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Friday Septembre 30, 2005 – 19h30 Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier – Place des Arts

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Tickets: $15, $20, $25, $30 (10% discount for students and seniors) Available at the ticket office of: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier

Information: (514) 398-5145 or www.mcgill.ca/music/events/concerts tms_4-1_p05-09_notesB 2005-09-1517:54Page6 6 C 14 7 NEWS &PERFORMANCE 28 29 8 12 10 YOUTH MUSICIAN’S CORNER: 36 NEXT ISSUE- WINTER 2006

The Music Scene ontents New inInstruments Music andKids E Tw Victoria Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, SouthernOntario, Ottawa, F Notes Musical Crossword all 2005Concert Picks: ditorial Ad mid-November 2005 Street Date: Fo elfth Night Fa cus onHigher Education La DolceBartoli Superstar mezzo Cecilia explores Bartoli forbidden treasures ve ll 2005 rt sn edie coe 0 05 Visit ads.scena.org for details. 2005. October30, ising Deadline: 20 19 18 JAZZ 22 REVIEWS J Off thePage Ornette Coleman -Sonny Rollins Legends inOur Time: D,DD,Books DVDs, CDs, azz CDReviews

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th cene Notes from the files of scena.org Michael Vincent, Kat Hammer, Salimah Shivji

Fall 2005 Vol. 4.1 The Dawn of a New Day: job in Paris. Hospital staff would not confirm Downloading mania reports that the man had attempted suicide

Publisher La Scène Musicale / The Music Scene The BBC has come under fire after making all prior to being found on the beach. The Directors Wah Keung Chan (pres.), Sandro Scola, nine Beethoven symphonies available for free German embassy only stated that “This was a Joan Gauthier download during the first week of June. neutral affair for us, it was someone who had Editor Wah Keung Chan Anthony Anderson, the managing director of lost his passport and needed to get back to Assistant Editor Réjean Beaucage CD/Books Editor Réjean Beaucage the Naxos classical music label, said the Germany and we helped him." KH Jazz Editor Marc Chénard actions of the Radio 3 Web site “devalued the Contributors Claire Marie Blaustein, Christopher Bourne, Kenna Burima, Marc Chénard, Charles Collard, John Defayette, perceived value of music.” Marin Alsop's appointment with the Jacques Desjardins, W.S. Habington, Kat Hammer, Robert Jordan, Anderson was responding to the resulting Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Gordon Morash, Rick Phillips, Isabelle Picard, Lucie Renaud, Paul Serralheiro, Salimah Shivji, Joseph K. So, Michael Vincent overwhelming interest in the Beethoven clips. controversial Cecilia Baroli Photos Universal Music The total number of downloads was around the The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra made his- Translator Tim Brierley 1.4 million mark, a number far surpassing the tory in July with Marin Alsop's appointment as Proofreaders Eric Ginesier, Annie Prothin annual sales of classical music record labels. music director. This marks the first time a Graphics WKC, Albert Cormier, Christopher Bourne, Tammy The most frequently downloaded clips were of woman will head a major American orchestra, Delaney, Zuleira Chock Website Normand Vandray, Mike Vincent, Linda Lee the lesser-known first and second symphonies, though not without controversy. Orchestra Admin. Assistant Christopher Bourne suggesting that the BBC reached members have argued that the Regional Calendar Eric Legault Accounting Joanne Dufour an audience that was previously search for a director ended pre- Bookkeeper Kamal Ait Mouhoub unexposed to Beethoven. maturely and other candidates Volunteers Wah Wing Chan, John Defayette, Amalia Dinut, “Providing Beethoven for free should be considered. A letter Dean Jobin-Bevans, Lilian Liganor, Stephen Lloyd, Renée Rouleau download bends the rules, as tax- from an orchestra member was Distribution payers' money is used to compete leaked, claiming that Alsop Ottawa, Southern Ontario, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, against commerce," said Mario lacked the skills required for a Vancouver & Victoria Labbé, president and founder of music director. Address Analekta, Canada’s largest inde- Alsop has been the principal 5409 Waverly St., Montreal Quebec, Canada H2T 2X8 pendent classical record company. director of Bournemouth Tel.: (514) 948-2520 / Fax: (514) 274-9456 Music teacher Lucie Renaud Symphony Orchestra in England Editorial (514) 274-1128

disagrees. “The BBC effectively Marin Alsop • Photo Leighton : Grant since 2002, and has also direct- Advertising Mike Webber (514) 667-1059 reached the public. After being ed the Cabrillo Festival of Mario Felton-Coletti (514) 948-0509 exposed to the music, listeners will perhaps buy Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz and con- Gillian Pritchett (514) 948-2520 classical albums and attend a concert or two, ducted the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood [email protected] • Web : www.scena.org thus boosting the classical music audience." this summer. Prior to her appointment with the production – artwork : [email protected] Due to all the generated attention, the BBC Baltimore Symphony she made several appear- The Music Scene is the English Canada sister publication of is planning a week of Bach later this year. SS ances with them as guest conductor. La Scena Musicale.It is dedicated to the promotion of classical music and jazz. Alsop has reacted to the controversy with TMS is published four times a year by La Scène Musicale/The “Piano Man” speaks shock. The Boston Globe quoted her as saying, Music Scene, a registered non-profit organization and charity. Inside, readers will find articles, interviews and reviews. The “Piano Man” was released from hospital in “All I knew was, every time I worked with the La Scena Musicale is Italian for The Music Scene. England and has returned home to Germany. orchestra we had a great time, we did great Subscriptions The man caught the attention of media around concerts, they always asked me back for more Surface mail subscriptions (Canada) cost $20/yr or $35/2 yrs the world in April, after he was found soaking weeks. I thought, oh, this feels really natural, (taxes included) to cover postage and handling costs. Please mail, fax or email your name, address, telephone no., fax no., and wet on the south coast of England and refused this is going to be great. And then it was like, email address. to speak a word to anyone. He had no what happened here?” She has met privately Donations are always welcome. (no. 14199 6579 RR0001) Ver:2005-9-15 © La Scène Musicale / The Music Scene. identification and no one successfully with the musicians and is committed to contin- All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro- identified him even after his picture was uing with the orchestra. Her plans include duced without the written permission of La Scena Musicale / The Music Scene. released. After drawing a detailed pencil sketch recording with Naxos, a label she has recorded ISSN 1703-8189 (Print) ISSN 1703-8197 (Online) of one, the man was given access to a piano. with conducting the Royal Scottish National Canada Post Publication Mail Sales Agreement No. 40025257 He played excerpts from Tchaikovsky's Swan Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Lake and songs by John Lennon, earning the Orchestra and the London Philharmonic nickname “Piano Man.” Orchestra. KH A British newspaper printed claims that the man would only “tap one key continuously” 'Terror Opera' Sparks Outrage For Advertising: but hospital staff have refuted that, maintain- ing that he performed at the level of a skilled When composer John Adam first premiered his amateur. opera, 'The Death of Klinghoffer' around the (514) 948-0509 After months of silence, the man finally time of the gulf war, it was widely condemned http://ads.scena.org spoke to hospital staff, revealing that he is from by many American critics for its perceived sym- Germany and came to England after losing his pathy for Palestinian terrorists. The opera's

Fall 2005 7 tms_4-1_p05-09_notesB 2005-09-15 18:55 Page 8

Notes continued

critics have now formally issued a public boy- MacMillan, composer-conductor of the BBC Montreal Orchestra cancels beginning of cott for its much anticipated British premiere at Philharmonic Orchestra, supports Nielsen by season the Edinburgh Festival. Adams' opera tells the adding that any moves to tame the production The Montreal Symphony Orchestra has can- story of the 1985 hijacking of the Italian cruise would be culturally immature. MacMillan con- celled its September concerts due to the ongo- ship Achille Lauro by Palestinian terrorists who cludes: "I’m not in favour of any kind of censor- ing musicians' strike. Orchestra members went murdered retired, wheelchair-bound Leon ship or self-censorship on any of those levels. on strike in May, after working without a con- Klinghoffer. Rabbi Abraham Cooper, at the We are constantly hearing that we live in a tract or pay raise since 2003. Contract negoti- Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Los Angeles democratic society that respects free speech. ations have been deadlocked and the two sides describes it as "beyond contempt" and “moral- You either have free speech or you don't - have not met since July 28th. Pay and working ly outrageous”. He is particularly upset by the there is no halfway house about it." MV conditions are still at issue. fact that gun-toting actors playing terrorists The decision to cancel the September con- plan to hide among the audience before storm- Conductor Barenboim called “anti- certs was announced by the board of directors ing the stage during the show. Scottish Opera's semitic” on September 9th, stating that, “it would be artistic director Anthony Nielsen, who is cur- Education Minister Limor Livnat told Israeli impossible to call the parties together soon rently rehearsing with the company in Glasgow, Army Radio that conductor Daniel Barenboim enough to allow for reasonable hopes of a set- admitted: "It's a more visceral staging of it than “... has reached the heights that compare to the tlement in time for the September concerts to has been previously performed..." Dr James major haters of Israel, to the real anti-Semites.” be presented.” The cancelled concerts include This is after Barenboim refused an interview to two with Belgian baritone José Van Dam. KH a reporter with the Army Radio because she was in uniform then pulled on her epaulettes Ottawa added to The Music Scene and yelled at her. The incident occurred at the Due to a redesign of La Scena Musicale, Ottawa launch of a book on music Barenboim wrote will now be served on a quarterly basis by The with the late Palestinian intellectual Edward Music Scene magazine. Faithful Ottawa readers of Said. Reporter Dafna Arad approached LSM can purchase the monthly at the local news- Barenboim and requested an interview. stand or by subscribing. Call 877-948-2520. Barenboim said he refused to be interviewed by a soldier in uniform and would agree to the La Scena Musicale / interview only if the reporter wore civilian The Music Scene clothes. Arad protested that she was required to wear the uniform while fulfilling her manda- Fundraising Committee tory military service. Barenboim has defended Publishing a magazine is not easy when himself saying “For you, a uniformed soldier there is a lack of operating government may be a symbol of honour and security and all funding. LSM/TMS is forming a strong sorts of very positive things that are necessary fundraising committee and is looking for for your life in Israel, and I respect that, but the more keen and talented individuals who Send $15 by certified cheque or money order. Taxes and postage included. Allow 3 weeks for delivery. symbolism of a uniform for a Palestinian who care to make a difference by making music Les Disques Victorien has come here to celebrate the fact that one of accessible. Please call (514) 274-1128 or P.O. Box 55085, Montreal, QC H2T 3E2 their own wrote a book with me — I think that email [email protected]. 514 273-0253 displays insensitivity.” KH

8 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_p05-09_notesB 2005-09-15 13:42 Page 9

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Fall 2005 9 tms_4-1_p10-13_musicianv2 2005-09-15 15:52 Page 10

MUSICIAN’S CORNER Music and Kids: A Natural Pair SALIMAH SHIVJI

lato once said, "Music training is a more Despite the controversy over scientific proof, approach,” says Jobin-Bevans, whose former potent instrument than any other, many music teachers are certain that music is school offers courses based on the Suzuki style. P because rhythm and harmony find their good for children, regardless of whether it Other institutions take a slightly different way into the inward places of the soul." affects their intelligence. course, but also show signs that the benefits of Taking their cue from Plato are the many par- “Music is an entirely different discipline,” music are at the forefront of new methods of ents who enroll their young children in music les- says Jobin-Bevans. “If studying a solo instru- teaching. The Royal Conservatory of Music, sons with the hope that this education will ment, the student has to learn to practice in a Canada’s oldest independent arts educator, greatly benefit them in future years. The positive disciplined way. It’s about learning to focus.” developed Learning Through the Arts in 1995. aspects of studying music have been researched Playing in ensembles helps children develop The program, which teaches history, math and extensively over the last decade: it improves self- vital skills such as teamwork, where they are social studies through songwriting, dance and esteem, promotes creativity and discipline and, taught to give up their own desires in the inter- visual art, has grown exponentially in the last essentially, makes people feel good. est of the group. ten years. There are now 100,000 students “I know my sons have huge amounts of fun and Music is also an instinctive part of a baby’s taking part in 300 schools across the country. a great social life. They're learning a universal lan- early development, claims “Smarter Than The Promotion of social and emotional develop- guage beyond words,” says Ros Asquith, moth- Rest Of Us,” a recent documentary on CTV’s W5 ment through music and the arts, which may in er of two boys who study music. that revisits how sound and music affect babies. turn lead to academic improvement, is the order The publication of the widely popular and Citing the historical and cross-cultural tradi- of the day in this experimental program. Its cre- equally controversial study “Music and Spatial tion of mothers and guardians singing to chil- ators believe that music helps with memory and Task Performance” is, in part, responsible for dren in order to soothe them, the program, focus. The emphasis is on advancing communi- promoting the idea that music has positive written and directed by Robert Duncan, goes cation, which aligns with the broader benefits of effects on kids. Since 1993, when Nature pub- on to prove that music is a positive influence. music for young children: better self-expression, lished the study, labeled the “Mozart Effect” by Babies are very receptive to melodies, accord- teamwork skills, and discipline. the media, the public has been scrambling to ing to Dr. Laurel Trainor, a professor of psychol- Programs like these indicate that the philoso- push classical music on children. ogy, neuroscience and behaviour at McMaster phy of music instruction and its perceived The study found that college students per- University. In her study of perception of sound in benefits continue to grow with time. Whether formed better at spatial-reasoning tests after lis- infants, she found that people who were happy children learn to play the piano or the violin, lis- tening to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D prior to performing the spatial task test achieved ten to Mozart or Mendelssohn, they will be bet- Major for 10 minutes. The Mozart Effect quick- better results. She believes that these results are ter equipped to deal with social situations as they ly gained mass acceptance, seducing adults not specifically related to Mozart and could be get older. Clearly, music is always in good order around the world and sparking a renewal of influenced by any kind of music. when it comes to kids. p interest in classical music, especially among pa- However, the benefits of music, particularly rents who were led to believe that Mozart could at a young age, are tangible. Music affects 5 concrete benefits of music lessons make a big difference in their children’s lives. memory and brain development. Kids who fol- •Teaches the importance of perseverance and hard work to perfect a performance. Dean Jobin-Bevans, former director of the low the Suzuki method, which likens music •Improves teamwork skills and discipline. McGill Conservatory, has seen many parents instruction to language acquisition and insists •Promotes creative thinking and the search arrive at the institution with this idea in mind. on children starting young, are usually ahead of for alternate solutions to problems that “I don’t think it’s all malarkey, but personally, I their school classmates. They excel in pre-read- may arise. don’t subscribe to it,” said Jobin-Bevans. ing skills such as matching, rhyming, motor •Gives children a concrete means of self- Instead, he prefers to concentrate on the other skills and language. expression and improves self-esteem. • Helps conquer fear and builds rewards of music, because, as he points out, Many schools and private teachers around confidence. “there’s much more to it.” the world have adopted the Suzuki method, Further experiments testing music and the despite the criticism that it produces imitators brain failed to reproduce the results of the who play by ear and do not learn how to read For more information and details on other 1993 study. Other scientists have also music properly. “Music becomes a part of your advantages, visit the Music Education Online website at expressed doubt over the fact that listening to life and children get the value of learning a cer- www.childrensmusicworkshop.com Mozart makes kids smarter. tain instrument through this largely successful

10 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_p10-13_musicianv2 2005-09-15 15:47 Page 11

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New in Instruments MUSICIANS’ CORNER Christopher Bourne

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Fall 2005 13 tms_4-1_p14-17_bartoliv2 9/15/05 6:37 PM Page 14 LA DOLCE BARTOLI

Superstar mezzo Cecilia Bartoli explores forbidden treasures

BY JOSEPH K. SO

he CD cover is more eye- popping than usual – a newly slimmed down Cecilia Bartoli, wet hair and all, in a low-cut, strapless black gown, posing seductively in a fountain. Any resemblance to Anita Ekberg – sans blond hair T th – in La dolce Vita, Fellini’s ode to mid-20 cen- tury Roman decadence, is purely intentional. Across the photo are the words “Opera Proibita,” stamped in blood-red letters, much like something one encounters in an Italian tabloid. To be sure, there is nothing salacious about sacred music from the early 18th centu- ry. But Bartoli – and undoubtedly the advertis- ing executives of Decca Records – came up with the idea of a parallel between music from that period in Rome, a time when opera was considered immoral and thus banned, and the attempt by the Vatican to ban the Fellini movie when it came out in 1960.

Just an exercise in clever marketing, you say? La Bartoli doesn’t think so. “I want to visualize the (recording) project; to find a parallel,” she explains by phone from Paris. “In 1957, the Vatican and Pope Pius XII did not accept night life, so Rome was a ‘dead city.’ After the Pope died, there was a kind of explosion, around the time when La dolce Vita was released. Of course the Vatican wanted to forbid it, but tms_4-1_p14-17_bartoliv2 9/15/05 6:42 PM Page 15

some cardinal saw the movie and said, ‘No, it is Toronto, followed by the Chan Centre in these roles for sopranos; mezzos didn’t exist as not against us; it is reality.’ I find a parallel of Vancouver four days later. a category. For Elvira, you need a flexible voice, this to the forbidden music and opera in 18th but also with a nice, warm color in the middle. century Rome. For the music to survive, they TMS: Why have you chosen Toronto to start Fiordiligi has to sing the difficult “Come composed oratorios, not operas. I wanted to your tour? scoglio”; you need the range up to a high C. find a visual that is more modern… the water CB: Because I have such an incredible experi- But in Act 2, you have this incredible “Per around a Baroque fountain. Water for me is like ence every time I am in Toronto, but also in pietà,” which is really a masterpiece. It is writ- art – it is the symbolism on the cover.” Montreal, Vancouver, even Calgary. I want to ten in the low register, so if you are a lyric share this great music with my audience in soprano, it is good for the first aria but not the With an 18-year international career under Canada. The only problem is the weather – my second. I sing a role that suits my instrument. her belt, and yet only in her 30s, Bartoli is one God! (laughs) In Mozart, it is clear you need one voice for of the most recognized and beloved singers Elvira, and a different one for Queen of the today. With her extraordinary instrument and TMS: I understand you don’t like to fly. How Night – and I am not planning to sing Queen exuberant stage persona, one can understand are you crossing the Atlantic? of the Night! (laughs) why she is the best-selling female classical CB: (Mischievously) What do you think? By vocalist of our time. If a Bartoli recording is boat. Yes! I take the boat from Ireland in mid- TMS: Your Donna Elvira is so passionate. Do impressive, Cecilia ‘in the flesh’ is an unforget- September and arrive in five, six days. I want to you prefer her to Fiordiligi? table experience. Simply put, she radiates joy – take time to enjoy the trip, to arrive without CB: It is hard to answer this question. Mozart you can hear it, see it, feel it in her voice, her the terrible feeling of jet lag. characters are so full of passion and fragility. face and body, down to her fingertips. “Making Fiordiligi is totally in conflict. She starts with music is my passion; I don’t feel I am working. TMS: In the new album, in the aria “Un pen- one love and ends with a different one. Elvira Work is all that traveling, on the road for long siero nemico di pace,” you sing up to a high has less conflict; you know she loves Don periods. But when you believe in the music, D natural, which is incredible for a mezzo. Giovanni. I like the fragility of Fiordiligi. This singing is a moment of real joy. And I believe in Do you have a three-octave range? role is definitely very important in the Mozart the music in this album, and I want to share CB: Umm, let’s just say I have a flexible voice… universe. what I discovered with others who will enjoy it too,” she says. TMS: You’ve sung Fiordiligi, Donna Elvira, TMS: What is your next opera project? Cleopatra, and now Fiorilla at Covent CB: I would love to go back to Renaissance time, And share she will, when she kicks off a huge Garden – these are all soprano roles. to do Monteverdi’s Poppea. And I made my 35-city tour this month to promote the new CB: If you look in the original score of Don debut recently as Cleopatra in Handel’s Giulio disc, with the first stop at Roy Thomson Hall in Giovanni or Nozze di Figaro, Mozart wrote Cesare and it was a big success in Europe.

Fall 2005 15 tms_4-1_p14-17_bartoliv2 9/15/05 6:39 PM Page 16

TMS: You sing lots of recitals. Do you prefer recitals to opera? CB: I like both! When I am singing opera, you have this incredible music, costumes, set designs. Opera is great, but recital in a way gives you the chance for a more intimate musical trip. In recitals often you have beau- tiful poetry. Sometimes opera libretti are not so beautiful; the quality of poetry is not so high….

TMS: When did you have your start? CB: I started to take lessons at 14, and my international career started when I was 20, 21 years old.

TMS: You even sang the Shepherd Boy in Tosca… CB: Yes, but it was just one performance in Rome – I was eight years old! I sang with a “white voice.” When I was really young, my mother didn’t have a baby sitter and brought all the children to the opera house. I remember the first opera I saw was Aïda – I grew up with Aïda and Turandot – I knew every line of the opera! This was the way I grew up. I don’t remember who sang. At that age, I was not so impressed by the singers but more by the entire show: the sets, the dancers, the orchestra.

TMS: At such a young age, you’ve already had a long career. Do you see yourself singing a long time, like Mirella Freni or Placido Domingo? CB: Oh that would be great! I have had the privilege to sing until now, and I hope I will have the privilege to sing a long time. Music is my pas- sion — not just singing, but to hear music. I go to concerts a lot.

TMS: When the time comes to say goodbye to the stage, will you become a professor? A singing teacher? CB: Ah, I don’t know! [Teaching] is a gift. My mother is my teacher. She is such a fantastic teacher, and I have her in front of me. I don’t know if I will ever teach as well as my mother.

TMS: Have you ever given a master class? CB: No. It really is a gift (to be able) to teach. You not only have to be a good teacher, but you need also to be a kind of psychol- ogist; not just the singing side but more than that.

TMS: You have such a fantastic technique that it is impor- tant to pass it on to the next generation… CB: Well, yeah… I hope I will be able to do that, yes. Of course technique is important. Solid technique gives you the possibility to sing for a long time, but you also have to sing with emotion and expression. You have to tell a story to the audience you know.

continued on p. 17

Translator | Writer | Editor We buy collections of Bilingual, meticulous classical (Liszt, Bach, Excellent communication skills Good knowledge of music and the arts Mozart) vinyl records. If you have more than Several years of experience • Translation certificate a 100 classical records, CHRISTIANE CHARBONNEAU please call: Telephone: (514) 374-1044; (450) 346-1245 (514) 481-8729 ZZ{ E-mail: } 16 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_p14-17_bartoliv3 2005-09-15 19:53 Page 17

Opera Proibita TMS: You have such a big career. How do you am now part of a Fiat 500 club! But most of the Arias by Handel, Scarlatti, and Caldara balance your work with your personal life? time I travel by train, and I have a bicycle. Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo-soprano CB: Now that I know my instrument a little bit bet- Les Musiciens du Louvre ter than 20 years ago, I know it is important to rest, TMS: You look great in the photos in your Grenoble; Marc Minkowski, conductor to take time to study. I really have to take time for new album. Have you lost weight? Your arms DECCA CD 475 7029 (72m 2s) that, to be at home, to recharge [my] battery. look really thin. ★★★★★✩ $$$$ CB: Thank you. Yes, I have lost a little bit of TMS: Speaking of recharging your battery, weight. I realized that for my health, it is impor- what do you do to relax? tant to avoid big dinners after a concert! CB: Oh, I like to be with friends, to cook for Any new recor- them, to read, to swim, to go to the cinema, to TMS: Anything you’d like to say to your fans ding by La Bartoli concerts. I like to enjoy life! in Canada? is an eagerly CB: I am really looking forward to coming to anticipated TMS: And to drive your Fiat 500? Canada – I can’t wait! The hall in Toronto is event, and this CB: (Laughs) Yes, I like to drive my Fiat 500 – I renovated, no? See you in September. ■ new disc, Opera Proibita, music of Roman composers of the early 18th century, repre- sents her latest traversal of little known musi- cal territory. The glitzy press package with sound clips of four of the tracks can be found on her Decca website. You see pictures of a newly slimmed down Cecilia frolicking in a baroque Roman fountain – any resemblance to Anita Ekberg in La dolce Vita is entirely intentional (see interview). Mine includes a complete preview disc, with a generous sev- enty-two minutes of music. To be released worldwide on September 13, this album is shaping up to be a real winner. Bartoli is tak- ing it on a 28-city tour on both sides of the Atlantic, and we Canadians are first in line – her tour begins in Toronto and Vancouver. Featured on this disc is a mix some very familiar pieces of the Italian baroque, such as Handel’s ‘Lascia la spina, cogli la rosa’, with forgotten gems by Caldara and Scarlatti. The recording finds Bartoli in fine form, singing everything with her trademark dazzling col- oratura, with her unique brand of staccato attacks. Particularly impressive is Handel’s ‘Un pensiero nemico di pace’ from Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno – the incredibly florid runs go all the way up to a high D – what other mezzos can do this with the same kind of ease and luscious tone? If you are not fond of her incisive – some would even say aggressive – approach to fioritura, there are plenty of quiet, calm pieces that show off her rock-solid legato and purity of tone. Try Caldara’s ‘Vanne pentita a pian- gere’ from Il Trionfo dell’Innocenza for wonderfully controlled cantabile singing. The recorded sound is a bit curious. It is clear and has real presence, but sometimes the solo voice seems excessively close, with the orchestra sounding very distant, while other times it’s just right. The sessions appear to have taken place six months apart, which might or might not explain this anomaly. Bartoli will sing selections from this disc on her tour, but with a different band – that of La Scintilla, made up of musicians from the Zurich Opera Orchestra. Stay tuned. JKS

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Legends in Our Time Ornette Coleman - Sonny Rollins JAZZ MARC CHÉNARD conversely, was thrust on the scene amid con- fuss was about. But this is yet another example troversy, heralded as the instigator of “Free Jazz,” of how the rifts of yesterday smooth them- a term that until its appearance in the late 1950s selves out over time. Nowadays, even a figure meant “music with no cover charge.” known for his disparaging of anything remotely Despite their differences, comparing their audacious in jazz, one Stanley Crouch, has respective careers yields some interesting com- come to Coleman’s defence, invoking his link to monalities. For starters, each has been rather the blues and earlier forms jazz. shy and withdrawn, taking periodical sabbati- cals from the music and recording business. Ornette Coleman Coleman, for one, has gone through so many stops and starts in his career, releasing records in short bursts, and spending the rest of his time away from the studios. In fact, his last disc to date was a singular duo recording with German pianist Joachim Kühn, cut in concert in 1996 and released two years later. Rollins, for his part, dropped out of sight a couple of times, the first being his legendary bridge peri- od, where he spent time practicing on the Williamsburg bridge in New York between 1959 to 1961. From 1966 to 1971, he bowed out once again, studying Far Eastern philosophies and religions. In more recent times, he had not issued an album in about four years before the newly released Without a Song, the 9-11 Like all prominent personalities, both Rollins Concert, recorded five days after that great and Coleman have had to deal with their fair tragedy). share of critical assessments (and broadsides). While Rollins’s reputation squarely rests Many have seen the former as a larger than life Sonny Rollins Sonny within the “modern jazz” tradition (i.e. bop and musical Prometheus who, in spite of his hardbop), he too was lured to the music of tremendous gift, had the tendency to under- his coming October 29, alto saxophon- Coleman at one time. In fact, he put a group whelm his fans (at least in the long string of ist and composer Ornette Coleman will together with two of the latter’s associates, studio recordings cut for the Milestone label T be making his first Canadian appear- trumpeter Don Cherry and drummer Billy over the last thirty years). But he is well aware ance in 20 some years at Toronto’s hallowed Higgins, the main document of that period of this, though he remains ever the gentleman Massey Hall (the very same site as the leg- being Our Man in Jazz, released by RCA in the about it; in interviews he also expresses self- endary concert with Charlie Parker some 52 early 1960s. Coleman, in contrast, was really doubts about his abilities, but his motivation years before). Last June and July, the equally the first American jazz musician to have broken to practice his horn on a daily basis remains. legendary tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins the obligatory link between solos and tune Coleman has had to endure far more slings crossed the country during the yearly spate of lengths. In other words, if a piece was 32 bars and arrows of outrageous fortune than Rollins, national jazz festivals. Coincidentally, both men long, improvised solo chorus had to fall within which has made him a rather relunctant inter- have hit the venerable age of 75 this year, that frame and the set harmonies within it.. But viewee over the years. Whether in his early Rollins on September 7, Coleman on March 9. with Coleman, one needed not solo any more years, in his resurfacing in the 1970s with his With long careers behind them, both have like that, but could play as long as one would electrified Prime Time band, and even in his secured their place in the history books, albeit want, with or without any of the underlying decision to play with pianists again (not only on very different terms. chords. It’s no surprise then that the early peri- Kühn, but also Geri Allen), Coleman has set od of the late-1950s-early-1960s (document- himself up to journalistic scrutiny, especially Different but similar ed on both the Contemporary and Atlantic with respect to his ever diffuse “theory” of While both men are of the same generation, they labels) saw him in a pianoless quartet, a con- Harmolodics, which still baffles the most astute belong to very different worlds style-wise. text that liberated musicians from the necessi- of his fans. As such, one could venture to say Rollins, one of the rare surviving masters of the ty of having to listen to a keyboardist’s har- that O.C. is one of the very few musicians bop and hard-bop eras, is a champion of the monic reiterations. today still capable of embodying that “sound great American song tradition, a veritable walk- of suprise,” a turn of phrase the prominent ing fakebook of evergreens and jazz standards Masters under Scrutiny writer Whitney Balliett once coined as his defi- composed by other greats like Charlie Parker, As heated as the debate was back then, the nition of jazz. Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, as well as a few of records of that period, including Coleman’s But both musicians are markedly different in his own (“Oleo,” “Valse Hot” and the perennial pioneering double quartet session “Free Jazz” one aspect: in spite of his famous tunes, Rollins jazz calypso “St Thomas”). Ornette Coleman, of late 1961, now make us wonder what all the remains a blower at heart (and a very hard one

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OFF THE PAGE

at that, even if his strength is starting to wane, Montreal during the 50s and worked as the through with some inspired soloing, and it’s a as per reports from his Canadian summer con- host of a local late-night radio show under the pleasure to see Terri Lynn Carrington at work certs). What’s more, he did not invent a jazz moniker of “Miss Music.” on the drum set, digging deep for the soul of style, but has embodied it arguably better (and From his fairly solitary childhood to his musi- the music. Although Robi Botos on piano and surely longer) than anybody else. Ornette cal beginnings as a clarinettist, from his first Marc Rogers on bass lend their considerable Coleman, in contrast, opened the door to the meeting with Brubeck in 1946 to his early talent to the date, Dwyer and Carrington form world beyond bop and was one of the first, training in military orchestras, the young the nucleus – as is made clear by the maybe even the first, to lay the groundwork for Desmond – who gave various reasons over the tenor/drum duo of “Surrey with the Fringe on the shape of jazz to come. years for his choice of name – was once torn Top,” with which the disc ends. The point of between his musical calling and his ambition to Alma Record’s One Take series is to capture Ta ke Five be a writer. In fact, he never gave up his literary raw music making, with the first take being the The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond interest and was in the habit of lugging a final product. While the realities of recording Doug Ramsey portable typewriter on tour. A few years before and the self-consciousness it induces are plain- Parkside Publications he died, Desmond had even planned to write ly observed in the DVD (the microphones, the 370 pp. (with appendices and discography) his autobiography; for a title, he had chosen camera operators, etc.), the musicians are cen- The great alto saxophonist Paul Desmond had the somewhat bizarre question often posed to tered on making music of the finest order. The an instantly recognizable style on his instru- him by flight attendants: “So, How Many handling of the standards underlines the pas- ment. He was also one of the more charming Members Are There In Your Quartet?” sion that drives the best jazz, and this comes personalities in all of jazz history. During his The saxophonist was well known for his wit through on most of these cuts. “Nothing heyday in the ‘50s and ‘60s, his pristine tone and tongue-in-cheek humour, both in words Personal” is a standout here in that the musi- and acrobatic phrasing made him famous not and in music; one of his favourite ploys was to cians seem to be lifting it right off the page. just among jazz fans but in the world of quote a wide-range of popular show tunes in Otherwise, all the tunes come off trippingly American popular music as well, thanks in no his solos. He was a quintessentially cosmopol- and the visuals make it all seem much more small part to the engaging melodies he record- itan artist, whose urbane intelligence made him immediate. PS ed with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. One of equally at home in musical and literary circles them, “Take Five,” became a jazz best-seller if of New York society. (It seems his discretion ever there was one. and charm also gave him success in romance; Desmond’s career was all too short: a three- Gloria Steinem, the women’s rights activist and pack-a-day smoking habit led to his premature author, befriended him for a while. Her recol- death from lung cancer at age 52. Some 28 lections are also featured in the book.) years after his passing, a long-time friend, the Musicians will also appreciate this excellent journalist Doug Ramsey, has written a weighty biography for including four transcriptions of but finely produced tome about the musician’s his solos, one of which runs over a full six life. With numerous illustrations and highly pages, and a few facsimiles of his own compo- detailed research, the book sets out to dispell sitions. As well as its detailed endnotes, the some of the mystery from what Brubeck book features a very thorough discography describes in the introduction as “the enigma of and index. Although Parkside Publications is a Paul Desmond.” small operation based in Seattle, the book is In over 300 pages, Desmond’s biographer now available across Canada. All in all, it is a contrasts his subject’s private and public lives. remarkable literary and investigative achieve- Their friendship naturally colours his point of ment that is likely to stand among the classics view, and he shows himself fairly indulgent of the genre. MC when it comes to his the musician’s libations. But it seems that, with a few exceptions, the Jazz in Full View altoist was well loved by all who knew him. Born Terri Lyne Carrington, Robi Botos, Phil Dwyer, Marc Paul Breitenfeld in San Francisco in 1924, Rogers: One Take: Volume Two Desmond was an only child. His father was a Alma Records ADV14399 music arranger and composer; his mother suf- ★★★★✩✩ fered from a nervous disorder with obsessive- Along with the fine playing and audio options compulsive tendencies. The boy grew up shy for those with TV sets hooked up to sound sys- and intellectual, and tended to wall off certain tems, this disc offers visual reminders of how parts of his life from different acquaintances. physically demanding the act of playing is. This Among all his close friends, only one ever had is a well chosen program of standards that the opportunity of meeting his mother, and combines such disparate tunes as the loose almost no one knew that he had once been “Freedom Jazz Dance,” the soul-jazz of “Listen married, although briefly. Some interesting triv- Here” and the Tin Pan Alley lyricism of “I Hear ia: after their divorce, his ex-wife lived in a Rhapsody.” Tenor man Phil Dwyer comes

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OFF THE RECORD MARC CHÉNARD, STEVE GUIMOND. PAUL SERRALHEIRO

Ornette Coleman – Pat Metheny : Song X Dylan van der Schyff : The Definition of a Toy ahead bop-post-bop of “Smarty Pants.” Nonesuch 79918-2 Songlines SGL 1554-2 Amendola is the glue here, responsible for ★★★★★✩ ★★★★✩✩ keeping the genre-bending within reasonable Recorded 20 years ago, There was a time not so limits. This is accomplished through his deft this encounter between long ago when musicians playing (few match his chops!) and maturity as Free Jazz legend Ornette either chose to stick to a head-man. Simply slammin’! SG Coleman and then- the conventions of the upstart pop-jazz guitar jazz tradition or to just Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion: icon Pat Metheny was play completely free. But …and Sammy Walked In certainly one of the most talked about albums now there are players adept at both, like the five Savant SCD 2066 of its day. First issued in LP format and on CD, musicians featured in this release. Heard here ★★★✩✩✩ this update of the session includes six unissued are American bassist Mark Helias, reedist This disc, which opens on a tracks, all tacked on at the beginning of the Michael Moore (a long-time resident of driving songo, starts on a side and remixed for an even sharper sound. Amsterdam, like the pianist on this date, strong note, but flags on Though not specified, it may well be that these German native Achim Kaufman), with fellow the next track because of a new cuts were the first played at the session, as Vancouverites trumpeter Brad Turner and drum- rather rote rendering of one gets the feeling the band is gradually mer Dylan van der Schyff also on board. In a lit- cha-cha rhythms. On the building its momentum to the title cut. There is tle over an hour, the group roams in all sorts of whole, the music is rather uneven, but there is a bouncing feel to it all, spurred on by bassist directions. The program comprises two concise at least one worthwhile solo per track. Through Charlie Haden, and drummers Jack de Johnette trio improvs sans bass and trumpet, some it all, percussionist Figueroa, who has has and Dernardo Coleman. It’s relentless too, with warmly inviting tunes (most notably “Gavoitas learned his craft by playing with some of the only one ballad (“Kathleen Gray”) among the Sobre Lapa”) and fractious originals by various best in the business, delivers the real thing. 14 tracks. It is said that good music stands the members, except the drummer. With enough The progressive samba sounds of Hermeto test of time. If so, this one passes that test with twists and turns along the way, this group keeps Pascoal’s “Bebé” with its stops and starts, and flying colors. MC you wondering what’s next. As implied at the John Lovell trumpet playing in “Eugenology” onset, these savvy musicians know all the tricks and “Mambo Influenciado” are among the Marc Ribot: Spiritual Unity of the contemporary jazz trade, and as such, stronger moments. The title cut, a Michel Pi Recordings they offer us a good snapshot (which can fur- Camilo tune, should also please the most dis- ★★★★★✩ ther be enjoyed in an SACD player) of what cerning Latin Jazz fan, while the lullaby that This stunning tribute to today’s creative music has to offer. MC closes the disc – penned by the leader – is as that other-worldly saxman strong as the opener, thus enticing the listener Albert Ayler had me near Scott Amendola Band: Believe to push the repeat button. PS tears the first time I heard Cryptogramophone CG 123 it. Some 35 years after his ★★★★✩✩ Alan Matheson Nonet: Intrada death, four musicians, rep- A driving force behind CBC Records AMCD0604 resenting the old, middle and new schools of a such artists as Charlie ★★★✩✩✩ jazz we call free, are here to celebrate the music Hunter and popular Good clean jazz by skilled, of that still controversial figure. Spiritual Unity is singer Madeleine Peyroux, dedicated musicians may a revisiting of such anthems as “Spirits,” “Truth Is American Left Coast per- sound like a good thing, Marching In,” “Saints,” “Bells,” and the haunting cussionist Scott Amen- but it also raises some original (“Invocation”) which opens the disc. dola offers us his third release as a leader. In it, interesting issues: Is jazz Assembled by Downtown NYC guitarist Marc Guitarist Nels Cline repays the favor to the really like classical music? Ribot (of Lounge Lizards fame), the group also drummer, who backs him in his own “Nels Cline Can it be played with the same kind of sound bears a direct link to Ayler himself with the pres- Singers“ trio, but is paired here with noisy concept – i.e. pure and pristine? Evidence here ence of a former sideman of his, the recently res- rocker-jazzbo Jeff Parker (of Tortoise fame), suggests that it can, as leader/trumpeter Alan urrected bassist Henry Grimes. While Ribot making for a twin-headed all-star guitar duel. Matheson takes a group of very polished embodies Ayler’s saxophone, Roy Campbell plays Rounded out by the prolonged violin pulses of Vancouver-based musicians through a number off him with tasteful trumpet tweaks, succeeding Jenny Scheinman (wow!) and steady bass syn- of his originals. The nonet is handled rather like as much in doing justice to the tunes as in spin- copations of John Schifflett, the guitar whizzes a big band, with choir sections and antiphonal ning out bold improvisations. The junior member guide this date to the outer realms of the thing writing being the operative principle. Chamber of the team, drummer Chad Taylor (part of the we call jazz, steering the proceedings with their jazz of a refined sort results, but even Chicago Underground group) holds his own in alternating leads, rhythms, and solos. Mixing Matheson is not one who takes many chances quiet and boisterous moments alike. As expected, composed pieces with free play, Believe has the as a composer, his lyricism will surely strike a the music explodes, but it softens too, thus mandate to explore, be it in the Afro-Latinized chord among lovers of “classic jazz”. The play- exposing some of the raw emotion and beauty grooves of “Olipado,” the orchestral, melan- ing here is enough to make this disc worth- found within Ayler’s musical legacy. SG cholic tones of “If Only Once,” the Neil Young while, in that the trumpeter and his cohorts ode “Buffalo Bird Woman” or the straight show us how well they master their craft. PS

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CDs Rick’s Picks RICK PHILLIPS Rick Phillips reviews four of his top ten picks for the current issue of The cianship. Now, on this more recent Analekta disc, Music Scene. Phillips is Host and Producer of SOUND ADVICE, the weekly those traits continue with Canadian harpsichordist guide to classical music and recordings on CBC Radio. Tune in Saturdays Luc Beausejour. These two musicians work very well at 12 :05 PM (1:05 AT, 1:35 in Nfld.) on CBC Radio Two, and Sunday together. The complementing and supporting going evenings at 6:30 PM (7:30 AT, 8:00 in Nfld.) on CBC Radio One. on here are exceptional, and really make this record- 1) J. S. BACH: The Passion According to St. John, BWV. 245 ing. Balance, proportion and synchronization The Netherlands Bach Society et al / Jos van Feldhoven between the two instruments are excellent. Dance Channel Classics CCS SA 22005 movements have a jaunty bounce to them, and the shapely and expressive 2) J. S. BACH: Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord, Vol. 1 James Ehnes, Luc Beausejour • Analekta AN 29829 phrasing is lovely. James Ehnes is a thoroughly modern violinist. It seems 3) BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6 he’s able to play music well in any style and from any period. Here in Bach Tafelmusik Orchestra/Bruno Weil, Jeanne Lamon • Analekta AN 29831 he uses a small, focused tone with just a little vibrato to colour and warm 4) P. VIARDOT-GARCIA: Chansons it. It’s always tastefully done. And Luc Beausejour is with him all the way. Isabel Bayrakdarian, Serouj Kradjian • Analekta AN 29903 5) MOSCOW NIGHTS 6) Sir A. SOMERVELL: Violin Concerto in G Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Moscow Chamber Orchestra / Constantine Orbelian Anthony Marwood, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Martyn Brabbins Delos DE 3339 Hyperion CDA 67420 6) Sir A. SOMERVELL: Violin Concerto in G Anthony Marwood, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Martyn Brabbins I first came across the music of Sir Arthur Somervell Hyperion CDA 67420 on bass-baritone Bryn Terfel’s recent release of 7) SEA CHANGE – The Choral Music of Richard Rodney Bennett English songs called Silent Noon, and liked it. So The Cambridge Singers/John Rutter • Collegium CSACD 901 when this recent disc of Somervell’s Violin Concerto 8) I. ALBENIZ: Iberia, etc. – the first ever recording of it – came across my Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano • Hyperion CDA 67476/7 desk, I was intrigued and not disappointed. 9) F. SCHUBERT: Die Schone Mullerin, D. 795 Somervell was a student of Parry and Stanford and his music, like that of Michael Schade, Malcolm Martineau • CBC Records MVCD 1170 his teachers, has that late 19th and early 20th century English Romantic 10) W. A. MOZART: Piano Sonatas K. 310, K. 533, etc. quality: Germanic in style but with a distinctive English character, tinged Richard Goode • Nonesuch 79831-2 with folksong. It’s beautiful, maybe a bit rambling at times, but it’s very 1) J. S. BACH: The Passion According to St. John, BWV. 245 pleasant rambling, and Somervell’s orchestration is imaginative and well- The Netherlands Bach Society et al / Jos van Feldhoven crafted. Violinist Anthony Marwood does a good job with the often tax- Channel Classics CCS SA 22005 ing solo violin part and the orchestra and conductor Martyn Brabbins The St. John Passion was the first large-scale work are sympathetic and supportive partners. Also included is the Violin Bach composed after taking on the job of Cantor in Concerto by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor – another obscure work that Leipzig in the spring of 1723. It was first heard on deserves more of our attention. Good Friday, 1724. Bach performed it in Leipzig in subsequent years with revisions and instrumental 9) F. SCHUBERT: Die Schöne Müllerin, D. 795 additions, but this recording re-creates the 1724 Michael Schade, Malcolm Martineau premiere. It is historically informed, with only ten singers, including the CBC Records MVCD 1170 solos – a Bach performance style that continues to grow in popularity. The Schubert has long been a mainstay of Canadian orchestra totals only eleven with the absence of the usual flutes. As a tenor Michael Schade’s career, and recording the result, this performance has an intimate, chamber music quality that is very great song cycle Die Schöne Müllerin (The personal and appealing. If you like your passions and oratorios with big Beautiful Maid of the Mill) had long been a dream. forces – à la Beecham or MacMillan, this version is NOT for you. The Schade considers the cycle one of the cornerstones Evangelist and solo singers are, for the most part, strong, and they come of the lyric tenor’s repertoire. together to form the vocal ensemble in choruses and chorales. It is a high- Michael Schade is one of the top lyric tenors in the world now, and ly dramatic, gripping account with a rich but very clear recorded sound, here’s the proof. There is some wonderful lyric tenor singing here. allowing you to hear every note and nuance. I especially liked the meaty, Schubert has rarely been treated so well. well-defined continuo. As a bonus, the 2-CD box set also includes a beau- First of all, Schade’s diction and enunciation are impeccable. And yet tiful 190-glossy-paged booklet with 80 illustrations of passion scenes it’s natural and un-forced. Schade has a huge range of different colours through the ages, insightful jacket notes and complete texts and transla- and shades to his voice, and he’s constantly changing them, to highlight tions in English, French, Dutch and German. All in all, a beautiful package the text, comment on a mood, or suggest an emotion. Pianist Malcolm that will become one of the treasured recordings of this Bach masterpiece. Martineau is the perfect partner here – able to alter his sound too, depending on the musical and emotional demands of the songs. Schade 2) J. S. BACH: Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord, Vol. 1 and Martineau make a great team. And the excellent recording captures James Ehnes, Luc Beausejour and highlights the skills and talents of these two. It’s a clear, focused, Analekta AN 29829 open and warm recorded sound, with great balance between the voice A few years ago, Canadian violinist James Ehnes had a winner on the and the piano. This is an excellent new recording of Schubert’s Die Analekta label of the Partitas and Sonatas for Solo Violin by Bach. He Schöne Müllerin – one that can stand up to any others. Destined for a proved then that he was a Bach player with intelligence and solid musi- Juno award next year, if not a Grammy. Highly recommended. ■

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Reviews The PentaTone label is new to Canada. It spe- deal in making him the ideal accompanist for Review Policy: While we review all the best CDs cializes in Hybrid Super Audio CDs although vocal soloists of distinction. And the voices fea- we get, we don’t always receive every new the bulk of the catalogue dates from the 1970s. tured on this disc are in splendid form. The VPO release available. Therefore, if a new recording is These re-issues (including Masur’s complete again plays with virtuosity. The results are beau- not covered in the print version of LSM, it does Beethoven symphony cycle) were originally tiful and deeply moving. not necessarily imply that it is inferior. Many recorded in four-channel quadraphonic sound Mahler’s songs were his most personal com- more CD reviews can be viewed on our Web site at www.scena.org. and PentaTone allows us to hear them (on a positions. The combination in this set is not as multi-channel system) as they were intended to common an offering as one might suppose. In ★★★★★★ A MUST! be heard. Consequently, the new set is prefer- modern, digital sound the only real competition ★★★★★✩ EXCELLENT able to the existing bargain re-issues of the comes from Riccardo Chailly for Decca and he ★★★★✩✩ VERY GOOD same material in the Philips Duo series. The is effectively trumped by Boulez and the VPO. ★★★✩✩✩ GOOD performance of the Ninth is excellent and truly WSH ★★✩✩✩✩ SO-SO ★✩✩✩✩✩ MEDIOCRE distinctive for its provenance. Leipzig pos- sessed one of the last great, purely German $ < 10 $ orchestras (literally) in captivity. This confers a Orchestral Music $$ 10–14.99 $ strong cohesive tradition on the music and $$$ 15–20 $ makes for a remarkable discipline among the Anton Bruckner: Symphonies Nos 3, 7 and 8 $$$$ > 20 $ musicians. Yet this natural, freely flowing and Symphony No 3: Symhponieorchester des Reviewers expressive account was recorded fifteen years Bayerischen Rundfunks / Klaus Tennstedt CB Christopher Bourne before Kurt Masur threw open the doors of the Profil PH04093 (52 min 10 s) JKS Joseph K. So Gewandhaus to shelter pro-democracy demon- ★★★✩✩✩ $$$$ LR Lucie Renaud strators during the tumultuous ten-week revolu- Symphony No 7: Wiener Symphoniker / PS Paul Serralheiro tion in the German Democratic Republic. The Yakov Kriesberg WSH W.S. Habington opportunity to record for a foreign label in 1974 PentaTone 5186 051 (67 min 54 s) Hybrid SACD was seized as a path through the barbed wire ★★★★★✩ $$$$ and minefields of the inner German border, the Symphony No 8: Royal Concertgebouw break needed to communicate with the free Orchestra / Bernard Haitink Vocal world. This added dimension of subliminal RCO Live RCO 05003 (85 min 45 s) Hybrid SACD resistance needs to be remembered and fac- ★★★★✩✩ $$$ Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No 9 tored into our understanding of the music – and The sovereign virtue of Maria Stader (soprano), Katharina Marti (contralto), nowhere to greater effect than Symphony No 9. Herbert von Karajan’s recor- Waldemar Kmett (tenor), Heinz Rehfuss (bass), Two further installments of the Masur cycle dings of the first three num- L’Union chorale de La-Tour-de-Peilz, Chœur de were auditioned: the combinations of Nos 3 bered Bruckner symphonies Chailly-sur-Clarens, Orchestra Nationale / and 8 (5186 144) and Nos 4 and 7 (5186 (for DG) is his command of Carl Schuricht 145). These were sufficiently impressive to jus- architecture and sense of Music & Arts CD-1166 (66 min 03 s) tify an immediate investment in the remainder proportion. There is no ★★★✩✩✩ $$$ of the set – courageous performances in tendency to invest the early works with the Anna Tomowa-Sintow (soprano), Annelies superb sound. W.S. Habington majestic dimension of those that followed. In Burmeister (mezzo-soprano), Peter Scheier (tenor), this live recording taken from a 1976 broadcast, Theo Adam (bass), Radio Choir Leipzig, Gustav Mahler: Orchestral Lieder Klaus Tennstedt takes a hyper-inflated, fire-and- Gewandhausorchester Leipzig / Kurt Masur Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (a), 5 Rückert- brimstone view of the Third. The Wagnerian PentaTone 5186 146 (68 min 32 s) Hybrid SACD Lieder (b), Kindertotenlieder (c): Thomas Quastoff themes are thundered out at the expense of the ★★★★✩✩ $$$$ (a: bass-baritone), Violeta Urmana (b: soprano), contrasts and even the shrill audio source seems Carl Schuricht’s high stand- Anne Sofie von Otter (c: mezzo- soprano), Vienna entirely appropriate to the conductor’s interpre- ing in the musical profes- Philharmonic Orchestra / Pierre Boulez tation. The performance is fascinating but it sion can be gauged by the DG 00289 477 5329 (61 min 28 s) would be a mistake to hear it this way always. fact that he was only the ★★★★★✩ $$$$ This is the fifth recording that Yakov Kreisberg second conductor (after Pierre Boulez’s continuing has made for PentaTone. His previous efforts Furtwängler) to be granted Mahler cycle has been included a stunning disc of Russian violin con- honourary membership in split between orchestras in certos with soloist Julia Fischer and the Russian the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Schuricht Chicago, Cleveland and National Orchestra (5186 059). This live (1880 - 1967) is the subject of a revival on record Vienna. The very best recording of Bruckner’s Seventh is just as distin- from a number of labels (including a four-disc box recordings in the series guished. Kreisberg draws rapturous playing from from Music & Arts - CD 1094). The present issue have been made with the the VSO, which can stand comparison here with is taken from the broadcast tapes of a live per- VPO. Symphonies Nos 3 and 6 and Das Lied the best efforts of the local Philharmonikers. He formance from the Montreux Festival of 1954. It is von der Erde were taped in the Wien has the knack of letting the music flow while a fine account with a strong rhythmic profile and Musikverein and can be safely rated among the gently asserting control before the orchestra vigorous accentuation that will appeal to histori- top recommendations for those works. The starts to meander. This flexible approach is cally-minded collectors. It also offers a memorable lieder collection offered here is of the same rare especially rewarding in the first two movements. platform for some grand old singers who are high quality. Of Mahler interpreters active today, Expert engineering by Polyhymnia International. obligingly close-miked. Restoration of the mono Boulez is probably the least prone to exaggera- Hearing the music in SACD multi-channel sound by Aaron Z. Snyder is of high quality. tion in conducting the music. This helps a great playback will encourage the notion that the 22 Fall 2005 TMS_4-1_p22-29/CDv2 9/15/05 5:32 PM Page 23

medium was invented for the express purpose of conveying the sym- phonies of Anton Bruckner. With this concert performance from February • Over 2,700 titles 2005, Bernard Haitink eclipses his previous issues for Philips from • All digital recordings Amsterdam and Vienna. The RCO respond to their conductor laureate with •New recordings and great sensitivity and remarkable musicianship. It is a very fine account, but compositions monthly ultimately, Haitink does not quite generate the exalted atmosphere • Critical acclaim in all key achieved by Karajan (with the VPO for DG) and Wand (BPO/RCA). It can classical publications still be warmly recommended to inquisitive Brucknerians and admirers of • Featuring great Canadian artists this great orchestra. WSH All this at an astonishingly low price! Antonín Dvorˇák: Symphony No 9 ‘From the New World’ Coupled with: Dvorˇák: Carnival Overture, Smetana: Bartered Bride Overture, Weinberger: Polka and Fugue from Schwanda: Chicago Symphony The world’s leading Orchestra / Fritz Reiner RCA Living Stereo 82876-66376-2 (Hybrid SACD - 64 min 9 s) Classical Music label! ★★★★✩✩ $$$ Feature of the Month Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Mariss Jansons RCO 04002 (Hybrid SACD - 41 min 21 s) ★★★★★✩ $$$ The Reiner selection of Czech music dates from the mid-1950s. It is an example of the very highest quali- ty of the early stereo era. The performance is vintage Reiner: thrusting and formidable precision and truly glorious orchestral playing. Close to a half-century later, his New World may be a collector’s item but it 8557481 is still exciting and even more so in three-channel 8559456 Leonard Bernstein Kurt Weill SACD sound. The remainder of the programme (in stereo only) is given Kaddish Symphony No 3 Symphonies Nos 1 & 2 the same thrilling treatment. Gerard Schwarz, conductor Marin Alsop, conductor The Jansons performance was recorded live at the Concertgebouw in June 2003. It is the first issue for the RCO Live label. Although no cou- pling is offered, the performance and technical excellence of the record- ing makes it quite worthwhile at mid-price. The marvelous acoustics of the hall and the magnificent RCO sound is presented to best advantage. It is truly an auspicious demonstration of the potential of the partnership of Mariss Jansons and this great orchestra. The in-house label’s second recording (RCO 00405) is of Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss. A DVD of the performance (RCO 8557490 04103) has also been issued which includes a documentary on the new 8557347 chief conductor. RCO Live has taken over the publication of the D’Indy / Bruch – Works For Jean-Philippe Rameau Anthology series (Volume 3 - RCO 05001), a colossal 14-disc box of Clarinet, Cello & Piano Ballet Suites broadcast recordings from the 1960s. RCO Live has generated great Amici Ensemble Roy Goodman, conductor expectations with these releases that should be fully realized with Jansons at the helm. WSH

Kurt Weill: Orchestral Works Symphonies Nos 1 and 2, Lady in the Dark - Symphonic Nocturne (Concert Suite arranged by Robert Russell Bennett): Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Naxos 8557481 (74 min 02 s) ★★★★✩✩ $

Conductor Marin Alsop has been blazing a trail for 8559268 8557782 Naxos and proving that great music making need Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Music For Flute & Percussion not come in expensive packages. Her accounts of Violin Concerto / Rituals Marc Grauwels, flute works by Barber, Barto´k, Bernstein and Brahms have P. Frank, violin • NEXUS/IRIS Marie-Josée Simard, percussion received wide acclaim, but this new album of Kurt Chamber Orch. • Saarbrücken RSO Weill symphonies is really in a class of its own. There Michael Stern, conductor have been previous recordings but none can match Alsop’s intuitive grasp of the composer’s bold spirit. Symphony No 1 was Available at L’Atelier Grigorian written while Weill was studying in Berlin with Busoni in 1921. It is a very 70 Yorkville Avenue, TORONTO impressive, single-movement composition which displays respectful affini- 620 Richmond Street, LONDON ties with Mahler, Schoenberg and even Reger. The Second Symphony of 210 Lakeshore Road E., OAKVILLE 1933 attains a far grander order of magnitude. Compared to the efforts of contemporaries who produced symphonies – Hindemith, Rathaus and Pick up your 2005 NAXOS Catalogue Krenek being prominent examples – it would be difficult to find one which or visit www.naxos.com could equal Weill’s Second for its elegance of symphonic argument and Fall 2005 23 TMS_4-1_p22-29/CDv2 9/15/05 5:22 PM Page 24

the concise and topical irony of the subtext. It Czech music, Kubelik inaugurated the Prague is a 20th century work of awesome significance. Contemporary Music Spring Festival which still flourishes today. When The concert suite fill-up was extracted from the Communists took power in 1948, Kubelik the score of a 1940 Broadway show. It is an inte- Ahmed Adnan Saygun: Orchestral Works left for England, although his spiritual ties to his resting diversion, with the last number sounding Symphony No 4, Violin Concerto, Suite: Mirjam country remained undiminished. An outspoken like a symphonic fantasia on Cab Calloway’s Tschopp, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz / critic of communism, Kubelik organized a musical Minnie the Moocher. WSH Ari Rasilainen boycott of the Prague Spring Festival as a sym- CPO 777 043-2 (68 min 56 s) bol of resistance to the Soviet occupation of West-Eastern Divan Orchestra ★★★★✩ $$$$ Czechoslovakia in August 1968. Among the Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 5; Verdi: Overture, In recent months CPO has many accomplishments in his long career, La forza del destino; Sibelius: Valse triste; West- presented a number of Kubelik was best known as chief conductor of Eastern Divan Orchestra / Daniel Barenboim outstanding recordings of the Chicago Symphony (1950-53), head of Warner Classics 2564 62190-5 (58 min 35 s) lesser known, but eminent- Royal Opera at Covent Garden in the sixties, and Issued with DVD of August 2004 concert in ly worthy 20th century for his long association with the Bavarian Radio Geneva, and Documentaries: Lessons in Harmony music. These include the Symphony Orchestra from 1961 to 1983. His and In Conversation: Daniel Barenboim completion of the cycle of only unsuccessful stint was as music director at and Edward Said (175 min) the nine symphonies of Egon Wellesz with Nos 3 the Metropolitan Opera as successor to Rudolf ★★★★★✩ $$$$ and 5 (999 999-2) and discs of orchestral Bing, a post he held only for a short time. With The idea of issuing a music composed by Walter Braunfels (999 882- the fall of communism in 1990, Kubelik CD / DVD combination is 2) and Miklós Rózsa (999 839-2). The impres- returned to conduct his beloved Czech not new but this Warner sive Saygun issue is the third from CPO featu- Philharmonic in an emotionally charged release is the most mov- ring his five symphonies. Smetana’s Ma Vlast. His extensive recorded lega- ing and effective media The music of Ahmed Adnan Saygun (1907- cy includes a truly huge repertoire that ranges mix encountered so far. 1991) is really part of the legacy of Atatürk. The from Beethoven and Haydn to Hindemith and The performance of the Tchaikovsky symphony great secular leader of the emerging modern state Bartok. But arguably his greatest achievements is uniquely powerful. These young players pas- of Turkey sent young Saygun to Paris to study are the highly esteemed Mahler and Beethoven sionately ring out the fate motifs of the score, music with d’Indy. In 1936, Saygun assisted Béla symphonies and the many wonderful recordings yet their very presence on the platform is Bartók with field research into Turkish folk music. of Czech music. This documentary contains lots indicative of personal and collective resistance The performances of the symphony (of 1976) of rare archival footage, including a very young to predestination. For, this is the West-Eastern and concerto (1967) on this disc demonstrate Rafael in the funeral procession of his father. Also Divan Orchestra (named after a collection of that Saygun achieved a unique understanding of interesting are extensive interviews with his second poetry by Goethe), and the ensemble consists the Hungarian’s approach to music in general and wife, soprano Elsie Morison, their son Martin, of equal numbers of Arab and Israeli youth. It orchestration in particular. These works exhibit Daniel Barenboim, and music critic Henry Fogel, was founded in 1999 by Daniel Barenboim and a Central European pedigree with almost sublimi- giving us a complete picture of Kubelik the the late Edward Said, a distinguished academic nal Turkish accents. The eleven minute Suite, musician and the man. This loving yet unsenti- and author of Palestinian origin. The orchestra composed in 1934, has a more ethnological basis. mental tribute is essential viewing for all admirers first assembled in Weimar in 1999 and has The Swiss violinist, Mirjam Tschopp, and the of this great conductor. Joseph K. So since found a summer home in Seville. orchestra under their principal conductor, Ari The West-Eastern Divan is about more than Rasilainen, give ardent performances which are music but it has nonetheless developed into a captured by CPO’s engineers in vivid sound. WSH first-class orchestra. Its account of the Lehár: Die Lustige Witwe Tchaikovsky and Verdi pieces (duplicated on DVD Dagmar Schellenberger, Rodney Gilfry, Ute Gfrerer, the DVD) can stand with the best available on Rafael Kubelik: Music is my Country Rudolf Hartmann, Piotr Beczala record. The audio programme concludes with a A film by Reiner E. Moritz Chorus and Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House, heartfelt (but never maudlin) performance of ArtHaus Musik 100 723 (125 min) Franz Welser-Möst, conductor the Valse triste by Sibelius. ★★★★★✩ $$$$ Arthaus DVD 100451 (125 min) The DVD, produced by Paul Smaczny, offers This documentary on ★★★★✩✩ $$$$ a wealth of insight. Geneva’s Victoria Hall was a Rafael Kubelik was Call me a traditionalist, but steamy August venue for the concert footage, released last year to coin- this Helmuth Lohner-Rolf but the heat and humidity deterred neither the cide with the 90th anniver- Langenfass production of players nor the conductor in the slightest. sary of the birth of this Die lustige Witwe from Visual presentation certainly enriches the con- great conductor. Consi- Zurich Opera is a total text of the musical performance. Lessons in dered one of the true delight. Operetta as a Harmony provides an inspirational profile of musical giants of the latter genre just doesn’t lend the orchestra, as well as a stimulating and wide- half of the 20th century, itself well to radical reinter- ranging Barenboim/ Said conversation. The Kubelik was certainly the best known of all Czech pretations – witness the 83-minute discourse overlaps the published conductors in the west, where he spent forty- abominable mess of a Die Fledermaus by Hans record, Parallels and Paradoxes: Explorations in two years of his creative life. Son of the great Neuenfels a few seasons ago. Thankfully, there Music and Society (New York 2002), but the violinist Jan Kubelik, Rafael studied piano, violin, is no deconstructionist social commentary in chance to observe the interaction of these two composition and conducting at the Prague this Merry Widow, just lots of frothy, silly, sexy great humanist intellects is worth the price of Conservatory. He conducted the Czech fun. The sets and costumes are suitably lavish the set by itself. This ambitious release is a Philharmonic at the tender age of 20, and he and sumptuous, but without the heaviness that tonic for hearts and minds that dare to hope eventually succeeded Vaclav Talich as chief con- can sometimes weigh down these elaborate pro- for better days to come. WSH ductor there in 1936. A patriot and champion of ductions. In fact, the best thing about the 24 Fall 2005 TMS_4-1_p22-29/CDv2 2005-09-19 18:22 Page 25

Zurich production is not the singing but the live- ble. With the Mahler Chamber Orchestra as a Despite some dated 70s TV gimmickry, ly staging, enhanced by excellent supers and base for expansion, the principal desks (incum- Glyndebourne actually stands up very well to terrific dancers from the Zurich Opera Ballet. bents are listed in the DVD booklet) are taken by the passage of time. They are singing in Italian, The singers are chosen not so much for their some of the finest musicians in Europe. It is a fes- but his is a very English Don. The setting has beautiful voices – although the singing is tival orchestra built on mutual admiration and been brought forward to the early 19th century respectable enough – as for the way they look. reciprocal loyalty between players and conductor. and the title character is dressed in cravat, tail- Compared to recent productions at the Met and The music making achieves a sublime state while coat and trousers. Benjamin Luxon’s Don Juan San Francisco with superannuated stars, the remaining natural and unaffected, and results in is a Regency dandy in the style of Beau Zurich forces are much younger. Heading the as fine a performance of Mahler’s Fifth as you Brummel. Luxon tends to project a bit more gio- cast is the appealing Hanna of Dagmar are likely to encounter. coso than dramma but he, and the comically Schellenberger. With her rather limited voice Few conductors have devoted as much time expressive Stafford Dean as Leporello, make and very tight top, she is easy on the eyes, if not to developing young musicians as Claudio sure that the moralizing of the plot doesn’t get the ears. Partnering her is American barihunk Abbado. He was the founder of the Gustav in the way of some good, dirty fun. Vocally, this Rodney Gilfry, who is a fine actor but is unre- Mahler Jugendorchester (GMJO) in 1986, is an outstanding and highly motivated cast. markable vocally. Gilfry exudes an easy athleti- bringing together young men and women from The pacing of the action (in the Prague original cism that suits the staging well, although his all over Europe (the 2004 GMJO roster, with version of 1787) is virtually ideal. The singing Danilo is more of a Yankee boy-next-door than nationalities, is listed in the booklet). Mahler 9 and music are best heard through some addi- a Central European dandy. The secondary cou- is not a work that many youth orchestras could tional amplification and decent speakers. ple features a saucy, buxom Valencienne in Ute tackle convincingly. An extremely good per- Twenty two years later, you would expect the Gfrerer, whose pretty soubrette timbre is near formance is achieved here, due to the young- Viennese sound quality to be vastly superior ideal. Piotr Beczala, with his pencil moustache sters desire to play Mahler and willingness to than that obtained at Glyndebourne. It isn’t. and slicked-back hair, makes a cardboard figure of undertake exhaustive preparations, as well as Roberto de Simone’s concept is very radical. Camille. Herbert Prikopa’s Njegus managed to be Maestro Abbado’s ability to make it so. The He has Don Giovanni and the rest of the cast more funny than annoying in this speaking role. GMJO has a marvelous body of string tone, and progressing from scene to scene through time Act Three is one long divertissement which while wind soloists don’t always project with the from the 16th to the 19th century. Carlos sometimes can become tedious and heavy-hand- same authority as the old guard in Lucerne, all Alvarez goes through seven costume changes ed, but with dialogue cut to a minimum and the musicians on the platform are playing their before falling into a rather unconvincing aper- clever choreography, it almost seem short. hearts out. WSH ture of hell. The wardrobe roulette is a power- Conductor Franz Welser-Möst shows that he can ful distraction. And, one is given pause to won- have fun too, presiding over the proceedings W.A. Mozart: Don Giovanni der, if promiscuity accumulated down through with champagne-like lightness. In the curtain Live performance, Glyndebourne, 1977: Benjamin the ages is rewarded with hellfire, is the direc- calls, Njegus takes the baton and leads a reprise Luxon (Don Giovanni), Stafford Dean (Leporello), tor trying to say something profoundly insen- of the final can-can sequence, with Welser-Möst Horiana Branisteanu (Donna Anna), Rachel Yakar sitive about the contagions of the present now on stage, kicking up a storm with the rest of (Donna Elvira), Leo Goeke (Don Ottavio), Elizabeth day? There are some good things about the the cast! JKS Gale (Zerlina), John Rawnsley (Masetto), Piere Thau staging: Muti’s conducting and Michael (Commendatore), Glyndebourne Chorus, London Schade’s exquisite rendition of Dalla sua pace Gustav Mahler: Symphonies Nos 5 and 9 Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Haitink are two examples. Perhaps it will reveal further No 5: Live performance, Lucerne, 2004; Lucerne Stage Director: Peter Hall charms on repeated viewing. For the time Festival orchestra/Claudio Abbado Video Direction: Dave Heather being, and for a few dollars less, you can find Video Director: Michael Beyer Arthaus 101 087 (168 min) Sound: 2.0 an entertaining Don Giovanni in the Euroarts 2054078 (74 min) Sound: 2.0 & 5.1 ★★★★★✩ $$$ Glyndebourne production. WSH ★★★★★✩ $$$ Live performance, Vienna, 1999: Carlos Alvarez No 9: Live performance, Rome, 2004; Gustav (Don Giovanni), Ildebrando d’Arcangleo (Leporello), Wagner: Parsifal Mahler Jugendorchester/Claudio Abbado Adrianne Pieczonka (Donna Anna), Anna Caterina Christopher Ventris, Waltraud Meier, Video Director: Bob Coles Antonacci (Donna Elvira), Micahel Schade (Don Matti Salminen, Thomas Hampson, Tom Fox Euroarts 2054008 (84 min) Sound: 2.0 & 5.1 Ottavio), Angelika Kirchschlager (Zerlina), Lorenzo Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester, ★★★★✩✩ $$$ Regazzo (Masetto), Franz-Josef Selig Kent Nagano, conductor Claudio Abbado’s trajec- (Commendatore), Chorus and Orchestra of the Opus Arte OA 0915 D (3 DVDs 317 min) tory as a conductor of Vienna State Opera / Riccardo Muti ★★★★★✩ $$$$ Mahler is remarkably still Stage Director: Roberto de Simone Wagnerians with a post- in the ascendant. His lat- Video Director: Brian Large modern bent will enjoy this est audio recording (No 6 TDK DVW-OPDG (173 min) Sound: 2.0 Parsifal. Staged by Niko- with the BPO for DG) is ★★★✩✩✩ $$$$ laus Lehnhoff, this pro- sensational. Conducting Here we have two unique duction was first seen in Mahler is something he stagings of Don Giovanni. Chicago and San Francisco has always done well and The Glyndebourne pro- to mixed reviews, likely due he just gets better and duction has been sal- as much to the uneven better with each passing year. His CDs have vaged from the vaults of casting, as to Lehnhoff’s given proof of what he does with this demand- the UK’s Southern unorthodox concept, ing music. These DVDs will show you how he Television while the Vienna which some people found objectionable. Those does it. version was filmed in the befuddled by his take on the Grail legend The account of No 5 given here is a pre- historic Theater an der should read his brief essay in the accompanying dictably superlative performance. After all, this Wien. These are products booklet – or better yet, view the bonus docu- is Abbado’s elite summertime superstar ensem- of different eras and very different ideas. mentary ‘Parsifal’s Progress’, where Lehnhoff Fall 2005 25 TMS_4-1_p22-29/CDv2 2005-09-19 18:26 Page 26

outlines his thoughts in greater detail. He sees Puccini: La Bohème Parsifal not so much as a religious drama, but Cristina Gallardo-Domas, Marcelo Alvarez, Hei Books rather as an existential one, a commentary on Kyung Hong, Roberto Servile the human condition. The Grail Knights live in a Orchestra e Coro del Treatro alla Scala, Bruno Dvorˇák: Romantic Music’s Most Versatile Genius decayed world, one devoid of meaning and Bartoletti, conductor David Hurwitz Amfortas’s wound is ‘our wound’, symbolizing TDK DVUS-OPBOH (134 min) Amadeus Press (New Jersey) mankind’s eternal suffering. It leads inexorably to ★★★★★✩ $$$$ ISBN: 1-57467-107-3 the total destruction of the present world, with When it comes to tradi- Trade Paperback 176 pages the aftermath of Parsifal and Kundry leading the tional opera productions ★★★★✩✩ $$$$ way to a new, more compassionate world. that emphasize sumptu- This is the latest release in The most contentious issue of this produc- ous sets, lavish costumes the Amadeus Press Un- tion is the radical reinterpretation of the ending. and casts of hundreds – locking the Masters series Kundry does not fall dead at the feet of Parsifal, thousands if he has his of musical monographs. but having been redeemed, she leads Parsifal way and the stage is large The compositions of down a path, represented on stage as a ‘railroad enough – but virtually no Mozart, Wagner and Mah- track’, followed by the surviving Grail Knights, to stylistic updating, Franco ler have already been sur- start a new world. Lehnhoff feels this addresses Zeffirelli is the undisputed master. Like a veyed and Exploring the unnatural separation of male and female in grande dame of yesteryear, this La Scala pro- Haydn: A Listener’s Guide the original drama, and draws on themes of duction from the sixties is aging, but the charm to Music’s Boldest Innova- womanhood’s redemptive power from Goethe’s remains. If anyone can make a Parisian garret tor (also by David Hurwitz) is due out this fall. Faust legend. look glamorous, Zeffirelli can! The gate of Paris The present issue keeps to the established for- This DVD comes from a summer 2004 scene in Act 3 remains a marvel of romanticism. mula of very focused commentary on the com- revival in Baden Baden. The high-definition You may have seen it on video previously in a ver- poser’s works. The challenge of attempting to video is a spectacular visual feast, and the true sion available on laserdisc, starring a very young explain so much music (ninety-plus works) in surround sound is up to the best of modern Mirella Freni and Gianni Raimondi. The sets less than 200 pages is daunting. Hurwitz does standards. Best of all, however, is the superb also bear more than a passing resemblance to a reasonable job with a brief introduction and conducting of Kent Nagano and the playing of those of the Metropolitan Opera production, discussion spread over five concise but inform- the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester. It also designed by – surprise – Zeffirelli. ative chapters on symphonies and concertos, benefits enormously from a first-rate cast, This new release, taped February 2003 in the operas, chamber works, vocal works and miscel- headed by the Parsifal of British tenor Teatro degli Arcimboldi when the main house laneous orchestral works. Lacking any more Christopher Ventris, who, while lacking a true was closed for renovation, is highly enjoyable. substantial reference, the insights provided will helden voice, embodies the character totally. Under the baton of old school conductor enrich the reader / listener’s appreciation of Kudos also to the definitive Kundry of Bruno Bartoletti, who is a master of Puccinian Dvorˇák’s output in all forms. Hurwitz is passion- Waltraud Meier for her intensity and fearless rubati, the proceedings have a real sense of ate about the music and presents an eloquent vocalism. At almost sixty, Matti Salminen’s authenticity. I should mention that there were case for the operas. He rather oddly sidesteps ‘black bass’ remains a force of nature – he some rough moments, such as in the Café Momus the issue of the posthumous emendations to makes the most of the long and thankless role scene and in Addio senza rancor in Act 3, when the score of the Piano Concerto by Vilém Kurz of Gurnemanz. Thomas Hampson does not Gallardo-Domas was seriously lagging behind the and Rudolf Firkusny. This musical argument was have a Wagnerian voice – his Amfortas is lyri- beat. But on balance this is a very fine perform- surely settled in favour of the original version by cally sung, better to fully realize the angst of ance, with a cast of singers who look their parts, the Pierre-Laurent Aimard recording (with the character. Tom Fox’s Klingsor, in full samu- headed by the ardent Rodolfo of tenor Marcelo Harnoncourt and the Concertgebouw on rai-like outfit, is a striking villain. Alvarez and the gentle and touching Mimi of Teldec 8573 87630-2) of 2003. The costume designers really go to town soprano Cristina Gallardo-Domas. The second The book is augmented by selections from with eye-popping outfits, especially Kundry’s pair of lovers features the beautifully sung and the world’s deepest catalogue of Dvorˇák animal skin in Act One, her bat-like wings and suitably flamboyant Musetta of Hei-Kyung Hong recordings: Supraphon of the Czech Republic. ‘forbidden-fruit’ shell in Act Two, and perhaps and a rather mature-looking Marcello of Roberto Two CDs with 22 track listings are provided. most astonishing of all, Titurel’s truly amazing, Servile. Typical of La Scala video releases, there The quality of the sound and the music making lizard-like armour. The dead Grail Knights in are no solo curtain calls shown – why? Surely is just as persuasive as Hurwitz’s very fine Act Three recall the Xi’an terracotta soldiers. there were no boos in such a fine performance. As prose. WSH There is plenty of litter onstage, representing a bonus, there is an interview of Zeffirelli on his debris after the earth is hit by a meteor – any- thoughts on staging La Bohème. This is just the Sleeping with Schubert way, you get the idea! The three-disc set runs kind of DVD for a summer evening of relaxation, Bonnie Marston a whopping 317 minutes. Not to be missed if sharing a bottle of burgundy and ripe cheeses Random House, 2004, 380 pp you are a diehard Wagnerite. JKS with your significant other. JKS Reading Bonnie Marston’s Sleeping with Schubert feels like being told a riveting story, while a bottle of wine chills, and the sounds of La Scena Musicale Online The reference in a piano quintet provide a light background. classical music! Her prose is breezy and honest, the narrator • Articles • Blogs • CD • Classical Music reviews • Job postings winking to her audience while lying to herself. • Interviews • Press releases • The Lebrecht Weekly The relationships among the principal charac- • The Canadian Classical music calendar ters are simple, yet human, as everyone involved wrestles with the supernatural union of Liza Durbin and Franz Schubert. Those hop- WWW.SCENA.ORG ing for a heady discussion of the various spiri- 26 Fall 2005 TMS_4-1_p22-29/CDv2 9/15/05 5:23 PM Page 27

tual and metaphysical issues raised by having a pas- piano but “can only play modern music”. In the tale (not as in real life), sionate and restless consciousness latch on to a liv- the dog walks on the stage of Carnegie Hall with its mistress, laying as ing woman’s soul might be disappointed. Those, she always did under the piano. The watercolours (painted by however, ready to enjoy interesting characters Montparker when Polly was alive) have a warm and somewhat quaint adapting to incredible, yet somehow understand- quality that evokes sunlit porches and quieter days. A CD of some of the able circumstances, alongside meditations on works mentioned in the story (performed live by Montparker) is also genius, celebrity, and the ethics of using a sexy included. Interpretations are sensitive though at time a bit vertical and dress to help one’s career will find themselves somewhat rushed for my taste. Voicing is carefully integrated. Teachers engrossed in an enjoyable read. Ultimately, this will want to put this book into the hands of as many young students as book is about music; about the passion of playing possible. It is quite possible that Polly’s story might even inspire a few and truly listening; about the understandings and miscommunications extra hours of extra practicing from budding pianists. Music, after all, is music fosters; about how music is universal, and can be loved by anyone meant to be shared. Lucie Renaud as the most direct means of a soul’s expression. Even though Schubert’s soul is incorporated in a new time, place, and body, the intense power Growing Up with Jazz - Twenty-Four Musicians Talk About Their Lives and sound and melody enable him to reveal to the world, and to those clos- Careers est to him, what he feels and what he is. Christopher Bourne W. Royal Stokes Oxford University Press, 2005, 242 pp. Decoding Wagner — An Invitation Jazz is much more than music; it is a human adven- to His World of Music Drama ture. Veteran jazz commentator Royal Stokes’ latest Thomas May tome confirms this fact with stories told by jazz Amadeus Press, 2004. 224 pp, includes 2 music CDs artists from all over the world. Although the Richard Wagner is one of the few composers who author’s style is rather anemic, with weak leads and could be described as notorious. Infamous for his a flimsy connecting thread, the meat in the pie is arrogance, anti-Semitism, and philandering, discus- still tasty enough due to Stokes’ keen instincts for a sion of his overwhelmingly influential artistic ideas good story. Most of the book is made up of tran- will certainly be coloured by these more personal scriptions of taped interviews, with details of child- elements. Perhaps this is only just, as Wagner’s art hood, development, career twists and turns, some contains so much of himself. What balance must of which seem like more than one wants to know at times, but all rele- then be struck, between art and artist, in order to vant in the long run, with an overall novelistic effect, through which understand his musical world? In Decoding Wagner, seemingly trivial details gain in resonance. former Fulbright scholar Thomas May, senior music A similar tack was as an integral part of Paul Berliner’s landmark editor for Amazon.com, has weighed Wagner’s history and mythology, “Thinking in Jazz”, but with a more scholarly purpose; Stokes’ book, on philosophies and ideologies, and frames these elements within a discus- the other hand, will appeal to the layman because of the focus on the sion of ten blockbusting operas. By weaving the strands of each opera human element. We get popular neo-swingers like Ray Gelato and Jane into the fabric of Wagner’s life, May offers compelling evidence of the Monheit reminiscing about formative experiences, innovators like Uri man’s complexity, alongside direct and illuminating discussions of the Caine, Don Byron or Armen Donelian explaining how they try to inte- composer’s most famous works. In a book of only 200 pages, detailed grate diverse musical identities, and then there are fascinating, unusual analyses of ten operas would be impossible. Instead, May has fashioned stories, like those of the Indonesian-born musicians René van a musical biography of a man who, although troubled and pessimistic, Helsdingen and Luluk Purwanto who forge unique musical styles. stored great faith in the transcendent power of the unity of art. Wagner The writer and his editors have organized the material into three well- was deathly afraid of being misunderstood, and composed his operas in conceived sections: “Keepers of the Flame” groups all the traditionalists, effort to bare his soul to anyone who would listen. May, who has listened young or old; “Modernists” opens with Art Blakey, runs into Howard and understood, threads readers through a labyrinth of myth and Johnson and ends with pianist Billy Taylor; and “Visionaries and metaphor to a blueprint of the operas from which to construct an hon- Eclectics” shows the reader how broad the spectrum of approaches to est picture of a difficult man. CB the music are, and highlights the struggles of musicians trying to recon- cile the idiosyncrasies of their own experiences with the artistic tem- Polly and the Piano plates of the jazz tradition. Basically this is light stuff, but satisfying Carol Montparker reading that provides insights into the creative process of jazz. Paul Amadeus Press, 2004, 40 pp. Hardcover. Serralheiro CD included. I have had the pleasure to read Carol Mont- parker’s witty columns and articles on numerous occasions in Clavier, a magazine devoted to piano pedagogy. This time, the pianist / teacher / author / dog lover decides to talk to the younger piano enthu- siasts with this first children’s book. It recalls the story of Polly, Montparker’s dog (which passed away 12 years ago), her muse for many years. The story is told from the point of view of the dog, which puts nice perspective on this largely autobiographical musical tale of teaching, practicing, per- forming, and striving to be the best one can be. The loneliness of the daily practice is evoked with finesse, along with the many pleasures music can bring to one’s life. Polly herself tries at some point to play the Fall 2005 27 TMS_4-1_p22-29/CDv2 9/15/05 5:36 PM Page 28

“If Music be the food of love, play on!”

Shakespeare, Twelfth Night (I, I, 1-3)

CLAIRE MARIE BLAUSTEIN

around so there are no interruptions. A good recording like this one won’t be out of the cat- alogue for long so watch for it to be re-issued. (Philips 464 688-2) A recording that is currently available and a real steal in my opinion is the Handel CD that Atma has released by Suzie Leblanc. They’ve packaged this CD with their catalogue and released it at a budget price! It can’t be topped at that price in my opinion and it is a fine addi- tion to any collection, even if only for easy lis- tening. (Atma ACD2-2387) Not to take anything away from Angela usic may be the food of love, but opened a second location, they didn’t just end Hewitt’s Bach recordings for Hyperion, for you M it is also a labour of love for up with a large personal collection. The busi- will never go far wrong with them, my personal those dedicated enough to devote ness took off, and has been running ever since. favourite of the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, their lives and livelihoods to it. In this Still, that doesn’t mean there are no chal- is still the RCA recording by Sviatoslav Richter. world of music megastores, independent spe- lenges. What usually makes these smaller busi- It’s part of RCA Red Seal’s Classic Library and it cialty record stores, especially those dedicated nesses go under is competition from corporate really is an amazing recording —and at mid- to classical music, are few and far between. chain stores. But the competition doesn’t par- price! Even if you have 2 or 3 recordings of However, the people who own and run them do ticularly bother Gellatly—he sees it as a chal- Book 1, go out and get this Richter record- so out of a passion for their work that rivals lenge. He says, “Sure I’m in competition with ing—you won’t be sorry. (RCA 82876-62315- that of the musicians on the discs they sell. other stores, but competition is a good thing. 2) One of these stores is the Twelfth Night It means you have to do things right and at a I often wonder if the 20th century will be Music Shoppe, owned and operated by Paul fair price. You have to look for a niche and fill it known as the age of the guitar. Surely the gui- Gellatly. He doesn’t have a formal background to the best of your ability.” tar is featured on more recordings and in more in music but music had been in his life from as Running these stores is not an easy job, but “hits” than any other instrument. It’s easy to early as high school, when he DJ’d at dances to Gellatly thinks that it just takes a particular forget what a wonderful instrument the Lute is. when he became a record buyer for the Wilfred kind of person to do it. “I don’t think it’s diffi- Pick up a copy of Hopkinson Smith’s Bach: Laurier University Bookstore. Gellatly describes cult if you’re the right kind of person. You have L’œuvre de luth and you’ll be pleasantly sur- himself as an “avid listener”. He was certainly to be fairly knowledgeable, outgoing, person- prised. It is a 2-CD set and from the very first avid enough to turn his attention to selling able and disciplined. If you get along with peo- track you’ll be able to hear how warm the lute classical music when his he decided to leave his ple, know your music and take care of peo- sounds and what a master Hopkinson is. This former career. “My career as a retailer special- ple’s needs at a fair price you’re going to keep repackaging has unfortunately seen the liner izing in Classical & Jazz CDs started out with customers coming back,” he explains. notes trimmed back considerably, however, at tires,” Gellatly said via email. “I had put 20 The customers do keep coming back, and half the price, you can’t go wrong. (Naive years in with the industry…[so] I decided I’d after 12 years, the Twelfth Night Music Shoppe E3000) had enough of corporate life, traveling and is still going strong. Gellatly is going strong Another title off the beaten track but a won- meetings, and I’d like to try my hand at some- too—fuelled by the pleasure he gets from derful find is “The Harp of Luduvico” by thing else.” helping customers find exactly what they are Andrew Lawrence-King on the Hyperion label. Around 1993, when Gellatly left selling tires looking for. “Every time a customer leaves with Petar Simic, in our Guelph store, loves to put to open a business with his wife, there were a smile on their face and says thanks for help- on this recording when the store is full just to many classical record shops across Ontario, ing them out, it feels great,” he beams. see how many copies will sell! There were no but none in Kitchener-Waterloo. They decided teachers of the historical harp and Andrew to try and close that gap, and although there Paul.Gellatly’s top 5 recording recommenda- Lawrence-King had to teach himself how to was always the fear that the venture would be tions: play it by studying historical sources. It is quite unsuccessful, they tried to maintain a positive One of my favourite choral CDs isn’t even in interesting if you take the time to read about it, attitude. As he says, “Even if things went terri- the Philips catalogue at present: the World but even if you don’t, it’s nice just to listen to bly wrong—although unlikely—the worst that Premiere Recording of Berlioz’ Messe him on this beautiful instrument. (Hyperion could happen would be that we would end up Solennelle by John Eliot Gardiner, the CDA66518) with a great CD collection!” Monteverdi Choir and the Orchestre Fortunately for them, and the communities Revolutionnaire et Romantique. It’s best to lis- This is the first of a series of articles on in Waterloo and Guelph, as of 2001, when they ten to it with the volume up and nobody else Canada’s independant music retailers.

28 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_p29-36.2 2005-09-15 18:35 Page 29

Fall 2005 Concert Picks Previews Quatuor Claudel Quatuor Ben Heppner Janina Fialkowska the usual steady Zukerman diet of Beethoven the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. Ottawa Fall Overview and Mozart, with a few German romantics and This will be Norman’s first Ottawa appearance BY NATASHA GAUTHIER 20th-centruy names cautiously thrown in. The since 1997; Pinchas Zukerman conducts. Fall can be a sluggish time in Ottawa. While many menu is more interesting over at the Ottawa cities launch their cultural year with a bang, the Symphony Orchestra. An all-Mahler concert Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Mahler, major arts season in the nation’s capital tends to October 3 is followed by one on November 21, Songs of a Wayfarer and Symphony no. 1, creep up on you, building momentum at a in which conductor David Currie pairs Ravel’s October 3 leisurely (dare I say, governmental?) pace. This Daphnis et Chloé, somewhat improbably, with Up-and-coming young Canadian baritone Phillip year, in fact, in theatre and dance, most of the patriotic works by Elgar, Weber and Berlioz. Addis is the soloist for the four Lieder eines big-draw names are scheduled for after January. One of the more compelling fall events of the fahrended Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer), writ- However, Ottawa’s music lovers are better off past few years has been the Sacred Music Festival ten by a depressed young Mahler in 1884 after than many. True, tickets to the fall’s glittering of the Outaouais, which this year runs Septem- a nasty break-up with a singer named Johanna highlight, the National Arts Centre Orchestra ber 20-30. Highlights include Rachmaninov’s Richter, and later scored for orchestra in 1896. gala with soprano Jessye Norman, are long Vespers with the Cantata Singers of Ottawa, The last two movements of the cycle later pro- gone. Also true, the local pickings in contempo- who will be breaking in their new conductor, vided material for Mahler’s First Symphony rary and early music are as notoriously disap- Michael Zaugg; Korean-Canadian soprano Sung- (“Titan”). Although he originally conceived it in pointing as always. And by the time this issue Ha Shin-Buey with the Quatuor Claudel; the five movements, the composer later dropped the comes out, Ottawa’s Opera Lyra will already Ottawa Klezmer Band; and the Ensemble vocal symphony’s second movement. Known as have wrapped up its production of Gounoud’s Calliope, a women’s choir from Lyon, France. “Blumine,” this short andante is often played as Roméo et Juliette. The company’s only other If great voices are your thing and you missed an overture. OSO artistic director David Currie offering this year, Verdi’s Falstaff, isn’t on until out on Jessye, you’re still in luck, thanks to the will be returning it to its rightful place at the April. (That audiences in Canada’s capital get a good fairies at the Cathedral Arts series. Ben heart of Mahler’s groundbreaking work. Go to meager two operas a year—each with no more Heppner appears in recital at Christ Church www.ottawasympony.com for ticket info. than four performances—is another story.) Anglican Cathedral October 3; December 17, it’s But hey—at least nobody here is on strike. the glamorous and dazzling Isabel Bayakdarian. Ben Heppner in recital, Oct. 8. Apart from La Norman, the NACO soloist list The series also presented a benefit concert with The Cathedral Arts series at Ottawa’s Anglican to December includes pianists Janina Fialkowska pianist Angela Hewitt on Septemebr 20; in Christ Church Cathedral was founded just over and Garrick Ohlsson, cellists Lynn Harrell and November, it brings us Ensemble Galilei, who three years ago. Since then, the organization has Amanda Forsyth and violinist Oliver Knussen. specialize in Celtic chamber and folk music. become quite the player on the local concert Among the orchestra’s “Special” concerts, scene, and has quietly nailed some of biggest the legendary Ravi Shanka performs with his Five fall concert picks: coups of the fall 2005 season: pianist Angela group of Indian classical musicians Oct. 11, Jessye Norman with the National Arts Hewitt, soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian and, in while the Toronto Symphony takes over the Centre Orchestra, October 1 October, Canadian superstar tenor Ben Heppner, stage Nov. 16. The NACO Pops series is always What’s the difference between the Rolling who’ll be performing a selection of his favourite a big hit with Ottawa audiences. October 13, Stones and Jessye Norman? You could still arias and songs. Visit www.cathedralarts.com principal Pops conductor Jack Everly pays trib- actually get tickets for the Stones. This gala for ticket prices and more information. ute to the “golden” (as in corn) age of black- NACO fundraiser featuring the legendary and-white TV. November 24, Hollywood bowl soprano, meanwhile, has been sold out for Seventeen Voyces, Jeptha, November 13 conductor John Mauceri grabs the helm for a months. Those lucky enough to have scored In 1650, Italian composer Giacomo Carissimi program of silver-screen classics. this season’s hottest classical ticket will also get penned what most scholars regard as one of The NACO’s playing can be thrilling, as audi- a chance to hear a rising star, Canadian mezzo the world’s first oratorios. Jeptha, based on the ences out West will discover when the orches- Susan Platts, who has been called “the next tragic Old Testament tale of a father’s terrible tra tours there this November. Its programs, Maureen Forrester.” In 2004, Norman hand- oath and a daughter’s devotion, alternates unfortunately, are anything but: instead, it’s picked Platt to be her protégée for a year under florid, deeply affecting solos with expressive, Fall 2005 29 tms_4-1_p30-36.2 9/15/05 5:59 PM Page 30

noble choruses—a technique later immorta- seasons. Former COC Ensemble Studio mem- Opera Atelier, and this Baroque company will lized by Charpentier, Handel and Bach. ber Roger Honeywell sings Macduff. Another stage Jean-Baptiste Lully’s rarely heard Armide Seventeen Voyces, Ottawa’s premiere chamber local favourite, Turkish bass Burak Bilgili returns (Nov. 5-12 Elgin Theatre). Singing the title role choir and early music vocal ensemble, pays as Banquo, and let’s not forget evergreen will be American mezzo Stephanie Novacek, a homage to the 400th anniversary of Carissimi’s Canadian baritone Cornelis Opthof, in his frequent guest artist of OA. Her lover Renauld ecilia Bartoli Daniel Taylor C Marie-Nicole Lemieux birth with this concert, which includes other record 46th season with the company, as the will be sung by tenor Colin Ainsworth. works of the Italian Baroque. Artistic director Doctor (Sept. 22, 24, 27, 30, Oct. 1, 5 Completing the cast will be a veritable ‘ensem- Kevin Reeves conducts. Visit www.seventeen- Hummingbird Centre). ble’ of OA regulars – bass Alain Coulombe, voyces.ca for more info. Paired with the Verdi is the warhorse baritones Olivier Laquerre and Curtis Sullivan, Carmen, last seen at the COC in a dreary pro- and sopranos Jennie Such and Monica Whicher. Toronto Symphony Orchestra with duction twelve years ago. This time around, it British conductor Andrew Parrott, who last Boris Berezovsky, piano, November 16 will be a spanking new co-production shared conducted OA’s Don Giovanni, returns to lead More Mahler, this time with the TSO and its among the Montreal and San Diego Operas the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. music director Peter Oundjian taking on the and the COC. The setting has been relocated Opera Ontario continues its two-city season composer’s Fifth Symphony (of swooning from Spain to some unknown dictatorship in with Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette, starring Laura Adagietto fame). Boris Berezovsky—the Latin America in the 1940’s. Set designer Whalen, John Bellemer, Norine Burgess, and powerhouse winner of the 1990 Tchaikovsky Michael Yeargan combines naturalism with Alexander Dobson. The company is expanding Competition, not the shady oligarch and expressionistic elements that enhance the the number of performances to five (Oct. 15, Vladimir Putin nemesis of the same name—can veristic nature of the score. The principals will 20, 22 in Hamilton and Oct. 28 and 30 in be expected to play the living daylights out of all be making their local debuts – Russian Kitchener-Waterloo). Also on offer is Popera, Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto no. 4. Tickets mezzo Larissa Kostiuk (Carmen), Romanian an evening of opera arias and duets, with an all- can be purchased through the National Arts tenor Attila Kiss (Don Jose), Spanish soprano Canadian cast – mezzo Allyson McHardy, Centre box office, (613) 947-7000 or toll free Ana Ibarra (Micaëla) and Brazilian Paulo Szot soprano Tracy Dahl, tenor Gordon Gietz, and at 1-866-850-ARTS, ext. 280, or through (Escamillo). Banking on its popularity, a total of baritone James Westman (Nov. 24, 26 Ticketmaster. Go to www.nac-can.ca for details. nine performances will be given. (Sept. 29, Hamilton; Nov. 25 Kitchener-Waterloo). www.nac-cna.ca, www.ottawasymphony.ca Oct. 1, 4, 7, 13, 15, 19, 21, and 23). Aficionados of Verdi rarities will get a chance www.operalyra.com, www.sacree.ca The third opera is a comparative rarity — to hear I Masnadieri, put on by Opera In www.cathedralarts.com Handel’s Rodelinda, a COC premiere. It stars Concert (October 23, Jane Mallet Theatre). soprano Danielle de Niese, making her This company’s mandate is to stage rarely Southern Ontario Canadian debut as Rodelinda. Canadian tenor heard pieces, given with piano accompaniment Michael Colvin follows his excellent work in (except one opera annually that is fully staged Vocal Preview Tancredi with another exacting role, as with orchestra) featuring young professionals. JOSEPH SO Grimoaldo. Quebec contralto Marie-Nicole This is a good chance to hear up and coming For the first time in memory, the Canadian Lemieux, underutilized last April as Isaura in singers. The other fall offering by OIC is Saint- Opera Company is putting on three operas Tancredi, returns in the meatier role of Edwige. Saens’ Samson et Dalila, unjustly neglected by instead of the normal two this fall season. Unfortunately, the excellent American coun- major companies like the COC (Dec. 4, Jane Another unusual feature is the predominance tertenor Lawrence Zazzo, originally engaged to Mallet Theatre). of original productions or co-productions, a sing Bertarido, has cancelled, to be replaced by The most anticipated event this fall on the departure from the practice of using borrowed Gerald Thompson, a voice new to me. concert stage is undoubtedly the visit of the sets, which sadly has become the norm in Canadian Daniel Taylor, who has recorded brilliant Italian mezzo Cecilia Bartoli, who is recent years due to budget concerns. The sea- Bertarido for Virgin, takes on the smaller role of on a North American and European tour to son opener is Verdi’s Macbeth, last staged by Unulfo. Baroque conductor Harry Bicket, who promote her new CD, Opera Proibita featuring the company in 1986 starring the unforget- led this opera at the Met last season, will be at music by Handel, Scarlatti and Caldara (See table but wildly uneven Sylvia Sass as Lady the helm. It probably won’t please purists, but feature article in this issue of TMS). The con- Macbeth. This time around, it will star another with almost three and a half hours of music cert will be accompanied by La Scintilla, a Hungarian soprano, Georgina Lukács. plus intermissions, I suspect judicious cuts will group made up of members of the Zurich Returning to sing Macbeth will be British bass be made to the score. (Oct. 18, 20, 22, 26, 28, Opera Orchestra. Bartoli has chosen Toronto Pavlo Hunka, who wowed local audiences as a 30). as the start of her tour (Sept. 28, Roy sensational Falstaff and Hunding the past two This season marks the 20th anniversary of Thomson Hall; Oct. 2, Vancouver), before mo- 30 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_p30-36.2 9/15/05 6:00 PM Page 31

ving on to the U.S. and Europe. Also appearing the horrors of war, Beethoven’s 4th Symphony, Although much of the programming this in the RTH vocal series will be British tenor Ian written as one empire fell in 1806, and Vaughan spring will be focused on Mozart’s 250th birth- Bostridge (Oct. 2, Roy Thomson Hall), with Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, a plea for peace day, Beethoven’s 235th on December 16th pianist Julius Drake, in an all-Schubert program. in the wake of WWII. Unfortunately, the turmoil hasn’t been totally forgotten, and many musi- Other vocal highlights include Vaughan of war is still with us today, and more recent cians are celebrating with cycles of Beethoven’s I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble Baroque I Furiosi Miró Quartet Miró James Ehnes James Williams’ moving work, Dona Nobis Pacem, reflections may come forward in the world pre- works. Evgeny Kissin will start the celebration with baritone Brett Polegato, a Torontonian miere of the TSO commission by Andrew off with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra making one of his rare local appearances. Also MacDonald, War Machine. under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis, with all featured will be Quebec soprano Frederique In the world of early music, Tafelmusik starts five of Beethoven’s varied and wonderful Piano Vezina. This concert is part of the Toronto off the season with a greatest-hits concert – Concerti (October 5, 7). The early and more Symphony Music of Remembrance series (Nov. Best of the Baroque (September 21-25). Mozartian Numbers 1, 2, and 3 will be on 9, 10, Roy Thomson Hall). There is no way to go wrong with this world- October 5th, and the heroic and turbulent class ensemble playing Telemann’s Water Numbers 4 and 5 (the Emperor Concerto), will Southern Ontario Music, Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins, and be on October 7th. Instrumental Preview Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie. Their second Moving from keys to strings, the Kitchener- BY CLAIRE MARIE BLAUSTEIN concert, a Tribute to Rome (October 12-16), Waterloo Chamber Music Society has two may prove to be more inventive, demonstrating Beethoven-centered concerts this fall. The Fall is a season of many moods – dread, for the profound influence this city had on the world-renowned Miró String Quartet, praised those students returning to school; content- musical development of all of Europe, begin- for its treatment of these works in the past, will ment, for those with happy summer memories; ning with it’s own composers and then moving play Beethoven’s six Opus 18 string quartets and joy for the music lover, because fall marks to their disciples. The I Furiosi Baroque (November 11). These were the first quartets the start of the regular season for their favorite Ensemble takes a wrier twist with its program- that Beethoven ever published, and demon- ensembles. ming this fall, beginning with their Introduction strate a particular moment in the history of the The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has a par- to the Body (September 30), which explores genre, as he moved from the lighter touch of ticularly promising fall ahead, with many star- the “naughty and not-so naughty bits” of the Haydn to the complete metamorphosis of the studded performances. In their opening Gala human form, starting at the top and working later quartets. The Miró Quartet is releasing a Performance, Peter Oundjian conducts their way down. recording of these works on the Vanguard Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony and piano Moving to the other end of the temporal Label later this year. Jeremy Findlay and Elena sensation Lang Lang in Chopin’s 1st Piano spectrum, the Esprit Orchestra is kicking off its Braslavksy will also be celebrating the big day Concerto, which is sure to show off Lang Lang’s season October 15th with a world premiere by in Kitchener-Waterloo, with a complete per- particular brand of virtuosity (October 1). R. Murray Schafer — Thunder: Perfect Mind, formance of the five Beethoven cello sonatas Later concerts bring a battery of violinists – for voice and orchestra. This CBC Radio Music (December 19). Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg (October 14-15) in commission was specially composed for Fall is definitely upon us, but the warm Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, Pinchas Esprit’s guest artist, mezzo-soprano Eleanor weather tradition of music festivals is not quite Zukerman and the National arts Center James. Also part of the concert is Arvo Pärt’s ready to let go. There are several in the Orchestra playing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto Tabula rasa for two violins, prepared piano and Toronto area this fall that should capture one’s (October 21), and James Ehnes (October 29, string orchestra. On the same day, as part of attention. 30) in a program inspired by Italy, featuring their 35th Anniversary Season the New Music In Barrie, the Colours of Music festival (Sept Respighi, Vivaldi and Paganini. That concert will Concerts will present clarinetist and composer 23-Oct 2) will host a wide spectrum of artists be conducted by Ginandrea Noseda, who will Jörg Widmann, playing the Canadian premieres and performances. There will be a Bassoon also continue the orchestra’s fond wish for of four of his own works (October 15). Then Bonanza on September 26th, with Bill warmer weather and tribute to Italy in a con- later in the month The University of Toronto Cannaway, Elizabeth Gowen, Julie Shier and cert of Respighi’s Pines of Rome and will play host to composer Steve Reich as part Jerry Robinson bringing together a mix of Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien (November 2). of their Visiting Artists series. Along with a lec- Prokofiev, the Beatles and P.D.Q. Bach. The November 9 marks Remembrance Day, which ture on October 27th, there will be a perfor- eclectic percussion ensemble Nexus always will be commemorated with a special concert mance The Music of Steve Reich: A Sound- delivers a unique listening experience and will by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the streams Concert (October 30). The program be performing at the festival on the 27th. But University of Toronto MacMillan Singers. They will include Reich’s infectious Drumming and for the more classically inclined, there will be will perform great pieces of music expressing the Canadian premiere of You Are (Variations). recitals from some of Canada’s foremost Fall 2005 31 tms_4-1_p30-36.2 9/15/05 6:01 PM Page 32

soloists, including Anton Kuerti and James New Music Concerts of the Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira in Rio de Campbell, and a highlight appearance from the (416) 961-9594, www.newmusicconcerts.com Janeiro, and until this past May he also served Penderecki String Quartet (September 27) University of Toronto as Principal Guest Conductor of the Sao Paulo playing Mozart, Ravel and Beethoven. (416) 978-3744, www.music.toronto.ca State Symphony Orchestra in Brazil, having The academic year gets underway at The Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society recently completed a nine-year tenure as Co- annick Nézet-Séguin Y Mario Bernardi Anton Kuerti Anton

University of Toronto with the International 886-1673, www.k-wcms.com Artistic Director of that same orchestra and a Bach Festival (October 2-6). The opening con- Colours of Music Festival two-year period as Associate Conductor of the cert on October 1st will be a feat of massive (705) 726-4980, www.coloursofmusic.ca New York Philharmonic. proportions with Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Great Romantics Festival Minczuk conducted the CPO in January Violins performed by students from the Faculty (905) 525-9140 x23674 2005, in two critically acclaimed Classics of Music and Bach’s Concerto for Four pianos http://www.artset.net/greatromantics.html Masterworks presentations of “Suite Songs and played by four members of the Faculty. Berg’s Abilites Festival Symphony”, where patrons, musicians and critics Violin Concerto may involve only one soloist, (416) 966-0393, http://www.abilitiesfestival.org/ alike enjoyed his grand, larger-than-life account but Scott St. John is sure to make it no less of the music. Minczuk’s official duties will com- spectacular. The festival continues with its Calgary Fall mence with the CPO’s 2006/2007 Season. Cantata series – each of the five days will fea- KENNA BURIMA On Friday and Saturday, September 23-24, the ture a different Bach Cantata, rehearsed, It may be the crisp fall air, or it may be that fact CPO presents “The Wonder of Chopin” at the Jack explained, and performed live and on stage. that Calgary was exceptionally quiet this summer Singer Concert Hall. Yannick Nézet-Séguin will In October McMaster University will host its with too few chamber recitals and CPO perform- conduct the CPO in music by Weber and Bruckner, 11th annual Great Romantics Festival (October 6- ances. There was little to tide audiences over until with pianist Angela Hewitt playing Chopin’s Piano 8). This series of lectures and concerts brings the fall with the exception of the Mountain View Concerto, no.1, op. 11, e minor. The following together many of the greatest composers of that International Festival of Song and Chamber week, on Wednesday, September 28, the CPO emotionally charged era. It will be a keyboard-full Music to. But it’s now mid-September and time presents “BACHanalia: the Goldberg Variations, 50 festival, including a Piano Gala (October 8) of for season openers. None is more intriguing years live! Baroque Concert” with Principal “Tales from Old Vienna” and the Grieg Piano than Calgary’s Pro Musica season opener. Baroque Conductor Ivars Taurins in a program of Concerto in A minor with Valerie Tryon and the The Society will open its season on a somber works showcasing the genius of Johann Sebastian Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (October 6). but inspiring evening with music by victims of the Bach, with a special performance of a string tran- Music can seem miraculous all on its own – Holocaust, Monday, September 26, at the Beth scription of the famous Goldberg Variations. beauty coming seemingly from thin air. But Tzedec Community Centre. “Defiant Sparks: No CPO season would be complete without when the performers have the added challenge Music of the Holocaust”, will feature internation- Beethoven. Conductor Mario Bernardi will lead of a disability, then the miracle of music extends ally renowned solo pianist, chamber musician and the CPO on Friday and Saturday, November 4-5, far beyond the experience of the listener. The conductor Ralf Gothoni and the always amazing with Beethoven’s Symphony no. 6 (Pastoral), op. Abilities Festival in Toronto (October 27-30) Ives Quartet. Two narrators, Calgarian playwright 68, F major. The evening will also feature a per- celebrates just that, performers who have over- and author Joyce Doolittle and actor Emily Talia formance of Schubert’s Mass no. 5, D. 678, A-flat come more than the standard odds to bring will join them. Co-sponsored with the Calgary major with special guests soprano Suzie LeBlanc, their art to life. Their second gala performance Jewish Community Council, the program will fea- mezzo-Soprano Sarah Fryer, tenor Benjamin at the Glen Gould Studios on the 29th – Art ture music from the Terezin Collection with works Butterfield, and bass Gary Relyea accompanied With an Edge – will include young violin virtu- by Victor Kohn, Egon Ledec, Fratisek Domazlicky by the Calgary Chorus. oso Adrian Anantawan, who was born without a and Erwin Schulhof. The popular University of Calgary Celebrity right hand. He had his debut at the Kennedy Later in the season, Pro Musica presents Series opens its 2005/2006 season with Center in 1992, played with the National Arts Misha Rachlevsky with the Chamber Orchestra mezzo-soprano Laurie Rubin on Friday and Council Orchestra, and will be performing with Kremlin on November 7 in the University Saturday, September 23-24, 2005, in the the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in November. Theatre. The program will consist of string Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall of the Rozsa Centre. Toronto Symphony Orchestra works from Stravinsky, Shostakovich and The Los Angeles mezzo-soprano sings in at (416) 593-4828, www.tso.on.ca Dvorˇa´k. www.promusica.org (403) 444-3152. least eight languages; a feat compounded by Tafelmusik • (416) 964-6337, www.tafelmusik.org On September 9, Calgary was introduced to the fact that Rubin has been blind since birth. I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble • www.ifuriosi.com Roberto Minczuk, the new Music Director of The disability hasn’t been an obstacle, how- Esprit Orchestra the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Minczuk ever, since Rubin has already enjoyed an (416) 366-7723, www.espritorchestra.com currently holds the position of Music Director impressive career as a professional opera 32 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_p29-36.2 2005-09-15 18:18 Page 33

singer. She will be accompanied by pianist will feature an eclectic mix of contemporary Buffalo, New York-born Eddins—who insists David Wilkinson performing music by Schubert, classical and experimental music, utilizing elec- on being called “Bill” rather than “Maestro”— Haydn, Berlioz, Chabrier, Copland and Rorem. tronics, improvisation and visual media. The but when he took to the podium to conduct his www.ffa.ucalgary.ca/events (403) 220-5089. concert features Richard Gibson’s song cycle first concert series in June, the current resident Cinq Poèmes du Nouveau-Brunswick based on conductor of the Chicago Symphony more illiam Eddins W Suzie Leblanc Calgary Opera On September 9 and 10 the Jubilee texts by five New Brunswick poets. Complementing than showed just how much he will be shaking Auditorium, Calgary’s finest performance the cycle will be works by Moiya Callahan, John up the Edmonton classical firmament. space, opened its doors after more than a year Cage, Veronika Krausas, and W. L. Altman. The three-concert Mozart Effect festival had of renovations, which had rendered many arts www.newworkscalgary.ca (403) 255-6029. been created for Eddins in the summer of companies homeless and struggling. But it was The Mountain View Connection is a wonder- 2004, and audiences at the Francis Winspear not the case with the Calgary Opera. In fact, ful music organization that continually pro- Centre for Music were enthusiastic in their it appeared like most of its patrons enjoyed the grams eclectic and inspired programs of vocal response to his conducting and performing at non-traditional programming last season, and chamber music. Fronted by duo pianists the piano while leading the ESO from the key- prompting Calgary Opera to add performanc- Kathleen van Mourik and Charles Foreman, board. Mind you, those in the house might es. It finished the year with a surplus and sur- Mountain View Connection not only offers have been even more amazed had they wit- passed this season’s subscription goal. So with concerts throughout the year but also pres- nessed Eddins’ jitterbugging backstage while the “Jube” up and running, the Calgary Opera ents one of the most unique summer music fes- wired to his iPod as the choir warmed up in the is ready to go with its season opener Turandot tivals in Canada. For their regular season open- rehearsal hall for the Mozart Coronation Mass. November 19, 23 and 25. Regarded as er, on Sunday, October 23rd Foreman and van In August, he would continue to be on the cut- Puccini’s greatest and most passionate opera, Mourik will be joined by soprano Glynis ting edge with Classical Connections, the first Turandot plans to be a brilliant musical specta- Ratcliffe, clarinetist Cedric Blary and dancer of his monthly podcasts via his Web site cle for the newly renovated Jubilee Auditorium. Denise Clarke from Calgary’s leading perform- (www.williameddins.com) and downloaded www.calgaryopera.com (403) 262-7286. ance company, One Yellow Rabbit. The con- from Apple’s iTunes. On the heels of the release of their latest cert, titillatingly titled “Devil’s Music” will fea- Unlike the ESO’s former music director, album Four Degree of Freedom, Calgary’s ture works inspired by the manipulations of the Grzegorz Nowak, —who seemed to have Land’s End Chamber Ensemble opened its sea- Devil, death, demons of great beauty, and com- “renowned visitor” status during his seven-year son at the beginning of September with a con- edy related to mankind’s greatest fears. tenure—Eddins says he will move to Edmonton cert featuring what it does best; new Canadian Calgary’s choral community comes together in 2006. It is perhaps an understatement to and Calgarian works. But it’s the Halloween on Sunday, October 30 for a Centennial Choral say that Edmonton expects the same spark Cabaret that audiences look forward to. Taking Celebration in the Jack Singer Concert Hall. from Eddins as Winnipeg and now Vancouver place in Calgary’s premier jazz club, The Beat The Mount Royal Kantorei connects with the have received from Bramwell Tovey. Niq Jazz and Social Club, audiences have their Alberta choral community in this extravaganza Edmonton Symphony Orchestra: Now that choice of Friday or Saturday, October 28 or of choral music. The concert will include Spem he is officially installed as music director, it natu- 29, with an early dinner or late night cabaret. in Alium, a 40-part motet by Thomas Tallis, rally follows that any of William Eddins’ concerts The ensemble’s cabarets are always a hit and Jubilate Deo by Giovanni Gabrieli and a newly will be a draw. He conducts in all of the ESO’s this one should be no exception, with the pro- commissioned work by Alberta composer Allan series save the country-and-western. As can be gram including music by Berio, Ian Carruthers, Bevan. www.albertachoralcelebration.org heard from his podcasts and his presentations at Christos Hatzis, Mussorgsky and Malcolm Forsyth. Happily this is just the beginning of what the Winspear, Eddins is an engaging musical www.landsendensemble.ca (403)283-5740 promises to be a full and rewarding season for commentator. If there is anyone who can bring New Works Calgary is one of Calgary’s most classical music in Calgary. classical music to the young and make it mean- visible contemporary music organizations. ingful in the 21st century, it is Eddins. Two con- Having performed over 450 works so far by The Edmonton Scene certs, then, fit the bill for children, one on the Canadian composers—88 of which were BY GORDON MORASH kids’ program proper in January, the other in the World Premieres— New Works Calgary contin- lighter classics fold in November. A Musical Zoo ues to strive in offering contemporary classical The Edmonton classical music scene took a on Nov. 17 features Camille Saint-Saens’ music to Calgarian audiences. New Works great leap forward in January with the Carnival of the Animals, Henry Mancini’s Baby Calgary opens its season this year with New Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s appointment Elephant Walk and Claude Debussy’s Prelude to Brunswick’s Motion Ensemble Friday, October of a new music director, William Eddins. It may The Afternoon of a Faun. Rounding out that 21 in the Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall. The program have taken the ESO two years to find the program will be young pianist Scott Meek who Fall 2005 33 tms_4-1_p30-36.2 9/15/05 6:03 PM Page 34

won the Ranald Shean Competition several Concerts are held at the Robertson-Wesley The Victoria Music Scene years ago, with a performance of Sergey United Church. (Alberta Baroque Ensemble, JOHN DEFAYETTE Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Still main- (780) 467-6531, www.albertabaroque.com) taining his love affair with Mozart, on Jan. 28 Pro Coro Canada: Edmonton’s profession- Summer came rather late—in mid-July—along Eddins conducts Mozart’s Magnificent al choir—one of the few to be found in with a pleasant surprise: the Esterhazy Saloon Orchestra, whose seven members are very well known. Watch for their performance this fall. Another piece of good news was Victoria Symphony conductor Tania Miller’s giving birth to a baby boy by just before the Symphony Splash. Once again the attendance at the splash was close to 40,000. We have also been fortunate to have the National Youth Orchestra of Canada in residence at the University of Victoria (U. Vic) campus and to enjoy two evenings of fine music with Jacques Lacombe, the conductor this year. The opera season opens with Tchaikovsky’s

ania Miller Eugene Onegin. We welcome Frederique Vezina T Jolaine Kerley and Kurt Lehmann along with director Glynis Voyage, a presentation that brings 18th-cen- Canada—kicks off its 25th season with a per- Leyshon, known from her Belfry days. Oct. 6- tury Vienna to the Winspear stage. formance of Franz Joseph Haydn’s Maria 15, Royal theatre, (250) 385-0222. The (Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, (780) 428- Theresa Mass with the Pro Coro Chamber Victoria Chamber Orchestra opens with a pro- 1414 , www.edmontonsymphony.com) Orchestra and organist Jeremy Spurgeon on gramme by Handel, Suk and Mendelssohn, Edmonton Opera: Displaced from its tra- Oct. 2 at the Francis Winspear Centre for Yariv Aloni, conductor. Oct.14, First Metro- ditional performing home at the Jubilee Music. Soloists will be soprano Jolaine Kerley, politan church, (250) 595-2094. Auditorium as the house underwent a $32- mezzo-soprano Mireille Rijavec, tenor John Tania Miller opens the Victoria Symphony million, Alberta centenary refit for sight and Huck and bass Rob Clark. Also on the pro- season with Krysztof Jabonski, piano, in an sound, EO presented a daring 2004/05 sea- gram are a cappella works by Jacob Handel, offering of Nielsen, Grieg and Sibelius. son in venues ranging from a refurbished Anton Bruckner and Franz Liszt; and Zoltan October is a busy month for the VSO, starting movie house, the Citadel Theatre, the Francis Kodaly’s Missa Brevis for choir and organ. with Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano, and the Winspear Centre for Music and a suburban Richard Sparks, the choir’s Washington-based Victoria Choral Society male chorus performing 500-seat concert hall. The season opens music director, will conduct. (Pro Coro J. S. Bach’s Sinfonia and Cantata No 82 in addi- Nov. 26 and 29, and Dec. 1 with a most Canada, (780) 420-1247, www.procoro. tion to Brahms’ alto Rhapsody op. 53, and Albertan offering that is completely in keep- ab.ca) Haydn’s Symphony No 94 at the U. Vic ing with the province’s birthday: Filumena Alberta Choral Celebration: Classical Farquahar auditorium. Conductor Kess Bakels with music by the ESO’s first composer-in- music was generally forgotten during Alberta’s returns with a programme which includes residence from 1992-99 John Estacio, and 2005 centennial celebrations. Few orchestral Douglas Schmidt’s Victoria Airs; Lalo’s libretto by Calgary playwright John Murrell. or choral commissions, if any, found their way Symphonie Espagnole op. 21, for violin and The opera premiered to acclaim in Calgary on to Edmonton programs. For the choral orchestra, Karen Goymo, violin, and and was featured in Ottawa this past spring community, however, plans took a distinct Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 5. The Halowe’en during the Alberta Scene festival. The opera, move forward late last fall with a three-city performance, led by Giuseppe Pietraroia, set in Crowsnest Pass, tells the true story of tour involving Edmonton, Calgary and includes music by Mussorgsky and Berlioz as Filumena Lassandro, the last woman to be Lethbridge choirs. Singers from each city will well as film music from ‘Pscho’ and ‘Pirates of hanged in Alberta. (Edmonton Opera, (780) convene in a 160-voice core touring choir the Caribbean’. Oct. 27, 28 and 29, followed 424-4040, www.edmontonopera.com) directed by Leonard Ratzlaff to perform the by the 30th Concert for Kids with the Platypus Alberta Baroque Ensemble: The ABE’s newly commissioned celebratory work, Theatre group. 26th six-concert season begins Oct. 23, but Singers to Come: What Thoughts Can Turn Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducts Mozart’s it will be the Christmas program on Dec. 4 to Song? by Allan Bevan, Thomas Tallis’ Spem Symphony No 1 and the Oboe Concerto with that will prove to be the perfect match of in alium, Giovanni Gabrielli’s Jubilate Deo, Micheal Byrneand and the Beethoven- chamber orchestra and choir. Entitled Music Felix Mendelssohn’s Sechs Spruche, Randol Mitropoulos Quartet. Nov. 6, U.Vic. On Nov. for a Festive Season, the 16-member ensem- Bass’ Gloria. A massed choir will perform Srul 13 -14, Timothy Vernon conducts a programme ble conducted by ESO assistant principal Irving Glick’s The Hour Has Come in the sec- which includes Elgar’s, Serenade for Strings, oboe Paul Schieman brings together soprano ond half of the concert. The Edmonton leg of Barber’s Violin Concerto with violinist Mark Jolaine Kerley and the international award- the tour will be held on Oct. 23 at the Francis Fewer, and Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No 5. winning University of Alberta Madrigal Winspear Centre for Music. In addition to the A tribute to the war years is offered on Nov.11, Singers (directed by Leonard Ratzlaff). The core touring choir and the massed choir, also with Giuseppe Pietraroia, conductor, Erica repertoire for the two same-day concerts (3 performing in Edmonton will be I Coristi, The Northcott, soprano, Francis Perriam, piano, and p.m. and 7:30 p.m.) features Christmas Greenwood Singers and The Richard Eaton Christopher Gaze, narrator. Early birds can Concerto Grosso by Gaetano Maria Schiassi, Singers. Lethbridge and Calgary concerts will enjoy a cup of tea in the lobby. Noëls pour les instruments by Marc-Antoine be held Oct. 29 and 30 respectively. (Alberta All concerts, except as noted, at the Royal Charpentier, Magnificat by Giacomo Antonio Choral Celebration, (780) 428-1414, Theatre. (250) 385-6515 or www.victoria.sym- Perti, Alles, was ihr tut by Dietrich Buxtehude www.albertachoralcelebration.org) phony.ca and Gloria by George Frideric Handel. The Early Music Society (of the Islands) 34 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_p30-36.2 9/15/05 6:04 PM Page 35

concerts are fortunate to have the Sequentia J’nos Sandor, Yariv Aloni and Christopher Bramwell Tovey make him look as though he is Ensemble with Benjamin Bagby, director, recre- Butterfield have 2 concerts at the U Vic Centre presiding over it all like a benign elder states- ate some of the 10th- and 11th-centuries music Auditorium at 2.30 PM on Oct 30 and Dec. 18. man or father figure. from the German Rhineland. Oct. 21, Alix The first is All Hallow’s Eve with music by Gluck, The venerable Vancouver Recital Society’s Goolden Performance Hall, 8 PM. This is fol- Saint-Saens, Dvorˇa´k and Belioz. The second, printed brochure is less glitzy and more inform- lowed by the Group of Four from California with the Viva Choir, offers carols by Manfredini, ative than the VSO’s but often remains coy playing selections from Haydn and Vivaldi on Williams and Gade. (250) 360-1121. Dr about precisely what music the organization’s Nov. 26. The Christmas concert is not Messiah, Klement Hambourg, violin, also have 2 con- artists are performing this season. The but popular music from the 17th and 18th cen- certs one on Oct. 23, featuring Haydn, Martinu brochure contains nary a word about the actu- turies performed by the Baltimore Consort. and Schumann. The other Chamber Music al music Cecilia Bartoli will be singing at her Dec.18, (250) 882-5058. Programme, on Nov. 20, includes Brahms, Vancouver appearance and even the Society’s We always enjoy the U.Vic School of Music’s Haydn and the not-to-be-missed Schubert website divulges only that the Italian mezzo- programmes, which are usually held in the “Arpeggione” performance with talented 11- soprano’s program “includes works by Handel, Philip T Young Recital Hall. On Sept. 28-29, year-old cellist Oliver Alport. He was an out- Scarlatti and Caldara.” Leo Treitler, musicologist, author and professor standing participant in the spring at the However, in all fairness, would anyone’s deci- (City University of N.Y.), gives a lecture, Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival. sion to go to Bartoli’s concert be based on the ‘Speaking of Music’. Marc Fortier, conductor, and his wife, violin, works she was performing? I confess mine On Oct. 7, J’nos Sandor, conductor of the open the Palm Court Light Orchestra in Duncan probably wouldn’t but then I’m thoroughly Victoria Concerto Orchestra, has a concert on Sept. 30 and Victoria, Oct. 1, with a concert convinced of her interpretive prowess and with soloists Nichole Annis, soprano, Jeremy of British, Canadian and French-Canadian informed of her repertoire strengths. Besides, Ferland and Clayton Leung, violin, and Adam music. They then travel to Mill Bay, Qualicum Bartoli comes to Vancouver very rarely so one Weinmann, English horn. The University Wind Beach and Sidney on Nov. 20, Dec. 1 and Dec. is stuck with whatever she chooses to sing, if Symphony with Dr. Gerald King conducting 4, with tenor Ken Lavigne in a programme of one wants to hear her at all. present classics for wind and orchestra. Oct. much-loved musical genres. www.palmcour- Hungarian pianist Andras Schiff, we are told 18, Farquhar Auditorium. torchestra.com The Victoria Conservatory has a in the same VRS brochure, is performing “an As an aside, four members of the faculty number of faculty concerts and no doubt will all-Haydn programme” but one must delve into have a recital on Oct. 15. Colin Tilney gives have other interesting offerings this fall; check the society’s website to learn exactly what another guest recital on Oct. 17, of clavichord their website www.vcm..bc.ca for details. There pieces he is playing. Schiff’s pre-eminent status music by Bach. The busy J’nos Sandor con- are two concerts at the Philip T Young Recital among the world’s international concert ducts the U Vic orchestra on Oct. 28 with Hall featuring a Canadian premiere with the pianists gives him some latitude in repertoire works by Wagner, Mendelssohn and Beetho- Aventa ensemble conducted by Bill Linwood. selection, since he can fill concert hall seats by ven. A Duo Laplante-Hub computer and viola The first is Rodney Sharman’s In Praise of reputation alone. But if Schiff had programmed and electronics respectively are guests on Nov Shadows on Sept. 18 and the other, Klaus Ib an all-Webern concert rather than all-Haydn, I 3. The following day a sonic lab programme Jergensen’s Moon-Pain, with Susan Young, doubt that anyone would be camping out with the U Vic Chamber singers, Christopher soprano, and Steven Price, baritone, on Oct. 2, overnight on the Beatty Street steps of the Butterfield, conducting, will present composi- (250) 592-9713. Recital Society’s office to be first in line for tions by Morton Feldman, Leos Janzeek, tickets. Gordon Mumma and Rudolf Komorfous. Vancouver 2005-2006 The classical music field can hardly be For a change of pace a Jazz café is offered Season Preview other than performer driven, given that most with U Vic’s Bonehenge (12 trombones) and BY ROBERT JORDAN of the core chamber and orchestral repertoire the U Vic Jazz Choir, Nov. 16. The Chamber has remained stagnant for over a century now Music series includes works by Kurt Weill and It is frequently remarked upon today that, in and much newly composed music is repug- Max Bruch, Nov. 18.Then 21st-century music is classical music marketing, the music itself has nant to the concert-going public. The only featured on the 19th. On the same evening is a taken a back seat to the performers. difference from year to year is the performers performance including Handel and Purcell by Phenomenal musical skills are taken for granted and even then, because of much greater inter- the Prima Youth Choir and Chamber Orchestra but are rarely meaningfully described or given national musical interaction between cultures under the baton of Yariv Aloni. NB: Change of much significance in brochures and advertise- and continents, performing styles are becom- venue to 1 St. Metropolitan Church, 2.30 PM. ments. It’s the plethora of eye-popping photos ing more and more similar the world over. On Nov. 27, pianist May Ling Kwok plays of young, attractive and stylishly-dressed per- Hence the personality of the performer, Chopin, Mozart and Schubert. If you enjoy mas- formers that demonstrates most surely that expressed through edgy but thoroughly con- ter classes, plan to attend the one given by the the present-day classical music field is per- temporary forms of dress rather than any real Trio Surplus from Germany on Dec. 3, 4-7 PM. former driven rather than repertoire driven. musical differences, is hyped up out of all In the evening at 8 PM the programme with the Ta ke the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s proportion to its musical significance. U Vic Chorus and Orchestra, J’nos Sandor, con- 2005-2006 season brochure. One reaches the This is not really surprising. Nowadays, only ductor, and Susan Young, chorus director, eighth page before actual pieces of music are a few people outside what is becoming an includes Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Kod’ly’s listed. Even then, the repertoire listings are increasingly tight-knit classical music communi- Te Deum. The aforementioned Trio Surplus the drab fine print next to the glossy color ty have even heard of Scarlatti, never mind guest recital is on Dec. 4. (250) 721-7903. photos of the season’s soloists, clad in the Caldara, or have much more than a passing The Victoria Operatic Society has been pro- latest trendy cosmopolitan attire, and exud- familiarity with any of Haydn’s vast output of ducing musical theatre for the past 60 years. ing personality to burn. And they all seem so beautiful and finely crafted piano music. This fall they present the popular Rogers and open and approachable, the exact opposite So if you’re looking for bold, cutting-edge Hammerstein “Oklahoma.” Nov. 18-27, Mc- of the stereotyped “artiste” of yesteryear repertoire on the Vancouver classical music Pherson Theatre. There is another anniversary, with long, flowing grey hair and aloof, distant scene, look elsewhere. But there’s an abun- the 20th for the Victoria Youth Orchestra — gaze. Even the pictures of music director dance of concert activity in the city, much of it Fall 2005 35 tms_4-1_p30-36.2 9/15/05 6:05 PM Page 36

well worth hearing, and besides, it is always fascinating to hear a huge CLASSIFIED ADS young talent at the beginning of his or her career. All concerts are at 8:00 PM unless otherwise noted. FOR SALE DONATIONS I hate to pick two concerts presented by the same organization but VIOLONS - ALTOS - VIOLONCELLES - DONATE TO THE MUSIC SCENE a registered the Vancouver Recital Society has the clout and connections to bring ARCHETS / VIOLINS - VIOLA - VIOLONCEL- charity promoting music, now in our 10th LOS - BOWS Réglage / Sound adjustment. year. In addition to cash donations, we are the likes of Cecilia Bartoli with the Zurich Orchestra La Scintilla to the Achat-vente / Buy-Sales. Montreal: (514) looking for used computers and software. Orpheum Theatre on October 2 and Andras Schiff to the Chan Centre 827-3163. [email protected] USA: Our current needs include Filemaker Pro on October 16. Both are 3:00 PM Sunday concerts. Neither artist per- (203) 453-2011 Michel Gagnon Fine Violins Server 3 for Windows. Visit http://dona- forms in Vancouver with any Ltd www.fineviolinsltd.com tions.scena.org for a full list of our needs. A great frequency any more so tax receipt for the fair market value will be issued. these chances must be RECORDINGS seized! www.vanrecital.com DISCOVER THE FINEST in historic broadcast (604) 602-0363. recordings. Gems from the Metropolitan Opera, MISCELLANEOUS Toscanini, Russian and other major opera P, ILY, Z At the new start time of houses. Visit www.immortalperformances.org 7:30 PM, Vancouver Opera kicks off its season with a 12 $ / 120 characters • 5 $ / 40 additional characters remount of the company’s 1997 co-production of Tel.: (514) 948-2520 Turandot (October 22- [email protected] November 3). Images from this Baz Luhrmannesque staging still flicker in my CROSSWORD Jacques Desjardins mind and there should be terrific singing, too. 123456789101112 Minnesota-born soprano 1 Audrey Stottler sings Dibblee Sally Turandot with Italian tenor 2 Renzo Zulian as Calaf, but I most look forward to 3 Canadian soprano Sally 4 Dibblee in the role of Liu. www.vancouveropera.ca 5 (604) 683-0222. The Canadian premiere of 6 John Adams’ The Dharma at Big Sur (November 5 & 7), 7 marks new VSO concertmas- ter Mark Fewer’s first major 8 solo outing with the orches- 9 tra. Adams’ electric violin and orchestra piece is sand- 10 wiched between Michio Kitazume’s El-Sho and

11 William Walton’s Symphony John Adam No. 1. I am not sure what logic was behind these three pieces being on 12 the same program but the incongruity of it all certainly aroused my curiosity. www.vancouversymphony.ca (604) 876-3434. The Friends of Chamber Music brought the Borodin Quartet to Across Down Vancouver last April to play quartets by Beethoven and Shostakovich. ■ 1 - Person who inspired at least two ■ 1 - Composer of an opera inspired Well, they’re back already, on November 15 at the Vancouver Playhouse ■ ■ operas 2 - Common word in Italian by 1 accross - Charged particle 2 - with more of the same: Beethoven’s quartet Op. 59, No. 3, and operas - Prototype ■ 3 - Brazillian US doctors’ organization abbr. - ___ Shostakovich’s eighth and tenth quartets. But this cannot go on much dance - German physicist ■ 4 - Level Aviv ■ 3 - Methodical list of names or longer: founding member cellist Valentin Berlinsky has just entered his in judo - Mythological character ■ 5 - terms ■ 4 - Sphere - Work by Jean Italian volcano - Scandinavian curren- Vigo ■ 5 - National Endowment for ninth decade and continues to provide a tangible connection to the cy - Spirit that may be drunk the Arts - Cool - Solfège syllable ■ 6 intensely Russian interpretive tradition to which the Borodins are heir. ■ 6 - Ancient Gods’ beverage - Hit - Female first name - Music is one ■ 7 All the more reason to book your tickets early for this one. www.friend- the slopes ■ 7 - First name in jazz - - He gave us the Variations Enigma - sofchambermusic.ca (604) 437-5747. National railway abbr. ■ 8 - Boxer - Unit of time in music ■ 8 - Romanian The Tallis Scholars are fairly regular visitors to Vancouver and the Alien abbr. ■ 9 - Defense organisation composer - Alien abbr. ■ 9 - 500th anniversary of the birth of the group’s namesake, Thomas Tallis (backwards) - In the key of ■ 10 - Composer ___ Antonovich - Vocal (1505-1585), is obviously a special occasion for them. On December 5, ■ ■ Spanish city - Russian composer 11 range 10 - Well known piano virtu- Early Music Vancouver brings this ten-member British chamber choir to ■ - Discus thrower Al - __ and fro - RN’s oso 11 - English Isle - “Bird” of jazz the Chan Centre to celebrate the event with a program of music most- room ■ 12 - What Neeme Järvi calls ■ 12 - Welsh baritone - Australian lake ly by Tallis but also a piece each by two of his contemporaries, William his homeland or novel heroine Byrd and John Taverner. www.ticketmaster.ca (604) 280-3311. ■ 36 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_02-04,37-40 9/14/05 3:15 PM Page 37

ATMAclassique The International Label from Canada KARINA GAUVIN Cantatas by Boismortier & Clérambault ACD2 2387

Also featuring Karina Gauvin ACD2 2306 SACD2 2342

Celebrating 10 years of great Canadian music-making GREAT ARTISTS GREAT MUSIC GREAT SOUND www.atmaclassique.com

Fall 2005 37 tms_4-1_02-04,37-40 9/14/05 3:17 PM Page 38

38 Fall 2005 tms_4-1_02-04,37-40 9/14/05 3:20 PM Page 39 CECILIA39 BARTOLI Rome at the dawn of the 18th century... Cecilia Bartoli celebrates a unique period in the musical history of her home city Arias by George Frideric Handel, Alessandro 39Scarlatti and Antonio Caldara

Limited Edition CD 4756924 UniversalIncludes 8 World Premiere Recordings AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 13, 2005

CANADIAN CONCERT DATES September 28 – Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto October 2 – The Orpheum, Vancouver

LES MUSICIENS DU LOUVRE · MARC MINKOWSKI A UNIVERSAL MUSIC COMPANY www.universalclassics.com Photo of Cecilia Bartoli by Ferdinando Scianna. Water background: still from ‘La dolce vita’, photo: Pictorial Press www.ceciliabartolionline.com Fall 2005 39