Perlman on Paganini, Tone and brilliance

It may look like quite a leap the jump from Beethoven's Piano Concertos to Paganini, yet this is about another titan among the great soloists of our time: Itzhak Perlman. For Paganini fans and for Perlman fans as well these two names aer strongly linked through the great recording of Paganini Caprices by Perlman. However it is not the subject of our meeting today. The subject comes from the recording of Paganini Violin Concerto No. 1.

Most likely one of the greatest achievements of Paganini, the composer, this concerto is a very interesting mix of virtuosity, pure energy, and tenderness. It is, as such a very difficult piece for the interpreter as well as for the listener. Play like a madman and you loose its soul and it becomes tiring. Don't take it seriously and it makes no sense. The technical difficulty is self-implied, given the composer, yet the emotional difficulty is hidden and even more demanding. In 1972, the year of this recording, Perlman was at the height of his powers and a profound musician as you know him. Consequently, this recording is a great spectacle. The technical fireworks are displayed with high energy and enthusiasm, while the lingering passages are exposed with great sensibility. It's in this passages that Perlman produces an intoxicating tone from his wonderful violin. It is this tone that is the landmark of this recording. Full-bodied, round, powerful and soul-filling tone. I remember him in the movie on the great violinists of the last century comparing the piano and violin playing, noting that a violinist has to work to produce the tone that for the piano is implied. He is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest craftsmen in this field that ever lived. And it is the way he puts this gorgeous tone in the service of profoundly meaningful music-making that makes this recording the best, as far as I am concerned.

The filling of this cd is another great recording that displays the same qualities: Carmen Fantasie by Sarasate. It is again a great achievement. Energy, spirit, technical show-off, profound understanding of this very emotional piece. It is, for many, the reason to buy this cd. One of the few very best if not the very best recording.

As it's all about hearing his violin in the best possible way allow me to suggest to you the remastering JVC made of this recording. The XRCD that resulted has the best possible sound a regular cd can have and I recommend you find the xrcd version of the recording to enjoy the music and the music-making to its fullest.

Beethoven Piano Concertos - Two cycles

Once again, dear friends, we come back to Beethoven Piano Concertos. No wonder, as such genius-filled masterpieces speak differently each day and even more so at different age. Even more so as all the pianists that reached the climax of their artistic power try to penetrate the world of these masterpieces and bring Beethoven's soul to light.

In the continous wondering through archives of recorded music I came across two complete cycles from two living giants of our time: Murray Perahia and Alfred Brendel. The temptation was to great to put these two head to head as a couple of very interesting differences emerge at a closer look. Murray Perahia is at full maturity and comes with an impecable record of recording classics (his Mozart cycle is a landmark). Alfred Brendel is enjoying a glorious sunset and has all the insight and experience that only a full and accomplished life can give you. Perahia's is his first take on these magnificent works, while Brendel is at his third, the one of full maturity.

My intention is not to make an anatomical dissection of each concert. Instead I would like to share with you the overall "feeling" of each set and try to grasp the untouchables that make them so unique in themselves and so different from each other. The first thing you notice is the compeltely different setup that each conductor creates for their soloists. On one side you have Haitink, with a long history of great cycles on his portfolio (the great one with Claudio Arrau should be in every collection), creates a roman cathedral of sound (Hegel said beautifully and extremely inspired that architecture is frozen music) classic to the bones and with a cold crisp mind that doesn't allow any emotional getaway. On the other side is Rattle, that finds spirit and emotion in every bar and allows music to sing of human experiences in the most profound and "classical" way. It's like building musically Sagrada Familia withholding nothing back. With great orchestras to match their impeccable conception (Royal Concertgebouw and Wiener Philharmoniker respectively) the stage is set for the full manifestation of their soloists creative prowess.

A magnificent tour the force on both sides they couldn't be more different nor more true to Beethoven's music. Perahia is displaying in perfect technique all the lines and reliefs of Beethoven's music. Everything is in right place perfectly finished and leaving no room for improvement. And while building like a great master mason of ancient times he manages to bring forth with utter power of conviction all the inner humanity that Beethoven engraved in his music. A mastery achievement I hope you agree with me. And when you think that nothing else can be said in every concert along comes Brendel's mind blowing account of these works. He starts from the other end. He puts together every bit of human emotion and piece of mind building, at times with spine chilling freedom of creation, an entire world that makes sense and is so soul searching. he's life work with these masterpieces gives the liberty to nuance to molecular levels every musical idea in the all so clear construction that takes form under your amazed eyes as music unfolds. In the end you have the same intense feeling of Beethoven being in the same room with you. Almost the same effect in both cycles but with such a different approach.

It is so conforting to have the mature and complete version of the conception of two great musicians at the end of their carrers, Haitink in one set and Brendel in the other. It is equally conforting to know that this great music will have more to say in the future in the hands of Perahia and Rattle, as I am pretty sure that they will come back to these works again.

Harman Kardon Citation, absolute music

The search for the perfect interpretation of a masterpiece is, for many, paralleled by the search of that combination of audio gear that will bring that recording to life. I come back with a review of music making machines as I feel they deserve it.

It all started with the pretty lucky acquisition of a Harman Kardon Citation Seventeen. When I first saw it the almost fourty years of age were pretty obvious on this glorious machine until I touched and turned a couple of times the volume knob. The feeling of perfectly spaced steps spoke about a machine that made history. The work needed to make it look young once again wasn't much and soon it sat in the company of valuable team mates (the likes of Sony TA-N80ES and Infinity Rennaisance 90) and made music in a way I couldn't think possible. Unbelievable all the way. I will not go on and blab in all sorts of "audiophile" terms. I will only tell you that there is one word that describes this machine almost perfectly: space. Amazingly wide space and a gorgeous clean air filling it. It trasnports you immediately in the middle of a beautiful garden with no walls in sight and places with surgical precision all the instruments of a recording at their designated places. And they sound so natural as being happy of being liberated. It is like it is disolving itself in music and music is all that's left.
Absolute timbre fidelity, efortless dynamics, the ease of adding new instruments to a larger than life sonic picture were so effective that music became instanly a drug. You needed your continous intravenous dose in order to be able to keep going.

Needless to say that impressed to the bones by the work of Matty Ottala and Sidney Harman back in the days I made a pledge to bring along him a worthy family member to work their magic as they're supposed to. After intense detectivistic work and with mandatory percent of luck I managed to find a Harman Kardon Citation Twelve Deluxe in pristine condition. The joy was second just to the impatience of finally putting them together. But that day came and the equation of happiness finally had a solution. And what a solution this is. It is indeed a wonderful brother of the Seventeen. They share the same qualities. The twelve just takes that amazing space with every detail that seventeen so beautifully recreates and pushes them to forward with the authority and self-confidence of a great conductor. But donn't get me wrong. It is as "invisible" as its broher. You are not aware it's there. It just takes the gorgeous musical universe its brother creates and magnifies it in a completely undistorted manner. And it does it with the same unbelievable ease and lack of strain. Every nuance, every bit of directional energy, every single note, no matter what produces it is propelled so naturally.

Needless to say that from the moment the Harman Kardon family reunited in my listening setup music became as necessary as air and I rediscover the essence of the genius that went into the great musical masterpieces and their interpreters.

Mozart and Bach with Clara Haskil, finding a jewel

From time to time a big discovery just happens and lightens your entire day. There where you thought that nothing else is left to be found you come across a jewel. That was my strong feeling when I stumbled upon this cd. Everything on the cd is top notch yet one of the concertos is the jewel I am talking about.The Mozart's concerto for two pianos and orchestra in E flat minor, KV 365. I heard before with Radu Lupu and Murray Perahia and that was a very rewarding recording. However the recording on this disc is on a completely different level.

First just a few words about the conductor of this concerto, as I think he is one of the most underrated conductors. I made his acquaintance through the recording of the Barber of Seville with Callas and Gobbi, and, since then, every recording I heard proved him to be a great conductor. He has a gift of injecting life in everything he plays that is most gratifying. And this is also the case here. He accompanies his soloists in perfect style, creating with his orchestra a well defined and nourishing environment for the two-fair musical play. Lively, Mozartean to the bone, with very fine detail and phrasing he leaves very little to be desired. His orchestra, the famed Philharmonia of that period, is in top shape and responds beautifully to its inspiring conductor. A very solid performance from them.

The soloists are both very distinguished interpreters of Mozart piano music, especially Clara Haskil. The Romanian pianist, already a prominent figure of the piano at the time of this recording, has a very special affinity towards Mozart's music and a extremely effective way of transmitting it through the keyboard. All her well-established qualities are manifest to the full in this recording. The phrasing, the punctuation of the melodic lines, the careful choice of tempi and the overall expression, everything makes for an authentic Mozart expression. Her musical intelligence is enveloping and transposes you in the thoughtful silence beyond the music. Geza Anda is a most competent partner. He understands this music with similar depth and manags to express it with a beautiful style and tone.

But what makes this recording really amazing is the outstanding quality of the blend between all those implicated. It is as all of the musical ideas were put into a furnace and the essence poured evenly through all the instruments. The pianos, both individually and their dialogue are so beautiful and so similar, and their musical expression is so right that listening to them creates goose-bumps. The flow of the musical ideas is so logic and so soul-bound that, at least in my mind they created a separate world where I could hardly wait for the next discovery behind a bush of roses. A wealth of musical pictures all beautifully shaped, characterized, and presented with an graceful, unobtrusive vital force behind them. A complete artistical experience indeed.

Beecham, style and elegance

Schubert is one composer that at least I took lightly in the beginning. Completely immersed in the profound musical dramaturgy of Beethoven's music and bewildered by the genial creativity of Mozart, Schubert was at the periphery of my musical interest. He didn't meet the criteria of any of the things I just discovered and understood in music.
Fortunately, with time, I came to realize what a great composer Schubert was. His music, now, is a continuous source of delight and profound excursion into the soul of man. As usual, getting the grip of ones compositions generates the search for the interpretation that brings the most out of it to ones best understanding. Unexpectedly, the search proved to be very difficult. It is very hard to manage grace, rhythm, elegance, yet undemonstrative masculinity, relentless pace yet relaxation and contemplation. And the recorded leagcy is a prove to that. However, sooner or later, one comes across the masters of Schubertian music. With a very rewarding stop at Bohm's recordings, and a nice breakaway with Carlos Kleiber (about all of them, soon on the lists), I came to Sir Thomas Beecham, said by many to be the Master of this music. And I must say that I couldn't agree more.

His recorded legacy on Schubert is present in two cd's: one coming from EMI in their Great Recordings of the Century series (comprising the 3rd, the 5th, and the 8th) and the other one from Sony (1st, 2nd, and 8th). Perfectly listenable sound on both cds and what proof of music making. Beecham manages an almost perfect blend of all the attributes mentioned above. His orchestra (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, his own creation) responds with all their hearts and minds to Beecham demands and the result is delightful. Just listen to the unimposing elegance in the strings at the beginning of the 5th symphony and the conception and perfect execution of the orchestra is obvious. It is hard to point out certain moments as all the symphonies form uniform bodies, perfectly carved in sound. Incredible insight governs Beechams choice of tempi and phrasing. He carefully puts the accents and injects energy in the right spots managing to keep things balanced and make everything sound light but serious, smiling with confidence, coming forward with being aggressive, describing nice landscapes without becoming self indulgent or dreamy. In Beecham's

hands Schubert's music is on the verge of ethereal never falling to the ineffable. It is as real as it gets and actually it conveys an energy that moves every bit of sensible matter inside you.

So, here I stand, achubert's music is brought to light close to perfection by the nother guy saying that Beecham is great in Schubert or that great British conductor. Give it a try and have his take on this wonderful, youthful musical masterpieces. You won't be dissappointed. Maybe you look for something slightly different in this music but nevertheless Beecham will bring so much that it will be so worthwhile.

Klipschorn, an audio nirvana

When one listens to music as a consuming hobby then, sooner or later, one comes to search for the audio equipment that brings music to life to the best of his auditive apparatus knowledge. My search started a good decade ago and since I had the chance to run over and to listen to some exquisite music machines. The last great encounter happened last week, when I had the chance to audition the famed design of Paul Klipsch, the Klipschorns and Belle. And what a setup that was as their owner, Kerry, had not two but four Klipschorns serving as fronts and backs and Belle, serving a center channel. A huge surround setup, will you agree, and a even huger satisfaction source for my thirsty musical brain.

For a guy with such great taste in speakers you would expect a great musical program and that's exactly what we got. We listened to Tchaikovsky's Marche Slave with the Kiev Philharmonic, to Dave Brubeck Quartet and its Take Five, to concert performances from Cream and Nirvana. First thing first. The Klipschorns provide an unique musical experience. Their effortless rendition of every instrumental nuance on a huge and precise sonorous soundstage is the first thing that strikes you. No meter how big the Kiev orchestra got the speakers just poured the music into the room. Hearing them was like seeing Pavarotti sing. They conveyed every nuance of the very rhythmic piece with tight and generous dynamics. That was the second thing that struck me and it adds to the sense of ease these big speakers breathe. I heard the air in between the instruments, I heard every instrument alive and natural with every nuance the soloists gave them making everything a very emotionally involving experience.

With Dave Brubeck enormously famous Take five the speakers showed another one of their multiple beautiful virtues. The sax was enveloping. I never heard this instrument like that from a speaker. The reproduction was so complete that you actually could hear all the microscopic inflections put in the instrument. You could feel the soul of the man coming out through his instrument. Again an experience so involving and so wonderfully close to what listening to music should be.

From the rest I will only mention the Cream dvd. We listened to the impressive drums solo of Ginger Baker. It was yet another big discovery and jaw-dropping Klipschorn performance. Every drum was perfectly defined, in timber and amplitude. No matter how many beats per second Baker managed to pull off the Klipschs just enetered the soul of the artist and the bone marrow of the instrument and created everything with amazing detail and dynamics. It was a very impressive display of power and utmost control of low frequencies amidst the other qualities displayed already.

All in all a huge musical and audiophile experience. I still thank Kerry in my mind a week later for the great occasion he offered us. The Klipschorns are everything you read about and a lot more. Is getting to the core of the music and to the soul of the artists what makes listening to music through these speakers an experience apart. I sure hope next time I'm in Houston I will get the chance of another meeting with the outstanding design of Paul Klipsch.

Science gets closer to the wonders of the past - Stradivarius and Guarnieri

This article roots from a completely different source than usual. It is not caused by a listening experience, yet rather a reading experience. The Dean of science journals, Nature, has in its issue from November 30th, a very interesting brief communication on the wood that Stradivarius and Guarneri del Gesu used to build their violins. It is the beginning of a salutary scientific look into the mysteries of some of the greatest creations of humankind. To give you a taste of this work let me quote the authors on the key aspects. They motivate their research as such: "Whether or not the great Italian violin-makers used wood that had been chemically processed in order to preserve it and enhance the instrument’s sound quality has long been a contentious issue1,2." Then, they go and briefly describe the methods they used: "Here we use nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy to analyze organic matter in wood taken from antique instruments made by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu." Their results are intriguing: "Our results indicate that the wood used by the masters could indeed have been chemically treated, a technique that may inspire an approach to violin making that is more chemistry-based." You can read the details and the actual data in the article.

For those of you that are not completely familiar with the subject of the paper I will try to give you a flavor of these exquisite instruments. Both violin makers families, as more than just one member was in this business, built their instruments in the second half of the seventeen and the first decades of the eighteen centuries. Both learned the art of violin making from Nicolo Amati yet, most importantly, both tried to create better instruments. And while they did that they created instruments with a very particular sound. At least for me the Guarneri is unsurpassed in the way it produces the high end of the spectrum. Not only is it full bodied and tonally perfect but is also sweet and almost form a different world. Here I definitely prefer it over Stradivari. At the middle of the spectrum Stradivari comes ahead. The amount of tone and its beauty are above any other instrument. It is rich and manages to bring out all the saps of the earth. Don't get me wrong, Guarneri is close and both are far away from any competition. It is just that here Stradivari reaches the absolute. At the lower end of the spectrum it is extremely difficult to set them apart and is just a matter of the hands they're in and your personal preferences. Sometimes I hear the Guarneri a little more "polished" and more "human" if you want. Nonetheless the Stradivari makes up in power and transparency. It is a tie as it is the whole "competition". It is an immense pleasure to listen to any of them as often as you have the chance.

Allow me to point to two cds that can illustrate best the amazing qualities of these violins. I picked one for each, both in the hands of favorite violinists: Nathan Milstein and Ruggiero Ricci. Nathan was playing on a Stradivari and in my view he is a perfect example of what can be made out of such a great instrument. His tone is sublime and his artistry makes the instrument live the most accomplished life. One of his great recordings is described in extenso here and you can hardly find a better illustration for the instrument (the quality of the recording is gorgeous).

Ricci on the other hand played a Guarneri and him too makes an almost perfect case for what this instrument can do. Below you have details on one of the reissues of some of his recordings in impeccable sound. It doesn't get any better than this. Give them a try and I am pretty sure one question that will pop out is: How could those guys build such wonders? I really hope that the research we are talking about here will go on and will give us some insights in an old and, obviously, extremely efficient technique, the geniuses of the men aside.

And because they form a special case I will also mention here the Alban Berg Quartet. One of the very special things about them is that all the instruments are Stradivari. The result is obvious on the spot as the tonal quality of the quartet is one of their landmarks. All over their recordings their artistry is helped hugely by their beautiful instruments. Clearly that's the case in their recording of Beethoven's String Quartets, one of the great victories of the recorded music.

Spectacular sound - The xrcd experience

What happens if you put together one of the most beautiful tones in violin playing history, great musicianship and exquisite sound? You get a CD that becomes the "show-off" piece of your collection, for your musical taste as well as your sound system. JVC does that with a new breed of compact disc: the XRCD. The initials stand for extended resolution CD and the audio quality is exquisite. The best part about these cds is that you can play them on any common CD-player. They do not require a special player (like SACDs or DVD-Audio for example) yet the listening experience is greatly improved and gets dangerously close to the fore-mentioned formats without any technological hassle on your part. I have to agree entirely with the guys at JVC when they say: "Obvious gains in clarity, transparency, dynamics and warmth of XRCD can be heard by all. XRCD allows the listener to hear what the producer and artist intended to hear the sound of the original master tape." All the improvement comes just from much better care and attention payed to the mastering and manufacturing process so the source sound gets truncated to the minimum. You can learn more about the proces here.

The first experience with a XRCD was one of their jazz releases (Patricia Barber, Companion, a generous gift from a friend) and one of the results of that listening experience was an itching curiosity about how a symphonic orchestra might sound like on that support. The occasion to fulfill that curiosity rose pretty soon, once I received my copy of the XR with Ruggiero Ricci. And I just don't have enough words to describe the excitement this cd produced. Ricci is one of my favorite violinists, mainly because of his gorgeous tone on that amazing Guarnieri violin of his. But never have I heard the full body and the divine soul of that violin like on the XRCD. It fills the ears with sound like an autumn vineyard fills your nostrils with all of Earth's aromas. Once you manage to get passed just a little the larger than life sound of the violin a lot of things strike you from all directions: the orchestra occupies a space a lot larger than you ever noticed before, all the instruments are clearly delineated and their personality is displayed entirely with a sonic detail impossible to reach for a regular CD. Did I mention the dynamic? or the air between the instruments or the transparency?

I will just mention the content of this XRCD: Bizet-Sarasate's version of the Carmen Fantaisie, Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen, and Saint-Saens' Havanaise and Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. A great program which in the hands of Ricci is just pure gold, is made an absolute must by the impeccable technical support of the XRCD. For me it really became the "show-off" stone of my collection as it appeals in equal measure to every kind of listener and the rendition of the violin sound as well as the orchestra behind it makes the most convincing case for the new format. JVC's collection is growing monthly by new additions both classical and jazz so you might have enough options to choose from. I am very confident that you'll enjoy it very, very much.

Don Giovanni at Salzburg Festival

It's not often that things like this opera production happen. There are couple of reasons that make this an historical monument of the recorded music. First is that makes us witnesses to the efervescent period after the WWII. People that felt that are the executors of the testaments of the musical geniuses of the world dedicated their creative power entirely to bringing the great creations of humanity to life. Furthermore it's the video document of Wilhelm Furtwangler and his creative power couple of months before his death. Last but not least is the unique occasion of seeing together arguably the best generation of Mozart interpreters. And all in one of the first, certainly the best, video opera recordings.

As music is the main interest of this blog I will try to get to it right after I mention couple of things about the stage production itself. It is the best I've seen. The set design, the costumes, the lights are all put into place with exquisite detail and attention to the creation of the best environment for some of the greatest music ever composed. Every scene of the opera takes place in an inspiring set. Everything culminates in the scene of Don Giovanni's punishment where a nice, happy dinner place transforms into the gates of hell with flames and haunted souls that swallow the sinful Don.

The cast is as close to perfect as it could be. In the title role you have Cesare Siepi who has to be the greatest Don ever. I haven't heard Pinza in this role but what a character Siepi portrays and to what unbelievable level. He doesn't act, he just is Don Giovanni. You have to see to believe the level of self-confidence, his unthoutful escapades into the lifes of others. Served by an amazing vocal instrument, in beautiful shape, Siepi lives every heart beat of the Don. He creates with exquisite detail the most subtle nuances of his character experiences, from the rude and mean behavior towards his servant (Leporello) to the devious sweetness he calls Elvira's maid with ('Deh, vieni alla finestra') all the way to the fearful defiance of the Commendatore's statue, in his last scene. An unique performance hardly to be bettered by anyone in any era.

It is a difficult job to partner such a powerful Don, yet this production offers an excellent match in Otto Edelmann. Great voice, great actor and a perfect scenic presence, Otto Edelmann creates a very believable and likeable Leporello, proud of his master yet quite unsatisfied with his over the edge life, not so innocent yet not strong enough to escape, with a lot of humour, a very fine companion of Don Giovanni indeed. The other two male characters are also excellent with a plus for very nice stage performance for Walter Berry in the role of Masetto. Anton Dermota's Don Ottavio excels in nobility and fortunately enough his stage appearances do not involve excessive acting. But he sings heavenly and for me it's the most rewarding tenor part in all the Mozart operas I've heard so far. Walter Berry makes Masetto a key character of the opera, one you'll remember and you'll like throughout. A very compelling evidence for what will be a leading figure of German artists.

The ladies are as good. Elisabeth Grummer is a very convincing Donna Anna. Her pain and dispair in the face her father's tragic death and her relentless pursuit of an impossible peace are portryed with dignity in a very convincing manner. Lisa della Casa manages to draw a beautiful image of an elegant and sincere Donna Elvira who lives the drama of loving the Don. She sings heavenly and everything falls in place with such veridity. Finally, Erna Berger, recreates Zerlina, the country girl. Again the character comes to life so real, in flawless music and voice. Her duet with Don Giovanni is one of the highlights of the opera ('La ci darem la mano') and alongside Walter Berry's Masetto they create a most lovable couple.

Above all we recognize and bow with the deepest respect and admiration in the face of the creative genius of the greatest conductor of the last century, Wilhelm Furtwangler. He is the will and the driving force behind it all. He manages to build perfect sonic architecture with his lengedary sense of musical drama. He conducts the Vienna Philharmonic to heights of musical expresivity (and they respond, to their praise, admirably) and builds the sound stage for the soloists. Everything is so right (I hope by now you agree with me that speed cannot be a measure for good music), makes so much sense and the balance between the orchestra and the voices is kept perfectly. You can almost see his enlightning influence in every phrase, at every moment of the opera. Another remarkable achivement from the great man.

Last but not least I have to appreciate the technical achievement that took place with the production of this opera. For the year 1954 everything is great. The sound is an excellent mono, the colors are vivid, the stage lightning is captured to full effect, everything copes with the sense of an unique event. A sincere and well-deserved bravo to the whole technical team.

You owe to yourself to see this. I didn't see enough to say this is the greatest opera dvd ever, but it certainly is there in the Pantheon, both as production and music. And what music this is!!!!

Brendel's Schubert

Whe you walk, as I did the last couple of weeks, through the colossal pieces of the sonorous architecture reaching a cd like this is like entering a old house hidden in the belly of a huge city, with a beautiful garden unbelievably quite and close to nature. This was my feeling when I spent the time listening to it. Yet again I found myself enjoying so much the talent of Alfred Brendel and telling myself again that I have to get more of his music. Not the first on my list of favourite pianists he still has to dissapoint me. His Mozart is beautiful, his rendition of Beethoven Bagatelles is one of the best I know and now, his Schubert is in a class of its own.

The most amazing thing with Brandel is, for me, the amazing sensitivity he manages to express through music. Everything is heartfelt and human. His technique is exceptional and serves the expression to full extent. Schubert's music is one the best vectors for his musicality. Although I prefer Arrau's take on this music, I found Brendel to be a refreshing alternative. This cd is a nice glimpse into Brendel's view on Schubert. The main feature is the sonata D. 959. A beautiful version, very articulate, shining and radiating sincere and heartfelt music. Brendel takes a lighter approach compared to Arrau yet the whole scenery is there in beatifully crafted detail. It leaves no need for more and the audition leaves you with a beautiful feeling over the unbearable lightness of being. The other pieces on this cd are treated by the Austrian pianist with the same care and attention to detail. The Hungarian melody is a shocker. Such a small piece unfolds such a powerful drama that is hard to believe. In three minutes an entire destiny is pulsating to a painful climax and than abandons itself to peace. It's a little musical jewel and it's the only place I know of you can listen to it. Beautiful! The same qualities are manifest in the 16 German dances. Brendel manages to bring to light their individual character in a beautifully contoured performance.

The way Brendel plays Schubert give all the reasons for him being a living legend and dean of the contemporary pianists. For those who are not familiar with him or his approach to Schubert this is a good start. It is a most rewarding experience.

Giulini - The Chicago Recordings

In the history of music making there are quite a few examples of great partnerships. The partnership between Chicago Symphony and Carlo Maria Giulini is without a doubt one of them. Equally praised by the virtuoso enssemble and the conductor, it's a partnership most cheered by the listeners all over. Here you have probably the most "european" of the american orchestras, brilliant in tone and technique, and one of the podium greatest figures of the last century. Maybe not such a good friend of cameras and news reporters as his contemporary Karajan, Giulini's work forms some of the pillars of the Recorded Temple of Music. The rewarding booklet of this anniversary box makes a pretty good case about the special chemistry that formed instantly between the conductor and his orchestra. And the most rewarding thing is the responsiveness and the cohesion apparent throughout all recordings.

In this 4 CDs box one can find everything from Beethoven to Stravinsky. In a beautiful recorded sound, spacious and detailed, one can hear the trademark Giulini interpretations: beautifully shaped fluid architecture, with insightful details, perfect balance of tempos, razor sharp precision that allows the display of musical ideas in a whole that breathes humanity. I would like to highlight three of the recordings present on these cds: Berlioz's dramatic symphony Romeo and Juliette, Beethoven's 7th symphony and Brahms' 4th. I picked these because each of them displays a certain characteristic of Giulini's style.

In Berlioz's work he manages to recreate, through a unbelievably responsive and expressive Chicago orchestra, the whole emotional universe of the romantic drama. They manage to fully convey the tension that puts everything in motion, as well as to recreate heartbraking lyrical moments as the Love Scene (their winds have to be heard to be believed). The heavy twists of musical drama unfold with implaccable logic and with a sense of inevitability on the wings of superb orchestral playing. Beethoven's famous 7th symphony offers Giulini and Chicagoans the chance to proof that they are amongst the few that can do justice to this great music. Their conception and execution reaches true natural phenomena proportions. The clash between the two opposing forces, the wild liberator Dyonisos and the cerebral and insightful Apollo, takes place unrestrained with intoxicating rithms and powerful character. Again the playing of the Chicago orchestra is superb and the Beethovenian universe is recreated to a thrilling effect.

Last but not least you have Giulini's view on the music of Brahms. And what an experience that is! Listening to it you can say that Brahms had a special place in Giulini's soul. He takes the liberties allowed just to a very restrained circle of friends. Backed up by the same elegant and wonderful music body of Chicago he sails through the troubled waters of Brahms' masterpiece with such a confidence and with such a depth of understanding. They create sheer beauty in what might be the most impresive second part on disc. In the end you just know that you experienced a different level of music making and a completely different level of understading of Brahms' music.

Given that all the other pieces are as valuable (with a little extra for his Stravinsky) you cannot afford yourself at least not to hear these recordings. They still hide surprises for those who think that know Giulini and of course they are a treasure for those who didn't meet the great master yet. All in all, thanks to EMI for a gret gift from all points of view, quality of sound included.

A Bolero from a different world Celibidache's take on Ravel's masterpiece

As much as I would like to respect Celibidache's wish to stay clean of recordings I cannot but be so happy that his work with Munchner Philharmoniker became available on cds. One of the most fascinating musical personalities of the last century, and one of the most controversial for that matter, Celibidache's vision on music made his concerts and make his cds a revelation for anyone who thought famous repertoire has no secrets anymore. Yes, it is true that his highly intellectual interpretations aren't the best options for the first audition of a certain musical composition. Yet, what an umbelievably rich and vast universe opens at the time one becomes quite seasoned with one work when one turns to Celibidache's version.

One of these cases are present on this cd. Although the reason I want to talk about this cd is Ravel's Bolero, Mussorsgy's very popular work has a very similar treatment. I am pretty sure that there is no need to say anything about one of the most popular classical pieces such as the Bolero. A star that everybody thinks they know and it has no secrets for them. And then, you put in your cd player tray EMI's incarnation of Celibidache's version and everything you know falls apart. In the end can't help admitting that: "Yes, this piece is about rythm, not melody". What sense would make playing the same melody over and over again, compared with bringing the very essence of Earth's energy closer and closer to surface. The idea is to bring the vital pulsation of life closer to those fortunate to assist. This is what I imagine Celibidache is saying as he conducts his Philharmonic through this vital form of energy flow. Because this is what you feel in the end. Nature's heart beat in one fundamental form, the dance.

The orchestra he made sound like a world-class orchestra is fatefull to his master and delivers everything with precision and quite passionately. The multiple soloists do their job very well and technically speaking the whole thing is without fault. Yet, what is absolutely impressive is the parallel world of sound and feelings that opens and doesn't have any direct relationship with the actual sound production. Is where the mastery of Celibidache manages to recreate the natural phenomena that were in the beginning the very source of music.

Again, this is not the first version you want to hear but is definitely the one with which you want to be left in the end.

Elisir d'amore

Here my friends we step into the beautiful, at times delicate, but certainly with a good concentration of humor, period of Bel Canto. And the recording I'd like to propose to you creates a very good image of what this period and style should be all about. A lot of people feel atracted to it for very understandable reasons. The music is very melodic and requires nothing more but a beautiful voice capable of nice trills. The overall feeling is of light, laid-back, fun-indulgent music that is extremely likable.

Although, not the best and not the most famous of Bel Canto era production, Elisir d'Amore has lots of fans. The reasons are obvious when you start listening: beautiful music, some delightful areas and very funny moments. When done right one sees no reasons to call this a difficult work. Yet many dull recordings tell a different story. Many conductors have difficulties getting it right and the cast has to be in very good vocal shape and interpretative mood to pull it out in a convincing manner.

This recording has most if not all the qualities in place. It all starts, as it should, with Bonynge who gets a very good and consistent performance from the English enssemble in a very nice bel canto style (he proves his abilities with this music in his wonderful Lucia also) , managing to highlight the great moments of the opera and a detailed characterization of his characters. Then, come the two protagonists. Pavarotti is in the best shape I have ever heard him. The music and the character suit him nicely and he displays a gorgeous voice very well molded on the psychological profile of the music. Probably one of his best recordings alongside his remarkable Requiem. You won't hear a more beautiful and full of clean voice "Una furtiva lagrima". His feminine counterpart is equally good if not better. Joan Sutherland is also at a vocal peak and she's a treat throughout the opera. Their duets sound from a different world.

The supporting cast is less impressive yet does a good job "supporting" the two lovers. My favourite character in this opera, the hilarious huckster Dr. Dulcamara, is not served in the best way I've heard. For me, his voice is a little to heavy and not elastic enough especially for his introductory aria but he does a fine job nonetheless. Belcore, the other important character is better sang and acted (at least compared with Nucci, in the other Pavarotti recording with this opera) and even though plays a very imoprtant role in the opera I'm not very fond with him and I won't say more.

So, if you never listened to a bel canto opera this is a recommended first and if you like Elisir is also a mandatory addition to your collection.

Scheherazade - Pas de deux

For this review we rest our thoughts on one of the most popular symphonic poem: Rimsky- Korsakoff's Scheherazade. Describing in music the adventures of Simbad the Sailor it is a work of beautiful melodies and endless emotional power. Korsakoff reaches very distant shores of psychological detail and asks from members of an orchestra the same level of performance as from the enssemble itself. Everything he describes is carefully shaped and carved in some of the most beautiful and memorable melodies composed. It is almost like a democratic gathering of the instruments, a medley of concertos for instrument and orchestra. A lot of recordings let you guess how rich and beautiful this work is yet few mange to show it completely.

Listening to about a dozen recordings and couple of live concerts convinced me that if you want to live the full experience of this work you have two options: Sir Thomas Beecham and his Royal Philharmonic Orchestra or Fritz Reiner and Chicago Symphony. They deliver the same complete performance but they do it in such a different way. However you cannot go wrong at all with any of them.

Beecham unleashes the poetry inside like no other, the strings are heavenlish and the solo parts are gorgeous. The musical drama is all there yet he allows time to dream and to taste the delight of another world so beatifully described in the music. Everything bears the mark of his innate elegance but in the same time the characters and their adventures develop with power and conviction. The RPO plays in a different league and the result is an interpretation that completely transforms everything in the listening room. Beecham and his orchestra create a living phantasy world with a lot of misteries and things difficult to understand and yet so more beautiful.


Reiner on the other hand comes to tell with precision and power the drama within this music. The Chicagoans are in perfect shape and play marvelously for him and Reiner uses their capabilities to shape a very articulate music, played right from beginning to end. The dreamery moments are all there in full splendor yet they are just short breaks from the unfolding of the drama. His control over the music is exquisite and he has at hand an orchestra that manages to go all the way effortlessly (at least it seems so) to bring forward with crystal clear logic and conception a very powerfull musical experience.


They are all great moments in recorded music and definitive redintions of this much beloved composition. They differ in character yet they are very similar in effect. If you like Scheherazade you owe to yourself to listen to both of them.

Mozart's Last Symphonies

Karl Bohm is one conductor I met first in reviews and talks but I listened to his work pretty late, in my listening 'carier'. The very first thing I've listened to was Beethoven's 9th he recorded for Deutsche Grammophon. Very impressive work, yet I kept hearing that he is the Mozartian of the century and so on that finally I've gotten the 2 cd box with the last six symphonies of Mozart recorded with Berliner Philharmoniker for the same german recording house. And I am telling you only this: as much appraisal they get it is still not enough.

I will start with the Berliners. At the time of the recording they were already in Karajan era and they were already at the peak of their form in terms of tone, execution and overall enssemble performance. These recordings surprise them in their full splendor. The strong teutonic tone, the extraordinary discipline and precision in execution, the wonderfull blending of all orchestral compartments, the perfection of every detail, and the incisive crystal clear sound are all there captured beautifully by DG's engineers with enough room tho let this big, powerful body to breathe. It is not the first orchestra you'd think when it comes to Mozart (unlike Vienna Philharmonic for example) yet they form the ideal instrument in the masterful hands of Karl Bohm.

To him we owe what is probably the single greatest Mozart recording there is. It is hard to find words to describe perfection, because this is what Bohm and the Berliners achieve. The conception in the first place is flawless, both in the understanding of the musical structure, the human content that it sustains and last but not least the style of Vienna's wunderkind. The execution just makes absolute justice to so fully understood works. Everything makes sense. Everything is beautifully played, there is no error in execution or expression, an entire world just opens in front of your eyes and the whole universe of Mozart's inner-life just steps into the light with every detail clearly and beautifully shaped. The strings recite poems, the winds make declarations of all sorts, the timpani just make sure that at the right time the right point gets enough attention. It puts you in a state of wonder and immerses you in something that is more than a life experience.

These recordings received a lot of prises yet none could tell you what a musical treasure this is. Meeting Mozart so close and so real with such a superb company is just something you can't miss.

Beethoven's Quartets by Alban Berg Quartett

The quartets, like any other composition of the Titan of Bonn, are blessed with numerous recordings. Integrals or individual recordings they are the measure of artistic maturity and competence for all enssembles that thrive for greatness. There are, as always, some names that one usually meets when looking for above average interpretations: Emerson Quartett, Quartetto Italiano, Julliard Quartett, or Amadeus Quartett. All of them are important names and their interpretations have more qualities than weak points. Yet, my favorite is by far Alban Berg Quartett.

Some say that Quartetto Italiano plays a more involved Beethoven chamber music and makes justice to the richness of emotions that lie within this music too (as for anything Ludvig composed). Yet, for me, the chamber music is always about sound as much as it is about interpretation. And while others have masterful interpretations too the sound is a particular strength of Alban Berg. You could say is because of the wonderful instruments they play on, all of them Stradivarius made, but I really think is more than that.

Their set was the first one that gave me full satisfaction in all quartets no matter what their period is. The first quartets show the young Beethoven that still draws his strength from the strong roots of classicism yet Alban manages to express beautifully the birth of what will be the landmark of Beethoven. The manifestation of emotions and thoughts in a musical drama. At this time they are quite shy and well-behaved yet plays develop with characters and wonderful music. In the last quartets, however, you see the Beethoven that composed the 5th symphony. Nature erupts, human struggle is manifest with devastating power, the most profound of human emotions get expressed without a shadow of restraint. Yet again, Alban Berg is on top of the music, and manage to recreate it all but with extreme clarity. A key role plays, as one expects, Günter Pichler, their first violin, that reigns supreme over every score and plays the solo parts with insight, intellectual tension and wonderful tone. The rest are of course as good and manage to lay at your feet the complete experience of this most intimate contact with the inner world of Beethoven.

You might find joy and reward in many other recordings. I personally do when I listen to Amadeus Quartet, another master viennese enssemble. Yet, everytime I need to get in touch with this part of Beethoven's music I keep returning to Alban Berg and I really encourage everybody to give them a chance to prove why they are one of the most prominent groups in chamber music.

PS: they also have a highly acclaimed Mozart set. I've listened to it partially but what I've heard is trully in class of its own.

The Meeting with Vienna Philharmonic

If you started listening to the kind of music we are talking about on this blog and you are trying to build an informed collection of its recordings it doesn't take long till you find out about some great orchestras among those you meet on cds and among them a special flavor has the Vienna Philharmonic. They have an aura of super-orchestra and a lot of the great recordings of the century have them as protagonists. So, any occasion to meet and listen to them live is an one-of-a-kind experience.

That's what happened to me and some of my friends just couple of days ago. Vienna Philharmonic visited Houston and we were there for receiving the unexpected gift. And the first thing I have to say is that it was much more then I have expected. They came with Riccardo Muti as their conductor and played in order Schubert's Rosamunde Ouverture, Mozart's 35th symphony, "Haffner", Schubert's 4th symphony, "Tragic", and Richard Strauss' Tod und Verklaerung. Beautiful program, perfect for a Sunday afternoon but the wonder was all in their playing.

Everything I have ever heard or read about this orchestra proved to be beautifully true yet being face to face with them revealed a lot of other things that are difficult to put into words yet they are so real and true of an experience. The incredible quality of playing of every musician in that orchestra, the remarkable technique of each of them individually but above all of the orchestra as a whole, the precision and the accuracy in execution, the incredible unitary and beautiful sound they are able to produce, the logic and the artistic intelligence they put into their execution, all of them were happening in front of us leaving less room for anything than wonder and pure delight. And everything was produced with the strong flavor of the most genuine viennese style. There was a sense of effortlesness that you can only have in the presence of great masters.

Muti on the other hand was in great shape. Consuming a lot of energy and maintaining an extremely tight connection with his orchestra he made a compelling demonstration of his extremely acute musical sense, exceptional conducting technique, and, what I liked most, the passion he puts in music making and the dedication to the "true" sound of a certain score, to its living soul. Everything was balanced, with the right tone and with the right amount of accent with the single goal of revealing the truth inside. The level of detail which he manages to create in his interpretations and the overall clarity of his conception where made real by the extraordinary instrument he had in front of him. And it was a top-noch quality instrument virtuosic from inside out. They like to play for him (I know it sounds a little weird yet it's not rare that orchestras don't 'listen' to their conductors) and delivered with abandon their master artistry.

I could go on and on about how incredible this concert was but I will just say that as an encore they played for us the ouverture to "La Forza del Destino" by Verdi and that pulled everybody out of their seats. The speed at which they managed to play this beautiful ouverture was amazing, but their sheer virtuosity and their infallible musical sense pulled everythig off with a clarity and enthusiasm that vibed even the walls of the Jones Hall. I just hope that occasions like this will cross our lives more often.

Where should we draw a line - The Bocelli "phenomenon"

I accept to kinds of opera singers: those who have a beautiful voice, even if their interpretation skills are poor (Pavarotti is the most famous example) or those that posses a special skill of making the musical message transparent for everybody. Still the voice should have a good quality but it's not mandatory to be beautiful (Callas or Gobbi are good examples). Anything else in unsatisfactory.

However, nowadays I am more and more annoyed by a false phenomenon and my problem is that he is considered based on some recordings a great opera singer. And he is not. I have been in touch with Andrea Bocelli ever since his entrance in the public arena couple of good years ago. He was promoted by a show at one of Italian TV's dedicated to the descovery and promotion of young, unknown yet great talents. In that context the story of the guy that can't see but has his voice and his songs to feed his brain was touching and gave birth to compasion. After a while though the same singer appeared more and more poignant in the musical life of the world, culminating with his "one of kind" redemption of some operatic repertoire. And that's where I thought that commercialism was going to far.

Although for light salon canzonettas he is probably an above average singer he is by no means an opera singer. Anything that requires a little effort from a voice and interpretation is over his head. He has a limited voice, full of problems, a timber that is nice to hear just for a very short part of his register and technical problems are always the matter of the day. On the other hand the ways he sings shows clearly that he has no intellectual power to express the drama of the character he is trying to sing. That's why I think that just because of his success in a certain target population, traditionally the target group for romances and canzonettas, and the very "publicity generating" personal story his agents and himself shouldn't go so far as to the claim to be an opera singer. Because he is not and he can't be.

So in case that you think of spending on his recordings with opera music, spare the effort and the money and go with the "real things" that are more than enough out there to satisfy any taste. Andrea Bocelli is no opera singer and that's that.

Anything but 'Unfinished' - Schubert by Carlo Maria Giulini

As probably some of you know, finding a recording of Schubert's 8th, 'Unfinished' symphony is not easy. Although of short length it is so full of musical and human drama and so round an expression of destiny as an unexcapable given, that is a real challenge to make it live to its real potential.

And yet, if only for Schubert's symphony and there are not enough stars for this CD. I looked a long time for a version of this symphony that will sound different every time I listen to it (the way Bruno Walter said) because I really felt that this symphony is one of those rare compositions that mix with your state of mind and spirit to accompany your thoughts. Listening to this CD was a revelation. A wonderfull orchestra in the hands of a master. An ever fresh sound, beatifully blended and right at the heart of Schubert. Arrau said that Schubert's latest works suggest the composer's feeling of fatality. You can understand this if you listen to Arrau's recordings of the latest Schubert Sonatas (especially no. 21) and Giulini's version of the "Unfinished" symphony. The breathing is vast and tensed, the strings carry the message to a powerfull climax, everything in a flow of unshakable inner logic. The depth of the conception and the sheer beauty of a most refined orchestra make this recording one apart.

Dvorak's 9th is also a very fine version even though I consider Celibidache's version with Munchner Philharmoniker the last word "From New World". But make time to listen to Giulini. His orchestra has always something to say that you never heard. Everything you expect to hear is there and probably the only thing that I find a little inappropriate is to much refinemet here and there, less of a teluric feeling that I think this symphony is all about.

A surprising Requiem

I like Verdi's Requiem and I really believe that Giulini's version is the ultimate version. But of course there are others full of merit, Serafin's vintage recording is a landmark, and so is this recording of Solti. Although very different from Giulini's it is a very satisfying experience and most of all because of Pavarotti. I don't think much of him as an interpreter. He had a phenomenal gift in his voice but it was never backed up by an equally impressive artistic intelligence. However, in this recording he sounds so right. The voice is in its best days (so all those who are huge fans of Pavarotti's voice will have a great reward) but also he is so on top of everything the text and the music is intended to transmit. His Ingemisco if it's not the best, it is one of the best for sure. Everywhere he has a part he makes it shine.

Another great highlight of this recording is Martti Talvela. Probably one of the most impressive basses of the modern era, this tragically short lived star, forms the backbone of the recording. He is in touch with all the human suffering and dispair, his voice cries with dignity. Among others, the Lacrimosa owes him the cathedralesque beauty it has.

Another top notch performer, also in excellent voice at the time, is the unmistakable mezzo colour of Marilyn Horne. She makes you shiver and I couldn't help but thinking that there is a reason why the final day will be announced by a woman. Again her Lacrimosa with Talvela is a glorious moment of this recording and of this Requiem recordings in general.

Solti does a very good job. I started listening with circumspection as I couldn't see his very energetic temperament doing to much good to this work. He manages to hold his horses and pulls off a very convincing operatic conception. I still don't feel it has the unity and the flow of Giulini yet it is still a very good version, also in very good sound.

I left for last the only major dissapointment of this recording: Joan Sutherland. Although reading the cover I thought she would be the star she turns out to be the weakest spot. She is in voice but she doesn't understand anything. She is underpowered by all means and it really looks like she just couldn't find her recording room and stayed with this one. Such a big pitty.

Anyways, this recording has a lot to offer and there are a lot of reasons to listen to it. Dies irae, Ingemisco, Lacrimosa just to name a few of the bijous you'll find on this cd.