Volume 25 Issue 7 - April 2020

minuet-like narratives. Fusing arco cello and violin lyricism to guitar
frails that emphasize impressionism, they’re completed by favouring
the metallic properties of energized violin and guitar runs plus precise
drum runs. Never is momentum lost nor does any linkage seem
artificial.
Valentin Ceccaldi’s other affiliated
outing is much more exploratory, but no
matter how long the tracks are, or how the
extended techniques upend the program,
the tracks always right themselves into
harmony variants. Rotating the introductions
among band members, as themes
are elaborated, spontaneous interactions
occur, such as having downward slithering
Harmon-muted trumpet tones underscored
by sul tasto cello responses; or how melding cymbal splashes,
gutbucket brass smears and spiccato strings produces memories of
both Debussy and Dixieland. Throughout, dos Reis forges a singular
path, with his contributions more felt than heard. Only at the very
end of the Exclamation Mark for instance, are distant flanges and
plucks audible. Meanwhile among sequences where all members’
elevated pitches or foundation croaks are emphasized, Question Mark
is the most fully realized. Almost an assembly line of effects, it begins
with distant guitar string plucking, exposes pure air forced through
the trumpet without valve motion, introduces drumming clip clops
and completes the first cycle with swift strokes from the cellist. The
climatic resolution finally arises as brass tones brightly flutter on
top of drum press rolls while Ceccaldi and dos Reis combine into a
flurry of percussive near-Andalusian cadences. Instructively the finale
evolves into warm lyricism as trumpet peeps and finger-style string
emphasis gently combine.
Upfront or reticent, each of these guitar strategies uniquely complements
the improvised musical situation in which it is placed and
suggests that many other strategies are feasible.
Old Wine, New Bottles
Fine Old Recordings Re-Released
BRUCE SURTEES
One of the treasures of recorded music is Mahler’s Das Lied von
der Erde recorded over three days in May 1952, in Vienna. The
Vienna Philharmonic was conducted by Bruno Walter and
soloists were Kathleen Ferrier and Julius Patzak. That Decca recording
has never been out of print. Back in 1947-48 Walter wanted to conduct
a festival performance of Das Lied and had searched in vain for a
contralto who could live up to the demands of this remarkable work.
“I was told of a young English singer who made quite a great
impression on all those who heard her… and she came and sang for me
and she began to sing the Sapphic Ode of Brahms and I said, ‘You are
engaged.’ Because it was of such rare beauty, beauty of expression,
beauty of voice and purity and beauty of personality. It was one of my
greatest impressions in my life. Since then we became very great
friends and she sang this work with me. I engaged her to sing with me
in New York. She sang Lied von der Erde in New York.” He goes on to
speak about making the 1952 recording, “It was unforgettable how this
very beautiful girl stood at my side already in the throes of the most
terrible disease. And it was the last time I saw her.” Kathleen Ferrier
succumbed in 1953.
The British label SOMM, in their continuing
Kathleen Ferrier series, has issued
the recording of the actual New York
Philharmonic’s inspired performance of Das
Lied with Walter and Ferrier, January 18,
1948, Kathleen Ferrier in New York (SOMM
Ariadne 5007 naxosdirect.com). The tenor is
Set Svanholm whose prophetic Das Trinklied
sets the stage for the kinetic performance to
follow. And here is the pristine voice of Ferrier confirming to those in
Carnegie Hall and the radio listeners that Walter had not exaggerated
one little bit. The CD also has an informative 1956 interview by Arnold
Michaelis with Walter, excerpted above, in which he talks about Ferrier,
his close friend Gustav Mahler and Bruckner. The sound has remarkable
presence and is not an aircheck but an in situ recording by the
Carnegie Recording Company. Some unobtrusive, slight surface noise
occasionally, but the balances are perfect.
After Der Abschied (Farewell), SOMM adds three short, gentle
Bach settings of love songs from a recital in Town Hall, New York on
January 8, 1950. Vergiss mein nicht (Do not forget me) BWV505; Ach,
dass nicht die letzte Stunde (Ah! Why has not the final hour) BWV439;
and Bist du bei mir (If thou art near) BWV508. Perfect choices. Her
accompanist is pianist and friend John Newmark.
This is a unique document, earning a place in every collection.
Pianist Friedrich Gulda is certainly not a
household name today but from the 1960s
on he was indeed recognized by classical
LP collectors as a master, and by thinking
jazz fans as a progressive jazz innovator. He
toured worldwide, including appearances
with the polished SWR Radio Symphony
Orchestras of Stuttgart and Baden-Baden.
The SWR recorded all the performances that
they presented and their CDs reflect care
and expertise in documenting these concerts. Their latest release is a
three-disc set of concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Richard
Strauss (SWR Classic SWR19088CD naxosdirect.com). Here they are
all recorded between 1959 and 1962 with their conductors: Mozart
No.14 in E-flat Major K449 and No.23 in A Major K448, Hans Rosbaud;
No.24 in C Minor K491, Joseph Keilberth; Beethoven No.4 in G Major
Op.58, and Haydn No.11 in G Major XVIII:11, Hans Muller-Kray;
Strauss Burleske in D Minor, Muller-Kray, with a solo encore, Zugabe;
and finally Debussy’s solo piano Feux d’artifice.
All these were recorded before appreciative audiences, resulting in
personal performances closer to the heart and different from playing
to microphones. This is perhaps not always the case, but certainly
is so in the music-making on these three discs. The kind of musicmaking
that has you hanging on every note. There is the age-old
question of who is in charge in a concerto, the conductor or the
soloist? Here we have three different conductors each tuned to this
articulate pianist.
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