Pierre Boulez: Contract with Deutsche Grammophon extended
Pierre Boulez has announced that he has extended his exclusive contract with German label “Deutsche Grammophon”. This means that many of the grand-scale projects which he has worked on with the record company will now come to a definite conclusion, barring any unforeseen events. Two of these projects have been especially close to the heart of Pierre Boulez: A cycle of Bartok as well as a recording of all Mahler symphonies. The latter will include a rendition of “Symphony No. 8”, one of the all-time most opulent and personel-heavy productions for orchestras. As the final instalment of the series, it is now being dubbed “the crown on ten years of work”. Of equal importance to Pierre Boulez was the addition of the Viola Concerto by Bella Bartók as well as the Violin Concert Number 1 to his discography in conjunction with an ensemble of stars: While the former features Yuri Bashmet, the Concert will be realised together with Gidon Kremer – and both of them will receive the powerful support of the Berlin Philharmonics. And then there is still an exciting DVD production in the pipeline.
Pauline Oliveros & Miya Masaoka: Discover the beauty of Accordion & Koto
Miya Masaoka and Pauline Oliveros have made a decidedly non-every-day instrumental combination the basis of their latest project: Accordion and Koto. The album by the same name will be released on Deep Listening Records and present the beauty of various improvisations by the duo. Despite the experimental character of “Accordion Koto”, it was definitely not intended as an exercise in shock tactics, as Pauline Oliveros explained in a statement prior to the release: “Though an unlikely combination - accordion and koto - it is not so much about the instruments as about the energies of the music that comes from the intensity of listening - listening as close to "now" as possible.”, she said, “We know that our consciousness is delayed by a fraction of a second that the brain interprets as now - however the body is instantaneous in its perception. Thus the phenomena of playing and becoming conscious of what has played - been played - is a continually surprising experience in such improvisation.” Miya Masaoka, meanwhile, introduced “Accordion Koto” with both poetic and proud words: “"Listening to this recording session I am lifted to a world both evanescent and yet somehow connected to a distinct culture of music making in the 21st century."
Spectrum Concerts Berlin: Serious support needed
Frank Dodge, artistic director of Spectrum Concerts Berlin has opened the celebratory 20th anniversay season with an insistent and urgent speach. While Frank Dodge acknowledged the artistic contribution his brainchild has had on the classical music scene of Berlin and shortly reminisced in memories of the “wonderful and unforgettable evenings of music” over the last twenty years, he offered his auditorium two potential future visions of Spectrum Concerts Berlin: Either to achieve planning reliability quickly or give up the project alltogether. The reason for the gloomy prediction was a deficit for the current season. “The only possibility for Spectrum Concerts Berlin to enter a third decade is to secure a sound financial basis immediately.”, Frank Dodge said, “to ensure that the organisors and musicians can keep on planning and working without having to fear the future.” To achieve this basis, Frank Dodge announced that the short-term goal for Spectrum Concerts Berlin was to find the sum of 180.000 Euros in sponsoring money during the 20th season. As a first measure, entrance fees were raised slightly to reduce the deficit.
KILN: From Dawn to Dusker
After a delay of almost half a year, Michigan-based trio KILN have finally set their new full-length album free for the world to hear. “Dusker” is released on Ghostly International and features eleven electronic fairy tales of lustrous, glinting and glistening timbres. Described by Ghostly “as an aural feast on headphones, and a perfect companion for a stroll through auburn fields.”, “Dusker” is a sweet and soft infusion of pure harmony , penetrating the mind like a crystalised sugar syringe. Originally slated for a release in April of this year, the record was then set back to the wintertime due to what KILN referred to as “distribution snafu and other chaos”. In the end, though, all issues have been resolved and first reactions, as KILN were eager to point out, were more than just encouraging. In a recent statement, the band summed up the first month of Dusker thus: “Dusker is still soaring—ranking as high as no.8 on iTunes Top Ten 'electronic albums' sales, reaching no. 15 (overall) in Emusic downloads, and getting chosen as an Entertainment Weekly "Pick of the Week." After ten years of refining their sound from tape experiments to a band-concept and to a style which they call “texture-groove-mosaics”, “Dusker” now looks like it will bring KILN the breakthrough they have been working towards for a long time.
Karlheinz Stockhausen: Last Farewell
Karlheinz Stockhausen died on December fifth in his home of Kuerten-Kettenberg. One of the fatherfigures of electronic music will now be buried at the forest cemetary of Kurten.While the cause of death is as yet unknown, this news comes as a great shock. Stockhausen, despite his age of 79 years, seemed to be in the best of health and had enough works planned for years to come. The Stockhausen foundation published a PDF Memorial Booklet, in which they emphasised the continuation of their work, which includes the publication and dissamination of Stockhausen's CDs, books, films and of course of the scores, published by Austrian publishing house Universal Edition Vienna. His musical legacy includes 362 individual works and a staggering 139 albums, but his influence on the 20th century and on the development of electronic music can not be rated in numbers.
Frans de Waard: Saxophone Sound Session
Critic and Sound Artist Frans de Waard has released a new album under his Freiband pseudonym. “298” is published by German label Tosom and features recordings by Dutch Saxophonist and Composer Bo van de Graaf. On three pieces with a total running time of 41 minutes, Frans de Waard uses short Sax phrases played by de Graaf, slowly adding subtle effects and harmonic overlayering. In fact, as Frans de Waard progresses through the work, the instrument takes on the characteristics of a Harmonica more and more, parting ways with its original personality. The record company is well aware of the leftfield nature of the record, dubbing it one their “most experimental releases” ever. Admittedly, lovers of more traditional drone material might easily be disappointed with this. But next to playing with timbre, reverb and gradual changes, “298” is also about the rhythm of breath and the way it can in itself constitute a factor of musical development.
Krill Karabits: Follows Martin Alsop as Principal Conductor
Ukrainian Kirill Karabits will be taking over the baton from Marin Alsop at the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra as Principal Conductor. 30-year old Kirill Karabits, wo just ended two years as Principal Guest Conductor of Strasbourg Philharmonic, will begin his work in the 2009-season. For the young artist, this news comes as a double dream-come-true. Firstly, because it means he will be able to collaborate with an ensemble of musicians which he deeply respects and with whom he has celebrated critically aclaimed triumphs in the past: “From the moment when I led my first rehearsal with the BSO in October 2006, I immediately felt a very quick response to my ideas from the musicians”, Kirill Karabits said in reaction to the announcement, “When I came back to the orchestra in October 2007 we performed very different repertoire, but the musicians still told me "Please make music like you feel, and we will follow you!" It's the dream of every conductor to hear that.” The second thing which moved Kirill Karabits was the fact that no Ukrainian has ever before held this position: “It’s difficult for me to omit the historic fact of being the first Ukrainian appointed as principal conductor in the UK”, he stated, quickly adding: “But in modern globalized society the high value of the emotional human approach goes far beyond the aspect of nationality and geographical distance!”. Until this becomes a reality, Kirill Karabits will be taking on a packed schedule of performances next year, including seven renditions of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin with Glyndebourne Festival Opera.
Colin Currie: Borrowed Time and Primitive Sides
All eyes are on percussionist Colin Currie. On December 15th, he will be performing the European premiere of American composer Jennifer Higdon's Percussion Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Marin Alsop at the Royal Festival Hall. On the same day, he will also be giving a more intimate and informal concert at the Southbank Centre, treating his audience to pieces from his most recent CD, “Borrowed Time”. Which brings us to the final part of this good news section: “Borrowed Time”, which has been released just a short while ago, has received glowing reviews everywhere and further sharpened the profile of Colin Currie. Our colleagues from the world of Print- and Internetjournalism had a lot of nice things to say about the disc: “Colin Currie has helped to transform the percussion from something that stays at the back of an orchestra into an exciting solo display.”, Musicweb claimed, the excellent new website Musical Criticism.com saw Colin Currie “step into new territory” with “Borrowed Time” and The Times simply called the recording “excellent”. Colin Currie defined his interests even more purely: “I want to play to a wide audience, I want to play to a good audience, play with good orchestras and keep getting good new pieces.”
Shut Up and Listen: A Festival without Stylistic Strings
When we talked to Austrian Sound Artist Bernhard Gal this Summer, he told us about a small festival he ran, whose 2007-edition would focus on field recordings, phonography and soundscapes. Now, it has arrived. From today on and until the 6th of December, the “Shut Up and Listen!” festival will take place at the “raum35 “in Vienna and consist of lectures, discussions, installations and live performances. Bernhard Gal describes “Shut Up and Listen!” as follows: “I strive to present fine music in a comfortable environment that facilitates detailed listening and the sensual experience of high-quality sound.” Phonography and Field Recordings, to him and his co-organisor Ernst Reitermaier, are among the most interesting new directions in experimental music: “In the last years especially, many new artistic directions have crystalised, not least because of the rapid development of technology in the field of “mobile recording.” These positions, Gal and Reitermaier stress, are not the exclusive property of a single genre: “No stylistic strings attached” is the silent motto of “Shut Up and Listen!”
Helmut Lachenmann: Handshake with the Arditti Quartet
Kairos Records has announced the release of the new album by Helmut Lachenmann. “String Quartets” features three pieces for the instrumental setting mentioned in its title and highlights works from three different decades: While “Gran Torso” dates back to the early 70s and “Reigen seliger Geister” (the second String Quartet) to the 80s, the third String Quartet which goes by the name of “Grido” is a work of the new millenium. Even though there are more than 30 years dividing the oldest and youngest piece on the disc, Helmut Lachenmann has stressed that there is clearly a red thread running through it: “The three quartets provide a commentary on each other and the time in which they were composed.”, Helmut Lachenmann says, “Gran Torso has something of an investigation about it, of a broaching, of forays into critical new land. Reigen designates the sounds and techniques of two very different regions. Grido gains a new expressiveness– the land of music is freely praised and celebrated, although never without reflexive refraction or arousing disturbance.” Completing this musical feast is the inclusion of the renowned Arditti Quartet, making this yet another highlight in the catalogue of Kairos.
Karl Jenkins: Stabat Mater in the Mix
Welsh composer Karl Jenkins has finished recording his latest work and is now in the process of mixing it for a release in early 2008. Meanwhile, the world premier for “Stabat Mater” has already been slated for March 15th at the Liverpool Cathedral, with Karl Jenkins directing the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. The “Stabat Mater” takes a 13th century Latin poem as its basis and has famously been put to sound by the likes of Verdi, Haydn and Vivaldi. Even though Karl Jenkins also uses the original, he has decided to add lyrics in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic to arrive at a “universal depiction of grief”. And his piece is furthermore bound to differ from the classical blueprints thanks to the inclusion of “instruments indigenous to the area”, including “percussion such as the darbuka & riq and the woodwind duduk”. EMI Classics have announced that they will publish the CD to Karl Jenkins' latest effort, following in the wake of the first soundtrack of his career - “River Queen” - which immediately yielded him an award.
State-X New Forms Festival: Highlighting the Scandinavian Scene
In just under two weeks, The Hague in the Netherlands will host the State-X New Forms Festival. Recognised as a daring and truly individual approach to programming, the 2007 edition of the State-X New Forms Festival again boasts a line-up which will have open-minded music fans baiting and battling for tickets. With styles ranging from Jazz to Rock, from the Avantgarde to Atmospherics and from Electronic to Acoustic, the roster is eclectic in the original sense of the word. The organisors have also invited as many big names (involving giants such as Aphex Twin and Motorpsycho) as complete unknowns, serving a highly stimulating cocktail. Bearing this in mind, the State-X New Forms Festival easily lives up to its own motto of “X-Plore, X-Plain and X- Pect”. As in previous editions, there will be a seasonal focal point. This year, special attention will go out to the contribution Scandinavian countries have made to the experimental scene. Expect to be surprised as we’ll bring you full coverage of both days at the State-X New Forms Festival on December 14th and 15th here on tokafi.
Herbert von Karajan: DVD Box sets for his 100th birthday
Sony BMG Masterworks have announced the release of 3 special DVD sets to commemorate the 100th birthday of Herbert von Karajan. The DVD boxes will be released on April 5th of 2008 and comprise video footage of Herbert von Karajan conducting all nine symphonies by Ludwig van Beethoven, symphonies 4, 5 and six by Tchaikovsky as well as Richard Strauss’ Tone Poems. The label announced the DVD sets as a visually appealing extravaganza, which had received additional audio treatment through a very special re-recording procedure: “With an intricate speaker matrix, a well-levelled signal was generated on stage to trigger the room acoustics”, Sony BMG Masterworks explained. “In direct relation to the source material the room signals were then re-recorded with an orchestra-like microphone array and newly balanced – a technology spearheaded by a team around sound engineers Philipp Nedel and Michael Brammann at the Philharmonic Hall in Berlin and the Musikverein in Vienna – two main performance sites of Karajan’s career and also two halls world-renowned for their acoustics.” Almost 20 years after his death in 1989, Herbert von Karajan thus continues to be one of the record company’s and the entire classical scene’s most profitable brands.
Paavo Järvi: Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik
Paavo Järvi and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie have secured one of the awards at the prestigous annual German Critics' Prize “Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik”. Compared to the Echo, which traditionally draws a larger crowd but also heavy criticsm for its close relationship with the big record companies, the competition has a much more indendent ring to it and has been known to value musical quality higher than sales figures. Paavo Järvi snatched up the “Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik” for his recordings of Beethoven’s Symphonies No. 3 and 8 for RCA Red Seal. “Out of the abundance of Beethoven symphony recordings, this SACD production clearly stands out as a prelude to a new complete works.”, the jury stated in its judgement, “This recording is both original and rousing in its transparency and its luminous impact, in its chamber-musical sophistication and its balance of analysis and emotion.” The award comes as a special treat for this site as well, as tokafi team member Dirk Fischer was part of the production as recording engineer.
Roger Doyle: Prize-winning "The Ninth Set" out
Irish composer Roger Doyle ‘s prize-winning “The Ninth Set” has been made available to the public by German record company “Die Stadt”. The Hamburg-based label announced the CD has been designed as a full-colour digipack in a first edition of 600 copies. Parts four and five of “The Ninth Set” had secured the Magisterium Prize at this year's Bourges International Electro-acoustic Music Competition. Open only to composers with a minimum of 25 years of experience to their credit, the competition aims to pay hommage to works with the potential of turning into future classics of electro acoustic music. Next to a cash injection of 1.200 Euros, the prize included a promotion campaign for Roger Doyle, with a fourty-minute concert at the "Synthèse Festival 2007" as well as a sponsored CD release. Doyle didn’t have to think too long whom to turn to for the latter part of the bargain. “The Ninth Set”, after all, follows his involvement in another “Die Stadt” project, the incredibly succesful and widely applauded “Huge” by Clodagh Simmonds’ Fovea Hex.
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