A Lark Ascending

Finally finished: ...started in mid-April. Not exactly beach reading and probably just a bit too detailed in places - also hard to keep track of things changing at different rates in different places (knew very little about what was happening in eastern Europe). But I understand some of the doctrinal differences a little bit better - though things like transubstantiation and justification by faith can seem rather 'angels on the heads of pins' concepts to go out killing in the name of to a 21stC materialist. Over the last week also: Clever little book exploring the moment in the late 50s/early 60s when the Soviet UNion thought it had found the philosopher's stone of the planned economy, told in a series of fictionalised short stories largely about the blind belief that all it was going to take was getting the mechanism working perfectly. Just started: Will clear this quickly - my kind of history book with a strong narrative drive.

Into the badlands of the mid-19thC inspired by a currently running BBC4 series: Still peering in from without. An old favourite - well within my comfort zone.

Some pictures that will appeal to vinyl (and Blue Note) romantics: How to remake a Blue Note jazz album – in pictures

Disc 3 of latter - first two earlier in the month. 5 off the K and 7 off the W. Both short.

Finished this last night. Really enjoyed it - reminded me a little of 'The Killing'. As with so many of these European series part of the appeal is the unfamiliarity of the landscape.

Colin Matthews - another one from NMC's 'Guess the Composer' series. Symph off first.

Disc 9 of the first - 15, 19, 20, 26 'The Cheerio Old Fruit'

Escherndorf, Germany - Poppies bloom in front of vineyards near Escherndorf Photograph: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/AP http://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2016/jun/09/best-photographs-of-the-day-ramadan-in-gaza-and-a-tired-tiger

No 1 of the Bonn Bombshell.

Disc 3

From first, Siegfried music making up much of disc 4. Interesting interview in the new BBC Music Magazine with this (relatively) young composer. A Prom premiere coming up - hopefully more music on disc soon.

Liturgical music usually sounds so solemn (well, except for.....long list follows) - I love the sheer joy in Monteverdi's approach. Flamboyant and full of dance. 5 off first, Schuman 3 off second.

Last episode of 'Peaky Blinders' was edge of seat stuff. Still disturbed by the power to manipulate you - I was willing the priest to come to a nasty end from the off (he did!). Even when Alfie Solomons revealed Thomas' true nature to him, you remain on his side. Interesting twist at the end. Really pushing the limits of your sympathy. Storm Troupers: The Fight To Forecast The Weather Fascinating historical documentary about how the science behind Britain's national pastime was uncovered (in an out of Britain...well done Bergen!).

No. 5 of Beety Boy. Disc 2 of Vivaldi.

Siegfried (Nottingham Royal Concert Hall) Act I is the part of The Ring I find most troublesome. For most of its length a scheming villain and a not very bright boy bicker at one another whilst recapping earlier events. It's also the point where Wagner's anti-Semitism come closest to breaking out openly - Siegfried's invective against Mimi could come from the pages of "Die Stürmer". Fortunately there's plenty going on in the orchestra to keep the interest up and it says much for this performance that I didn't feel the act drag as it often seems to. Act II has some magnificent music, in particular the nature music of the 'Forest Murmurs' with beautiful woodwind. The Woodbird was positioned in a side balcony overlooking the stage, again giving some visual drama to a largely static performance. Act III is an embarrassment of riches. The reappearance of Erda at the start with the very distinctive, eerie rising/falling mysterious chord sequence that characterises her message of doom shifts the whole mood (as also happens at the end of Das Rhinegold). But the absolute peak - I'd place it up there as one of the most ecstatic moments of all music (well, the parts of all music I've heard) - is the Brunnhilde awakening scene. An utterly glorious chord sequence ending in a gorgeous chromatic descent (anticipated on its own in the transition from the previous scene a few minutes earlier). The latter really interests me as it's clearly the root of much of Mahler's late music, especially the strained strings of the first movement of the 10th Symphony. I defy anyone to hear this awakening scene and not be reduced to a puddle. As throughout, acting is completely minimalist in this production. Dress occasionally hints at character but in general its standard evening wear (well, not what I'd wear in the evening!). No props whatsoever - no swords, spears, rings or tarnhelms. Everything communicated through restrained gestures. It's really made me rethink the idea of the staged performance of operas. I've never even thought of attending them at things like the Proms. But after experiencing this and a Handel opera earlier in the year I'm now convinced. Day off today to listen to Herman's Hermits and Lulu records. ****************************** Two days later: Gotterdammerung (Nottingham Royal Concert Hall) About as an emotionally overwhelming a performance as I've ever heard. By Gotterdammerung the musical themes have been multiplying, spinning off variants, linking and separating for over ten hours so there is a vast reservoir for Wagner to draw on. It's hard to convey the impact of that without going through the process. So many highlights - the recapitulation of the Brunnhilde awakening music both in the instrumental opening and again when Siegfried realises what's been going on after being stabbed; the dark music that surrounds Hagen and Alberich; the return of The Rheinmaidens and their nature music but transformed harmonically into something even richer; the joyous instrumental Rhine Journey and stark Funeral March; Brunnhilde's noble rage after Siegfried'd body is returned. But absolutely nothing I know in music compares to that last thirty minutes or so with Brunhilde centre stage calling time on the gods and the leitmotives swirling over one another in an endless flood, the Rhine music from the start of the cycle regaining ascendancy. I was blubbing throughout....rather embarrassing actually! Two themes really get me there. There's a rising sequence then mirrored by a falling one that have been labelled 'Erda' and 'Twilight of the Gods' that you first hear quite mysteriously when Erda (the earth goddess) appears in Das Rheingold. It appears at various points in a faster version at several points always giving a sense of things rushing towards a fatal outcome. Here at the end it blends in with the Rhine music and a beautiful, almost Hollywood, melody referred to as the Redemption theme that ends the piece with a sense of renewed hope. Audience when completely bananas. The piece is amazing enough for a listener - what it must be to experience it as a player (unless you hate Wagner!). They get a day off today and then start again tomorrow in Salford! Each ticket cost me £19 - I paid twice that for Tristan in London at the end of the month. I hope the success of this production (and although Nottingham was 7/8th full, elsewhere its seems sold out) encourages more of this type of production. Probably the biggest difficulty with longer operas is the need to start early - 3.00 pm in Nottingham (later performances start at 4.30). Meant that the audience were largely pensioners, a scattering of student-age listeners with perhaps only working people with some control over their time being able to make the three big ones. Not sure how you get past that.

The Das Rhinegold/Die Walkure parts of the latter. Primarily aimed at the dead maestro market (recordings go right back to the '20s) but actually useful as you get extensive vocal selections for when you don't want to listen to the whole operas. A bit oddly balanced content-wise - just two short pieces from Das Rhinegold and Act III of Die Walkure, no Act II and virtually the whole of Act I. Back in the olden days new opera recordings were often accompanied by a single disc of selected highlights. Seems to have fallen out of fashion as there doesn't seem to be much like that for these operas. Maybe the price of recordings has fallen to such a level that it's no longer economically viable.

A hillside in the Great Smoky Mountains is turned into a living cascade of light by the ankle-high glows of blue ghost males. Even more mysterious are their wingless females who, tethered to the forest floor, can only dream of flying. With glow spots shining out through their transparent skin, the delicate blue ghost females seem like tiny gems nestled into the leaf litter Photograph: Spencer Black Fireflies create a magic that transcends time and space. They transform ordinary landscapes into something otherworldly. Although I’ve spent decades delving into the most intimate details of their courtship and sex lives, the luminous landscapes they create still fill me with wonder Photograph: Tsuneaki Hiramatsu https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2016/jun/08/night-workers-how-evolution-drives-the-firefly-dance-in-pictures

Brilliant opera - wonderfully lean instrumental textures. I have this recording in it's original format (Collins, I think). Disc 7: The last part of Book 8.

Disc 3 of latter - Paris, Piano Concerto and several of the gorgeous tone poems. Perfect music for summer.

Opera North are based in Leeds where they have an opera house; they sometimes use the Town Hall for bigger things. This Ring cycle was developed over four years, one opera per year - I saw 'Gotterdammerung' there in 2014. Nice old Victorian place. This year they are doing all four, similar to how Wagner programmed them in 1876 (according to the programme his original intention was to burn down the Festspielhaus afterwards and destroy the scores! He'd have got on well with some of the more Maoist European free improvisers of the 60s who saw music only counting in the moment and rejected recording!). They regularly take their programmes to Nottingham, Gateshead and Salford (near Manchester). This year they are going to London too. Apparently the Leeds performance was filmed for online streaming - when I was in London last week I saw an add for cinema screenings of the cycle. ********************** Interesting to see your point about the chamber scale nature of much of Mahler; the programme makes much the same point about The Ring, pointing out that Wagner's reputation as bombastic is quite undeserved (I'd say Mahler (and Shostakovich!!!!!) suffer from a similar misapprehension). Die Walkure in particular has a luminous score where the separate instruments or sections are able to project individually - some of the string writing in Act I is utterly delicious right down to solo cello. Usually the orchestra is hidden from view (certainly Wagner's intention) but I really like having it on stage. I'm not sure if it's the balance or just the visual clues but I found myself listening to the orchestra much more than on CD or DVD where the focus tends to be the singers and drama. Siegfried tomorrow.

Disc 5 + 6 - music from the 8th Book. I've had this set a few years (had a couple of the discs in their original issue) without really getting into it. ON this run through it's the 8th Book that makes the biggest impression - the instrumental accompaniment provides additional colour. The two things that draw me to Monterverdi are those wonderful melodic arabesques; and they way dance rhythms constantly infect the music. Went down very well whilst cooking larks' tongues for lunch. Enigma Variations - whilst listening to Die Walkure last night this came to mind at one point. Traced it to the mysterious penultimate variation where, towards the end, there's an almost-climax that clearly owes its origins there. SQ 4

Die Walkure (Nottingham Royal Concert Hall) Overwhelming. Four hours of generally slow music (give or take a couple of hyperactive Valkyrie episodes); the way the music constantly unfolds generating new melodic lines (or introducing a previously heard motif) is astonishing. So many high points with that tingle factor; but the one that had me holding back the blubbing was the huge climax just before Brunhilde gets ungodded. Richard Strauss mined that section again and again.

Disc 7 of the first (an absolutely superb box set); 7th Book of Monteverdi (not sure if this is complete or just extracts to fill space after the 4th/5th). I'm relatively new to Ligeti - I think this record is the one I'm enjoying most so far. Symph 4. One that gets passed by too often - doesn't have the lyricism of the 2nd, 3rd or 5th. Even the similarly craggy 6th has a big tune. But it's worth getting to know - how far it was influenced by the instability of the 1930s is still debated, but it always creates an image of that time to me. Some superb desolate passages in the quieter music; even the jocular parts seem to be taking place through gritted teeth.

I tend to work on the premise that composers who have earned a regular place in performance (and/or recording) have something there to enjoy; if I don't hear it it's because I'm not in tune or lack the context to make sense of the music. No point going off on the composer. Doesn't mean I'll ever be in tune or that I feel I have to get in tune - there's more good music out there than I could listen to in a thousand lifetimes; so leaving to one side the music that doesn't click is no huge loss. I suspect your Dallas Orchestra probably is along the lines of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra or the Halle here. Nottingham and Sheffield have amateur orchestras. Even someone like me who pays little attention to 'performance' can hear the difference there. I'll go and see them if the music played is right but you have to adjust your expectations. As for age and enthusiasm, I don't detect any diminution in myself yet (at 60). I don't get the sense of wide-eared wonder that I had as a 16 year old where everything was new and the scales (!) were constantly falling from my ears. But by keeping a balance of familiar and totally new I'm still thrilled by listening to music. Case in point: Das Rheingold (Nottingham Royal Concert Hall) First night of the full Ring in Nottingham. Sung in German, a semi-staged performance. The Orchestra on stage as if in a symphonic performance with the singers in front. A huge three part screen behind with the translation coming up and also brief descriptions of the unfolding tale - the production is very much aimed at the first timer as well as the listener who knows the piece. Very subtle imagery on the screens as the scenes move from the Rhine to Valhalla and then into the depths. (more or less my view last night from the third tier though this looks like Leeds - Nottingham is a modern hall) Utterly compelling music I 'know' reasonably well (I've been through it 7 or 8 times on record/DVD) but once again the total focus of a live performance delivers so much more. There were six or seven points when I had tears welling up and that was the music rather than anything in the drama. Really conscious of the way Wagner manipulates his themes - just a slight twist of rhythm or harmony giving a change in atmosphere. The use of the renunciation of love theme is wonderful - used fairly obviously when Albrecht renounces love to gain The Ring but also behind others when the temptations of power are leading them to forsake their personal loyalties. Never noticed before how the Rhinemaidens music mutates into the Valhalla theme in the first major scene change. Very taken by the whole dramatisation of the lust for power throughout - it's easy to see why this lends itself to a Marxist interpretation. Could easily be recast with the players in the current British EU referendum campaign taking centre stage! You also realise just why this piece got such a grip on the European (and beyond) imagination in the late 19th/early 20thC. Very good programme too - expensive (£15) but a hard bound 100 page + book of essays, summaries etc. Needless to say, the audience went nuts. Die Walkure this afternoon/evening. Only problem is that we're in a mini-heat wave! ******************************** Background piece on the production here: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/27/ring-the-changes-my-asuterity-wagner-with-opera-north I especially like this: "I’m especially proud of the fact that almost 75% of our audience said they were experiencing The Ring for the first time. That’s partly due to the fact that we were able to keep ticket prices well below what you’d expect to pay for a conventional staging. We have been able to show that The Ring is not as intimidating as many people think. Anyone who loves The Lord of the Rings will recognise its landscape. When I first started working on Wagner’s cycle I was reading the Harry Potterbooks to my six-year-old son. Both demonstrate the power of storytelling within a world of magic and monsters, in which there’s a struggle between good and evil. Richard Farnes, Conductor"

Gold Coast, Australia - Large waves break at Burleigh Heads as wild weather unleashed heavy rainfalls, powerful winds and abnormally high tides in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales Photograph: Dan Peled/EPA http://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2016/jun/05/best-photographs-of-the-day