Classical Music & Opera Forums

karlhenning · by **karlhenning** on 29 Jun 2009, 06:18

Very peculiar dream last night.

Dreamt I was visiting a friend in New York; or, more accurately, that I was playing part of a brief recital of my own music in New York, and my friend was at hand to assist.

I started to play Blue Shamrock. It's a piece (a) which yields no time to turn pages, so you spread the music out on two or three stands, and you go; and (b) whose music goes by so quickly, that you practice it so that you've nearly memorized it, and the pages (which pass by mickle quickly) are more a visual 'place-keeper' than anything you are reading in real-time. That said (and this being a dream) I am playing the Shamrock, and I see the first two pages before me. An unseen hand removes those two pages for me; but now, instead of seeing the next two pages of the piece, they're missing, and I see two pages of random newsprint. Of course, I just keep playing. (That has the look of a dream of anxiety, perhaps; but in fact, I rejoiced to react so quickly and smoothly to the surprise.)

I finish playing, and a 'virtual acquaintance' (who in real life is actually a pianist) is about to play a piece of mine, running twenty minutes, for unaccompanied English horn. My New York friend shepherds me away to a Green Room while the recital proceeds; and thence directly to an empty hall, where I suppose there is going to be an informal reception at the recital's conclusion. I ask if anyone is there to review the event, and my cell phone jingles (I never, never dream of my cell phone) to indicate that a text message has arrived . . . and of course my first thought is, if they've reviewed it this quickly, they must have been "typing" during the performance. Bad form 8)

Anyway, daftest dream I've had in an age.

Cheers,
~Karl

lulu · by **lulu** on 29 Jun 2009, 07:13

bricon:

I forgot about the Elgar cello concerto which I have with Isserlis and du Pre. (Lost in the suffle somewhere in my apartment. ) :oops:

cliftwood · by **cliftwood** on 30 Jun 2009, 09:37

karlhenning wrote:Very peculiar dream last night.

Dreamt I was visiting a friend in New York; or, more accurately, that I was playing part of a brief recital of my own music in New York, and my friend was at hand to assist.

I started to play Blue Shamrock. It's a piece (a) which yields no time to turn pages, so you spread the music out on two or three stands, and you go; and (b) whose music goes by so quickly, that you practice it so that you've nearly memorized it, and the pages (which pass by mickle quickly) are more a visual 'place-keeper' than anything you are reading in real-time. That said (and this being a dream) I am playing the Shamrock, and I see the first two pages before me. An unseen hand removes those two pages for me; but now, instead of seeing the next two pages of the piece, they're missing, and I see two pages of random newsprint. Of course, I just keep playing. (That has the look of a dream of anxiety, perhaps; but in fact, I rejoiced to react so quickly and smoothly to the surprise.)

I finish playing, and a 'virtual acquaintance' (who in real life is actually a pianist) is about to play a piece of mine, running twenty minutes, for unaccompanied English horn. My New York friend shepherds me away to a Green Room while the recital proceeds; and thence directly to an empty hall, where I suppose there is going to be an informal reception at the recital's conclusion. I ask if anyone is there to review the event, and my cell phone jingles (I never, never dream of my cell phone) to indicate that a text message has arrived . . . and of course my first thought is, if they've reviewed it this quickly, they must have been "typing" during the performance. Bad form 8)

Anyway, daftest dream I've had in an age.

Cheers,
~Karl

Karl..

My bride is very adept at analyzing the meaning of dreams. She may not want to get involved with this stuff publicly, however.

I would be fascinated to read a collection of composer's dreams, if any were available. Given the frustration and anxiety that the profession must engender, it would make for some remarkable reading.

karlhenning · by **karlhenning** on 30 Jun 2009, 09:55

cliftwood wrote:Karl..

My bride is very adept at analyzing the meaning of dreams. She may not want to get involved with this stuff publicly, however.

There are elements of, I wish there were more people playing my music, wish there could be exposure of my music in New York (among other places); and of course, I send my music to a lot of performers, though even where there is a brief wisp of actual conversation (usually e-mail), it is a little dispiriting when so few performances result (even my use of the phrase so few here is quite optimistic, I think).

There is the low-level anxiety of hoping that I can book another space for a second program at the end of July.

But there's also the fun I had of playing Blue Shamrock on the recent recital. The overall tenor of the dream was really a delight which was the result of Wednesday's recital.

But, my cell-phone in a dream? Daft ; )

Cheers,
~Karl

manh1948 · by **manh1948** on 30 Jun 2009, 10:41

karlhenning
wrote

"The overall tenor of the dream was really a delight which was the result of Wednesday's recital."

What was his name?

maestrob · by **maestrob** on 01 Jul 2009, 11:05

Walton's Own First Symphony

A while back, I posted my musings on Walton's own recording (1951) of his First Symphony, indicating that I was not pleased with the result, although it made for an interesting historical document. I have since had delivered into my eagerly awaiting mailbox, the BBC reissue of Walton's own live recording made in 1959. Thankfully, here he is much more confident as a conductor, and one can hear in many places that he has learned a great deal from others interpreting this fine work. (It's coupled with a compelling STEREO version (1965) of Belshazzar's Feast that really puts one on the edge of one's seat.)

Thus, Walton's second attempt at his First Symphony corrects the too-fast tempo for the Presto, allows more breathing room in the first movement, and makes III much more lyrical and intense. Where Walton still doesn't quite get it is in the last movement, where he slows down the finale too much looking for grandeur, and the music just goes quite dead, IMHO. Pacing is everything, and he just doesn't quite have it right, perhaps overcompensating for a too fast rendition of the same passage in his first effort.

IOW, the learning process here is fascinating, comparing the two recordings gives one much knowledge of how this problematic symphony should go.

For the record, Previn, Haitink & Bryden Thomson all get it right for me: all 3 do better than the composer.

pczipott · by **pczipott** on 01 Jul 2009, 12:15

I've just been listening to the Beethoven Bagatelles after far too long away from them. What inspiriting works they all are! And how prophetic some of them are. Op. 119, No. 9 adumbrates, within its mere 31 seconds, most of Schumann's piano music to come 30 years later.

karlhenning · by **karlhenning** on 01 Jul 2009, 12:25

Just got the recording of the recital from Shauna!

Cheers,
~Karl

cliftwood · by **cliftwood** on 02 Jul 2009, 08:42

Scott..

I saw that review of the Goldberg Variations.

Please don't throw it away. Send it to me for comic relief, please.

Remember, I love the Portsmouth Sinfonia!

P.S. Are you going to review the Gulda Bach CD ??

ScottMorrison · by **ScottMorrison** on 02 Jul 2009, 10:24

cliftwood wrote:Scott..

I saw that review of the Goldberg Variations.

Please don't throw it away. Send it to me for comic relief, please.

Remember, I love the Portsmouth Sinfonia!

P.S. Are you going to review the Gulda Bach CD ??

I'll send you the Drunken Goldbergs.

I somehow never got around to reviewing the Gulda Bach, but I agree it's tremendous.

A.C. Douglas · by **A.C. Douglas** on 03 Jul 2009, 13:10

Is It For Real, Or Is It Clever Skewering?

Link

ACD

maestrob · by **maestrob** on 04 Jul 2009, 09:43

Happy Independence Day!

lulu · by **lulu** on 04 Jul 2009, 17:50

I just listened to a remarkable work by Ernst Bacon entitled "Ford's Theatre: A Few Glimpses of Easter 1865," conducted by Leonard Slatking and the Nashville Symphony . I knew there was no doubt it was about Lincoln and the music is amazing. I could hear the end of the war (Johnny Comes Marching Home) and then the music becomes exceedingly dark until the end (both for the music and Lincoln). I looked on amazon but there is no recording of this piece anywhere.

I am now listening to Copland's Lincoln Portrait narrated by Carl Sandberg. Chills up and down my spine.

Such sad music for a day of celebration. And I listen to Sandberg recite the Gettysburg address, tears come since I was just at Gettysburg and will be going back three times in the next five weeks. If you've been to the battlefield, you know the emotional impact it has. if you haven't, well you have to imagine fields of blood and sacrifice.

I'm wondering if some Ives will be played or other American music on this Foruth of July.

I hope you all had a great day. Didn't rain and that's a plus.

minacciosa · by **minacciosa** on 04 Jul 2009, 21:59

This is the recording you heard.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Dri ... _id=298573

karlhenning · by **karlhenning** on 05 Jul 2009, 08:48

Grand Festival Suite: Music for the Wedding of Heather & Brett Stewart.

[ link ]

(There is a link to recordings, too.)

Cheers,
~Karl

manh1948 · by **manh1948** on 05 Jul 2009, 10:16

karlhenning

Listened to parts of your wedding music. Beautiful stuff, especially the "unity candle" and the clarinet parts. Have you written any extended piece for violin?

mogliettina · by **mogliettina** on 05 Jul 2009, 11:11

Kaypee:
Bravo! I too particularly liked the "Unity Candle."

lulu · by **lulu** on 05 Jul 2009, 14:15

minacciosa:

Thank you; thank you; thank you.

Thanks to that Arkiv link I found a recording of Ercole amante for under $250; this recording has Carolyn Watkinson. So now I will get two recordings. My wallet and I appreciate your assistance. (Well, I'm not sure about my wallet.)

karlhenning · by **karlhenning** on 05 Jul 2009, 17:12

manh1948 wrote:karlhenning

Listened to parts of your wedding music. Beautiful stuff, especially the "unity candle" and the clarinet parts. Have you written any extended piece for violin?

Thanks (and thanks to mogs, too) . . . nothing yet in the way of an extended piece for violin, although I have adapted a solo clarinet piece for violin (and toyed with the idea of adapting another).

Cheers,
~Karl

maestrob · by **maestrob** on 06 Jul 2009, 10:13

Lang Lang, Herbie Hancock In Bold Montreux Premiere

MONTREUX, Switzerland (Reuters) - Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang made his first appearance at the Montreux jazz festival on Sunday, teaming up with veteran Herbie Hancock in an audacious show blending classical and jazz music.

The two men dressed in black sat facing each other at twin grand pianos to perform a program ranging from Maurice Ravel to George Gershwin.

"I am very happy to debut here at this great jazz festival. Don't worry, there will be some jazzy stuff later on," Lang Lang, 27, reassured the Swiss audience at the sell-out event.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/07/ ... nted=print

Well, if Chick Corea can play Shostakovich, I guess Hancock can play Vaughan-Williams.......

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