Author Archives: laf3adm

Graceful Illusionist: Gérard Pesson

It would be cruel to call Gérard Pesson the Französisch Lachenmann (or the francese Sciarrino).

Graceful Illusionist: Gérard Pesson

It would be cruel to call Gérard Pesson the Französisch Lachenmann (or the francese Sciarrino).

Glidin’ ‘n’ Slidin’

I’m pleased to have made Herbie’s acquaintance.

Glidin’ ‘n’ Slidin’

I’m pleased to have made Herbie’s acquaintance.

Evolve or Perish

Classical music, if its foes are to be believed, should have been buried already.

Evolve or Perish

Classical music, if its foes are to be believed, should have been buried already.

Mostly Symphonies 20.

Exuberant performances propel charming, uncomplicated music. Look beyond the Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture and hear why later compatriots heralded Glinka as Russian music’s father.

Mostly Symphonies 20.

Exuberant performances propel charming, uncomplicated music. Look beyond the Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture and hear why later compatriots heralded Glinka as Russian music’s father.

String Theory 9: 30 Quartets, etc.

As we’d expect from a seasoned musician, Ramsay’s quartets reveal a deep understanding of and admiration for the genre’s giants.

String Theory 9: 30 Quartets, etc.

As we’d expect from a seasoned musician, Ramsay’s quartets reveal a deep understanding of and admiration for the genre’s giants.

Piano Factory 9.

Shepherding the work’s first if not best-documented performance, Cage took Satie’s ludicrous directions seriously and stabled a team of pianists to crank out Vexations’ 840 required repetitions.

Piano Factory 9.

Shepherding the work’s first if not best-documented performance, Cage took Satie’s ludicrous directions seriously and stabled a team of pianists to crank out Vexations’ 840 required repetitions.

String Theory 8 / EA Bucket 14: 29 Quartets, etc.

Prokofiev’s awkward First provides fodder for insipid remixes.

String Theory 8 / EA Bucket 14: 29 Quartets, etc.

Prokofiev’s awkward First provides fodder for insipid remixes.

Americans

Regular readers could divine that American music is anathema to me.

Americans

Regular readers could divine that American music is anathema to me.

String Theory 7: 32 Quartets, etc.

Naxos’ third installment of Coates’ quartets delivers what appears to be her most recent quartet.

String Theory 7: 32 Quartets, etc.

Naxos’ third installment of Coates’ quartets delivers what appears to be her most recent quartet.

Piano Factory 8. (D. 840)

In 1825 Schubert abandoned a C major piano sonata. After Schubert died in 1828 his brother Ferdinand gave the manuscript to Schumann who then passed it to first publisher K.F. Whistling. Whistling presumed the sonata was left incomplete because of the composer’s death and erroneously gave it the nickname “Reliquie” (Relic).

Piano Factory 8. (D. 840)

In 1825 Schubert abandoned a C major piano sonata. After Schubert died in 1828 his brother Ferdinand gave the manuscript to Schumann who then passed it to first publisher K.F. Whistling. Whistling presumed the sonata was left incomplete because of the composer’s death and erroneously gave it the nickname “Reliquie” (Relic).

Visiting Michigan

Who knew that Michigan could be fun?

Visiting Michigan

Who knew that Michigan could be fun?

String Theory 6: 27 Quartets, etc.

An enormous stack of string quartet releases beckons. I’ll try for concision rather than rumination in this first of several posts.

String Theory 6: 27 Quartets, etc.

An enormous stack of string quartet releases beckons. I’ll try for concision rather than rumination in this first of several posts.