Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #30)

I got a job in Seattle it made sense at the time to take. One of the big mistakes of my life.

I lived four blocks away. I would have walked, but it was a bitch of a hill to get back up. Not quite such immediate access, but... I had a friend who lived right on the water, and his apartment was always damp and sandy -- his sheets were always wet, basically -- so I used to tell myself four blocks wasn't so bad.

 

I'm not offended. One of the reasons I love it, aside from the weather, proximity to great music, job/industry, and gf, is my sweetheart deal on rent. I'm in a four-unit building and pay $515 for a one-bedroom with a huge patio, parking space right outside my front door, and nestled in the hills of the older part of town. It's so quiet at night, like living in the country, until one of the 'dirty birds' (cop helicopter) flies over looking for criminals. I have skunks, squirrels, raccoons, cats, possum, the occasional coyote all traipsing around. I've been here since my early 20's so I ain't movin' as long as my landlord ain't dyin'. When I have kids is when I go, and maybe not even then!

 

RRB, I live in CT and am keenly aware that all CT based symphony orchestras are third rate. Napa Valley Symphony is probably fifth rate.

BTW, I go to NY for my concert.

 

A sweet deal, indeed.

 

The one I bought is probably the latest re-issued/remastered version.

 

Speaking of Paul Lewis, I've been listening to Schwanengesang and Die Schone Mullerin today, w/Mark Padmore. The latter does nothing to make me forget Schreier and Schiff, but Schwanengesang is something I think I am truly going to like enough to play 100 times. There's something about the lilting piano playing in places.

If anyone's driven to research these further, mdt.co.uk has better prices today than amazon.com or amazon.co.uk.

 

At last, you got it!

What do you think so far?

 

Looks like MDT has some long-running sale on Harmonia Mundi.

 

A question: what radio stations in your area play classical music? Do you listen to them regularly, how do you rate them?

In the UK we have BBC Radio 3 and the much more popular Classic FM. I play the former a lot more often because it has a far wider range of music to choose from, mostly excellent presenting that doesn't patronise its listeners, at least two concerts every day and a host of very good programmes specialising in all sorts of things (Composer of the Week, CD Review, Discovering Music, Jazz Line-Up etc).

My problems with Classic FM are multifold; the children's TV style presenting, the fact that they seem to have no concept of programming or sequencing; they just put on one piece (in most cases not even a complete one, like the single movement of a symphony) after another seemingly at random, often without announcing them before the start, the way they dynamically compress the music with added reverb to give it a more "poppy" feel, and their unwillingness to play anything beyond the 19th century apart from obvious hits like Bolero, The Lark Ascending or Montagues and Capulets which is deplorable; it's no wonder there are so many close-minded listeners over here who claim they "don't like that modern music" even when it's usually music composed round a century ago. That said, it's good enough as a last resort when Radio 3 aren't playing any music (or music I don't want to listen to) and I just want something relaxing and/or stress-relieving.

 

Oo have had that one for years. Game effort in the "original instrument" mode that turned out rather well, imh.

 

Your options trump the one area public radio station that plays some classical part-time here. In their favor, it must be said they do seem to try programming coherently with full works played and at least some identifications as to what has been played. Unfortunately even that is moot in my case because I have not had a tuner for some time and only rarely catch it on my car radio, which has also recently gone on the blink.

 

KUSC-FM here in LA is a great station. I listen everyday, especially to Jim Svejda, 7PM-mid weekdays. Listen online.

LA has the highest-rated public radio station, which programs all-classical (no crossover), and the largest-budgeted orchestra as well. Who says the City of Angels is a cultural wasteland??

 

Jim Svejda!!!!! One of my three favorite DJs of all time. Jim Ladd and Chuck Niles being the other two.


KUSC is great. KCSN used to be great.

 

I love Jim Svejda's interviews, where he has on, say, Vasily Petrenko or Sarah Chang or Hans Zimmer for the entire five-hour program (they must be pre-recorded interviews) playing works from their œuvres. Every couple weeks he'll also devote an entire program to new recordings (always complete works, never chopped-up), which allows me to pick and choose what to put on my Amazon wish list. Great DJ!

 

Svejda would also do some very interesting programs touting highly opinionated points of views. he would then procede to illustrate his points quite convincingly with excerpts of the material comparing and contrasting what he likes to what he doesn't like. Just a warning for certain fans, Svejda is quite critical of Haroncourt and Von Karajan. QUITE critical.

His regular program is called The Record Shelf. He also has a terrific book of critical review and recomendations of classical music that is quite extensive.

 

The Record Shelf is his one-hour show that is syndicated by Public Radio International to stations around the world. I think KUSC programs it on Sunday nights.

He is very opinionated, indeed. I love it. What I love even more is his exotic-sounding accent. He's from Michigan, lol.

 

Oh man! I haven't heard anything from Svejda in ages. I LOVED his program in the mid-90s, it was a Sunday night (IIRC) ritual for me when I could tune in Montana Public Radio.

And yeah...his critique of HVK's various versions of Beethoven's 9th really changed my view on a lot of things related to music, life and....well...everything. Truly a monumental point of my life.

dan c

 

I just tried googling that but came up with nothing. Is it available online?

 

The closest classical FM stations to your BBC we have in the States are the NPR (National Public Radio) stations and they can be found in most towns of 50,000 residents and up. Most NPR stations really do not broadcast classical music 100% of the time and many in fact play new age or jazz at certain time of the day or on weekend. NPR also is not a propaganda machine for US government as some outside the US claim it is. There are always some politicians that seek to reduce funding for NPR, though the majority of operating expenses at the individual NPR stations are actually provided by member support via some periodic appeals. Individual NPR stations can be thought of as McDonald's, individually owned and operated locally but the NPR national office coordinates the reporting of all national news. Here is the website for NPR

http://www.npr.org/

 

I heard that Middlebury has a big connection to the Rockefeller family, i.e. old money. Perhaps that is the reason behind Paul Lewis giving preference to Middlebury over many other concert venues.

 

I imagine there has to be a local NPR station at SLO where my semi- estranged sister and her family live. No?

 

Now playing CD2 from the following set for a first listen ...

 

I think he goes into it in his books. I think... http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Svejda/e/B001HMOLY6

 

Assuming you're correct about cities needing at least 50,000 residents, then as SLO has only 45K at the last count (2010) that probably means that unfortunately for apileocole it doesn't qualify.

 

That sounds fantastic. And at $515 a month?