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Volume 8 Issue 4 - December 2002/January 2003

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • December
  • Jazz
  • January
  • Theatre
  • Symphony
  • February
  • Choir
  • Musical
  • Arts

from 1954, the same year

from 1954, the same year as The Turn of the Screw. Though not linked thematically, they all illuminate the various texts with expressive lines and rich harmonies. In Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac, where Bosiridge is joined by countertenor David Daniels, the blend of the two voices is ravishing. Although Britten originally used a boy alto for this part, Daniels is moving and natural. The most complex, Canticle iv:· · Journey of the Magi, was actually written for a countertenor, James · Bowman. Here Daniels and ·Bostridge are joined by wonderful British baritone Christopher .Maltman. As a contrast to the passionate intensity of The ranticles, the three singers share .. a selection of Brittep's irresistible folk-song settings. Pianist Julius Drake lends the same glow to this disc that he has brought t6 Bostridge' s gforious Schubert recordings: Pamela Marg/es Concert Note: The Canadian Opera Ensemble Studio is producing Britten's The Turn of the Screw at the Du Maurier Theatre Centre on Dec. 3, 5, 6 and 8. John Beckwith's recent 80th birthday stylistic fashion of t!Je· Frerich, tribute to Udo Kasemets, A Game of English and Italian pieces repre­ Bowls (playful kitchen music, a sentea here .- It makes one wonder splendour of chance, clink and that tJ:iough if, he might be an escaped s_ound a bowl makes when it spins maniac recorder patient? and com,es to rest on a resonant · Adam's technique _is astounding. surface). Bob Becket's Mudra and His frothy rendition of Vivaldi '.s Jo. Kondo's Eight Categqries' ConcertoGrossoinAMinorRV522 demonstrate more of the breadth of is demonic, playful, and sexy. It's the Nexus legacy, from world difficult, to imagine any more music sources and methods, arid ornamentation than what I heard in from sparse, Zen modernism, Leclair's Suite from Scylla et respectivelr Glaucus, again with incredibly John Cage is represented by two convincing aplomb on Adam's part. quite different early percussion And do we really need another works: the setting of the e.e. recording of Corelli's La Folia? cummings -poem forever. and No? Wrong answer. Red Priest's sunsmell and Firsi Constructio11 in . own Fantasy based pn this famous Metal. The first features the voice piece is outrageous, raucous, and of another bright-futured young- radical, but still within the realm of. ster, Ainsley McNeaney. The latter historical possibility. features the sound of 5 whopping big For those of you who haven't thunder sheets which, using heard the bold and daring style scpolars' notes and the manu- of Red Priest, be prepared for a facturing complicity of the cymbal musical roller-coaster-catchmanufacturer· Zildjian, were me-if-you-can ride. The music reconstructed specially for the is. familiar, but,still unexpected, project. Now that's something ·exhilarating, breathtaking, wonderful for a university to played. with a wicked sense of undertake. Concert tNote: The U of T Percussion Ensemble performs. in Walter Hall on December 7. The Cb can .be ordered from the Box Office at 416 978-3744. · humouc This is the most'enter- Alan Gasser taining early music recording I' have ever heard. · Frank T. Nakashima Concert Note: Red Priest and Suzie LeBlanc .perform at Glenn Gould Studio on January 23. In fact, he is splendid. And his mellifluous timbre perfectly brings out Janacek's distinctively angular·1• pungent yet lyrical style. Accompanist Thoma& Ades,. better known in his native Britain as ;fl, composer (his· opera Powder Her Face is definitely worth a listen) and director, offers brilliant support, and is particularly rhapsodic' in the virtuosic piano interlude. As the gypsy girl, the richly nuancep Ruby Philogene is seductive .enough to explain why the hero abandoned his life arid family to run off with her. Janacek wrote this revealingly autobiographical work while rehearsing for the premiere of his masterwork, Jeno/a, which the Canadian Opera Company is presenting next month. Also included are alternate versions of two of the songs. The disc is filled out with piano miniatures, including a set of colourful Moravian folk song. settings, wonderfully characterized by Ades, making this disc an ideal introduction to the extraordinary music of Janacek. Pamela Mari/es Concert Note: The Canadian Opera Company performs Janacek ;_s Jeno/a at the Hummingbird Centre from January 25 to February 9. •. Rondino University of Toronto Percussion Ensemble U of T Faculty of Music Now here's a worthy tribute to the percussion culture that has grown up for the last couple of decades around the University of.Toronto and its resident ensemble, Nexus: Just in case anyone has not noticed it, there is a whole generation of young. pe.rcussionists wandering around Toronto, playing far and wide, and well. Ladies and gentlemen, please introduce yourselves to the next crop of eager young worthies: listen and you shall hear.! The range of pieces is quite wide: from the early Rondino of Terry Hulick (legendary teache'r at Ithaca College, and an early nurturer of serious percussion ensembles) to· Nightmare in Venice Red Priest Dorian DOR-90305 It's frightening how skillfully Red Priest is able to take Vivaldi's The Nightmare Concerto and turn every Janacek: The Diary Qf One Who Di'sappeared Ian Bostridge; tenor, Ruby Philogene, mezzo-soprano Thomas Ades, piano EMIS 572192 dramatic moment into an From the first words of Janacek's oppor~unity to highlight t?e The Diary of One Who J)isfantasucal aspects of the music. , appeared, tenor Ian Bostridge grabs The unusual· 7:7ze ~uries by Nicholas your attention. He is so intens~, so LeStra?ge in. Itself offers an anxious, that each phrase feds like expressive vehicle for Adams and a direct confidence. While the role his crew (Julia Bishop, violin; ofa nai'ye young man obsessed with Angela Ea~t, cello; Howa·rd agypsygirlusuallyattractsafuller, Beach, harpsichord). more Italianate voice, Bostridge is . Co~bining hi~ phenomen~I dramatic and forceful enough, virtuos1c talents with a crazy fla1r especially _in the sudden shifts in f~r hot-doggi~g, recorder player mood throughout the twenty-two Piers Adams still acknowledges the songs, to be thoroughly convincing. Delibes: Lakme Natalie Dessay, soprano, Gregory Kunde, tenor; Jose van Dam, baritone Orchestre et Choir du Capitole 1 de Toulouse Michel Plasson, conductor · EMI 5 56569 2 6 In January, Opera Ontai:io continues its invaluable exploration of neglected nineteenth century French operas when :: performs Delibes' once-popular Lakme. It was a· hit when it opened iri 1883, and remained so for almost one hundred years. But today Delibes is mainly known for his popular ballet Coppelia, allhough two of the arias from Lakme, the coloratura showpiece Bell Song and the Flower Duet are often heard. 58 www.thewholenote-.com December 1 2002 - February 7 2003

Lakme takes place in India during of Italian nobles in Rome, and this steady presence throughout. the British occupation. The · recording. invites the listener into Colin Eatock somewhat dubi6us plot hinges this exclusive world. around a vengeful Brahmin priest, Marie-Nicole Lemieux - a '. Concert Note: Marie-Nicole his young priestess daughter, and contralto with a pure, counter- Lemieux is· featured in Tafel- · the British pfficer whO falls in love tenorish voice - sings with spot- musik's A Rising Star concerts with her. pn intonation and a vocal agility that January 8 - 12 at Trinity-St. Paul's But the music is glorious, makes it all sound easy. (i,isten to . Centre,. · especially· when performed as her seemingly effortless negotiation splendidly as on this recording. of the roulades in the aria Fuggi da French soprano Natalie Dessay is questo sen, for instance .) sensational'. She brings such Lemieux's embellishments are charaeter and shading to each npte, tasteful , her delivery subtly with such luminous ringing tones, expressive - and yet she can give that even the great Sutherland, who goosebum_ps , with the word recorded the role twice, can't "crudele." match her here. She has a· Harpsichordist Luc Beausejour distinctively youthful and versatile performs with gentlemanly voice, which seems to get clearer defere ~ c e. Even his two solo and more bea1,1tiful the higher she contributions - the Suite in £major, goes - and this is a high role. and the Air from Water Music - The great Belgian baritone Jose show a self-assured, restraip.ed Van.Dam gives depth and humanity elegance. to the fanatical priest whose Flutist Marie-Celine Labbe fatherly love is perverted by shines in a deft reading of the religious zeal. Tenor Gregory Sonata in D Major, her soft-toned Kunde as the ardent lover comes baroque flute balancing perfectly with NEW&RECENT RELEASES off as more caring than callow. the harpsichord and cello, In the The orchestra and chorus under cantata Mi pa/pa ii car, she Handel: Oratorio Arias Michel Plasson capture the exotic delightfully mirrors the phras i"ng, David Daniels,, countertenor atmosphere of the lush score, but articulation and Affekt of the singer. Ensemble Orchestral de Paris still provide plenty of dramatic Cellist Amanda Keesmaat; who John Nelson, conductor m.omentum. unfortunately has . no 5olo contri- 49 2 4 Pamela Marg/es bution to this disc, is a warm, Virgin 7243 5 45 7 NAXOS AUDIO BOOKS The perfect gifts & traveling companions Concert Note: Opera Ontario is producing Lakme in Ha17Jilton on January 25, 30, and Feb. 1 at Hamilton Place, and-in Kitchener­ Waterloo on Feb. lat The Centre in the Square. Handel: Italian Cantatas Marie-Nicole Lemieux, contralto Luc Beausej~ur, harpsichord Marie-Celine Labbe, baroqu~ flute; Amanda Keesmaat, baroque cello Analekia FL Z 3161 Here's a discreetly charming little Handel-fest: a disc that alternates solo cantatas, accompanied by two or three players, with instrumental works. All composed before 1720, these works reveal a musically intimate Handel. The secular cantatas here were written for private performances in the homes December 1 2002 - February 7 2003 DECK THE HALLS WITH THESE GREAT CDS!! The.TIMMINS YOUTH SINGERS www.timminsyouthsingers.com www.mp3.com/YouthSingers Rosanne Simunovic, Fqunder-Conductor Scenes From a Dream www.s.cenesfromadream.com Timmins Youth Singers Patricia O'Callaghan,, Paul Massei, Gregory Cross, The Essentials, Grng Bond, Larry Herbert, Henry Ingram, Brahm Goldhamer, Lona Davis, Chuck Homewood, Doreen Simmons I Remember December www.christmascd.ca Timmins Youth Singers Patricia O'Callaghan & Kevin Closs Amazon.Com's Top lndie Seller for 2001 Holiday Season . A Christmas Legacy www.christmascd.ca Timmins Youth Singers, Timmins Concert Singers Howard Cable, Guest Conductor Featuri;d Holiday CD for .2002 at Christmasreviews.Com · Available at www.amaton.coni www.indiepool.com www:cdbaby.coni www.thewholenote.com · Life of Mozart A narrated introduction to his life & works: 4 CDs plus I,ook Naxos Audiobooks available at: ·Spoken Word Audiobooks - 350 Bay .Street in downtown Toronto 416-368-1027 . www.spoken-word.com 59

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