of Carl Czerny. a
of Carl Czerny. a contemporary of, and much admired by, _Beethoven. Czerny also taught the young Franz Liszr. Kuerti 's recordings of Czerny (CBC) have awakened a wider in- · terest in this composer whose exercises are known to all piano students. Kristine Bogyo is Kuerti's wife and Magog was written for her before they were married. Magog is a town in southern Quebec near the Orford Ans Centre. The piece, not quire nine minutes long, is rhapsodic with an agreeable conversation-like quality. She gets the first word in, he the last. In between some pleasantries. a disagreement and , naturally. she finally accedes. The Franck sonata is well known, but the Vierne a trifle esoteric. Throughout the three pieces, Kuerti is assured and secure while Bogyo adopts a slightly reticent, gentli: style, never tentative though , which gives to the two major works a new and thoughtful viewpoint. An interesting, persuasive concept. · Sonically this recording is probably the best that Kuerti has ever had and the balances are ideal. Bruce Surtees Editor's Note: Cesar Franck' s So . naw in A Major was originally written for violin but in recent years has been welcomed into the cello repertoire and recorded by the likes of Yo- Yo Ma (Sony Classical SK 87287) and Shauna Rolston (Summit Records DCD 109). Vocal Gems-Live from New York Louis Quilico; Christina Petrowska Quilico Welspringe Productions WEL0006 This CD was recorded in 1998 by Canada's most famous musical couple, during a recital performed in Merkin Hall, New York City. It includes four excerpts from Russian operas, in which we get to enjoy the dark richness ofQuilico's voice, and songs by Debussy and Duparc where the tenderness between singer and piani~t shines through beautifully. Also included are two selections from a musical (2uilico had recently recorded. Adapted from Siqney Howard's 1924 play, "They Knew What They Want~d", Frank Loesser's "The Most Happy Fel la" revolves around the complications that arise when Tony. an aging Italian vineyard owner, proposes by mail to Rosabella, a young waitress who once served him in a San Francisco , restaurant. Rosabella has no recollection of Tony, but accepts his proposal. largely because he has sent her a picture of Joe, his handsome ranch hand. These songs are performed with great fun and humour. awkward and out of their element. Otherwise, this is a solid collection of _standards and show tu11es from Ms . Braun and the band. Cathy Riches The recital ends with ·passionate _Italian repertoire, songs by Tosti and Renato's Eri tu from Verdi's "Balla in Maschera". For those of us who Peter Hatch - Gathered Evidence miss this man's exquisite voice, this 1 CD provides a most welcome legacy .· Proceeds from the record- Canadian Chamber Ensemble; Penderecki String Quartet Artifact Music ART-028 ing will go to the Christina and Louis Peter Hatch connects with the Quilico Fund at the Ontario Arts Council to help young singers and pianists. Dianne Wells Delishious traditions of our European musical heritage and incorporates current popular culture as well. His music is clearly "modern", and original, and he draws on other genres and styles in his own special way. The solo harpsichord/rap piece In a Vernacular Way, which combines jazz, rock, country and blues, is a perfect example of this. And it's fun. It's a suite in the French style (sort ot) originally commissioned by Colin Tilney, d,elightfully performed here by Cynthia Hieben. The title piece, Gathered Evidence for amplified string quartet and Adi Braun sampled sound, is "darkly Blue Rider Records CD00-0001 humorous,,, light and airy, yet dark The promo material accompanying · and desolate - like a Goth summer Adi Braun's debut CD Delishious frock. It features virtuoso editing \outs her as being a ''Jazz Vocalist". with Penderecki Quartet violinist Certainly Ms. Braun has a lovely, Jerzy Kaplanek doubling as DJ. bright voice and superb diction and fl Cimento dell 'armonica it control that attest to her classical and dell 'inventione (the subtitle from operatic background: But jazz sing- Vivaldi's "Four Seasons") is an er? I don't tl).ink so. Perhaps I'm interesting blend of quotes and splitting hairs, but I'd categorize her misquotes of 18th century music as more of a cabaret singer. combined wi-th contemporary But never mind. Ms. Braun has commercial references. Endangered assembled a stellar group of local Worlds is a sad look at the jazz (really) musicians, who swing trivialization of "the classics" as hard when called upon to do so. Doug blatted out in elevators, malls, bad Riley plays piano and co-produced, movies and waiting rooms, while Steve Wallace is on bass, with Ter- What is a Country, explores the ry Clarke on drums and Tony Quar-' composer's anxiety for a fragmented rington on guitar.. Canada with bits of our national The standout tune is the first track, anthem mixed in. Crazy From The Heat written by · There seems to be an attitude Shirley Eikhard, which is a zippy among some composers that it is a little swing tune well-suited to Ms. cop-out to write music that people Braun's light-hearted style. Other might actually enjoy and want to hear tunl!S included here-are Lover Man, more than once. Peter Hatch is not Miss Celie's Blues (Sister) from "The of this school. His music is accessi Colour Purple", and That Old Black ble and entertaining (and more than Magic. The only misstep is a kind once). of rock&. roll yersion of Mr. Sandman, where the whole ensemble, except for Doug Riley, sounds Den Ciul Pagan Sculptures Timothy Minthorn Trio Toreador TRCD 023-2 Toreador records serve up.an ambitious set of duets and trios with pianist-composer Minthorn and his trio . Violinist Laurel Mascarenhas and cellist Karl Konrad Toews make sensitive yet muscular contrihutions throughout. Six compositions are featured , starting off witl1 Minthorn 's 1999 Sonata for Violin and Piano and its strong rhythmic opening. Three fu r.tiler duets are on this disc: Minthorn's 2000 four-movement Sonata for Cello and Piano, Antonio Casciano's expressive Rhapsody j(>r Violoncello and P,iano and Colin Eatock's 1990 Souvenir of Triton. for violin and piano. All are admirable pieces of writing, the Eatock carrying with it implications of astronomy. Pagan Sculptures is particularly impressive on the trio recordings represented. Minthorn's 2001 title track draws inspiration from Greek mythology, three movements veering from near-savagery to the lyrical and onward to a playful conclusion. Colin Eatock's 2000 The Lotos-Eaters makes direct programmatic reference to the Tennyson poem of 1842. It is this one-movement work, so effective in its lyrical sweep, that I find the most attractive of all. Sonically The Latos-Eaters makes the lightest demands on the piano, whereas many of the other works seem to ask for a deeper, more powerful bass than the instrument is able to provide. It is more noticeable in this recording than on Minthorn's 2002 CD Visions. The tri-fold liner, crammed with type, contains each composer's paragraph or two, and all the players are provided with impressive biographies. The bright green cover with Bill Kort's bold artwork is striking. John S. Gray DISCS OF THE MONTH Sublime-Honoring The Music of Hank Jones Geoffrey Keezer T~larc CD-83563 CONTIN UED ON P/\(iE 4-l 4-2-----~~~~~~~~~--~~~--~~-w~w-w~.t~h_e_w~h-o~l-e_n_o-te-.-c-o-m~~~~~~~~~~~~-,-Ju~l~y~l,--- 'Se-p~t~7~2003
