is given a performanceof overwhelming intensity and focus,certainly conveying the essence of Bloch'sdescription of the harsh and compassionateking. As a matter of interest, the sonic impactof this performance far exceeds the EMI CD(72435 66965), recorded in Paris with the sameforces at about the same time. The Strausswork receives a top notch performance withKarajan and the Berlin Philharmonic datingfrom January 1975. It's a matter of taste butwatching Karajan 's narcissistic miming for thecamera is more than this viewer cares towatch. Listen, but don't look! For the money,the two concertos under Bernstein alone arewell worth the investment. There is a bonus:an informative documentary, "RostropovichThe Musical Conscience". The cellist tells ofhis early life and influences and his ascent tothe podium. We witness him as teacher andhear from colleagues Shostakovich, Vengerov,Penderecki, and others. With lots of film clips,this enlightening documentary is among theM AY 1 - ] UNE 7 2008
est of its kind although far too short.Karajan is redeemed,however, in a new 3-DVDset entitled, rather appropriately,Popular Pucciniwhich includes two ofKarajan's famous films, LaBoheme and MadamaButterfly (DG 0734417, 3DVDs). When the MadamaButterfly was firstseen on television, a coworkerof mine was consumed by both horrorand righteous indignation because the duet betweenPinkerton (the young Domingo) and Butterfly(Mirella Freni) at the end of Act I wassung - dare I say it - lying together in the longgrass behind the house. The cast includes ChristaLudwig as Suzuki. In opulent sound, this remainsa stunning production, staged and directedby Jean-Pierre Ponnelle in 1974, climaxed withan expected but memorable image of Pinkerton.Karajan's La Scala Boheme dates from 1965with Mirella Freni as Mimi, Gianni Raimondi asRodolfo and Rolando Panerai as Marcello. Musettais Adriana Martino. Franco Zeffirelli designedthe production and sets. The third operais conducted by Bruno Bartoletti, in the videowhich remains my absolute favourite Tosca.Raina Kabaivanska is the personification ofTosca: she looks it and she sounds it! PlacidoDomingo is utterly believable as Cavaradossiand Sherrill Milnes is the true Scarpia. In the TeDeum he plays the role to the hilt, for which,ironically, he will be rewarded very soon. Theproduction was filmed on location in Rome,contributing immeasurably to the reality of thestory. Priced as two discs, this is an outstandingpackage of three distinguished productions.Annie Fischer, thelate Hungarian pianist,had and has admirerseverywhere and herdeath in 1995 was widelymourned. She made veryfew recordings and it isonly now that videos ofher performances have at last become available:DOREMI has a set of 2 DVDs and a CDderived from concert performances (DHR-7933-5). Her avid admirers will be very happyto see and hear her play three Beethoven concertoswith the Hungarian Radio SymphonyOrchestra: the First and Fifth (works previouslymissing from her recorded repertoire) underPeter Mura; the Third with Antal Dorati. As anencore for us, she offers Handel's Chaconne,HWV 453. Mura also conducts for her in Mozart's22nd, the Liszt First, and the ChopinNumber One. The final item is Mendelssohn 'sRondo Capriccioso, opus 14. These are derivedfrom television transmissions and reflectthat technology. The CD has two more concertosin very good sound; the Schumann A minorwith Waldemar Nelsson conducting the NDRRadio Symphony ( c.1984) and the Mozart 24thwith the Swiss Italian RSO under Marc Andreae( 1978). This collection is unique and will giveoccasion for many soirees.MAY 1 - J UNE 7 2008Fine Canadian Audio CompanyOffering a complete line up of Electronics,CD players, integratedamps, pre amps andpower amps(Shown in Silver, also available in Black)Beautiful Styling and Sound that will AmazeFull line available.High EndAudioSpeakersWorldwideRenown forHighPerformanceAnd topCraftsmanshipSonus Faber SpeakersCrafted in Italy~J Full line ofspeakersBookshelf andFloor standingMatching CenterChannel to matchalso available.Upgrade TodayDomus, Cremona and Homage Series AvailableFinished in Fine wood or Black cabinetsd CS Data Conversion Systems• • •• 't..... + • ,..New PUCCINICd/SACD playerThe Finest Cd/SACD player we have ever heard.Also on Display the Paganini and the ScarlattiLine Starting from$ 22,000.STO RE HOUR$, Mc;n. 10 -6 • 1iue. 10 ··6 •Wed. IQ- -6 • Thu. U! - 9 • Frl. 10 - 9 • S - 6, • Sun. aos.idWWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM 65
