CD Reviews The Pleasure Garden Genevieve Lacey recorders, co-composer Jan Bang producer, co-composer ABC
✶✶✶✶ Genevieve Lacey, recorder virtuosa, spent her childhood in stories and gardens, real and imagined, old and new – which now form her musical response to the original Pleasure Garden, is a series of exquisite musical vignettes by the Dutch nobleman Jacob van Eyck who was a recorder player, much-loved in his lifetime and mourned in poetry, song and statue on his death. His 17th century Der Fluyten Lust-hof (The Flute’s Pleasure Garden) is a recorder
When You Wish Upon A Star Bill Frisell, electric and acoustic guitar Petra Haden, voice Eyvind Kang, viola Thomas Morgan, bass Rudy Royston, drums, percussion Sony
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Cello Music from Austria-Hungary Samuel Magill, cello Beth Levin, piano Works by Beethoven, Schnabel, and Moór PARMA
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Samuel Magill & Beth Levin have presented an excellent recording of cello and piano music of Beethoven, Schnabel and Moór. The Sonata in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer” breathes excitement and energy in its first movement which is in Presto. The first movement truly is worth listening to over and over again. Levin’s accompaniment works effortlessly with Magill’s charming artistry. Both performers have not failed
player’s treasure trove and is the largest surviving collection of solo woodwind from any age. Appearing with Genevieve is Jan Bang, the Norwegian musician, one of the most accomplished and influential record producers, and the epithet ‘electronic guru” has stayed with him for a long time. The music consists of 14 delightful tracks which feature Bang and Lacey, originals by van Eyck, as well as one from recording engineer Jim Atkins. Sprinkled amongst the tracks are the delightful van Eyck Amarilli variations, and Granite with its birdsongs accompanied by periodic solo and harmonic clusters from a carillon. The sounds of the Whipbird will be very familiar to Australian listeners. Lacey is a former artistic director The legendary guitarist shines a new light on his affinity for Americana by drawing on his favourite themes from film and television. Aside from a couple of well-known standards (Moon River, Shadow of Your Smile), the repertoire is refreshingly diverse. Elmer Bernstein’s bittersweet To Kill a Mockingbird sets the mood with a nod to Frisell’s more impressionistic, improvised oeuvre before a languishing groove sets in. Frisell sounds especially at home on the frontier – a short rendition of the Bonanza theme announces the centrepiece of the album: a trio of pieces from the great Ennio Morricone score Once Upon a Time in the West. It’s hard to classify this album as jazz – the tunes are carefully arranged, and abstraction is minimal. The songs are the focus here; each theme is presented with nostalgic warmth and clarity. An exception is made for an in bringing Beethoven to life, capturing his brilliance in composing music of the heart. The pure emotion of heartache and loneliness can be felt especially in the second movement, Andante Con Variazioni. The final movement Presto exudes excitement and mellowness, not a second of this will put you to sleep. The second Sonata for Solo Cello was not as enjoyable to me perhaps due to its main characteristic of being atonal. However, it’s not to say that Schnabel’s music is terrible. He is an incredible interpreter of Beethoven’s music. The third movement Larghetto certainly was my favourite out of the four, almost sounding like Shostakovich’s fugues for
of the Four Winds Festival in Bermagui which would have influenced the outcome of Bermagui Dawn. For the final track we’re offered Pale Blue Evenings with lots of bird sounds, carillon and other percussive sounds. The overall effects, electronics and otherwise, are mesmeric, hypnotic and generally delightful. - Emyr Evans appropriately weighty nine-minute exploration of The Godfather, which should sate fans of Frisell’s more adventurous work. Ultimately, it’s the distinctive sound of the ensemble that defines this project; the dark timbre of Eyvind Kang’s viola is superbly effective on the eerie Psycho Pt.1 against drummer Rudy Royston’s unsettling rhythmic shifts, whilst vocalist Petra Haden soars elegantly on the Bond classic You Only Live Twice. Bassist Thomas Morgan is focused and interactive as ever, imbuing the title track with his breathless vulnerability. Each piece drips with Frisell’s ambrosial guitar tone, rounding out a highly listenable (if not revolutionary) addition to his extensive discography. - David Groves piano but with more of a theatrical flavour. Moór’s Ballade in E Major, Op. 171 is absolutely beautiful. The opening melody is breathtaking, taking any listener to a place of peace and tranquility. Both Levin and Magill draw the listener to a world of magic, then suddenly taking the listener on a series of exciting dissonant adventures. Overall, this is a beautiful recording. Whether the Schnabel fits is entirely up to the listener. - LK
April 2016
fineMusic 102.5
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