Marc-André Hamelin has made recordings of a wide variety of composers with the Hyperion label. His recording of Leopold Godowsky's complete Studies on Chopin's Études won the 2000 Gramophone Magazine Instrumental Award. He is well known for his attention to lesser-known composers especially of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century (Leo Ornstein, Nikolai Roslavets, Georgy Catoire), and for performing works by … Continue reading Listening : Marc-André Hamelin
Author: f. d. leone
Songwriter.
Franz Liszt : Reconsidered
Franz Liszt’s life is the stuff of movies. He was arguably the greatest pianist in history, for many years he lived as a virtuoso performing all across Europe and having a few scandalous (for the period) love affairs in the process. Then at the height of his fame, he retired abruptly from the concert stage … Continue reading Franz Liszt : Reconsidered
Jazz “A.C.” : After Coltrane
The recordings John Coltrane made in the 1960s with his "classic quartet" (Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner and Jimmy Garrison) were a major landmark in the history of jazz. Jazz was not the same before or after and all jazz players felt an obligation to respond to Coltrane's music. Some chose to pay homage and created … Continue reading Jazz “A.C.” : After Coltrane
Dennis Johnson’s “November” : minimalism before minimalism was cool
Back in 1960 three friends, all students at UCLA, invented minimalism: La Monte Young, Terry Jennings and Dennis Johnson (Terry Riley would soon join them but he was not at UCLA). Of these, Dennis Johnson is credited with writing the very first piece of music that later came to be called Minimalist: his four (to six) hour … Continue reading Dennis Johnson’s “November” : minimalism before minimalism was cool
Listening : Britten Song Cycles for Tenor
Because of Benjamin Britten's long personal and professional partnership with the great tenor Peter Pears, for whom he wrote all his vocal music, Britten wrote three song cycles for the tenor voice: Les Illuminations, op 18; Serenade for tenor, horn and strings, op. 31 (1943); and Nocturne, op. 60 (1958). These works span much of … Continue reading Listening : Britten Song Cycles for Tenor
Listening : Jocelyn Pook
Contemporary classical composer and violinist Jocelyn Pook followed her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama by touring for three years with the Communards; she further broadened her musical horizons with contributions to Derek Jarman's 1986 film masterpiece Caravaggio, and two years later wrote the score to the DV8 Physical Theatre production My Body, Your Body. Pook continued … Continue reading Listening : Jocelyn Pook
The Passion of Stephen Sondheim
For years, the standard criticism of Stephen Sondheim went something like this: “Brilliant lyricist, music tends to sound similar. Sondheim is a cerebral composer whose work rarely causes an emotional response from the audience.” While I readily agree that he is a brilliant lyricist, arguably the best to have worked in musical theater, I would … Continue reading The Passion of Stephen Sondheim
Guillaume de Machaut : the best-known composer/poet of the 14th century
Guillaume de Machaut (ca. 1300-1377) is the most well-known composer of the 14th century. I can make this statement with complete confidence of its veracity. Machaut had a day job, he worked for John of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia, from ‘around twelve years’ before 1330 until at least 1333 (and probably until 1346) (Leach, Elizabeth … Continue reading Guillaume de Machaut : the best-known composer/poet of the 14th century
Pet Sound : Doina Rotaru
Born in 1951, composer Doina Rotaru has a B.A. and a M.A in composition at the National University of Music in Bucharest. She studied here between 1970 and 1975 with Tiberiu Olah. Since 1996 she has been a professor of composition and, since 2008, the head of the composition department at the same University. She … Continue reading Pet Sound : Doina Rotaru
Robert Craft : Anton Webern
Robert Craft's recordings on Naxos Records are excellent. He has recorded nearly all of the works by Igor Stravinsky, Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern, and all are very good versions of these works. Today I am listening to his Webern sets. Anton Webern (1883-1945) was a student of Arnold Schoenberg, and along with Alban Berg made … Continue reading Robert Craft : Anton Webern
Musica Kaleidoskopea 