A Lark Ascending

And you are the site of the next Olympics!!! Hope it doesn't get too disruptive for you, Kinuta. Britain is enjoying a typical summer. Wet'n windy. Total cloud cover most of this weekend. We've had some sunny days and not that much rain but overall it's not been one that (weatherwise) will remain in the memory.

Sad indeed. First came across him on Ronnie Scott's 'Serious Gold' LP and was utterly smitten. Followed it up over the years with many of his records. Saw him once at Appleby about 15 years back. Tried to see him again in Dublin around 2007 but he got caught in Cork due to floods. RIP

Aurora Orchestra are a sight to behold - very young, all standing, no music. (I think I just referred to performers above the composer there...will take myself outside for a good thrashing). Ravishing disc. Someone I need to get to know better. Somewhat later: Disc 2 of the Bach.

Very much enjoyed both of these discs. Music that fits nicely alongside the string quartets of Bartok, Shostakovich, Janacek, Britten, Tippett etc but with a voice of its own. Something seems to change between 4 and 5...the last three seem more 'contemporary' (for want of a better word). Also a lot of fun. Only previously known Antheil by name. Very much in the style of inter-war Paris (unsurprisingly as he hung out there) with the Poulenc, Milhaud, Ravel and Stravinsky (the first PC comes close to stealing bits of Petrushka) influences to the fore.

On the cards for today. Bacewicz seems to be enjoying a sudden upsurge of interest. I noticed another recording of the complete quartets (The Silesian Quartet on Chandos) gaining high praise in the UK classical recording magazines. The two symphonies.

1, 2, 3 of the Brandenburgs (disc 1) Disc 6 of Boulez - Eclat-Multiples; Domaines (solo and with other instruments); Improvise - pour le Dr Kalmus

I initially had the same reaction. Another product from a mega company. My first player was from another brand. But then I gave in and the Apple was just a far superior device - so much easier to manipulate. You'll never get the same sound that you do in your home environment on good speakers. But if you like to have music (or need to because of limited time at home) while out of the house it is a wonderful addition.

Number 8 in both cases. SQ1 again

There's a letter in this month's Jazzwise from Colin Harper, the author of the recent John McLaughlin bio. He says he's currently working on a book about 'the progressive end of British jazz in the 1960s' and seeks info from magazines (he specifies Jazz Beat) and people who attended Ronnie Scott's Old Place, Presume by 'progressive jazz' he means everything from Ardley/Collier/Westbrook etc through to the free improvisers. One to look forward to - he did a good job of painting a picture of parts of the 60s London jazz world in the McLaughlin book. If anyone has any info or help he includes an e-mail address - admin@colin-harper.com. I'm much to young to be of help.

SQ1 - listen 1. Disc 1 - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Had a few of Hogwoods on original release but as good a way as any of rationalising my Haydn collection (I suspect I have about 40). Should see me till Xmas.

Thanks. I will follow through on those. One of the nice things about Greene is his books are relatively short. You don't feel you have to commit yourself for a great length of time (a problem if you're not wildly enjoying the book).

This was probably a British experience where the technology was still rather weak, but my memory of the transistor radio was of stations fading in and out, frequently to virtual oblivion before reemerging. Even BBC Radio 1, the main pop station (until it shut down at 7.00 p.m.!!!!), would find it difficult to hold a signal in its last hour or two. Radio Luxembourg was even worse. Yet it was off the latter (alongside John Peel's BBC afternoon programmes) that I got my first exposure to music beyond the charts. I just recall wishing for something better. Which came initially with the arrival of FM on the middle-of-the-road Radio 2 in 1971 - luckily they turned it over to Radio 1 from 10-00 to 12.00 pm for the album rock segment. That was a godsend.

Finished: Recommended if you've more than a passing interest in Le Carre. As with many biographies it's most interesting in the first half - childhood, his brief role in intelligence, his emergence as a writer and first successes. The later part is a bit formulaic - gestation of a new book, reception, onto the next, with the occasional intervention of a controversy like the spat with Rushdie. Seems to be a very private man - apart from one major affair and a period of wildness there's not much salacious gossip. Sisman does not analyse the books, merely quoting the reviews of the same. Reading those just reinforces my view that most professional criticism is more projection than revelation. The Liter-a-tuh Darlings really are appalling. He's very good at pointing out where Le Carre has contradicted himself in interviews or probably fallen victim to what he calls a false memory. Interesting to see a contradiction within Le Carre that is worthy of his characters. Although from a modest background his rogue of a father constantly lived above his means so Le Carre seems to take the world of private schools, fine wine, posh hotels and international jet setting as the norm (the world his characters, especially in the later stories, are drawn from); yet his later novels are heavily critical of the establishment and he seems to regard himself as left-wing. Has the good sense to live in west Cornwall. Just started: Only previously read 'The Quiet American' which I loved. This has me hooked already.

Particularly like the Five Songs - very much in the world of the orchestral songs of Mahler, Strauss or Zemlinsky.

67 once more - trying to get it lodged in my head before moving on. Disc 9 - CHARPENTIER: Te Deum H.146 LULLY Dies Irae LALANDE: Concert de Trompettes; Te Deum The Charpentier includes the piece he wrote for the European Broadcasting Union (he must have been very old by then) which I recall hearing as a kid when some international event happened on TV. Played it as an act of defiance.

Hector Berlioz - Overture 'King Lear' Colin Matthews - Berceuse for Dresden Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde (Prom concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London - Leonard Elschenbroich cello, Alice Coote mezzo-soprano, Gregory Kunde tenor, Hallé Orchestra/Mark Elder I've never warmed to Berlioz and the overture didn't strike any sparks. Someone for the future, maybe. Really enjoyed the Matthews premiere - a short memorial piece for cello and orchestra with a recording of the bells of the Frauenkirche in Dresden at start and finish. By chance I'd been listening to a fair bit of Matthews in previous week. A contemporary composer whose music is distinctly modern yet clearly part of the longer tradition. Neither 'look at me, I'm such a rebel' nor saccharine sweet like some of the more successful orchestral music being written today. The Mahler is a long-time favourite and once again the live experience brought out so many details that I'd only half noticed or not noticed at all. Got off to an awkward start when one of the horns badly fluffed the first note but that quickly passed. I'm no expert but I got the impression that this is not a piece the Halle play often - something just a little hesitant unlike the smooth unfolding you hear on recordings. But that was easy to put aside and just get lost in the music. Especially enjoyed the misty second song from the first five. The symphony employs a huge orchestra yet, apart from at a few points, it is used with restraint, allowing all sorts of delicate textures to rise to the surface and be heard (people who claim Mahler as bombastic haven't listened properly). Very much the case in "Der Einsame im Herbst". Of course the killer is the final "Der Abschied". Especially noticeable last night were the gorgeous flute/oboe/clarinet arabesques in the first third that weave round the music and curl around the vocal line. Lots of hints at eastern scales but never so crude as to come across as tourist-orientalism. Never know how to describe the extraordinary orchestral passage 2/3rd through where an insistent rhythmic figure slowly builds to stunning climax. But the absolute magic moment came in the final 'ewig's with the orchestra drifting away as harps and celesta embroider around them. What I had never noticed before was the presence of three mandolins - they'd been sat there on stage for an hour and I never saw them until they became very audible at the end. Will have to listen out next time I play the CD. Felt a bit sorry for the tenor - his three songs are also the loudest so he has to fight to be heard above the orchestra. Then he had to sit for thirty minutes whilst the mezzo took centre stage. Needless to say, that affected the apportioning of applause at the end. Good to see Mark Elder when making the sections of the orchestra take their bows leave the podium, walk to the back of the stage and single out the flute, oboe and clarinet players. It must be a terrifying piece to play given how exposed those instrument are. I do like Elder - not for his stick waving skills but for his choice of repertoire and just being a good egg. Proper review here: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/17/halle-mark-elder-prom-41-review-mahler-berlioz-matthews

The Christine Jensen and Nikki Iles Anglo-Canadian Group (Pizza Express, London) Christine Jensen (alto, soprano); Nikki Iles (piano), Percy Pursglove (fluegelhorn), Dave Whitford (bass) and James Maddren (drums). Jensen was over here working in a summer school so this gig got put together on the back of that. Very enjoyable concert of what you might term contemporary mainstream. Originals from Jensen and Iles, a few standards, a Kenny Werner and a Kenny Wheeler (the latter got very warm references). My second sighting of Nikki Iles this year (and another to follow in December with Stan Sulzmann) - definitely one of Britain's best kept secrets. I've seen Purseglove a couple of times before in free settings with Evan Parker - didn't know he did the inside thing too. James Maddren is, of course, the drummer in every UK group at present. Very impressive. Maybe Christine will bring a big band (or lead a British band in her scores) in the future. Never been to the Pizza Express before - fear of dinner jazz. It worked out very easy - arrive and eat after 7.00. Concert started at 8.30 by which time most people had eaten. Only previous time I'd experience eating and jazz was in New York.

Sad news - have enjoyed many of his records and side-person appearances.

Of course - always an option but not an imperative. Just gets a bit tedious when it degenerates into "You travelled with Bill? You should have travelled with James." Usually followed by "But nothing lives up to the sublime journey I took with Archibald in 1937."

Me too. Record shops then were much better than record shops now. But availability online today is infinitely more varied than the olden days. I spotted a new Australian jazz recording online yesterday. Ten minutes later a FLAC copy was burnt to disc. 15 years ago I didn't know there was Australian jazz! After ten years of extolling the virtues of MP3 I've had to face up to the fact that I can hear a difference with CD after buying a new Naim streamer last year. So I've returned to CD plus FLAC. Not that I'm to be trusted when it comes to hi-fi. I got some nice new speakers last week - thoroughly enjoyed listening through them over the last few days. But was puzzled this morning when listening to a string quartet to hear the violins on the right and the cello/viola on the left. A quick check revealed I had the speaker wires back to front! Have a feeling they've been like that for a few months - probably didn't need new speakers at all! Away at the moment but looking forward to listening to them the right way round. Should sound even better.

I'm sure. But, as we've discussed before, I'm more for getting to know the scenery than comparing bus drivers (one of those smiley faces)! One version suits me fine. Planning to give it another listen in a little while with the help of: Short, non-specialist, accounts of the music that point out the basic structures, drawing attention to a few details en route. Kids stuff, I imagine, for those with a musical background but it's helped me over the last few years to increase my enjoyment of an area of music (chamber music) I never really took to initially. In the meantime: Another early 20thC composer working out a Wagner fixation. Very enjoyable.

A second listen. I've never given the Brahms chamber music enough attention despite having several of the Hyperion discs. Intend to try and get to know it a bit better over the next few months. Seems ideal for autumn.

Op 67 of latter