primephonic: classical music in the digital age
Amplify your life with our 2017 e- magazine, featuring interviews with Philip Glass, insights on classical music in New York City and more!
Amplify your life with our 2017 e- magazine, featuring interviews with Philip Glass, insights on classical music in New York City and more!
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for life on an epic scale pr<strong>in</strong>ted issue 2017<br />
philip glass<br />
a mystical portrait<br />
<strong>the</strong> chronicles<br />
of stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
an unprecedented<br />
timel<strong>in</strong>e<br />
august<strong>in</strong> hadelich<br />
how do i listen?<br />
<strong>classical</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>digital</strong><br />
<strong>age</strong><br />
1
Press play.<br />
And pause.<br />
Immerse yourself <strong>in</strong> a<br />
world of <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
<strong>primephonic</strong>.com<br />
for life on an epic scale<br />
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table of<br />
contents<br />
from <strong>the</strong> editor................................ 6<br />
brooklyn, a <strong>classical</strong> portrait............ 14<br />
from <strong>the</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g studio................ 24<br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g user experience............... 44<br />
label portraits.................................. 46<br />
reviews............................................ 63<br />
historical calendar........................... 67<br />
30<br />
<strong>the</strong> brown<br />
album<br />
pentatone’s graphic designer shares his<br />
enthusiasm for br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g a breath of fresh air<br />
<strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> creation of album art<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
21<br />
maria callas<br />
maria callas had a remarkable<br />
voice unlike any o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
36<br />
<strong>the</strong> chronicles<br />
of stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
‘it feels like we're just gett<strong>in</strong>g started’<br />
52<br />
how do i listen?<br />
august<strong>in</strong> hadelich<br />
4
54<br />
<strong>music</strong> &<br />
architecture<br />
hans scharoun’s berl<strong>in</strong> philharmonie, one<br />
of <strong>the</strong> wonders of modern architecture<br />
contents<br />
8<br />
philip glass<br />
58<br />
unconventional<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments<br />
‘<strong>the</strong>re are more obscure and uncommon<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments <strong>in</strong> existence than ever before’<br />
‘can Philip Glass really be 80?’<br />
5
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
Editor<br />
Rachel Deloughry<br />
Creative director<br />
Simon Eder<br />
Art direction & design<br />
Joost de Boo<br />
Design assistant<br />
Bob Mollema<br />
Head of market<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Sharri Morris<br />
Market<strong>in</strong>g, distribution & advertis<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Dom<strong>in</strong>go Fernandez<br />
US market<strong>in</strong>g & distribution<br />
Jennifer Harr<strong>in</strong>gton<br />
US chief market<strong>in</strong>g officer<br />
Jonathan Bradley<br />
Head of bus<strong>in</strong>ess development<br />
Veronica Neo<br />
Proofread<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Kev<strong>in</strong> Pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Contributors<br />
Jessica Duchen<br />
Kev<strong>in</strong> Pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Rokas Kuč<strong>in</strong>skas<br />
Melanie Garrett<br />
Matt Adomeit<br />
Tristan Renfrow<br />
Beth Adelman<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
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6
editorial<br />
from <strong>the</strong> editor<br />
WORDS RACHEL DELOUGHRY<br />
We live <strong>in</strong> a fast-paced world of replaceable possessions, short attention<br />
spans, ever-chang<strong>in</strong>g fads and a constant fear of miss<strong>in</strong>g out. When I th<strong>in</strong>k<br />
about stream<strong>in</strong>g I usually th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>in</strong> terms of <strong>the</strong> here and now – it is current, I<br />
have immediate access, but what about <strong>the</strong> future? What will we have to show<br />
for it <strong>in</strong> years to come?<br />
Well that’s just it – stream<strong>in</strong>g is <strong>the</strong> future. We have come to a po<strong>in</strong>t as consumers<br />
where par<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs down to <strong>the</strong>ir essentials has become of higher<br />
value than own<strong>in</strong>g reams of “stuff”. Experiences are more important than possessions.<br />
This could not be more relevant than it is now, however, <strong>in</strong> terms of<br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>the</strong> quantity of quality <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> record<strong>in</strong>gs is astound<strong>in</strong>g. A<br />
listen<strong>in</strong>g experience br<strong>in</strong>gs you right to <strong>the</strong> epicentre of <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> and br<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
you closer to <strong>the</strong> real live performance, yet at <strong>the</strong> same time it gives us access<br />
to a diversity with<strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> that we could never have dreamed of even<br />
a decade ago. You can have unlimited listen<strong>in</strong>g but it’s not go<strong>in</strong>g to clutter<br />
your house and your life. A monthly stream<strong>in</strong>g subscription that costs as little<br />
as an album and is k<strong>in</strong>der to <strong>the</strong> environment? Its value is <strong>in</strong>disputable.<br />
In this magaz<strong>in</strong>e, you will encounter mix<strong>in</strong>g and match<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> obvious and<br />
<strong>the</strong> unexpected: take for example <strong>the</strong> architect of <strong>the</strong> Berl<strong>in</strong> Philharmonie for<br />
whom organic structure proved fundamental to good sound and a designer<br />
of album art who man<strong>age</strong>s to pay tribute to <strong>the</strong> past look<strong>in</strong>g toward <strong>the</strong><br />
future, <strong>the</strong>reby play<strong>in</strong>g with our expectations; to a Grammy-w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g viol<strong>in</strong>ist<br />
who grew up <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> countryside, access<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> sound of <strong>the</strong> greats mostly<br />
through record<strong>in</strong>gs. In this issue, we explore <strong>the</strong> world of stream<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong> and<br />
how far we have come s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> so-called Golden Age of Record<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong><br />
mid-twentieth century. Enjoy!<br />
7
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
Can Philip Glass really be 80? He and his <strong>music</strong> possess a<br />
quality of youthfulness, of timelessness, that is entirely of<br />
our day while go<strong>in</strong>g beyond it <strong>in</strong>to more mysterious, universal<br />
spheres. So dist<strong>in</strong>ctive is his voice, and so <strong>in</strong>fluential, that<br />
he has plenty of detractors. M<strong>in</strong>or arpeggios, <strong>in</strong>cantatory<br />
melodies, <strong>in</strong>terweav<strong>in</strong>g motifs, a gradual progression of<br />
change… But take a closer look. M<strong>in</strong>imalism? No way.<br />
WORDS JESSICA DUCHEN PHOTO STEVE PYKE<br />
8
<strong>the</strong><br />
mystical<br />
heart<br />
of<br />
philip<br />
glass<br />
philip glass playlist<br />
Philip Glass: Viol<strong>in</strong> Concerto No. 2 “The<br />
American Four Seasons” I.<br />
LPO<br />
Philip Glass: Satyagraha, Act I Tolstoy,<br />
Scene 1<br />
Sony<br />
Philip Glass: Dream<strong>in</strong>g Awake<br />
Sono Lum<strong>in</strong>us<br />
Philip Glass: Naqoyqatsi,<br />
“The Vivid Unknown”<br />
Sony<br />
Philip Glass: The Photographer, Act I<br />
“A Gentleman’s Honor”<br />
Sony<br />
Philip Glass: The Complete Str<strong>in</strong>g Quartets<br />
of Philip Glass – Str<strong>in</strong>g Quartet No. 2<br />
“Company” I. Signum Records<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
Glass distanced himself from that<br />
term decades ago – now he prefers<br />
to say that he composes “<strong>music</strong><br />
with repetitive structures”. Indeed,<br />
you only have to look at his multifarious<br />
range of <strong>in</strong>fluences to grasp<br />
<strong>the</strong> sheer range that has fed <strong>in</strong>to<br />
<strong>the</strong> mix. Among important formative<br />
experiences, he could cite his<br />
<strong>in</strong>tensive studies with <strong>the</strong> pedagogue<br />
Nadia Boulanger <strong>in</strong> Paris; work<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
Indian <strong>music</strong> with Ravi Shankar; <strong>the</strong><br />
downtown art scene of New York<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1960s; <strong>the</strong>atre, poetry and<br />
literature <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Hermann Hesse,<br />
Samuel Beckett and Allen G<strong>in</strong>sberg;<br />
travell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> globe, explor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong><br />
of many cultures; a passion for<br />
Schubert; and <strong>the</strong> visceral energy<br />
and atmosphere of New York itself.<br />
The list could cont<strong>in</strong>ue.<br />
Yet <strong>the</strong>re is mysticism, somewhere <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> heart of it. Travell<strong>in</strong>g across India<br />
by tra<strong>in</strong>, he recalls <strong>in</strong> his autobiography,<br />
Words Without Music: “Music<br />
was no longer a metaphor for <strong>the</strong><br />
real world somewhere out <strong>the</strong>re. It<br />
was becom<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> opposite. The ‘out<br />
<strong>the</strong>re’ stuff was <strong>the</strong> metaphor and<br />
<strong>the</strong> real part was, and is to this day,<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong>.”<br />
All of this is reflected to some<br />
degree <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> pianist Bruce Lev<strong>in</strong>gston’s<br />
latest album of Glass’s<br />
<strong>music</strong>, entitled Dream<strong>in</strong>g Awake.<br />
A pianist celebrated for his devotion<br />
to perform<strong>in</strong>g contemporary<br />
repertoire, Lev<strong>in</strong>gston has <strong>in</strong>cluded<br />
a selection of Glass’s piano études –<br />
poetic distillations of his composition<br />
method <strong>in</strong> which <strong>music</strong>al process and<br />
substance become one. There are<br />
unmistakable nods towards Schubert<br />
– <strong>the</strong> Etude Book 2 No.12 opens<br />
with <strong>the</strong> same figure as Schubert’s F<br />
m<strong>in</strong>or Fantasy for piano duet. Alongside<br />
<strong>the</strong>se pieces is an extraord<strong>in</strong>ary<br />
work, Wichita Vortex Sutra, <strong>in</strong> which<br />
<strong>the</strong> actor Ethan Hawke jo<strong>in</strong>s Lev<strong>in</strong>gston<br />
to recite part of <strong>the</strong> poem of<br />
that title by G<strong>in</strong>sburg, <strong>the</strong> declamation<br />
– which sounds as if torn from<br />
<strong>the</strong> depths of <strong>the</strong> poet’s and actor’s<br />
souls – becom<strong>in</strong>g part of <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong>al<br />
fabric. With poetry its driv<strong>in</strong>g force,<br />
<strong>in</strong> words or <strong>music</strong>, <strong>the</strong> album proves<br />
both seductive and hypnotic.<br />
It was a chance encounter with<br />
G<strong>in</strong>sburg <strong>in</strong> a New York bookshop<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1988 that led to <strong>the</strong> piece’s<br />
composition: hav<strong>in</strong>g agreed to<br />
perform <strong>in</strong> a fundrais<strong>in</strong>g event, Glass<br />
asked <strong>the</strong> poet if he would agree<br />
to appear with him, perform<strong>in</strong>g<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r a recitation with new <strong>music</strong><br />
that Glass would compose specially.<br />
G<strong>in</strong>sburg chose <strong>the</strong> poem at once<br />
and Glass wrote <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong> a<br />
matter of days. The two rema<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
close friends <strong>the</strong>reafter and worked<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r extensively, notably on <strong>the</strong><br />
collection Hydrogen Jukebox, 20<br />
songs for six s<strong>in</strong>gers.<br />
If <strong>the</strong>re is a meditative quality to<br />
Glass’s <strong>music</strong> and its effect upon us,<br />
that is no co<strong>in</strong>cidence. Born <strong>in</strong> Baltimore<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1937, he has been a spiritual<br />
seeker for most of his life. The many<br />
<strong>in</strong>spirations beh<strong>in</strong>d that <strong>in</strong>cluded<br />
<strong>the</strong> writ<strong>in</strong>gs of Hermann Hesse,<br />
whose works he devoured e<strong>age</strong>rly<br />
as a young man, along with those of<br />
Kerouac, G<strong>in</strong>sburg and o<strong>the</strong>rs. “It<br />
was a time of awaken<strong>in</strong>g,” he writes.<br />
He was <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> Hesse’s vision<br />
of “a transcendental life…that took<br />
you beyond <strong>the</strong> visible world.”<br />
He took up yoga before it ever<br />
became fashionable, seek<strong>in</strong>g out<br />
10
portrait<br />
a teacher <strong>in</strong> New York simply by<br />
look<strong>in</strong>g under <strong>the</strong> letter Y <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
White P<strong>age</strong>s. He contacted <strong>the</strong> sole<br />
entry, Yogi Vithaldas, who became<br />
his teacher and under whose impact<br />
he quickly turned vegetarian. It later<br />
turned out that Vithaldas had also<br />
taught Yehudi Menuh<strong>in</strong>. Over ten<br />
years Glass visited India and Tibet,<br />
immers<strong>in</strong>g himself <strong>in</strong> particular <strong>in</strong><br />
research on Mahatma Gandhi: work<br />
that eventually morphed <strong>in</strong>to his<br />
sem<strong>in</strong>al and transformative opera<br />
Satyagraha. S<strong>in</strong>ce those days, his<br />
explorations of spiritual cultures have<br />
extended to Buddhism and Mexican<br />
Toltec traditions.<br />
It’s tempt<strong>in</strong>g to wonder whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong><br />
sounds of chant<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>the</strong> repetition<br />
of mantras <strong>in</strong>filtrated his develop<strong>in</strong>g<br />
style at <strong>the</strong> time. “Did it affect<br />
my style? It’s hard to say,” Glass<br />
muses. “But besides Satyagraha, I did<br />
a big piece about Ramakrishna, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> Symphony No.5 uses around 34<br />
texts from different traditions. So <strong>in</strong><br />
some ways it’s gone <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
directly, ei<strong>the</strong>r because it’s about <strong>the</strong><br />
person, or because it’s <strong>the</strong>ir texts<br />
I’ve used. It’s not an <strong>in</strong>fluence: it’s an<br />
actual us<strong>age</strong>. The connection is right<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> itself.”<br />
The Passion of Ramakrishna is <strong>the</strong><br />
“big piece” <strong>in</strong> question, a grand-scale<br />
oratorio: “The <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>g is<br />
that I made <strong>the</strong> chorus <strong>the</strong> voice of<br />
‘ sometimes<br />
you can hear<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs, but<br />
you don’t<br />
know how to<br />
write <strong>the</strong>m<br />
down’<br />
Ramakrishna and <strong>the</strong> soloists are<br />
his students – so when he speaks,<br />
it’s <strong>the</strong> whole chorus,” says Glass.<br />
“The idea is that he spoke <strong>in</strong> terms<br />
of universals – and we put 60 or 120<br />
people toge<strong>the</strong>r so that it becomes<br />
humanity, not just s<strong>in</strong>gers any more.<br />
I made <strong>the</strong> voice of Ramakrishna<br />
humanity.<br />
So because of <strong>the</strong> way I<br />
processed it I began to understand<br />
which of <strong>the</strong> voices Ramakrishna is. I<br />
called it The Passion of Ramakrishna,<br />
like <strong>the</strong> Bach St Mat<strong>the</strong>w Passion. I<br />
talked to <strong>the</strong> head of <strong>the</strong> episcopal<br />
church <strong>in</strong> New York at <strong>the</strong> time and<br />
asked him if that was <strong>the</strong> proper use<br />
of <strong>the</strong> word: ‘passion’ as <strong>the</strong> moment<br />
of transfiguration when he leaves <strong>the</strong><br />
mortal life and maybe he enters <strong>in</strong>to<br />
<strong>the</strong> world of immortality – someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
like that, we don’t know what it is. He<br />
said it was perfect.”<br />
Glass’s devotion to matters spiritual,<br />
humanitarian and social may<br />
spr<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> part from his background<br />
as <strong>the</strong> youngest son of a family of<br />
Jewish immigrants who sent him to a<br />
Quaker school. His fa<strong>the</strong>r, Ben, had a<br />
record store <strong>in</strong> Baltimore and Glass<br />
recalls that he and his bro<strong>the</strong>r as chil-<br />
dren were required to break up some<br />
of <strong>the</strong> unsold records <strong>in</strong> order to<br />
return <strong>the</strong>m, dam<strong>age</strong>d, for refunds.<br />
But when Ben began to br<strong>in</strong>g home<br />
record<strong>in</strong>gs of <strong>music</strong> by Schoenberg,<br />
Bartók and o<strong>the</strong>rs to see why <strong>the</strong>y<br />
were not sell<strong>in</strong>g, fa<strong>the</strong>r and son were<br />
both entranced by what <strong>the</strong>y heard.<br />
For years Glass explored new <strong>music</strong><br />
of all types, soak<strong>in</strong>g up works across<br />
<strong>the</strong> spectrum from Pierre Boulez to<br />
John C<strong>age</strong> to rock <strong>music</strong>. Instead of<br />
follow<strong>in</strong>g traditional academic routes<br />
<strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> world, he took an undergraduate<br />
degree at <strong>the</strong> University<br />
of Chicago, <strong>the</strong>n enrolled <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> adult<br />
education section of <strong>the</strong> Juilliard<br />
School <strong>in</strong> New York. There followed<br />
two years <strong>in</strong> Paris on a scholarship,<br />
study<strong>in</strong>g with Boulanger, before he<br />
returned to New York with <strong>the</strong> rigorous<br />
technical ground<strong>in</strong>g that enabled<br />
him to develop his own <strong>music</strong>al voice.<br />
He juggled creative work with earn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a crust variously <strong>in</strong> steelworks,<br />
haul<strong>age</strong>, plumb<strong>in</strong>g and cab-driv<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
By <strong>the</strong> time anyone approached him<br />
about a teach<strong>in</strong>g position, he relates,<br />
he was 72 and not remotely <strong>in</strong>terested.<br />
But <strong>the</strong>n, Glass has never fitted<br />
<strong>the</strong> academic bill. Perhaps his routes<br />
did not match <strong>the</strong> approved fashions<br />
of <strong>the</strong> time. Yet his endur<strong>in</strong>g effect<br />
on <strong>the</strong> world around us – <strong>music</strong>al and<br />
more – has gone far beyond that of<br />
many esteemed <strong>music</strong> professors.<br />
11
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
Young composers have beaten a<br />
path to his door for advice <strong>in</strong> any<br />
case; some have worked for him –<br />
among <strong>the</strong>m Nico Muhly – assist<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with <strong>the</strong> matters of adm<strong>in</strong>istration<br />
and publish<strong>in</strong>g of his works, all of<br />
which he controls.<br />
Glass relates <strong>in</strong> his book that his<br />
mo<strong>the</strong>r on her deathbed <strong>in</strong>structed<br />
him to keep hold of his copyright –<br />
and he still does. Some of his works<br />
may be legally played only by his<br />
Philip Glass Ensemble. “We started<br />
<strong>the</strong> group when I came back from<br />
Europe,” he expla<strong>in</strong>s. “I came back<br />
because no one <strong>in</strong> Europe would<br />
play <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong>. I called some friends<br />
I went to school with, and we put a<br />
group toge<strong>the</strong>r. Right away, when<br />
I was writ<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong>, I felt had to<br />
control <strong>the</strong> publication of it, because<br />
to give it away was not a good idea<br />
from my po<strong>in</strong>t of view.”<br />
Because people didn’t understand<br />
it? “No, because I wouldn’t get <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>come,” Glass responds. “I was<br />
mak<strong>in</strong>g my liv<strong>in</strong>g play<strong>in</strong>g – it was a<br />
practical matter. So if you want to<br />
hear E<strong>in</strong>ste<strong>in</strong> on <strong>the</strong> Beach played,<br />
my group has to play it. No one else<br />
can play it. They don’t have <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
and it’s actually illegal to handle<br />
it. I also became a publisher very<br />
quickly because I knew I wouldn’t be<br />
a teacher. This was only way I was<br />
go<strong>in</strong>g to make a liv<strong>in</strong>g from writ<strong>in</strong>g –<br />
and it was far from clear that I would.<br />
I was 41 before that happened.”<br />
The work that changed everyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
was his opera Satyagraha: “That<br />
took me <strong>in</strong>to mak<strong>in</strong>g a liv<strong>in</strong>g. But it<br />
‘we have to<br />
remember<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
one of<br />
<strong>the</strong> great<br />
pleasures<br />
of be<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
<strong>music</strong>ian<br />
is play<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>music</strong>’<br />
started off slowly and even <strong>the</strong> year<br />
before I had no idea that later on I<br />
would not be work<strong>in</strong>g at a day job.<br />
In fact, I’d been liv<strong>in</strong>g off of <strong>music</strong><br />
for six months before it occurred to<br />
me that I hadn’t had a day job all that<br />
time. I remember it very clearly: my<br />
cab license came up for renewal –<br />
and I renewed it. I had no confidence<br />
that I would be able to make a liv<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
But I didn’t use it and three years<br />
later when it came up for renewal<br />
aga<strong>in</strong> I didn’t renew it. That tells you<br />
where I was at.”<br />
Whe<strong>the</strong>r opera, <strong>the</strong>atre, dance, film<br />
or <strong>music</strong> to match <strong>the</strong> visual art or<br />
writ<strong>in</strong>g of his friends and colleagues,<br />
Glass has always excelled <strong>in</strong> collaborative<br />
<strong>music</strong>-mak<strong>in</strong>g. Perform<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with his own ensemble seems an<br />
organic part of that openness and<br />
practicality. “We have to remember<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g: one of <strong>the</strong> great pleasures<br />
of be<strong>in</strong>g a <strong>music</strong>ian is play<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>music</strong>,” he adds, with a smile, “and<br />
that’s not restricted to performers<br />
only – composers can play <strong>music</strong><br />
too. My generation played our <strong>music</strong><br />
and we were <strong>in</strong>fluenced by people<br />
from John Coltrane to Ravi Shankar<br />
– <strong>the</strong>se were composers who played<br />
<strong>music</strong>. That’s one way to go. Not<br />
everyone did that, but a lot of young<br />
people do now. The money won’t be<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> records any more, but it can<br />
be <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> way <strong>music</strong> is used, whe<strong>the</strong>r<br />
it’s <strong>in</strong> a film or a fashion show.”<br />
Despite his prolific output and<br />
worldwide fame, Glass never rests on<br />
any laurels – hence <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tersection<br />
of spiritual practice, physical condition<br />
and absolute pragmatism. “I<br />
would say that because of yoga I’ve<br />
gotten a long, healthy, active life,” he<br />
says. “That’s without even go<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to<br />
<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r benefits to do with be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
more able to control stress, tension,<br />
anxiety and all <strong>the</strong> maledictions of<br />
contemporary existence.<br />
“I’ve been a vegetarian s<strong>in</strong>ce I was<br />
20. It’s a practical way of liv<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Younger people are much more<br />
<strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>ed to see it as a necessary part<br />
of life and <strong>the</strong> people who don’t, who<br />
simply ignore it and do noth<strong>in</strong>g at all,<br />
by <strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong>y’re <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir seventies<br />
<strong>the</strong>y are fall<strong>in</strong>g apart. You can’t<br />
consider work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to your n<strong>in</strong>eties if<br />
you haven’t done it – well, some can,<br />
but it br<strong>in</strong>gs tremendous benefits<br />
not just to your physical health, but<br />
your mental health. My work is very<br />
difficult <strong>in</strong> that we’re often work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on four hours of sleep because <strong>the</strong><br />
travel doesn’t allow for anyth<strong>in</strong>g else.<br />
It’s not a good way to do it. But I’ve<br />
also learned how to rest. There are a<br />
lot of th<strong>in</strong>gs you can learn: <strong>the</strong>re are<br />
ways of putt<strong>in</strong>g your body to sleep<br />
12
title goes here<br />
and rest<strong>in</strong>g for even 20 m<strong>in</strong>utes.”<br />
The surprise is that he is clearly<br />
consider<strong>in</strong>g work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to his n<strong>in</strong>eties<br />
– but <strong>the</strong>n aga<strong>in</strong>, why would he not?<br />
The joy of creat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong> has never<br />
left him. “I write very fast,” he remarks,<br />
“but to <strong>in</strong>vent a langu<strong>age</strong> you<br />
need time. You need time to work<br />
out what you’re hear<strong>in</strong>g. Sometimes<br />
you can hear th<strong>in</strong>gs, but you don’t<br />
know how to write <strong>the</strong>m down. That’s<br />
when you know you’re really work<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
when you don’t know how to do it.<br />
That’s <strong>the</strong> best time. And that can<br />
still happen.”<br />
Now anyth<strong>in</strong>g can happen, and<br />
probably will. Events to mark his big<br />
birthday are currently tak<strong>in</strong>g place<br />
all over <strong>the</strong> world. His operas The<br />
Perfect American, about Walt Disney,<br />
and The Trial, based on Kafka’s novel,<br />
are hav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir US premieres; he<br />
is writ<strong>in</strong>g a piano concerto entitled<br />
A Far Cry to be premiered <strong>in</strong><br />
September by <strong>the</strong> pianist Simone<br />
D<strong>in</strong>nerste<strong>in</strong>; next season he will<br />
hold <strong>the</strong> Richard and Barbara Debs<br />
Composer Chair at Carnegie Hall.<br />
London has already brought him<br />
a Total Immersion weekend at <strong>the</strong><br />
Barbican; o<strong>the</strong>r European events<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude <strong>the</strong> Swiss premiere of<br />
Satyagraha and Austrian premiere of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Symphony No. 11, and <strong>the</strong> Viol<strong>in</strong><br />
Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 are both<br />
tour<strong>in</strong>g widely. These are just a few<br />
selections.<br />
Glass is a composer whose <strong>music</strong> has<br />
encapsulated <strong>the</strong> spirit of today as<br />
few o<strong>the</strong>rs could. The mystery is only<br />
what he will turn his hand to next.<br />
As he has sometimes said, “When<br />
society becomes unh<strong>in</strong>ged, <strong>the</strong> arts<br />
get really good.” And now? “Today<br />
<strong>the</strong> arts are gett<strong>in</strong>g really good!” he<br />
declares.<br />
Jessica Duchen’s <strong>music</strong> journalism<br />
has appeared <strong>in</strong> The Independent,<br />
The Guardian and The Sunday Times.<br />
She is <strong>the</strong> author of a number<br />
of novels (most recently Ghost<br />
Variations, published <strong>in</strong> 2016),<br />
biographies and plays. Current<br />
projects <strong>in</strong>clude an opera libretto<br />
for composer Roxanna Panufnik<br />
(for Gars<strong>in</strong>gton Opera 2017). Her<br />
popular blog JDCMB has run s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
2004.<br />
13
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
brooklyn,<br />
a <strong>classical</strong><br />
portrait<br />
New York City has five boroughs, but when people say “The City,” <strong>the</strong>y<br />
mean Manhattan. The o<strong>the</strong>r four have always been “<strong>the</strong> outer boroughs,”<br />
full of people who make <strong>the</strong>ir way <strong>in</strong>to Manhattan to work, eat out <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
better restaurants, and enjoy all <strong>the</strong> culture New York is famous for. It’s a<br />
Manhattan-centric world. Or at least, it has been.<br />
WORDS BETH ADELMAN<br />
14
Welcome to Brooklyn. Powered by that greatest of all<br />
drivers <strong>in</strong> New York City—real estate—<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> past decade<br />
Brooklyn’s demographics have been transformed. An<br />
explosion of high-end hous<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> downtown Brooklyn<br />
and Williamsburg, along with <strong>the</strong> transformation<br />
of much of <strong>the</strong> Brooklyn waterfront,<br />
has lured people priced out of<br />
Manhattan to a borough that’s diverse,<br />
livable, cultured, and still affordable (just<br />
barely).<br />
The <strong>in</strong>flux of culturally enthusiastic and<br />
curious residents has created a place<br />
for <strong>the</strong> arts to flourish. Brooklynites are<br />
stay<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir home borough when<br />
<strong>the</strong>y go out at night, and support<strong>in</strong>g<br />
cultural <strong>in</strong>stitutions that are now lur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Manhattanites across <strong>the</strong> water to see<br />
what’s happen<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Brooklyn.<br />
Brooklyn’s <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> venues, old<br />
and new, are figur<strong>in</strong>g out ways to br<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong>se audiences <strong>in</strong> and show <strong>the</strong>m someth<strong>in</strong>g traditional<br />
<strong>in</strong> a new way, or someth<strong>in</strong>g new <strong>in</strong> an untraditional way,<br />
or some of all of those th<strong>in</strong>gs. They’re ask<strong>in</strong>g questions<br />
about programm<strong>in</strong>g choices and ticket prices and<br />
seat<strong>in</strong>g arrangements, and all com<strong>in</strong>g up with different<br />
answers.<br />
‘<strong>the</strong> st<strong>age</strong><br />
area puts <strong>the</strong><br />
performers<br />
so close to<br />
<strong>the</strong> audience,<br />
it's like a<br />
pett<strong>in</strong>g zoo’<br />
BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC<br />
For years, <strong>the</strong> Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), one<br />
of Brooklyn’s oldest cultural <strong>in</strong>stitutions, ran a bus from<br />
midtown Manhattan to its home <strong>in</strong> Fort Greene. BAM is<br />
two blocks from a major subway hub,<br />
but those two blocks seemed like too<br />
much to walk for some.<br />
These days, <strong>the</strong> BAM bus is gone, <strong>the</strong><br />
subway hub is also a mall, <strong>the</strong>re’s an<br />
NBA arena a block away, BAM has<br />
three build<strong>in</strong>gs, and is at <strong>the</strong> heart of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Brooklyn Cultural District—a $100<br />
million city development project that<br />
focuses on arts organizations, affordable<br />
hous<strong>in</strong>g, and public spaces.<br />
Classical <strong>music</strong> is part of BAM’s very<br />
eclectic programm<strong>in</strong>g, and is usually<br />
part of someth<strong>in</strong>g else—opera, dance,<br />
or <strong>the</strong>ater, said BAM president Katy<br />
Clark. “We’re very much <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> way genres collide.” A few seasons ago <strong>the</strong> Debussy<br />
Str<strong>in</strong>g Quartet shared st<strong>age</strong> with Australian acrobat<br />
troupe Circa, for example, each <strong>in</strong>terpret<strong>in</strong>g Shostakovich<br />
<strong>in</strong> its own way. And BAM often plays host to Baroque<br />
operas st<strong>age</strong>d by Les Arts Florissants and ballets by Mark<br />
Morris.<br />
15
“We want to present <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong> its many forms,” Clark said,<br />
“and a lot of that is driven by architecture. The Gilman is<br />
<strong>the</strong> city’s most beautiful opera house.”<br />
BAM’s audience has never been <strong>the</strong> same demographic<br />
as a typical Manhattan audience, she added. They’ve always<br />
been younger, more adventurous, and less affluent.<br />
That’s why even today, one-third of all<br />
tickets are under $35. Most events offer<br />
a wide range of ticket prices. BAM’s<br />
three build<strong>in</strong>gs are all set up as traditional<br />
<strong>the</strong>atres with seats.<br />
Clark said just over half of BAM’s audience<br />
are Brooklynites, and <strong>the</strong> rest are<br />
mostly from Manhattan. That’s a recent<br />
development. Fort Greene is now full<br />
of high-end restaurants and high-rise<br />
apartment build<strong>in</strong>gs, where BAM is<br />
partner<strong>in</strong>g with developers to make<br />
sure its neighbours know what’s com<strong>in</strong>g<br />
up. “People are walk<strong>in</strong>g around late at<br />
night; <strong>the</strong> whole area feels comfortable and vibrant,”<br />
Clark said.<br />
NATIONAL SAWDUST<br />
Perhaps no recent Brooklyn venue has opened to more<br />
buzz than National Sawdust, which debuted 2015 <strong>in</strong><br />
Williamsburg, <strong>the</strong> poster-neighborhood for hip young<br />
gentrification. David Lang, John Zorn, Meredith Monk,<br />
Nico Muhly, Philip Glass, and Laurie Anderson—a who’s<br />
who of <strong>the</strong> new <strong>music</strong> scene—are<br />
among those on <strong>the</strong> artistic advisory<br />
‘...actually, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
hoot and holler<br />
after <strong>the</strong> arias,<br />
which is how it<br />
used to be <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
old days’<br />
board, and composer Paola Prest<strong>in</strong>i<br />
is executive and creative director.<br />
The 13,000-square-foot venue, a<br />
renovated sawdust factory, <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />
rehearsal and development spaces, a<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g studio, and a trendy bistro.<br />
About half <strong>the</strong> events <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> performance<br />
space are <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>,<br />
accord<strong>in</strong>g to Courtenay Casey, vice<br />
general man<strong>age</strong>r and senior director<br />
of artistic plann<strong>in</strong>g, with a clear<br />
preponderance of new <strong>music</strong>.<br />
There are 350 to 400 events a year, and most nights are<br />
double-booked. Many of <strong>the</strong> performances are planned<br />
by curators <strong>in</strong> different genres; about a quarter of <strong>the</strong>m<br />
16
work <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>. There are also residency programmes<br />
for 12 artists a year, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g commission<strong>in</strong>g<br />
support and concerts. Casey remembers one night when<br />
a str<strong>in</strong>g quartet was play<strong>in</strong>g Bartok for <strong>the</strong> first show and<br />
pop s<strong>in</strong>ger Kimbra was <strong>the</strong> second show. “About 20 people<br />
came to both,” she said. “That’s what we want to be.”<br />
The performance space holds 250 stand<strong>in</strong>g, 150 chairs,<br />
or 95 <strong>in</strong> a cabaret configurations with tables and chairs.<br />
“We realized audience members anticipate what a show<br />
will be depend<strong>in</strong>g on how <strong>the</strong> room is set up,” Casey said,<br />
so club <strong>music</strong> is stand<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> is seated.<br />
Ticket prices range from $29 to $35 and up.<br />
Brooklyn is def<strong>in</strong>itely <strong>the</strong> biggest audience base, Casey<br />
said, and locals get a break on ticket prices. But Manhattan<br />
audiences do come when it’s someth<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>y specifically<br />
want to hear. The advent of Uber has helped drive<br />
some of that attendance, because New York’s yellow<br />
taxis don’t cruise for fares <strong>in</strong> Brooklyn. Ages range from<br />
people <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir 20s—who like <strong>the</strong> club vibe of stand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
room—to opera fans <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir 50s and 60s, who like <strong>the</strong><br />
eclectic programm<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“People will go where <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> is that <strong>the</strong>y want to<br />
hear,” Casey said. But <strong>the</strong> ultimate idea is to make National<br />
Sawdust a <strong>music</strong> dest<strong>in</strong>ation where people come<br />
to hear whatever is on that night. It’s a goal <strong>the</strong>y’re still<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g on.<br />
ROULETTE<br />
Roulette began <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> late 1970s as a 75-seat venue <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> TriBeCa apartment loft of one of its founders. It was<br />
lean and nimble and alt and risky. Bill Frisell, Philip Glass,<br />
Yusef Lateef, Kaija Saariaho and John Zorn made <strong>music</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>re. But it was also <strong>in</strong> a residential build<strong>in</strong>g, and zon<strong>in</strong>g<br />
laws are such that eventually <strong>the</strong>y had to leave. So <strong>in</strong> 2011<br />
Roulette took up residence <strong>in</strong> a 400-seat <strong>the</strong>atre with a<br />
classic proscenium arch—housed <strong>in</strong> a YWCA built <strong>in</strong> 1928.<br />
“Suddenly we were <strong>in</strong> a million-dollar facility with overhead<br />
and staff,” and about 120 events a year, said David<br />
We<strong>in</strong>ste<strong>in</strong>, director of special projects and one of <strong>the</strong><br />
founders. “We had to become more Manhattan-y to<br />
meet those new standards.”<br />
But it has not strayed far from its <strong>music</strong>al roots. “A lot<br />
of what we do is edgy, experimental, not easy or even<br />
necessarily fun, so you get an audience of 50 people. But<br />
you’re glad, because <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong>ians get paid and someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
gets born,” We<strong>in</strong>ste<strong>in</strong> said.<br />
To balance that out, Roulette also programmes jazz and<br />
world <strong>music</strong>, and <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>. Plus, <strong>the</strong>re are several<br />
curated series and artist residencies offered every year.<br />
“We want to energize people to try new th<strong>in</strong>gs and feel<br />
supported and comfortable. But I also want everyone to<br />
have a nice, quiet room that is appropriate for listen<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
That means <strong>the</strong> audience is seated, and <strong>the</strong>re is just one<br />
show a night, so artists are not rushed, and can m<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
with <strong>the</strong> audience afterwards. Tickets range between $15<br />
and $30.<br />
“People who are used to perform<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a d<strong>in</strong>gy space<br />
may overreach or misunderstand what’s great about <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
work, but a space like this can be a little leap forward for<br />
<strong>the</strong>m, encour<strong>age</strong> to up <strong>the</strong>ir game a notch and be a bit<br />
more ambitious <strong>in</strong> scale. When someone succeeds, it’s<br />
super <strong>in</strong>spir<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
Roulette is very much artist-driven, mean<strong>in</strong>g most people<br />
who come are fans of <strong>the</strong> performers, know exactly what<br />
<strong>the</strong>y’re go<strong>in</strong>g to hear, and have no problem gett<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
<strong>the</strong> subway and go<strong>in</strong>g to Brooklyn to hear it. The staff is<br />
still try<strong>in</strong>g to figure out who is mov<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> cluster of<br />
high-end high-rise apartment build<strong>in</strong>gs go<strong>in</strong>g up <strong>in</strong> downtown<br />
Brooklyn, and what <strong>the</strong>y want to listen to. For now,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y’re work<strong>in</strong>g with developers to <strong>in</strong>troduce <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />
to <strong>the</strong> new neighbours.<br />
17
ooklyn playlist<br />
Carol<strong>in</strong>e Shaw: Its Motion Keeps<br />
New Amsterdam<br />
Bryce Dessner: Murder Ballades –<br />
Omie Wise<br />
Cedille<br />
Jennifer Higdon: Cold Mounta<strong>in</strong>,<br />
Scene II, Inman’s aria ‘The Metal Age’<br />
PENTATONE<br />
Philip Glass: Etude No. 1<br />
Sony<br />
Michael Daugherty: Brooklyn Bridge, IV.<br />
North<br />
GIA W<strong>in</strong>dWorks<br />
Sergei Prokofiev: Viol<strong>in</strong> Concerto No. 2<br />
<strong>in</strong> G M<strong>in</strong>or, Op. 63 II Andante tranquillo<br />
Canary Classics<br />
BARGEMUSIC<br />
Barge<strong>music</strong>, an old coffee barge permanently<br />
moored <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> East River at <strong>the</strong><br />
site of <strong>the</strong> old Fulton Ferry, has been a<br />
venue for chamber <strong>music</strong> for 40 years,<br />
showcas<strong>in</strong>g young talent and, orig<strong>in</strong>ally,<br />
exclusively <strong>classical</strong> repertoire—Mozart,<br />
Brahms, Schubert, Chop<strong>in</strong>, and so on.<br />
The barge seats about 75 people, and<br />
lately artistic and executive director<br />
Mark Peskanov has been cutt<strong>in</strong>g that down a bit because<br />
he prefers <strong>the</strong> acoustic and ambience with a smaller<br />
audience. “This is a very different place, and people have<br />
very different expectations,” he said. “You have that very<br />
special view of <strong>the</strong> river and New York City, and that<br />
feel<strong>in</strong>g of gently rock<strong>in</strong>g—sometimes not so gently. The<br />
st<strong>age</strong> area puts <strong>the</strong> performers so close to <strong>the</strong> audience,<br />
it’s like a pett<strong>in</strong>g zoo.”<br />
Peskanov, a concert viol<strong>in</strong>ist, took over <strong>in</strong> 2005 as artistic<br />
and executive director from founder Olga Bloom,<br />
and has expanded <strong>the</strong> repertoire with <strong>the</strong> Here and<br />
Now series of newer works, some jazz and early <strong>music</strong>,<br />
‘maybe to get<br />
here you’re on<br />
a subway l<strong>in</strong>e<br />
you’ve never<br />
taken before’<br />
and free family concerts on Saturday<br />
afternoons.<br />
Barge<strong>music</strong> is an important first step<br />
for many young <strong>music</strong>ians; it’s got a<br />
group of regular performers, but “it’s<br />
not like a private club,” Peskanov said.<br />
“If you are a f<strong>in</strong>e performer, sooner or<br />
later we will <strong>in</strong>vite you here.”<br />
It’s a first step for many young listeners,<br />
too. It suddenly f<strong>in</strong>ds itself <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> middle<br />
of <strong>the</strong> grow<strong>in</strong>g DUMBO neighborhood and a brand new<br />
waterfront park, and <strong>the</strong> free concerts attract a lot of<br />
parents with little kids. Yes, <strong>the</strong>y do talk and wander and<br />
cry, Peskanov said, but “<strong>the</strong>y eventually learn how to<br />
behave, and meanwhile <strong>the</strong>y are hear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong> played at<br />
an artistically high level and it is s<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>.”<br />
The audience is “tourists and neighborhood people,<br />
people who wander <strong>in</strong> from <strong>the</strong> park, people who have<br />
never listened to <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> and real connoisseurs,”<br />
Peskanov said. “The barge is just an amaz<strong>in</strong>g experience.<br />
People tell me <strong>the</strong>y feel like <strong>the</strong>y’re on <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g’s barge,<br />
like royalty. This is what chamber <strong>music</strong> was made for.”<br />
18
LOFTOPERA<br />
NATIONAL SAWDUST<br />
BARGEMUSIC<br />
BAM<br />
ROULETTE<br />
COMPOSER STATUES<br />
Barge<strong>music</strong> presents about 200 concerts a year. Tickets<br />
are $40 to $45, with discounts for students and seniors.<br />
The seats are arranged <strong>in</strong> many configurations, but it’s all<br />
chairs.<br />
Peskanov added, “I love play<strong>in</strong>g here myself. It’s great to<br />
have such close communication with<strong>in</strong> such an <strong>in</strong>timate<br />
space. I often ask how many people have heard a piece<br />
for <strong>the</strong> first time—someth<strong>in</strong>g typical like Mozart—and a<br />
lot of people raise <strong>the</strong>ir hands. So for <strong>the</strong>m I have played<br />
a world premiere.”<br />
LOFTOPERA<br />
Unlike most of <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> venues <strong>in</strong> Brooklyn,<br />
LoftOpera has taken a very conscious turn away<br />
from new <strong>music</strong>. “We always wanted to take a populist<br />
stance and also br<strong>in</strong>g people to <strong>the</strong> classics,” said Brianna<br />
Maury, <strong>the</strong> general man<strong>age</strong>r and cofounder. Their<br />
audience is mostly first-time opera goers, and produc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
works whose names people recognize adds a bit of<br />
familiarity. “These beautiful masterworks are also more<br />
accessible than new <strong>music</strong>,” she said.<br />
LoftOpera was founded by Maury, her stepbro<strong>the</strong>r Daniel<br />
Ellis-Ferris, and his classmate at The New School Dean<br />
Buck, basically on a dare. (“We dared ourselves to do<br />
a production of Don Giovanni <strong>in</strong> 2013 and it sold out.”)<br />
It has s<strong>in</strong>ce grown from two events a year to four, with<br />
productions like Così fan tutte and Tosca, and com<strong>in</strong>g up<br />
later <strong>in</strong> 2017 Pagliacci and Bluebeard’s Castle. Each one<br />
is an orig<strong>in</strong>al production, with six performances. There<br />
is seat<strong>in</strong>g for about 500 on benches and all tickets are<br />
$30.<br />
Each production is <strong>in</strong> a different venue <strong>in</strong> Brooklyn,<br />
typically hidden-away spaces <strong>in</strong> Bedford-Stuyvesant and<br />
Bushwick—areas Maury says are “not really gentrified <strong>the</strong><br />
way o<strong>the</strong>r parts of Brooklyn have been.” The locations<br />
add to <strong>the</strong> sense of adventure. “We want to strip away<br />
<strong>the</strong> pretense of go<strong>in</strong>g to a place like L<strong>in</strong>coln Center,”<br />
said Maury. “Maybe to get here you’re on a subway l<strong>in</strong>e<br />
you’ve never taken before.”<br />
The s<strong>in</strong>gers and orchestra are recruited by <strong>music</strong> director<br />
Sean Kelly, who also teaches voice <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> U.S. and<br />
Italy. Musically, <strong>the</strong>y have, for <strong>the</strong> most part, enraptured<br />
New York critics.<br />
They’ve enraptured audiences as well. Maury said her<br />
novice audiences (almost all Brooklynites, with a smatter<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of visitors from <strong>the</strong> Upper West Side of Manhattan),<br />
many of whom have only heard <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong> clubs<br />
before, sit quietly because “<strong>the</strong>y’re listen<strong>in</strong>g so <strong>in</strong>tently<br />
that <strong>the</strong>y’re on <strong>the</strong> edge of <strong>the</strong>ir seats. They clap at all<br />
<strong>the</strong> right places—actually, <strong>the</strong>y hoot and holler after <strong>the</strong><br />
arias, which is how it used to be <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> old days.”<br />
Many first-time opera goers come for date night, and<br />
that is very much by design. LoftOpera markets itself on<br />
event sites like Thrillist, Flavorpill, GILT City, and Fever as<br />
a romantic, classy, yet affordable date. As a result, “We<br />
get couples mak<strong>in</strong>g out <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> audience,” said Maury. “We<br />
have even caught people hav<strong>in</strong>g sex <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> bathrooms.<br />
That’s how we know we’re successful.”<br />
It’s <strong>the</strong> sort of th<strong>in</strong>g that would get you thrown out of<br />
L<strong>in</strong>coln Center. Welcome to Brooklyn.<br />
19
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
20
portrait<br />
maria callas<br />
<strong>the</strong> voice<br />
Franco Zeffirelli’s new production of Pucc<strong>in</strong>i’s Tosca at <strong>the</strong> Royal Opera House Covent Garden<br />
<strong>in</strong> January 1964 was <strong>the</strong> most hotly anticipated event <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> calendar. Not only did <strong>the</strong> lavish<br />
production cost an eye-water<strong>in</strong>g £32,000 but it also marked <strong>the</strong> return to <strong>the</strong> st<strong>age</strong> of <strong>the</strong><br />
celebrated soprano and diva extraord<strong>in</strong>aire Maria Callas. After a glitter<strong>in</strong>g career <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1950s<br />
when she had divided <strong>the</strong> critics and <strong>the</strong> public alike with her remarkable s<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g voice and<br />
mesmeris<strong>in</strong>g st<strong>age</strong> presence, <strong>the</strong>re had been whisper<strong>in</strong>gs of her fad<strong>in</strong>g powers especially after<br />
she had taken up with <strong>the</strong> wealthy shipp<strong>in</strong>g magnate, Aristotle Onassis and all but disappeared<br />
from <strong>the</strong> st<strong>age</strong>. But Callas was coaxed out of her two year absence by <strong>the</strong> prospect of s<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g<br />
aga<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> a new production with <strong>the</strong> renowned baritone Tito Gobbi for “mio caro public di London”<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> role that for many def<strong>in</strong>ed her – Tosca.<br />
WORDS KEVIN PAINTING PHOTOS KEN VEEDER<br />
21
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
maria callas playlist<br />
V<strong>in</strong>cenzo Bell<strong>in</strong>i: Norma, Act I<br />
“Casta Diva”<br />
Warner<br />
Giacomo Pucc<strong>in</strong>i: Gianni Schicchi, Act I<br />
“O mio babb<strong>in</strong>o caro”<br />
Warner<br />
Giuseppe Verdi: La traviata, Act I<br />
“Sempre libera”<br />
Warner<br />
Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde,<br />
Act III “Dolce e calmo”<br />
Warner<br />
Gioacch<strong>in</strong>o Ross<strong>in</strong>i: Il barbiere di Siviglia,<br />
Act I “Una voce poco fa”<br />
Warner<br />
Unsurpris<strong>in</strong>gly, <strong>the</strong> six performances<br />
were hopelessly over-subscribed with<br />
120,000 people clamour<strong>in</strong>g for 12,000<br />
seats and ticket touts reported a brisk<br />
trade. But she did not disappo<strong>in</strong>t. True to<br />
form, Callas confounded her critics on<br />
<strong>the</strong> first night, receiv<strong>in</strong>g 27 curta<strong>in</strong> calls<br />
and a stand<strong>in</strong>g ovation last<strong>in</strong>g 40 m<strong>in</strong>utes<br />
for a performance still described <strong>in</strong><br />
hushed tones as one of most memorable<br />
ever seen. She returned <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g year<br />
<strong>in</strong> July to reprise her role <strong>in</strong> a Royal Gala<br />
performance at Covent Garden for what<br />
would be her f<strong>in</strong>al operatic appearance.<br />
Maria Callas was easily <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>est<br />
dramatic soprano of her generation and<br />
one of <strong>the</strong> most recognisable and glamorous<br />
figures from an era when celebrities<br />
usually had talents. With her remarkable<br />
and dist<strong>in</strong>ctive s<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g voice, she brea<strong>the</strong>d<br />
new life <strong>in</strong>to bel canto opera and brought<br />
a fearsome dramatic <strong>in</strong>tensity to <strong>the</strong> roles<br />
she played on st<strong>age</strong>. Seldom out of <strong>the</strong><br />
limelight <strong>in</strong> her lifetime for her s<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g or<br />
her colourful behaviour, she left beh<strong>in</strong>d<br />
a remarkable legacy of record<strong>in</strong>gs which<br />
have never been out of <strong>the</strong> catalogue.<br />
Maria Callas was born on 2 December<br />
1923 <strong>in</strong> New York to immigrant Greek<br />
parents. In 1937 she moved to Greece<br />
where she studied at <strong>the</strong> National<br />
Conservatory <strong>in</strong> A<strong>the</strong>ns with<br />
<strong>the</strong> noted coloratura soprano<br />
Elvira de Hidalgo. Although she<br />
made her professional debut <strong>in</strong> a<br />
lead<strong>in</strong>g role play<strong>in</strong>g Tosca <strong>in</strong> A<strong>the</strong>ns<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1942, her career began <strong>in</strong><br />
earnest <strong>in</strong> 1947 when she sang<br />
<strong>the</strong> title role <strong>in</strong> Ponchielli’s La Giaconda<br />
<strong>in</strong> Verona. There she met<br />
her future husband and man<strong>age</strong>r,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Veronese bus<strong>in</strong>essman<br />
Giovanni Battista Menegh<strong>in</strong>i, and<br />
her <strong>music</strong>al mentor, <strong>the</strong> great<br />
conductor Tullio Seraf<strong>in</strong>. Her <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
breakthrough came <strong>in</strong> 1949 <strong>in</strong> Venice when<br />
Seraf<strong>in</strong> shrewdly cast her at short notice as<br />
Elvira <strong>in</strong> Bell<strong>in</strong>i’s I Puritani, a bel canto role<br />
which Callas triumphantly brought to life.<br />
She went on to score considerable success<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1950s <strong>in</strong> Italian opera with many<br />
signature roles <strong>in</strong> Anna Bolena, Lucia di<br />
Lammermoor (Donizetti), La Traviata, Macbeth<br />
(Verdi), Norma (Bell<strong>in</strong>i) and of course,<br />
Tosca.<br />
As one of <strong>the</strong> most glamorous and<br />
photographed women of her day, stories of<br />
her temperamental behaviour were lapped<br />
up and <strong>in</strong>flated by <strong>the</strong> press. Soon <strong>the</strong><br />
stra<strong>in</strong>s of her punish<strong>in</strong>g schedule <strong>in</strong>evitably<br />
took <strong>the</strong>ir toll and when she sensationally<br />
left her husband for Onassis <strong>in</strong> 1959, she<br />
also drastically cut back on her appearances.<br />
When she separated from Onassis <strong>in</strong><br />
1968, she essentially retired from <strong>the</strong> concert<br />
platform and, apart from a concert<br />
tour <strong>in</strong> Europe, North America and Japan, a<br />
master class series at <strong>the</strong> New York Julliard<br />
School and a brief foray <strong>in</strong>to act<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Pier<br />
Paolo Pasol<strong>in</strong>i’s film Medea, she lived quietly<br />
<strong>in</strong> her elegant apartment <strong>in</strong> Paris until her<br />
premature death <strong>in</strong> 1977.<br />
Maria Callas had a remarkable voice<br />
unlike any o<strong>the</strong>r, not conventionally beautiful<br />
or <strong>in</strong>fallible but powerful, <strong>in</strong>tense and<br />
thrill<strong>in</strong>gly dexterous. Love it or hate it (and<br />
it was not uncommon for vegetables to be<br />
thrown with floral tributes at her performances),<br />
her voice is unmistakeable and<br />
impossible to ignore.<br />
It has been remarked that she had<br />
three voices which she glided between<br />
with deft artistry. A high coloratura voice:<br />
nimble, agile and precise, it could dispatch<br />
<strong>the</strong> most difficult pass<strong>age</strong>s of fioriture with<br />
consummate ease; a richly expressive middle<br />
voice which was capable of effortlessly<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ed legato pass<strong>age</strong>s; and a chest<br />
Christoph Willibald Gluck: Orfeo et<br />
Eurydice, Act IV “J’ai perdu mon Eurydice”<br />
Warner<br />
22
portrait<br />
voice, often startl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> its <strong>in</strong>tensity. While<br />
she may have reigned supreme <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> bel<br />
canto repertoire, she was not preoccupied<br />
with produc<strong>in</strong>g a beautiful, sweet sound per<br />
se but more with communicat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> drama<br />
and mean<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> text, admitt<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
“to convey <strong>the</strong> dramatic effect … I must<br />
produce sounds which are not beautiful. I<br />
don’t m<strong>in</strong>d if <strong>the</strong>y are ugly so long as <strong>the</strong>y<br />
are true”.<br />
It was her <strong>in</strong>st<strong>in</strong>ctive <strong>music</strong>al ability<br />
to build and susta<strong>in</strong> an atmosphere through<br />
her vocal technique and command<strong>in</strong>g st<strong>age</strong><br />
presence which makes her performances<br />
so compell<strong>in</strong>g. With Callas, <strong>the</strong> blood-curdl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
taunt “Muori!” that Tosca cries as she<br />
stabs <strong>the</strong> villa<strong>in</strong>ous Scarpia is genu<strong>in</strong>ely unsettl<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
and on one occasion Callas nearly<br />
drew blood from Tito Gobbi when a st<strong>age</strong><br />
knife failed to retract.<br />
Maria Callas was a workaholic who<br />
took herself and her work very seriously<br />
and, like so many great <strong>music</strong>ians, it was<br />
only through <strong>the</strong> d<strong>in</strong>t of hard work comb<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
with a perfectionist streak that she<br />
man<strong>age</strong>d to achieve so much. She was not<br />
averse to spend<strong>in</strong>g hours <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
studio to perfect a particular pass<strong>age</strong>, nor<br />
did she baulk at <strong>the</strong> challenges of a difficult<br />
repertoire or <strong>the</strong> reproaches of an <strong>in</strong>different<br />
audience: <strong>the</strong>y were all opportunities<br />
for her to prove herself and, above all, to<br />
sh<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
The same perfectionism extended to her<br />
meticulously cultivated appearance. The<br />
director Luch<strong>in</strong>o Visconti once told Callas<br />
that if she lost some weight, she would<br />
make “a truer Traviata, who is after all dy<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of consumption”. N<strong>in</strong>e months later <strong>in</strong> 1953<br />
and 30 kg lighter, she had transformed herself<br />
from a chubby, overweight soprano to<br />
an allur<strong>in</strong>g svelte beauty. Dressed to kill,<br />
with an impeccable fashion sense, La Div<strong>in</strong>a<br />
‘maria<br />
callas had<br />
a remarkable<br />
voice<br />
unlike any<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r’<br />
as Callas became known to her fans had arrived.<br />
(Her contemporary Joan Su<strong>the</strong>rland<br />
was dubbed La Stupenda on account of her<br />
voice and not, as some wags have suggested,<br />
for her girth).<br />
The public became enamoured with<br />
<strong>the</strong> Maria Callas phenomenon and newspapers<br />
were packed with glossy photographs<br />
and gossipy stories of her temperamental<br />
behaviour. In one of her rare <strong>in</strong>terviews<br />
for American television, <strong>the</strong>re is a delicious<br />
moment when <strong>the</strong> British conductor<br />
Sir Thomas Beecham mischievously asks<br />
whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>re was any truth <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> rumour<br />
that she had struck an opera director over<br />
<strong>the</strong> head with a bottle of brandy. “I never<br />
threw anyth<strong>in</strong>g at anybody unfortunately”<br />
she replied, beam<strong>in</strong>g “I wish I did.”<br />
Callas’s meteoric rise to fame co<strong>in</strong>cided<br />
with <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>troduction of long-play<strong>in</strong>g<br />
records and a rush by record companies<br />
to expand <strong>the</strong>ir catalogues. Fortunately<br />
for <strong>the</strong> listen<strong>in</strong>g public, she had a long and<br />
fruitful work<strong>in</strong>g relationship from 1952 to<br />
1964 with <strong>the</strong> legendary Walter Legge, <strong>the</strong><br />
husband to Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and a<br />
<strong>music</strong> producer, and as strong-willed and<br />
perfectionist as Callas herself. This resulted<br />
<strong>in</strong> an astonish<strong>in</strong>g series of both live and studio<br />
performances, many of which are considered<br />
benchmark record<strong>in</strong>gs that rema<strong>in</strong><br />
unsurpassed, even after half a century.<br />
A true measure of <strong>the</strong> affection <strong>in</strong><br />
which Callas is still held by <strong>the</strong> public can be<br />
seen <strong>in</strong> Venice. Thanks to a public campaign<br />
which ga<strong>the</strong>red over 100,000 signatures,<br />
<strong>the</strong> bridge Ponte della Fenice was renamed<br />
Ponte Maria Callas <strong>in</strong> 2005. It’s just down<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Teatro La Fenice, <strong>the</strong> opera house<br />
where she made her breakthrough <strong>in</strong> 1949<br />
perform<strong>in</strong>g Bell<strong>in</strong>i’s I Puritani, w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
accolade prima donna assoluta, a position<br />
she still ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s for a new generation of<br />
opera lovers.<br />
23
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
from <strong>the</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g studio<br />
with jean-marie geijsen<br />
reflections on hi-res audio, <strong>music</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g, and wagner<br />
Jean-Marie Geijsen grew up <strong>in</strong> a <strong>music</strong>al family of 6 children.<br />
He studied record<strong>in</strong>g techniques at The Royal Conservatory<br />
<strong>in</strong> The Hague, specialis<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>. Ow<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong><br />
conservatory’s culture at <strong>the</strong> time, he became <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong><br />
baroque <strong>music</strong>. After graduat<strong>in</strong>g, Geijsen started work<strong>in</strong>g at<br />
Philips Classics. Today he is a director and a balance eng<strong>in</strong>eer<br />
at Polyhymnia International. Geijsen has worked with major<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g labels, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Sony, PENTATONE, Decca, harmonia<br />
mundi, BMG and Deutsche Grammophon.<br />
WORDS ROKAS KUČINSKAS<br />
KUČINSKAS • Does record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> differ from o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
<strong>music</strong> genres?<br />
GEIJSEN • There’s a huge difference<br />
between record<strong>in</strong>g <strong>classical</strong> and<br />
pop <strong>music</strong>. In <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> you<br />
record an ensemble play<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> an<br />
acoustic environment, eg a big<br />
church or a concert hall. Pop <strong>music</strong><br />
is recorded <strong>in</strong> a studio. There are<br />
many occasions where <strong>music</strong>ians<br />
don’t even see each o<strong>the</strong>r for <strong>the</strong><br />
whole duration of a given session. A<br />
drummer records on <strong>the</strong> first day,<br />
a bassist on <strong>the</strong> second, a guitarist<br />
records a week later. F<strong>in</strong>ally, a<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ger comes when he has time. It<br />
is <strong>the</strong>n dubbed on one tape, with<br />
an endless edit<strong>in</strong>g and overdubb<strong>in</strong>g<br />
process afterwards. Classical <strong>music</strong><br />
record<strong>in</strong>g has a completely different<br />
approach. Interactions between<br />
<strong>music</strong>ians, as well as surround<strong>in</strong>g<br />
acoustic environments are so<br />
important. A hall, <strong>the</strong> public – and<br />
so much more – need to be taken<br />
<strong>in</strong>to consideration when record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>.<br />
KUČINSKAS • You specialized <strong>in</strong><br />
baroque <strong>music</strong>. Does record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
baroque <strong>music</strong> differ from record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r periods, such as <strong>classical</strong> or<br />
romantic?<br />
GEIJSEN • Not when it comes to<br />
<strong>the</strong> technical side. You do have<br />
to know <strong>the</strong> differences, though.<br />
How <strong>in</strong>struments sound, comb<strong>in</strong>e<br />
and meld toge<strong>the</strong>r. Their unique<br />
properties, too – <strong>the</strong>y all have <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
special character. Yet when it comes<br />
to microphones it’s not so different.<br />
They have to be as neutral as<br />
possible, so that <strong>the</strong>y don’t <strong>in</strong>fluence<br />
<strong>the</strong> sound. A balance eng<strong>in</strong>eer <strong>the</strong>n<br />
recreates <strong>the</strong> ensemble's sound as<br />
heard <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> hall.<br />
24
title goes here<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g studio<br />
playlist<br />
Glass: Viol<strong>in</strong> Concerto No. 2<br />
LPO, Robert McDuffie, Mar<strong>in</strong> Alsop<br />
Glass: Satyagraha, Act I Tolstoy, Scene 1<br />
New York City Opera<br />
Glass: Dream<strong>in</strong>g Awake<br />
Bruce Lev<strong>in</strong>gston<br />
Glass: Naqoyqatsi, “The Vivid Unknown”<br />
Yo-Yo Ma<br />
Glass: The Complete Str<strong>in</strong>g Quartets<br />
– Str<strong>in</strong>g Quartet No. 2 “Company”<br />
The Smith Quartet<br />
Glass: The Photographer, Act I<br />
“A Gentleman’s Honor”<br />
Philip Glass Ensemble<br />
KUČINSKAS • What exactly does<br />
a “balance eng<strong>in</strong>eer” do? I haven’t<br />
encountered this term before.<br />
GEIJSEN • It’s a common English<br />
term for <strong>the</strong> guy who puts up <strong>the</strong><br />
microphones, sits at <strong>the</strong> mix<strong>in</strong>g<br />
desk, and <strong>in</strong> my case reads <strong>the</strong><br />
score. Comb<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g all this and <strong>the</strong>n<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> sound - that’s a<br />
balance eng<strong>in</strong>eer. It also means that<br />
you have to work with a producer<br />
(sitt<strong>in</strong>g beh<strong>in</strong>d or next to you), a<br />
conductor, and an ensemble. Your<br />
ma<strong>in</strong> task is to create <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternal<br />
balance of an ensemble, its direct<br />
sound and <strong>the</strong> reverb of a hall. It’s a<br />
balanc<strong>in</strong>g act.<br />
KUČINSKAS • How is a mix<strong>in</strong>g<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>eer different <strong>the</strong>n?<br />
GEIJSEN • There are so many<br />
titles <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, which makes it<br />
confus<strong>in</strong>g, I know [laughs]. I'd say<br />
that a mix<strong>in</strong>g eng<strong>in</strong>eer is someone<br />
who sits beh<strong>in</strong>d a 24- or 48-track<br />
mach<strong>in</strong>e and mixes a production. It<br />
doesn't have to be a <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
production, though.<br />
KUČINSKAS • Over <strong>the</strong> years you<br />
have made so many record<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
Which record<strong>in</strong>g you are most<br />
proud of and which was <strong>the</strong> most<br />
challeng<strong>in</strong>g to do?<br />
GEIJSEN • That has to be <strong>the</strong> 10<br />
major Wagner operas I recorded.<br />
The operas are immense and I<br />
recorded <strong>the</strong>m live for radio and<br />
CD <strong>in</strong> one concert <strong>in</strong> Berl<strong>in</strong> over<br />
2-and-a-half years. It wasn’t a<br />
st<strong>age</strong>d performance, yet <strong>the</strong> s<strong>in</strong>gers<br />
had to move around and change<br />
microphone positions. The goal<br />
was to achieve a close effect of <strong>the</strong><br />
sett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> way Wagner <strong>in</strong>tended.<br />
Hence, a performer could end up<br />
stand<strong>in</strong>g on a balcony, or <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
middle of <strong>the</strong> st<strong>age</strong>, <strong>in</strong> front of <strong>the</strong><br />
orchestra, and so on.<br />
KUČINSKAS • Who made such<br />
directorial decisions?<br />
GEIJSEN • It’s written <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> score,<br />
but <strong>in</strong> our case <strong>the</strong> conductor made<br />
some adjustments too. Throughout<br />
<strong>the</strong> rehearsal we had to read <strong>the</strong><br />
score, know which s<strong>in</strong>ger was<br />
stand<strong>in</strong>g where; we also had to mark<br />
how loud a s<strong>in</strong>ger should be <strong>in</strong> a mix,<br />
and how loud he or she was dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> rehearsal. I was mark<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
score <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> hope that <strong>the</strong> s<strong>in</strong>gers<br />
would remember where <strong>the</strong>y should<br />
be stand<strong>in</strong>g. And we had a 120-voice<br />
choir, an off-st<strong>age</strong> orchestra, and<br />
many soloists! Don't get me wrong<br />
– it was as difficult for <strong>the</strong> entire<br />
perform<strong>in</strong>g crew as it was for us.<br />
We only rehearsed bits and pieces<br />
and never did a full A-Z rehearsal<br />
throughout <strong>the</strong> operas. Hence,<br />
everyth<strong>in</strong>g had to fall <strong>in</strong>to place<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g performances, and by some<br />
miracle – I don’t know how – it did.<br />
Without a proper preparation, with<br />
all <strong>the</strong> risks, we did all <strong>the</strong> 10 operas<br />
this way. I mean, a s<strong>in</strong>ger could<br />
have fallen sick at <strong>the</strong> last moment<br />
25
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
or a technical problem could have<br />
occurred. There were so many th<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
that could have gone wrong, s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
we only had one concert. If <strong>the</strong>re<br />
had been one major disaster, <strong>the</strong><br />
whole series would have died. What’s<br />
more, all <strong>the</strong> operas were performed<br />
and broadcast live on radio. It<br />
meant that I had to mix on <strong>the</strong> spot<br />
<strong>in</strong> stereo for radio and record for<br />
SACD <strong>in</strong> stereo and surround. I also<br />
had to read <strong>the</strong> 48-channel mix<strong>in</strong>g<br />
console while try<strong>in</strong>g to read <strong>the</strong><br />
score to know what was com<strong>in</strong>g. The<br />
concerts usually started at 6:00pm<br />
and lasted until 11:30pm. Let’s put<br />
it this way – 5.5 hours of a ra<strong>the</strong>r<br />
concentrated even<strong>in</strong>g [laughs]. But<br />
it worked for all 10 operas, and that<br />
is someth<strong>in</strong>g I am really proud of.<br />
KUČINSKAS • Doesn't it make <strong>the</strong>se<br />
record<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>the</strong> most difficult you've<br />
ever made?<br />
GEIJSEN • It probably does.<br />
KUČINSKAS • Nowadays, people<br />
are go<strong>in</strong>g back to analogue<br />
record<strong>in</strong>gs. Any thoughts on why<br />
that might be?<br />
GEIJSEN • Because <strong>the</strong>y like <strong>the</strong><br />
sound, although I often wonder<br />
what exactly it is that <strong>the</strong>y like. Is<br />
it <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> itself, or <strong>the</strong> playback<br />
system? If it’s <strong>the</strong> playback system,<br />
does it add someth<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong>?<br />
It must produce a certa<strong>in</strong> feel<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that people like, but <strong>in</strong> my op<strong>in</strong>ion<br />
that doesn’t have much to do with a<br />
neutral playback. LPs and analogue<br />
tapes compress a dynamic range;<br />
as a result, listen<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>music</strong> with<br />
a little bit of compression can be<br />
very nice. Especially loud pass<strong>age</strong>s<br />
recorded on a tape can sound<br />
louder than <strong>the</strong>y actually are – all <strong>in</strong><br />
comparison with a <strong>digital</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
of course. Also <strong>the</strong>re’s a limited<br />
frequency response and a very<br />
low level of hiss that can be an<br />
advant<strong>age</strong> and doesn’t disturb us.<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce our hear<strong>in</strong>g is more sensitive<br />
to change, you stop hear<strong>in</strong>g it as it is<br />
constant.<br />
‘your ma<strong>in</strong><br />
task is to<br />
create <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>ternal<br />
balance<br />
of an<br />
ensemble,<br />
its direct<br />
sound and<br />
<strong>the</strong> reverb<br />
of a hall’<br />
KUČINSKAS • Is a neutral playback<br />
important <strong>the</strong>n?<br />
GEIJSEN • S<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> days of Philips<br />
Classics we've been look<strong>in</strong>g for<br />
neutral playback and record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
systems, mean<strong>in</strong>g those which<br />
do not <strong>in</strong>fluence <strong>the</strong> sound. We<br />
would not compromise distortion,<br />
frequency response, dynamics,<br />
and what not. Over <strong>the</strong> past 50<br />
years microphone quality has been<br />
fantastic. The signal quality, too.<br />
Hence, it has been our ma<strong>in</strong> goal to<br />
record this pure signal, on analogue<br />
and <strong>digital</strong> tapes, or on computer.<br />
LPs or analogue tapes, however,<br />
distort <strong>the</strong> sound. It is sometimes<br />
called a “pleasant distortion”,<br />
perfectly expla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g what people<br />
listen to. It appeals to <strong>the</strong>m; it gives<br />
<strong>the</strong>m a certa<strong>in</strong> feel<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong>re’s<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g added to <strong>music</strong> that<br />
wasn’t orig<strong>in</strong>ally <strong>the</strong>re. Don’t get me<br />
wrong - that’s OK for a consumer.<br />
They can do whatever <strong>the</strong>y want.<br />
KUČINSKAS • But …?<br />
GEIJSEN • For me, <strong>in</strong> a record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
studio, it’s very dangerous. I cannot<br />
decide what people are go<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
like. I have to be as objective as<br />
possible, and shouldn't <strong>in</strong>fluence a<br />
<strong>music</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g. It’s not about me <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> first place. If you are listen<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
<strong>music</strong>, you shouldn’t even be aware<br />
that a balance eng<strong>in</strong>eer was <strong>the</strong>re.<br />
You listen to <strong>music</strong>ians, to a hall,<br />
while all <strong>the</strong> signal cha<strong>in</strong> should be<br />
as transparent as possible. Nobody<br />
should realise that someone had<br />
been mov<strong>in</strong>g faders around. As soon<br />
as that happens, you will straight<br />
away th<strong>in</strong>k that it’s artificial.<br />
KUČINSKAS • Why did you start<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> hi-res?<br />
GEIJSEN • One of <strong>the</strong> reasons is<br />
<strong>the</strong> fram<strong>in</strong>g of time, which is much<br />
more precise than <strong>in</strong> a CD, for<br />
example. It gives you an ease of<br />
listen<strong>in</strong>g; little pieces of <strong>in</strong>formation<br />
(such as reflections of a hall, or a<br />
st<strong>age</strong>) that were miss<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> early CD<br />
record<strong>in</strong>gs. CD quality doesn’t give<br />
us <strong>the</strong> spaciousness – <strong>the</strong> def<strong>in</strong>ition<br />
of a space – which is so important to<br />
<strong>music</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g. For 10 years I worked<br />
with Alfred Brendel. His <strong>music</strong>mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
was based and adjusted on<br />
reverberations produced by a hall.<br />
He often played different pianos,<br />
listen<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> environment and its<br />
reflection patterns. Later he would<br />
say: “I want my piano to move a<br />
little bit forwards (or backwards).”<br />
26
tech <strong>in</strong>sights<br />
JEAN-MARIE GEIJSEN<br />
In 1984 he began study<strong>in</strong>g record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
techniques <strong>in</strong> The Royal Conservatory<br />
at The Hague.<br />
From 1988 to 1990 he worked as<br />
a master<strong>in</strong>g eng<strong>in</strong>eer as well as a<br />
freelance <strong>classical</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g and PA<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>eer.<br />
In 1990 he jo<strong>in</strong>ed Philips Classics<br />
where he worked on record<strong>in</strong>gs with<br />
many top artists, from Seiji Ozawa to<br />
Valery Gergiev.<br />
Became a balance eng<strong>in</strong>eer at<br />
Polyhymnia International, work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
closely with PENTATONE and o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
labels.<br />
Th<strong>in</strong>k about how complex <strong>the</strong> sound<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation is. It bounces from<br />
a floor, ceil<strong>in</strong>gs, and walls with<strong>in</strong><br />
milliseconds. Thus, <strong>the</strong> more precise<br />
fram<strong>in</strong>g of all <strong>the</strong>se reflections is<br />
<strong>in</strong> a playback, <strong>the</strong> better feel<strong>in</strong>g of<br />
<strong>the</strong> space you get. If you chop it up<br />
<strong>in</strong> 44KHz, you’re omitt<strong>in</strong>g a lot of<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation from all <strong>the</strong>se random<br />
reflections. Hence, smaller frames<br />
means greater resolutions <strong>in</strong> early<br />
reflection patterns.<br />
KUČINSKAS • What do you mean<br />
by that?<br />
GEIJSEN • You start understand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
why a <strong>music</strong>ian plays <strong>the</strong> way he<br />
or she does. Tim<strong>in</strong>g determ<strong>in</strong>es<br />
so much <strong>in</strong> <strong>music</strong>. It is also very<br />
dependent on <strong>the</strong> acoustics of<br />
a given surround<strong>in</strong>gs. Musicians<br />
constantly anticipate reflections of<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir acoustic surround<strong>in</strong>gs. Thus,<br />
<strong>the</strong> better you hear <strong>the</strong> acoustics<br />
<strong>the</strong> more sense <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> makes.<br />
People who listen to <strong>music</strong> over <strong>the</strong><br />
years will appreciate high resolution<br />
more. A lot of logic that comes to<br />
<strong>music</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g is better captured<br />
<strong>in</strong> hi-res record<strong>in</strong>gs. However, you<br />
might not hear that much difference<br />
by listen<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> technical side<br />
of hi-res audio only. That’s <strong>the</strong><br />
funny th<strong>in</strong>g. You don’t hear early<br />
reflections with<strong>in</strong> 50 up to 100<br />
milliseconds when I’m talk<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
you, although <strong>the</strong>y’re <strong>the</strong>re. Hi-res<br />
captures this and gives it back to<br />
you. Although it isn’t very obvious,<br />
it gives you this feel<strong>in</strong>g. If you walk<br />
<strong>in</strong>to a hall you immediately notice<br />
what <strong>the</strong> acoustic properties of that<br />
hall are. Such acoustics entail th<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
like early reflections that you can’t<br />
hear. Improved precision on those<br />
acoustics' representation means<br />
more <strong>in</strong>formation about <strong>music</strong><br />
mak<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
KUČINSKAS • You say it's tricky to<br />
hear differences when focus<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
<strong>the</strong> hi-res technical side only. Have<br />
you ever heard more <strong>in</strong> hi-res than<br />
acoustic details when compar<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
to PCM record<strong>in</strong>gs?<br />
GEIJSEN • Yes – it was <strong>in</strong> one of <strong>the</strong><br />
record<strong>in</strong>gs I did with Mari Kodama.<br />
We were listen<strong>in</strong>g to 3 different<br />
versions of a track: a normal CD,<br />
which is a CD layer on an SACD, a<br />
stereo DSD, and a surround DSD.<br />
It was a prior distribution quality<br />
check. We first listened to DSD<br />
surround and stereo files, which<br />
didn’t grab our attention. While<br />
listen<strong>in</strong>g to a PCM version, we<br />
noticed a <strong>digital</strong> glitch, which is<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g that needed to be dealt<br />
with. It was strange, as we didn’t<br />
hear anyth<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>the</strong> DSD files. So,<br />
once aga<strong>in</strong> we listened to <strong>the</strong> same<br />
pass<strong>age</strong> on <strong>the</strong> DSD version, and<br />
we did hear it. Yet, it wasn’t a glitch,<br />
but a f<strong>in</strong>gernail hitt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> key –<br />
<strong>the</strong>re was no doubt about what we<br />
heard! This f<strong>in</strong>gernail hitt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> key<br />
completely disappeared <strong>in</strong> a PCM<br />
version. That might be one of <strong>the</strong><br />
most clear and obvious examples I<br />
encountered over <strong>the</strong> years. It’s that<br />
subtle. Oh, but wait, it’s not subtle<br />
at all! [laughs] It br<strong>in</strong>gs you to <strong>the</strong><br />
core of <strong>music</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g. If a normal<br />
PCM version cuts away this k<strong>in</strong>d of<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation, you’re los<strong>in</strong>g a lot of<br />
<strong>music</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g. It’s not a frequency<br />
doma<strong>in</strong> or distortion, but an acoustic<br />
environment that makes hi-res of<br />
what it is.<br />
KUČINSKAS • Have hi-res record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
techniques changed over <strong>the</strong> years?<br />
GEIJSEN • No, not so much. As<br />
I said before, we are still us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
microphones that are 50 and 60<br />
years old. Of course we also use new<br />
microphones, too. What I mean is<br />
27
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
that microphones <strong>the</strong>mselves are<br />
of fantastic quality. The record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
technique hasn't changed s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong><br />
beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> stereo era, ei<strong>the</strong>r. It<br />
is a different story when it comes to<br />
surround sound record<strong>in</strong>g, which we<br />
had to <strong>in</strong>vent. But techniques used<br />
to position microphones, mak<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
balance and so on, haven’t changed.<br />
KUČINSKAS • There are so many<br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g services appear<strong>in</strong>g right<br />
now. Some have already started<br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong> CD quality.<br />
However, <strong>the</strong>re is still no DSD<br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g service. Any thoughts on<br />
why?<br />
GEIJSEN • Well actually <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
[laughs]. Of course not as big as<br />
Spotify. Around two years ago we<br />
were asked to do test record<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
of a live DSD stream<strong>in</strong>g all over<br />
<strong>the</strong> world. The first record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
we did was <strong>in</strong> Berl<strong>in</strong> with <strong>the</strong><br />
Berl<strong>in</strong> Philharmonic. We used<br />
two microphones and recorded<br />
straight to DSD <strong>in</strong> 2.8MHz, which<br />
is a standard SACD quality. We also<br />
recorded <strong>in</strong> 5.6MHz, which is one<br />
step higher.<br />
KUČINSKAS • Super Super Audio<br />
CD (i.e. Super SACD, or S-SACD)?<br />
GEIJSEN • Yes [laughs]. It was<br />
broadcasted live all over <strong>the</strong> world<br />
via <strong>in</strong>ternet <strong>in</strong> DSD. A couple of<br />
hundred listeners were listen<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to this broadcast. It was flawless.<br />
We did it aga<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> Warsaw dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> International Chop<strong>in</strong> Piano<br />
Competition. We also did a<br />
complete programme with <strong>the</strong><br />
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra<br />
<strong>in</strong> Amsterdam. Later we repeated<br />
it <strong>in</strong> Japan us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> same setup.<br />
All <strong>the</strong>se test record<strong>in</strong>gs worked<br />
perfectly.<br />
‘ if you are<br />
listen<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
<strong>music</strong>, you<br />
shouldn’t<br />
even be<br />
aware a<br />
balance<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>eer<br />
was <strong>the</strong>re’<br />
KUČINSKAS • Why aren’t <strong>the</strong>re<br />
DSD stream<strong>in</strong>g services similar to<br />
Spotify <strong>the</strong>n?<br />
GEIJSEN • I don’t know if a<br />
worldwide <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> market is<br />
big enough to support a stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
service like that. There needs to be<br />
enough demand to set up such a<br />
service and <strong>in</strong>vest money <strong>in</strong> it. On<br />
<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, <strong>the</strong>re aren’t that<br />
many really good DSD record<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
So it is also a matter of how much<br />
repertoire is available. Spotify’s<br />
catalogue is dom<strong>in</strong>ated by pop<br />
<strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong> which hi-res record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
practices aren’t used at all.<br />
KUČINSKAS • Why not?<br />
GEIJSEN • Because it’s too<br />
complicated. You don’t have all <strong>the</strong><br />
tools. In <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> we don’t use<br />
all <strong>the</strong> effects. You put a microphone<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> right place, mix <strong>the</strong> balance<br />
and that’s it – you have your master<br />
track. You don’t need compressors,<br />
limiters, EQs, or whatever. Not<br />
even a compressor. It’s just 1:1 – a<br />
straight mix. Whereas all those tools<br />
are be<strong>in</strong>g used <strong>in</strong> pop <strong>music</strong>’s post<br />
production. Reverbs, compressors,<br />
equalizers, or, let’s not forget, <strong>the</strong><br />
autotune - it’s PCM. When you’re<br />
lucky it’s 96KHz, but still a bit short<br />
to DSD 2.8MHz.<br />
28
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29
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
It was a spr<strong>in</strong>g day, <strong>the</strong> sun was sh<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a prov<strong>in</strong>cial wooded neighbourhood <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rlands and I had someth<strong>in</strong>g important to talk about – <strong>the</strong> colour brown<br />
– with Joost De Boo, PENTATONE’s art director. He shed some light on album<br />
artwork <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>, voic<strong>in</strong>g his frustration with <strong>the</strong> colour brown as <strong>the</strong><br />
norm, and his drive to brea<strong>the</strong> fresh air <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> creation of album art.<br />
Album art <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> has tended towards safe colours and soft tones. If a<br />
picture speaks a thousand words, <strong>the</strong>n it’s up to designers of album art to help<br />
disrupt <strong>the</strong> general standards <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry. There has been a renaissance<br />
<strong>in</strong> opera, set design and costume design. Album art can have one too!<br />
WORDS RACHEL DELOUGHRY<br />
<strong>the</strong><br />
brown<br />
album<br />
Classical <strong>music</strong> has been try<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
shake off its old, dusty and antiquated<br />
vibe and Joost voiced what<br />
many people have been th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Although this stuffy, old-fashioned<br />
reputation <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>gly impacts visual<br />
arts and public op<strong>in</strong>ion of <strong>classical</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong>, <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> itself is often<br />
unrecognisable from its packag<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“The cover of a particular Liszt<br />
album was brown and olive green. I<br />
listened to <strong>the</strong> album and it was very<br />
energetic. But on a basic emotional<br />
level, <strong>the</strong>re was no connection<br />
between <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> and <strong>the</strong> colours<br />
brown and olive green. In <strong>the</strong> bigger<br />
picture of what <strong>the</strong> graphic designer<br />
has done, though, it all comes down<br />
to brown.”<br />
This led Joost to make a sample<br />
colour palette based on <strong>the</strong> top 50<br />
albums <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>classical</strong> charts. The<br />
consensus was that <strong>the</strong> aver<strong>age</strong><br />
colours were brown, beige and grey.<br />
Brown album art, low contrast and<br />
old pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>gs are standard. “The<br />
elements tended to be dark concert<br />
halls or old churches, backgrounds<br />
that are white, grey or brick, white<br />
people (<strong>in</strong> suits!) and wooden <strong>in</strong>struments.<br />
It all makes sense. But why<br />
use that? And why use old pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>gs?<br />
Why not create someth<strong>in</strong>g new,<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g fresh?”<br />
This doesn’t mean designers have<br />
to remove <strong>the</strong>mselves from tradition<br />
entirely, <strong>in</strong> fact Joost likes to<br />
<strong>in</strong>corporate clichés <strong>in</strong> a playful and<br />
unexpected way, h<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g at a tradition<br />
but lett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> observer fill <strong>the</strong><br />
gaps. “I like to play with <strong>the</strong> obvious.<br />
So on a cover for Beethoven’s<br />
Missa Solemnis I wanted to use <strong>the</strong><br />
famous Beethoven im<strong>age</strong>, but only
Joost had a prime example about<br />
how he ‘just got on with it’ and<br />
not only avoided <strong>the</strong> usual pitfalls,<br />
but made a visual narrative around<br />
<strong>the</strong> sonic traits of <strong>the</strong> album. “I’m<br />
currently mak<strong>in</strong>g a cover for Julia<br />
Fisher’s v<strong>in</strong>yl of Bach’s Sonatas and<br />
Partitas for solo viol<strong>in</strong> where I only<br />
used bronze <strong>in</strong>k. The delicately ex-<br />
title goes here<br />
parts of it. I chose this specific pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g<br />
because it is <strong>the</strong> most famous<br />
and recognizable im<strong>age</strong> of Beethoven.<br />
However, not many people<br />
know that Beethoven is hold<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
Missa Solemnis score <strong>in</strong> his hand.<br />
Therefore, I thought it would be<br />
<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g to play with expectations.<br />
I believe that <strong>the</strong> person who buys<br />
this album is already a Beethoven<br />
fan (because it is not a ma<strong>in</strong>stream<br />
work) so <strong>the</strong>y would immediately<br />
recognize <strong>the</strong> pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>the</strong><br />
miss<strong>in</strong>g element and appreciate <strong>the</strong><br />
cryptic approach.”<br />
“That’s what I did with <strong>the</strong> Wagner<br />
R<strong>in</strong>g box set cover too: on <strong>the</strong><br />
cover, it doesn’t actually say “Der<br />
R<strong>in</strong>g des Nibelungen”. The words are<br />
cut off. Even with titles you can play<br />
around. By see<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> name Wagner<br />
and most of <strong>the</strong> letters of <strong>the</strong> title,<br />
you already know what it’s go<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
be. It’s been recorded hundreds of<br />
times, so why use <strong>the</strong> same approach<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>?”<br />
Album art is very much <strong>in</strong>tertw<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
with concerns <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>age</strong> of reproducible<br />
art. “Absolutely. Walter Benjam<strong>in</strong>’s<br />
The Work of Art <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Age of<br />
Mechanical Reproduction deals with<br />
exactly this! When you have a piece<br />
of art, reproduce it and put it <strong>in</strong> a<br />
new context, its mean<strong>in</strong>g changes.<br />
‘why use old<br />
pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>gs?<br />
why not<br />
create someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
new,<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
fresh?’<br />
And <strong>the</strong> mean<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al also<br />
changes because it’s not unique or<br />
au<strong>the</strong>ntic any more. Why for example<br />
produce an album of Bach’s St.<br />
John Passion with an album cover<br />
of a church? Yes, this was orig<strong>in</strong>ally<br />
a piece you could only hear performed<br />
<strong>in</strong> a church around Easter<br />
and what’s more, you could only go<br />
<strong>the</strong>re and listen if you were Christian.<br />
Now, you can listen to it with<br />
your headphones, you can read <strong>the</strong><br />
Koran at <strong>the</strong> same time, you can do<br />
whatever you like. So <strong>the</strong> piece does<br />
not have <strong>the</strong> same aura. Its orig<strong>in</strong>al<br />
aura is gone. We should still be aware<br />
of <strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al mean<strong>in</strong>g and stay<br />
close to <strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al, but look for abstract<br />
mean<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong> it. And if you<br />
put an im<strong>age</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Koran <strong>in</strong>stead<br />
of a church on <strong>the</strong> cover, <strong>the</strong>n it<br />
becomes even more about religion.<br />
You should be aware of <strong>the</strong> fact that<br />
it’s no longer <strong>the</strong> 18th century but a<br />
lot of labels and artists behave as if it<br />
still is. Th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g like this can harm <strong>the</strong><br />
genre!”<br />
There is a huge opportunity for<br />
photographers <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> transition<br />
away from brown! After all, <strong>the</strong><br />
graphic designer’s <strong>in</strong>genuity usually<br />
only comes <strong>in</strong>to play at <strong>the</strong> end of<br />
<strong>the</strong> process and <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong>y have<br />
to work with what ends up on <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
plate. Collaborat<strong>in</strong>g with visionary<br />
photographers will surely br<strong>in</strong>g out<br />
<strong>the</strong> quirks and <strong>the</strong> extraord<strong>in</strong>ary<br />
compell<strong>in</strong>g beauty that seems to<br />
be fall<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> brown, murky<br />
abyss. “The featured artists are<br />
photographed <strong>in</strong> old build<strong>in</strong>gs, so I<br />
have to make someth<strong>in</strong>g out of that.<br />
It already starts <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> conversation<br />
between <strong>the</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g artist and<br />
photographer. We should collaborate<br />
with photographers that are<br />
more <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> contemporary art<br />
<strong>in</strong>stead of us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> status quo photographers.<br />
We can make a bridge<br />
<strong>the</strong>re, because this is someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
you cannot <strong>in</strong>fluence as a graphic<br />
designer. If not <strong>the</strong>n you just get on<br />
with it.”<br />
31
And You Must Suffer © Koen Broos<br />
‘it’s been<br />
recorded<br />
hundreds<br />
of times,<br />
so why use<br />
<strong>the</strong> same<br />
approach<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>?’<br />
32
po<strong>in</strong>t of view<br />
‘we should still be aware of<br />
<strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al mean<strong>in</strong>g and stay<br />
close to <strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al, but look<br />
for abstract mean<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong> it’<br />
posed silhouette, <strong>the</strong> purest use of<br />
colour, <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>the</strong>matically balanced<br />
p<strong>age</strong> layout (1:1 ratio grid), and <strong>the</strong><br />
early 18th century typeface are<br />
carefully brought toge<strong>the</strong>r to enhance<br />
<strong>the</strong> aes<strong>the</strong>tic characteristics<br />
of Bach’s partitas and sonatas. But<br />
<strong>the</strong> im<strong>age</strong> <strong>the</strong>y orig<strong>in</strong>ally sent me<br />
had a brown background with Julia<br />
Fischer wear<strong>in</strong>g a p<strong>in</strong>k dress – and<br />
her hair happens to be blond. These<br />
elements comb<strong>in</strong>ed meant that <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> end it all turned out brown. So<br />
I thought – what can I do with this?<br />
I dived <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong>: <strong>the</strong> exposed<br />
quality, focus<strong>in</strong>g on just one <strong>in</strong>strument<br />
was strik<strong>in</strong>g so I made a<br />
story around that. The <strong>music</strong> is very<br />
delicate and fresh. The result is that<br />
you’re still very close to <strong>the</strong> piece<br />
but <strong>in</strong> a contemporary way.”<br />
Could design<strong>in</strong>g album art veer<br />
more towards contemporary art<br />
than graphic design? Is this even<br />
possible? Because an album cover<br />
designer is somebody who man<strong>age</strong>s<br />
to strike a healthy balance between<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g a visionary and be<strong>in</strong>g a team<br />
player – to carry out <strong>the</strong> wishes of<br />
artist man<strong>age</strong>rs, performers and<br />
so on. “There’s a need for disruption.<br />
Urania records, PENTATONE,<br />
Concertgebouw and Challenge are<br />
all labels that are really mak<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
statement and are very consistent<br />
about it. Where I th<strong>in</strong>k this visionary<br />
design happens is <strong>in</strong> contemporary<br />
opera. Soon we have <strong>the</strong> Opera Forward<br />
Festival <strong>in</strong> Amsterdam and <strong>the</strong><br />
Dutch National Opera is perform<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Bach’s St. John Passion. “You Must<br />
Suffer” is <strong>the</strong> tagl<strong>in</strong>e and <strong>the</strong> artist<br />
has created artwork with im<strong>age</strong>s of<br />
an x-ray of rats be<strong>in</strong>g crucified as<br />
<strong>the</strong> st<strong>age</strong> design. You can do that <strong>in</strong><br />
art. (As an artist <strong>in</strong> Holland anyway!<br />
I have grown up <strong>in</strong> this tradition.)<br />
Pierre Audi is <strong>the</strong> artistic director<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Dutch National Opera and<br />
is known for this provocative style.<br />
I saw Wagner’s Parsifal with st<strong>age</strong><br />
designs by Anish Kapoor. The designs<br />
played on a subconscious mood<br />
level and it was so beautiful. If you<br />
used a photo of a st<strong>age</strong> design by<br />
Anish Kapoor for an album cover,<br />
it would work where <strong>the</strong> ‘church<br />
performance’ photography would<br />
fail. It takes <strong>in</strong> form and light and<br />
reflection, because Parsifal is about<br />
reflection. It’s much more mean<strong>in</strong>gful<br />
than hav<strong>in</strong>g a portrait of <strong>the</strong><br />
opera s<strong>in</strong>ger who s<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>the</strong> role of<br />
Parsifal, or a picture of <strong>the</strong> goblet.<br />
There’s nuance to it because <strong>the</strong><br />
opera has such a clear story. There<br />
is so much more richness than a guy<br />
stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> front of an orchestra<br />
wear<strong>in</strong>g brown.”<br />
33
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
There is fur<strong>the</strong>r room for change <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>classical</strong> album art, not just conceptually<br />
but even <strong>in</strong> terms of <strong>the</strong><br />
basics: typography and dimensions.<br />
“There are very specific titles <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>, compared with any<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r genre. Opus numbers, full<br />
titles, conductor, soloist, sometimes<br />
multiple composers, and all opus<br />
numbers for each work listed. For<br />
<strong>digital</strong> we should just cut it out. In<br />
a thumbnail you don’t see anyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
anyway – text can just look like a<br />
white l<strong>in</strong>e. I create two versions of<br />
every album cover – one for <strong>digital</strong>,<br />
one for physical. When you buy it <strong>in</strong><br />
hard copy you have more text on<br />
<strong>the</strong> cover, but <strong>in</strong> <strong>digital</strong>, this is not<br />
necessary.”<br />
“For stream<strong>in</strong>g and download<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
doesn’t even have to be a square<br />
anymore. Your screen is a rectangle,<br />
not a square. It can be changeable<br />
so that when you download an<br />
album, <strong>the</strong>re can be a cover that<br />
becomes <strong>in</strong>teractive depend<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
screen size. In <strong>the</strong> not-too-distant<br />
future, album art could even have<br />
mov<strong>in</strong>g im<strong>age</strong>s or exist <strong>in</strong> a virtual<br />
reality. Square CD-size will still work<br />
when it’s advertised <strong>in</strong> a magaz<strong>in</strong>e<br />
or <strong>in</strong> thumbnail size, but it’s not <strong>the</strong><br />
only dimension we need to work<br />
with. V<strong>in</strong>yl on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, is a<br />
fixed size and is sold on a merchandise<br />
level, so from a design po<strong>in</strong>t<br />
of view, v<strong>in</strong>yl should be treated<br />
separately, as a work of art, as with<br />
posters and so on.”<br />
So why is <strong>the</strong>re so much brown <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong>? This conversation confirmed<br />
some of my suspicions of how sepia tones and ‘play<strong>in</strong>g it safe’ can h<strong>in</strong>der<br />
<strong>the</strong> perception of what is an extraord<strong>in</strong>ary, excit<strong>in</strong>g and vibrant genre. We<br />
can rest assured though that <strong>the</strong> genre is already be<strong>in</strong>g shaken up and we<br />
have lots more <strong>in</strong>novation to look forward to, not just <strong>in</strong> design but on multiple<br />
levels of creativity.<br />
Parsifal © Monika Rittershaus & Ruth Walz<br />
JOOST DE BOO<br />
Art Direction and Graphic Design at<br />
Pentatone Music and <strong>primephonic</strong>.<br />
Previously worked at design studios<br />
<strong>in</strong> Utrecht, Toronto and New York.<br />
Studied at <strong>the</strong> Rietveld Academie,<br />
Utrecht School of <strong>the</strong> Arts and <strong>the</strong><br />
Rhode Island School of Design.<br />
34
title goes here<br />
Our artists put all <strong>the</strong>ir heart<br />
and soul <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
“ An unrivalled<br />
<strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
experience<br />
through<br />
superior<br />
audio<br />
technology.“<br />
Now available at<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong>.com/pentatone<br />
www.pentatone<strong>music</strong>.com<br />
35
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> chronicles<br />
From physical CD to Napster fileshar<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and from iTunes to purposebuilt<br />
<strong>classical</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g platforms<br />
with richer metadata and room for<br />
discovery, <strong>the</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
has evolved beyond what any <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
maverick could have foreseen. The<br />
ability of technology to change how<br />
we listen to <strong>music</strong> has had a gamechang<strong>in</strong>g<br />
effect which has accelerated<br />
considerably from <strong>the</strong> turn of <strong>the</strong><br />
millennium up to <strong>the</strong> present day.<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong> editor Rachel Deloughry<br />
had <strong>the</strong> opportunity to speak to PETE<br />
DOWNTON, Deputy CEO of 7<strong>digital</strong><br />
about this excit<strong>in</strong>g era.<br />
of stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
36
tech <strong>in</strong>sights<br />
i.<br />
an unprecedented<br />
timel<strong>in</strong>e<br />
guess I saw <strong>the</strong> tail end of what had become<br />
I <strong>the</strong> CD boom that had driven growth <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
recorded <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry. To provide a little bit<br />
of context, I jo<strong>in</strong>ed Warner Music Group <strong>in</strong>itially<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1996 and worked <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> physical bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> UK company. To give you a sense of what<br />
that meant <strong>in</strong> practical terms: when I jo<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
Warner Music, <strong>the</strong>re were five major record<br />
labels. Between us, we employed upwards of<br />
40,000 staff around <strong>the</strong> world, manag<strong>in</strong>g pr<strong>in</strong>cipally<br />
<strong>the</strong> physical distribution of <strong>music</strong>. Of<br />
course <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> was a mean<strong>in</strong>gful part of<br />
that activity.<br />
And so, <strong>the</strong>re was a transition <strong>in</strong> 1999<br />
when peer-to-peer first emerged as a major<br />
consideration for <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry. With Napster,<br />
one saw that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry had, to a degree,<br />
anticipated <strong>the</strong> shift to <strong>digital</strong>. But it tried to<br />
make <strong>digital</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> im<strong>age</strong> of physical, by offer<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> same k<strong>in</strong>d of products <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> same k<strong>in</strong>d<br />
of way but on an <strong>in</strong>ternet retail basis. I always<br />
refer to that period <strong>in</strong> recorded <strong>music</strong> as ‘<strong>the</strong><br />
abbreviated griev<strong>in</strong>g process’. We began with<br />
denial, we experienced anger, which resulted <strong>in</strong><br />
us su<strong>in</strong>g pretty much everybody!<br />
And <strong>the</strong>n <strong>in</strong> 2003 we reached acceptance<br />
with <strong>the</strong> launch of iTunes. Hav<strong>in</strong>g worked<br />
at Warner as part of <strong>the</strong> team that helped br<strong>in</strong>g<br />
iTunes to <strong>the</strong> market, it had become apparent<br />
from <strong>the</strong> previous year or so that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
needed help: it needed help to organise<br />
itself and to make this transition, because<br />
<strong>the</strong> old rules didn’t really apply any more. We<br />
were struggl<strong>in</strong>g to organise ourselves and our<br />
own assets, let alone determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and dictat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> way <strong>music</strong> should be distributed. So<br />
we were really fortunate that around <strong>the</strong> same<br />
time that this was tak<strong>in</strong>g place, we were at <strong>the</strong><br />
forefront of <strong>the</strong> discussions lead<strong>in</strong>g up to <strong>the</strong><br />
launch of iTunes. At Warner, Roger Ames, our<br />
global chairman and CEO, was <strong>the</strong> first senior<br />
executive from <strong>the</strong> recorded <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry to<br />
eng<strong>age</strong> with Steve Jobs and <strong>the</strong> team at Apple.<br />
And so we saw up close <strong>the</strong> transition that <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry needed to make. However when iTunes<br />
launched, it was regarded <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> technology <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
as <strong>the</strong> last roll of <strong>the</strong> dice for Apple. Apple<br />
was a bus<strong>in</strong>ess that was completely dwarfed<br />
by <strong>the</strong> big <strong>in</strong>ternet and mobile players of <strong>the</strong><br />
time, by companies like Nokia and o<strong>the</strong>rs who<br />
were worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Apple<br />
was a relatively niche player <strong>in</strong> that marketplace.<br />
So, one of <strong>the</strong> th<strong>in</strong>gs that really enabled<br />
Warner to have a disproportionate impact was<br />
see<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> transformation of an idea as simple<br />
as iTunes, and watch<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> reality of that idea<br />
play out <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> marketplace. I remember vividly<br />
on <strong>the</strong> second full day of iTunes sales <strong>in</strong> North<br />
America, receiv<strong>in</strong>g a phone call from <strong>the</strong> North<br />
37
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
‘we thought, if only we could get this th<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
meant so much to people and make it available us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
new technologies and new <strong>digital</strong> channels’<br />
American team say<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong>y had sold a million<br />
downloads, which was <strong>the</strong> forecast for <strong>the</strong><br />
first year! So this gave us a tremendous confidence<br />
that <strong>music</strong> still had a real relevance. If we<br />
could f<strong>in</strong>d <strong>the</strong> right comb<strong>in</strong>ation of technology,<br />
partners and distribution, and <strong>the</strong> confidence<br />
that <strong>music</strong> would cont<strong>in</strong>ue to have a valuable<br />
role <strong>in</strong> people’s lives, if we could br<strong>in</strong>g those<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs toge<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>n it was a signpost for <strong>the</strong><br />
way <strong>the</strong> market might evolve.<br />
That said, if you were to<br />
look at what happened after<br />
iTunes, <strong>the</strong>re was a renewed<br />
confidence <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
and many larger players tried<br />
to replicate what Apple had<br />
done. Microsoft <strong>in</strong> particular<br />
had a tremendous <strong>in</strong>itiative<br />
with many of <strong>the</strong> world’s retailers<br />
<strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> consumer<br />
electronics<br />
manufacturers,<br />
but nobody ever really replicated it <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> form<br />
of <strong>music</strong> downloads. The <strong>in</strong>dustry bubbled as<br />
a download <strong>in</strong>dustry until 2007 when Spotify<br />
came along. Now, at <strong>the</strong> same time, we were<br />
constantly look<strong>in</strong>g at what Rhapsody (<strong>the</strong> new<br />
name for Napster) was do<strong>in</strong>g, and we were see<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that if you deliver a compell<strong>in</strong>g product to a<br />
<strong>music</strong> fan, <strong>the</strong> levels of eng<strong>age</strong>ment were fabulous.<br />
I th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>the</strong> reality was that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
wasn’t prepared to make that transition. And I<br />
don’t th<strong>in</strong>k consumers were ei<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
So if you th<strong>in</strong>k about where <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
was: this was 2003 or 2004 and iTunes<br />
had given great confidence to <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
We thought, if only we could get this th<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
meant so much to people and make it available<br />
us<strong>in</strong>g new technologies and new <strong>digital</strong> channels.<br />
Everyth<strong>in</strong>g looked very rosy. What actually hap-<br />
pened was that <strong>the</strong> transition from an old CD<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong>to a new <strong>digital</strong> retail<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess turned out to be a<br />
relatively niche opportunity, <strong>in</strong><br />
that it didn’t broaden!<br />
iTunes was a success<br />
<strong>in</strong> its own right but it was where near reach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> same<br />
levels of consumers that <strong>the</strong><br />
physical CD had ever reached.<br />
Frankly, consumers and fans<br />
were look<strong>in</strong>g for more depth<br />
<strong>in</strong> a <strong>music</strong>al experience and for <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
fans, it was just underwhelm<strong>in</strong>g. The way that<br />
<strong>classical</strong> record<strong>in</strong>gs were be<strong>in</strong>g presented on<br />
no-<br />
<strong>in</strong>ternet services was almost impenetrable. It<br />
was a model that was built around pop <strong>music</strong><br />
and driven by popularity. It was <strong>in</strong>conceivable<br />
to most <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> collectors and fans that<br />
<strong>the</strong>y would use <strong>digital</strong> to replace <strong>the</strong>ir old physical<br />
<strong>music</strong> library. To be fair, Apple have done a<br />
38
tech <strong>in</strong>sights<br />
better job than most to enrich what <strong>the</strong>y do,<br />
but fundamentally those services were about<br />
pop <strong>music</strong> and hit songs and genres o<strong>the</strong>r than<br />
<strong>classical</strong> and <strong>the</strong>y certa<strong>in</strong>ly didn’t lend <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />
to discovery of <strong>classical</strong> works for <strong>the</strong><br />
simple fact of <strong>the</strong> metadata. It was impenetrable.<br />
Download<strong>in</strong>g didn’t take off <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>classical</strong><br />
world <strong>in</strong>itially. Consumers have always wanted<br />
to upgrade to someth<strong>in</strong>g better, but it wasn’t<br />
better <strong>in</strong> terms of <strong>the</strong> convenience of discovery.<br />
Arguably as important was <strong>the</strong> denigration<br />
of sound quality. The trade-off between convenience<br />
and quality certa<strong>in</strong>ly lost a lot of consumers<br />
who had previously been <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
collectors and jazz <strong>music</strong> collectors. There was<br />
no comparison between what <strong>the</strong>y were be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
offered as a download and what <strong>the</strong>y had been<br />
offered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> physical world. And it wasn’t just<br />
those genres that struggled.<br />
We reached a ceil<strong>in</strong>g because of so much<br />
that was happen<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> people’s <strong>digital</strong> lives. If<br />
we look at what happened <strong>in</strong> film and TV over<br />
<strong>the</strong> same period, <strong>the</strong> quality, experience and<br />
convenience was gett<strong>in</strong>g better and better.<br />
Music, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, has tried to take <strong>the</strong><br />
physical experience and copy it across, bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
model and all, onto a <strong>digital</strong> platform. So<br />
we were constantly try<strong>in</strong>g to f<strong>in</strong>d companies<br />
that would deliver not only <strong>the</strong> convenience of<br />
<strong>digital</strong> but at least as good a quality of an experience<br />
as we had found <strong>in</strong> previous formats. If<br />
you th<strong>in</strong>k about it, dur<strong>in</strong>g that period Rhapsody<br />
was do<strong>in</strong>g reasonably well – it was a service<br />
that had a million or so users but it never really<br />
broke out <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>stream because <strong>the</strong><br />
consumers were f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g it difficult to get <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
heads around not only recurr<strong>in</strong>g subscriptions,<br />
but also <strong>the</strong> idea of be<strong>in</strong>g able to access <strong>music</strong><br />
as opposed to collect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong>.<br />
Music is so important for people’s self-expression<br />
and <strong>the</strong> act of collect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong> itself,<br />
that ritual of <strong>music</strong> buy<strong>in</strong>g is art of <strong>the</strong> experience.<br />
We <strong>the</strong>n fast-forward to 2007 and <strong>the</strong><br />
launch of Spotify; not only did Spotify do a lot<br />
for <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong> terms of <strong>the</strong>ir techni-<br />
cal capability comb<strong>in</strong>ed with a <strong>music</strong> obsession,<br />
but it was <strong>the</strong> first time we’d seen that <strong>in</strong> a s<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
company. And I th<strong>in</strong>k ironically it was able<br />
to grow, develop and improve because it didn’t<br />
come from North America. North America has<br />
this tendency to burn brightly and often to<br />
burn out but Spotify was able to thrive, <strong>in</strong>itially<br />
across a s<strong>in</strong>gle territory and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>in</strong> a handful of<br />
territories. It really had <strong>the</strong> breath<strong>in</strong>g space to<br />
build and develop and improve on <strong>the</strong> experience.<br />
And meanwhile, all <strong>the</strong> time Spotify were<br />
improv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir experience, customers were<br />
becom<strong>in</strong>g more accustomed to access <strong>music</strong><br />
as opposed to ownership, or access<strong>in</strong>g content<br />
based on someone else’s schedule. Spotify allowed<br />
audiences to access content accord<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to <strong>the</strong>ir own schedules and lifestyles. So I<br />
th<strong>in</strong>k between 2007 and 2014, we were go<strong>in</strong>g<br />
through this transition <strong>in</strong> consumer behaviour<br />
and Spotify dragged <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry kick<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and scream<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g era. A lot of<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>frastructure that was necessary for <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry to completely change its model<br />
was developed <strong>the</strong>n.<br />
But still, it’s fair to say that while Spotify provides<br />
a great experience for someone who is a<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>stream <strong>music</strong> lover – someone who wants<br />
pop, <strong>classical</strong>, rock, and many of <strong>the</strong> contemporary<br />
genres – it’s not a f<strong>in</strong>ished article when it<br />
comes to <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>. For <strong>the</strong> different ways<br />
you want to search <strong>the</strong> catalogue as a <strong>classical</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong> fan or collector, <strong>the</strong> bar is set pretty high.<br />
You want to search by composer or by work,<br />
understand<strong>in</strong>g that an overture is not necessarily<br />
a full work, for <strong>in</strong>stance. The <strong>in</strong>frastructure<br />
necessary to deliver <strong>classical</strong> still wasn’t <strong>in</strong> place<br />
by 2014 when I th<strong>in</strong>k stream<strong>in</strong>g really started to<br />
ga<strong>in</strong> momentum.<br />
39
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
such as Chromecast, you now have <strong>the</strong> ability<br />
to stream to your hifi system. It’s an <strong>in</strong>credibly<br />
excit<strong>in</strong>g time to start to serve those audiences<br />
<strong>in</strong> a way that genu<strong>in</strong>ely is an upgrade to a much<br />
better experience. So for 7<strong>digital</strong>, and for me<br />
personally, it is a really excit<strong>in</strong>g time.<br />
I worked <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> early days of DVD audio<br />
and SACD and I was <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> attempt<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to resuscitate <strong>the</strong> DVD audio format <strong>in</strong> 2000<br />
when <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry had frankly missed probably<br />
its most obvious opportunity to drive a<br />
new wave of growth by follow<strong>in</strong>g up on what<br />
had been <strong>the</strong> most successful consumer pack<strong>age</strong><br />
media format of all time. The <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
could not organise itself to deliver those<br />
products as an experience, despite <strong>the</strong> fact<br />
that <strong>the</strong>y had tremendous momentum. And<br />
<strong>the</strong>n at that po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry stopped for <strong>the</strong><br />
best part of a decade <strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> audio quality.<br />
We’re now start<strong>in</strong>g to see all <strong>the</strong> major labels<br />
and <strong>in</strong>dependent labels, especially <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong>,<br />
gear up to deliver not just <strong>the</strong> catalogues but<br />
also new releases, contemporary artists and<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> much higher resolution. So over <strong>the</strong><br />
next couple of years, <strong>the</strong>re are opportunities<br />
for bus<strong>in</strong>esses to evolve which means that <strong>music</strong><br />
fans don’t have to compromise on quality or<br />
convenience any more.<br />
If we look at ano<strong>the</strong>r phenomenon over<br />
<strong>the</strong> last few years, namely <strong>the</strong> resurgence of vi-<br />
ii.<br />
experience, search<br />
and discovery<br />
I<br />
th<strong>in</strong>k stream<strong>in</strong>g has done a fantastic job at<br />
replac<strong>in</strong>g a lot of our listen<strong>in</strong>g habits and has<br />
even improved <strong>the</strong>m. Now we are start<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
see <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g made available on<br />
various stream<strong>in</strong>g platforms <strong>in</strong> a way that’s appropriate,<br />
and it’s be<strong>in</strong>g made possible because<br />
<strong>the</strong> record labels <strong>in</strong> particular have been forced<br />
to look closely at <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>ds of metadata that<br />
are necessary to underp<strong>in</strong> a <strong>classical</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
service. And <strong>the</strong>y are start<strong>in</strong>g to build someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that supports services that are fit for purpose<br />
<strong>in</strong> terms of search and discovery. But also<br />
we are only now see<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> com<strong>in</strong>g toge<strong>the</strong>r of<br />
services and devices <strong>in</strong> a way that makes it possible<br />
for people to access a stream<strong>in</strong>g service<br />
and to listen to <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong> a quality that I th<strong>in</strong>k<br />
most <strong>classical</strong> aficionados would appreciate. If<br />
you give somebody <strong>the</strong> convenience and ability<br />
to browse through a catalogue, that’s f<strong>in</strong>e,<br />
but you’ve also got to experience it. The ability<br />
to stream higher quality is thanks to bandwidth<br />
improvements but also because of progress<br />
that’s been made <strong>in</strong> deliver<strong>in</strong>g new formats <strong>in</strong><br />
high resolution. That now means that <strong>the</strong> context<br />
is <strong>the</strong>re and <strong>the</strong> tools necessary to deliver<br />
really compell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> experiences<br />
on <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternet are just becom<strong>in</strong>g available.<br />
That’s on <strong>the</strong> service side. If you comb<strong>in</strong>e<br />
this with developments <strong>in</strong> connected devices,<br />
particularly audio devices and platforms<br />
40
tech <strong>in</strong>sights<br />
‘it’s be<strong>in</strong>g made possible because <strong>the</strong> record labels <strong>in</strong><br />
particular have been forced to really look closely at<br />
<strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>ds of metadata that are necessary to underp<strong>in</strong> a<br />
<strong>classical</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g service’<br />
nyl, I th<strong>in</strong>k it’s evidence of demand without a<br />
product. It tells us about <strong>the</strong> way that people<br />
want to eng<strong>age</strong> with <strong>music</strong> and what’s important<br />
about <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir lives. There are certa<strong>in</strong><br />
needs and requirements that are currently not<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g satisfied by <strong>the</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>digital</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
marketplace and by that I mean <strong>the</strong> depth that<br />
you get from be<strong>in</strong>g able to understand more of<br />
<strong>the</strong> composer, <strong>the</strong> producer, <strong>the</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>eer, <strong>the</strong><br />
artist, <strong>the</strong> songwriter. The story around <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
and <strong>the</strong> context about <strong>the</strong><br />
way <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> has been created<br />
has always been a part of<br />
<strong>the</strong> experience and so if I look<br />
at today’s most widely used<br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g services, <strong>the</strong>y‘re<br />
great at f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs and<br />
mak<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs available that<br />
are popular, but <strong>the</strong> depth of<br />
context isn’t really <strong>the</strong>re. That<br />
creates tremendous opportunities<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry, to provide services<br />
that really do meet <strong>the</strong> expectations of those<br />
who are look<strong>in</strong>g for more depth, both <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
quality of <strong>the</strong> audio, listen<strong>in</strong>g to works from different<br />
orchestras, be<strong>in</strong>g able to form <strong>the</strong>ir own<br />
op<strong>in</strong>ions about <strong>the</strong> best performances, and also<br />
<strong>the</strong> stories and <strong>the</strong> context around those works.<br />
So context is everyth<strong>in</strong>g and if we’re to look at<br />
where we are <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> transition from a physical<br />
pack<strong>age</strong>d media bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong>to a <strong>digital</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess, I th<strong>in</strong>k we’re <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> first hour of<br />
<strong>digital</strong> <strong>music</strong>. In some ways it’s pa<strong>in</strong>ful to say<br />
that because I’ve been at it for 20 years, but it<br />
feels like we’re just gett<strong>in</strong>g started. And <strong>the</strong>re<br />
are ways we can approach new technologies to<br />
make it easier to discover and navigate <strong>the</strong> catalogue<br />
and <strong>the</strong>n br<strong>in</strong>g ano<strong>the</strong>r context around<br />
those record<strong>in</strong>gs. The next few years are go<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to be tremendously excit<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>music</strong> lovers<br />
of all persuasions. I’m tremendously<br />
excited about this.<br />
But at <strong>the</strong> heart of it all is <strong>the</strong><br />
storytell<strong>in</strong>g. The way that you<br />
experience and re-experience<br />
<strong>music</strong>, <strong>the</strong>re needs to be tremendous<br />
depth to it and we<br />
are only just gett<strong>in</strong>g started<br />
<strong>digital</strong>ly.<br />
41
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
iii.<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> <strong>digital</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>novation<br />
But at least we’re gett<strong>in</strong>g started with <strong>the</strong><br />
right tools now. There are more catalogues<br />
available, better metadata and fewer technical<br />
barriers. We forget how far we’ve travelled <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> last 24 months. So many of those early challenges<br />
have been removed and that creates a<br />
fantastic platform for <strong>in</strong>novation. The work is<br />
not f<strong>in</strong>ished by any stretch of <strong>the</strong> imag<strong>in</strong>ation.<br />
Over <strong>the</strong> last 2 or 3 years, <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry – <strong>the</strong><br />
likes of Universal Music Group, Decca, Naxos,<br />
Deutsche Grammophon – has<br />
become focused on how we<br />
make sure <strong>the</strong> <strong>classical</strong> experience<br />
is compell<strong>in</strong>g. And<br />
<strong>the</strong>re’s a resurgence <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest<br />
<strong>in</strong> artists and repertoire.<br />
So despite <strong>the</strong> fact that<br />
<strong>the</strong> relative share of <strong>the</strong> <strong>digital</strong><br />
marketplaces has been challeng<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> over<br />
<strong>the</strong> past few years, I’m really<br />
encour<strong>age</strong>d by <strong>the</strong> focus on <strong>in</strong>vestment that<br />
we’re see<strong>in</strong>g across <strong>the</strong> major labels and <strong>the</strong><br />
major <strong>in</strong>dependent producers of <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
and just a great example of where <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dus-<br />
try is headed. At CES (Consumer Electronics<br />
Show) this year <strong>in</strong> Las Vegas, three major record<br />
labels came toge<strong>the</strong>r to demonstrate not just<br />
a desire to help support high resolution <strong>music</strong>,<br />
but also that <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> and mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong>se services available. So I am encour<strong>age</strong>d<br />
about what <strong>the</strong> next few years will look like for<br />
all <strong>music</strong>al genres, but particularly <strong>classical</strong> and<br />
jazz that have been so under-served <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> last<br />
few years.<br />
Goldman Sachs published a report not<br />
so long ago about what <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry will<br />
look like <strong>in</strong> 2025.The most significant th<strong>in</strong>g<br />
about this authoritative report is that it pulls<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r all elements of <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry and<br />
looks at <strong>the</strong>m through a s<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
lens. The challenge of <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry over <strong>the</strong> last<br />
couple of decades has been<br />
fragmentation, and that is just<br />
as significant <strong>in</strong> pop <strong>music</strong> as<br />
it is <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>. Once<br />
you separate <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong><br />
artist and repertoire from an<br />
ability to generate revenue,<br />
<strong>the</strong>n it becomes challeng<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to cont<strong>in</strong>ue to <strong>in</strong>vest. For <strong>the</strong> first time, we’re<br />
beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g to look at <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry through a s<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
lens which is tremendously encourag<strong>in</strong>g for<br />
all genres of <strong>music</strong>. And I’m a cynic. I’ve been<br />
do<strong>in</strong>g this too long to be easily conv<strong>in</strong>ced of<br />
<strong>the</strong>se th<strong>in</strong>gs! So I can safely say, it really is an<br />
excit<strong>in</strong>g time for <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
The advice I’d give to those new to<br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g is: you’ve got to try it. You’ve got to<br />
42
tech <strong>in</strong>sights<br />
‘so context is everyth<strong>in</strong>g and if we’re to look at where<br />
we are <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> transition from a physical pack<strong>age</strong>d media<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong>to a <strong>digital</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess, I th<strong>in</strong>k we’re<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> first hour of <strong>digital</strong> <strong>music</strong>’<br />
look at <strong>the</strong> simplicity of <strong>the</strong> way that stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
is now be<strong>in</strong>g delivered and <strong>the</strong> simplicity of<br />
tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> off a computer and mak<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
available through your audio system. The advances<br />
we’ve seen <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> last 12 months means<br />
it’s a whole different proposition now. F<strong>in</strong>d <strong>the</strong><br />
service that’s right for you because not all services<br />
are equal <strong>in</strong> terms of <strong>the</strong>ir focus on context<br />
or <strong>the</strong> breadth of content. The great th<strong>in</strong>g<br />
is that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry is now <strong>in</strong> a growth phase.<br />
So it’s easy to get a taste of this and give it a<br />
try. You don’t have to let go of your CD or v<strong>in</strong>yl<br />
collection to give it a go now. I th<strong>in</strong>k people will<br />
be pleasantly surprised at just how far it has developed<br />
just <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> last 18-24 months.<br />
PETE DOWNTON<br />
Deputy CEO of 7<strong>digital</strong>.<br />
He jo<strong>in</strong>ed Warner Music Group <strong>in</strong> 1996.<br />
In 2014 he jo<strong>in</strong>ed 7<strong>digital</strong>, <strong>the</strong> B2B<br />
<strong>digital</strong> <strong>music</strong> and radio services<br />
company.<br />
1999<br />
Peer-to-peer<br />
<strong>music</strong> shar<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with Napster.<br />
2003<br />
iTunes launched.<br />
Apple was still a<br />
niche company.<br />
2007<br />
Spotify<br />
launched.<br />
Beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of<br />
<strong>the</strong> concept of<br />
access<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong><br />
ra<strong>the</strong>r than<br />
collect<strong>in</strong>g it.<br />
2014<br />
Improved metadata,<br />
break<strong>in</strong>g<br />
ground for <strong>classical</strong><br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
2017<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
launches 100%<br />
<strong>classical</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
platform.<br />
43
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
1<br />
KATHERINE<br />
STREAMING BETA TESTER<br />
“I have enjoyed stream<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
available <strong>music</strong> dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> beta<br />
period. I hope that when you go to<br />
production <strong>the</strong>re is at least a tier of<br />
service that is compatible with my<br />
listen<strong>in</strong>g habits. If I had to crowd out<br />
some o<strong>the</strong>r aspect of my <strong>music</strong>al life<br />
<strong>in</strong> order to justify whatever I had to<br />
pay <strong>the</strong>n I would not do that.”<br />
“I have used <strong>the</strong> service more dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> beta than I would on aver<strong>age</strong><br />
over <strong>the</strong> long term, as I did postpone<br />
some o<strong>the</strong>r th<strong>in</strong>gs to focus here<br />
because of <strong>the</strong> limited time.”<br />
“I was just play<strong>in</strong>g a piece by a<br />
composer I know, but a work of his<br />
that is less familiar to me. And my<br />
first thought was “I like this <strong>music</strong>ally<br />
but maybe I'd prefer a different<br />
version.”<br />
2<br />
“The <strong>music</strong> is awesome – I am pretty<br />
sure we all agree on that – and I am<br />
grateful to have had <strong>the</strong> opportunity<br />
to hopefully make <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al product<br />
a success.”<br />
“So I went to <strong>the</strong> “work <strong>in</strong>fo” choice<br />
that lives at <strong>the</strong> top of <strong>the</strong> bar and<br />
clicked. I was shown <strong>in</strong>formation<br />
about <strong>the</strong> piece that <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>the</strong><br />
date and place of its premiere<br />
AND – of <strong>in</strong>terest to me – o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
record<strong>in</strong>gs of this piece that I will go<br />
and explore soon.”<br />
“I wish to report that I am a fan of<br />
this feature – please keep it! And<br />
thank you!”<br />
ALI KHAN<br />
NEW SOUNDS CONSULTING<br />
3<br />
HEESANG JEON<br />
FORMER HEAD OF PRODUCT<br />
AT 7DIGITAL<br />
“I have been wait<strong>in</strong>g for a <strong>classical</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
service for a long time. It's great that my<br />
needs as a user are be<strong>in</strong>g f<strong>in</strong>ally met!”<br />
4<br />
DON MCINTOSH<br />
STREAMING BETA TESTER<br />
“Metadata for <strong>music</strong> is always an issue but<br />
especially for <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>, simply because<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are no standards. What I see on<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong> is better than what I get from<br />
most CDs.”<br />
“So far I played two releases and connected it to my<br />
system via Bluetooth <strong>in</strong> my car system. Very nice. Keep<br />
up <strong>the</strong> great work.”<br />
BOWERS & WILKINS HEADPHONE GIVEAWAY<br />
We held a competition<br />
for beta testers to<br />
w<strong>in</strong> a set of Bowers &<br />
Wilk<strong>in</strong>s P7 headphones.<br />
Their exquisite design<br />
and breathtak<strong>in</strong>g sound<br />
are a high-end treat for<br />
<strong>the</strong> one lucky w<strong>in</strong>ner.<br />
And that w<strong>in</strong>ner is:<br />
Don McIntosh<br />
44
tech <strong>in</strong>sights<br />
<strong>the</strong> stream<strong>in</strong>g<br />
user experience<br />
In 2017 <strong>primephonic</strong> launches its stream<strong>in</strong>g service, which complements <strong>the</strong> high-res<br />
download store, add<strong>in</strong>g a new dimension to <strong>the</strong> 100% <strong>classical</strong> platform. The successful<br />
beta phase was well-received by <strong>the</strong> users, giv<strong>in</strong>g a great sense of satisfaction and<br />
<strong>the</strong> road ahead looks promis<strong>in</strong>g. Here is what some of <strong>the</strong> beta testers had to say.<br />
45
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
The scope of labels<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong> offers is<br />
astound<strong>in</strong>g. This means<br />
that <strong>the</strong> diversity of<br />
<strong>music</strong> available on<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong> ranges<br />
from <strong>the</strong> staples of <strong>the</strong><br />
symphonic repertoire<br />
to au<strong>the</strong>ntic period<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments, to brand<br />
new compositions<br />
by <strong>the</strong> cutt<strong>in</strong>g-edge<br />
composers of today. In<br />
<strong>the</strong>se label portraits,<br />
we <strong>in</strong>troduce. you to <strong>the</strong><br />
people beh<strong>in</strong>d some of<br />
<strong>the</strong> labels.<br />
WORDS BETH ADELMAN<br />
harmonia mundi<br />
CHRISTIAN GIARDIN<br />
As <strong>the</strong> focus of <strong>the</strong> early <strong>music</strong><br />
movement moved from scholarship<br />
to <strong>music</strong>ianship <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1970s and<br />
1980s, it was harmonia mundi that<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>the</strong> world to <strong>the</strong> some of<br />
<strong>the</strong> first stars of <strong>the</strong> genre, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Anonymous 4, William Christie and<br />
Les Arts Florissants, Andreas Scholl,<br />
and Andrew Manze.<br />
The French label was founded <strong>in</strong><br />
1958 by Bernard Coutaz, who simply<br />
wanted to record <strong>music</strong> that he<br />
thought was beautiful. His quest<br />
for excit<strong>in</strong>g new sounds led him<br />
to <strong>the</strong> emerg<strong>in</strong>g proponents of<br />
historically <strong>in</strong>formed performance.<br />
“There was a special focus on a<br />
quest for excellence, l<strong>in</strong>ked to <strong>the</strong><br />
notion of au<strong>the</strong>nticity: more period<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments, return<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al<br />
manuscripts, and above all, <strong>the</strong> idea<br />
of explor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> repertoire with a<br />
new perspective, always question<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> score, never accept<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
without ask<strong>in</strong>g questions,” expla<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
harmonia mundi’s current head of<br />
classics, Christian Giard<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Coutaz passed away <strong>in</strong> 2010, leav<strong>in</strong>g<br />
his widow, Eva Coutaz, <strong>in</strong> charge<br />
46
community<br />
of <strong>the</strong> company. In 2015 she sold<br />
harmonia mundi, still with a solid<br />
l<strong>in</strong>e-up of early <strong>music</strong> artists, to <strong>the</strong><br />
eclectic European <strong>in</strong>dependent label<br />
PIAS. At <strong>the</strong> time, PIAS co-founder<br />
Kenny Gates called harmonia mundi<br />
“a hidden gem.”<br />
“The spirit of cont<strong>in</strong>uity,” is what<br />
Giard<strong>in</strong> said he’s after as harmonia<br />
mundi cont<strong>in</strong>ues to grow. “The<br />
master<strong>in</strong>g of historically <strong>in</strong>formed<br />
performance is now at <strong>the</strong> highest<br />
level possible, with such artists as<br />
Isabelle Faust, Alexander Melnikov,<br />
Jean-Guihen Queyras, René<br />
Jacobs, Andreas Staier and Kristian<br />
Bezuidenhout. But new artists have<br />
been jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> label <strong>in</strong> recent<br />
years.”<br />
The cont<strong>in</strong>uity shows <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
commitment to uncover<strong>in</strong>g<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g new and fresh <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong> <strong>the</strong>y record. For example, <strong>the</strong><br />
conductor Brad Lubman is a brilliant<br />
advocate for new <strong>music</strong>, Graham<br />
Ross a leader <strong>in</strong> choral <strong>music</strong>,<br />
and <strong>the</strong> stunn<strong>in</strong>g soprano Sophie<br />
Karthäuser stars <strong>in</strong> opera and song.<br />
“They embody that new generation:<br />
new perspectives, new repertoire,<br />
and a new sound,” Giard<strong>in</strong> enthused.<br />
2L<br />
MORTEN LINDBERG<br />
“There is no method available today<br />
to reproduce <strong>the</strong> exact perception<br />
of attend<strong>in</strong>g a live performance,<br />
with all its commercial limitations.<br />
On <strong>the</strong> contrary, we should<br />
create <strong>the</strong> sonic experience that<br />
emotionally moves <strong>the</strong> listener to a<br />
better place,” said Morten L<strong>in</strong>dberg,<br />
founder and CEO of 2L. “That leaves<br />
us with <strong>the</strong> art of illusion when it<br />
comes to record<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong>.”<br />
This pursuit of <strong>the</strong> perfect illusion<br />
makes 2L record<strong>in</strong>gs sound almost<br />
as if <strong>the</strong>y are play<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>side your<br />
head. “Recorded <strong>music</strong> is no longer<br />
a matter of a fixed one- or twodimensional<br />
sett<strong>in</strong>g, but ra<strong>the</strong>r<br />
a three-dimensional envelop<strong>in</strong>g<br />
situation; a sculpture that you can<br />
literally move around and relate to<br />
spatially,” L<strong>in</strong>dberg expla<strong>in</strong>ed. “As<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g eng<strong>in</strong>eers and producers,<br />
we need to do exactly <strong>the</strong> same as<br />
any good <strong>music</strong>ian: <strong>in</strong>terpret <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong> and <strong>the</strong> composer’s <strong>in</strong>tentions<br />
and adapt to <strong>the</strong> medium where we<br />
perform.”<br />
The Oslo-based label started out as<br />
a production company <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> early<br />
1990s. But as <strong>the</strong> major labels scaled<br />
back <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong> record<strong>in</strong>gs,<br />
L<strong>in</strong>dberg said, “we wanted to move<br />
forward. Our obvious solution was<br />
to start our own label.” 2L currently<br />
has 10 to 15 releases per year, all on<br />
Pure Audio Blu-ray and HiRes files.<br />
Most feature Nordic artists and<br />
contemporary composers.<br />
2L record<strong>in</strong>gs have garnered 28<br />
Grammy nom<strong>in</strong>ations s<strong>in</strong>ce 2006—<br />
mostly <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g and sound<br />
categories. L<strong>in</strong>dberg has a hard time<br />
expla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> science beh<strong>in</strong>d how<br />
<strong>the</strong>y make such beautiful illusions,<br />
say<strong>in</strong>g “It's a mixture between<br />
<strong>in</strong>tellect and <strong>the</strong> heart.”<br />
He cont<strong>in</strong>ued, “2L records <strong>in</strong> roomy<br />
acoustic venues—large concert<br />
halls, churches and ca<strong>the</strong>drals. This<br />
is actually where we can make <strong>the</strong><br />
most <strong>in</strong>timate record<strong>in</strong>gs. [There is<br />
a] spaciousness due to <strong>the</strong> absence<br />
of close reflect<strong>in</strong>g walls. Mak<strong>in</strong>g an<br />
ambient and beautiful record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
is <strong>the</strong> way of least resistance.<br />
Search<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>e edge between<br />
direct contact and spaciousness—<br />
that’s <strong>the</strong> real challenge!”<br />
Sono Lum<strong>in</strong>us<br />
COLLIN J RAE<br />
Like so many audiophile companies,<br />
Sono Lum<strong>in</strong>us began as an<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g studio and eventually<br />
branched out to record under its<br />
own label. It started <strong>in</strong> 1995 when<br />
<strong>the</strong> founders of Cisco Systems,<br />
Sandy Lerner and Len Bosack,<br />
decided that <strong>the</strong>ir knowledge of<br />
<strong>digital</strong> signal process<strong>in</strong>g could<br />
be applied to recorded <strong>music</strong>, to<br />
gorgeous effect.<br />
They married a studio made for<br />
natural acoustics (a 100-year-old<br />
former Episcopal church with a 25<br />
foot vaulted wood ceil<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>the</strong><br />
orig<strong>in</strong>al heart p<strong>in</strong>e floor<strong>in</strong>g) with <strong>the</strong><br />
best possible technology and <strong>the</strong><br />
m<strong>in</strong>imal possible mik<strong>in</strong>g, to end up<br />
with a remarkably natural sound.<br />
Ten years later, <strong>the</strong>y bought up <strong>the</strong><br />
entire catalogue of Dorian, one of<br />
<strong>the</strong> first audiophile labels and an early<br />
<strong>music</strong> pioneer, and launched Sono<br />
Lum<strong>in</strong>us as an <strong>in</strong>dependent label.<br />
47
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
Today, <strong>the</strong> focus is still on us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
highest technology to create <strong>the</strong><br />
most natural ambient sound. Sono<br />
Lum<strong>in</strong>us was <strong>the</strong> first American<br />
record label to release Pure Audio<br />
Blu-ray discs. All record<strong>in</strong>gs today<br />
are made <strong>in</strong> 192kHz/24-bit stereo<br />
versions as well as 7.1-channel,<br />
96kHz/24-bit, and 5.1-channel,<br />
192kHz/24-bit surround sound, and<br />
Auro-3D 9.1-channel record<strong>in</strong>gs. As<br />
label CEO Coll<strong>in</strong> J Rae said, “Once<br />
you have recorded someth<strong>in</strong>g, you<br />
can always go down [<strong>in</strong> quality] but<br />
you can’t go up.”<br />
These days Sono Lum<strong>in</strong>us records<br />
an eclectic mix of early and<br />
contemporary <strong>music</strong>, two genres<br />
that Rae said are “relatable as an<br />
aes<strong>the</strong>tic; <strong>the</strong>re’s someth<strong>in</strong>g similar<br />
about <strong>the</strong> sonic quality and <strong>the</strong><br />
atmosphere.” So, for example, Jory<br />
V<strong>in</strong>ikour play<strong>in</strong>g Bach Partitas on <strong>the</strong><br />
harpsichord is com<strong>in</strong>g out around<br />
<strong>the</strong> same time as Nordic Affect and<br />
a programme of new <strong>music</strong> from <strong>the</strong><br />
Icelandic Symphony Orchestra.<br />
“We want to support artists who<br />
are actively eng<strong>age</strong>d with <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
audience,” said Rae. “I’m try<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
take a holistic view and up <strong>the</strong> ante<br />
on what<br />
LSO Live<br />
BECKY LEES<br />
LSO Live was born <strong>in</strong> 2000, when<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong>ians of <strong>the</strong> London<br />
Symphony Orchestra decided<br />
<strong>the</strong>y needed to control <strong>the</strong>ir own<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g legacy. “LSO Live was<br />
set up to be profitable, but we also<br />
had o<strong>the</strong>r reasons,” said Becky Lees,<br />
head of LSO Live. These <strong>in</strong>cluded<br />
replac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>come lost from <strong>the</strong><br />
decl<strong>in</strong>e of traditional record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
deals, ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g a high level of<br />
exposure for <strong>the</strong> orchestra, and<br />
reach<strong>in</strong>g a wider audience through<br />
<strong>digital</strong> distribution—someth<strong>in</strong>g LSO<br />
has been pioneer<strong>in</strong>g. “We were<br />
adamant that only <strong>the</strong> artist truly has<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir long-term bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong>terests at<br />
heart.”<br />
While o<strong>the</strong>r orchestras have s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
launched <strong>the</strong>ir own labels, LSO Live<br />
was <strong>the</strong> first. It grew out of <strong>the</strong><br />
structure of LSO itself, “a collective<br />
built on artistic ownership and<br />
partnership,” said Lees. “The LSO<br />
is still owned and governed by its<br />
members, and <strong>the</strong> chairman is an<br />
elected member of <strong>the</strong> orchestra.”<br />
The <strong>music</strong>ians decide what to<br />
record, <strong>the</strong>y control all rights, and<br />
share <strong>the</strong> profits.<br />
LSO Live record<strong>in</strong>gs really are<br />
live; <strong>the</strong>y edit toge<strong>the</strong>r several<br />
live performances—comb<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
best features of live and studio<br />
record<strong>in</strong>gs. “We wanted to capture<br />
<strong>the</strong> energy and emotion of our<br />
concerts, and for that we need a<br />
high-quality sound,” said Lees. “We<br />
are a world-class orchestra. We don't<br />
compromise on <strong>the</strong> quality of our<br />
performances and we don't feel we<br />
should compromise on <strong>the</strong> quality of<br />
our record<strong>in</strong>gs.”<br />
The label was founded when Sir<br />
Col<strong>in</strong> Davis was at <strong>the</strong> helm, and<br />
a lot of his core repertoire was<br />
featured—Berlioz, Haydn, Sibelius.<br />
With Simon Rattle now ready to<br />
pick up <strong>the</strong> baton, “There will be a<br />
greater diversity to <strong>the</strong> orchestral<br />
programme, and that will broaden<br />
<strong>the</strong> offer on LSO Live,” Lees said.<br />
“Simon believes passionately <strong>in</strong><br />
liv<strong>in</strong>g composers and each season<br />
will beg<strong>in</strong> with a new commission.<br />
It's our <strong>in</strong>tention to record <strong>the</strong>se<br />
for <strong>the</strong> label. We have also added<br />
Gianandrea Noseda and François-<br />
Xavier Roth to <strong>the</strong> roster. We look<br />
forward to some excit<strong>in</strong>g record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
projects with both conductors.”<br />
48
title goes here<br />
The energy and emotion<br />
you only experience live<br />
Verdi<br />
Requiem<br />
Gianandrea<br />
Noseda<br />
Erika Grimaldi<br />
Daniela Barcellona<br />
Francesco Meli<br />
Michele Pertusi<br />
Simon Halsey<br />
London Symphony Chorus<br />
<br />
‘Sheer majesty’<br />
The Guardian<br />
<br />
‘Irresistible’<br />
Sunday Times<br />
<br />
‘Electric’<br />
The Guardian<br />
The debut album from <strong>the</strong><br />
virtuoso LSO W<strong>in</strong>d Ensemble<br />
Album of <strong>the</strong> week<br />
Sunday Times<br />
‘This could turn out to be <strong>the</strong><br />
f<strong>in</strong>est Sibelius cycle’<br />
The Observer<br />
lsolive.lso.co.uk<br />
49<br />
Listen on <strong>primephonic</strong>
for life on an<br />
epic scale<br />
WORDS RACHEL DELOUGHRY<br />
There’s someth<strong>in</strong>g e<strong>the</strong>real about <strong>music</strong> that<br />
speaks to humanity. Music expresses emotion<br />
sonically without <strong>the</strong> need for langu<strong>age</strong> or<br />
text. Music doesn’t even need to be understood<br />
to be enjoyed.<br />
Hear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> words ‘<strong>music</strong>’ and ‘universe’ <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> one sentence br<strong>in</strong>gs many th<strong>in</strong>gs to m<strong>in</strong>d<br />
– from <strong>the</strong> Ancient Greeks to space travel,<br />
or maybe <strong>the</strong> sound of Holst’s The Planets or<br />
Bartok’s Mikrokosmos. Space can be perceived<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>music</strong>, ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong> terms of physics and<br />
acoustics or on a more abstract level with<strong>in</strong><br />
our imag<strong>in</strong>ation. The universe holds a special<br />
place; a source of wonder and mystery, it can<br />
be admired and contemplated and it’s up to us<br />
how deep we want to delve. The same can be<br />
said of <strong>music</strong>.<br />
50
title goes here<br />
c. 495BC<br />
The connection between<br />
<strong>music</strong> and outer space was<br />
already observed <strong>in</strong> Ancient<br />
Greece and frequently discussed<br />
by <strong>the</strong> likes of Plato,<br />
Aristotle and Socrates. The<br />
ma<strong>the</strong>matician Pythagoras<br />
suggested that celestial bodies<br />
emit a unique humm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
sound based on <strong>the</strong>ir orbital<br />
revolution, known as <strong>music</strong>a<br />
universalis or Music of <strong>the</strong><br />
spheres.<br />
1781<br />
Sir William Herschel was a<br />
German-born English composer<br />
and astronomer from<br />
<strong>the</strong> 18th century. Although<br />
better known for his work as<br />
an astronomer, Herschel led<br />
a short but successful <strong>music</strong><br />
career, with an astonish<strong>in</strong>g<br />
18 symphonies to his name,<br />
as well as concertos for oboe<br />
and viola. Us<strong>in</strong>g a telescope<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1781 he found <strong>the</strong> planet<br />
Uranus, <strong>the</strong> first planet to be<br />
discovered s<strong>in</strong>ce antiquity. .<br />
1914<br />
Holst was an <strong>in</strong>novative English<br />
composer, most famous<br />
for his orchestral work, The<br />
Planets. He was a modest<br />
and <strong>in</strong>troverted character<br />
and spent <strong>the</strong> majority of<br />
his career as an educator as<br />
well as a composer, hold<strong>in</strong>g<br />
many teach<strong>in</strong>g positions <strong>in</strong><br />
various schools throughout<br />
his life. The use of bitonality<br />
and dissonance <strong>in</strong> The Planets<br />
creates a unique and <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />
element to <strong>the</strong> work. It<br />
ga<strong>in</strong>ed immediate attention<br />
and most of his cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g<br />
fame rests on this strik<strong>in</strong>g<br />
work.<br />
1918<br />
In our solar system, <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
a m<strong>in</strong>or planet named after<br />
Hildegard of B<strong>in</strong>gen, <strong>the</strong><br />
German Benedict<strong>in</strong>e abbess,<br />
composer, writer, scientist<br />
and philosopher of <strong>the</strong> Medieval<br />
period. The m<strong>in</strong>or planet<br />
898 Hildegard, which orbits<br />
<strong>the</strong> sun, was discovered on 3<br />
August 1918.<br />
1961<br />
On 12 April 1961 a melody<br />
was whistled <strong>in</strong> space for <strong>the</strong><br />
first time. Russian cosmonaut<br />
Yuri Gagar<strong>in</strong>, <strong>the</strong> first ever<br />
human <strong>in</strong> space, whistled <strong>the</strong><br />
patriotic song "The Mo<strong>the</strong>rland<br />
Hears, The Mo<strong>the</strong>rland<br />
Knows" by fellow-Soviet Dmitri<br />
Shostakovich, on board<br />
<strong>the</strong> Vostok 3KA-3 (Vostok1).<br />
1977<br />
The Voy<strong>age</strong>r Interstellar<br />
Record is a compendium of<br />
human achievement which<br />
was recorded on a gold-coated<br />
phonograph and sent<br />
<strong>in</strong>to space on <strong>the</strong> Voy<strong>age</strong>r <strong>in</strong><br />
1977. It is currently float<strong>in</strong>g<br />
through space at least 11.6<br />
billion miles away from Earth.<br />
In his book, The Murmurs of<br />
Earth (1978), <strong>the</strong> astronomer<br />
and astrophysicist Carl<br />
Sagan refers to <strong>the</strong> curation<br />
of this artefact – what was<br />
chosen and why. Sagan<br />
declares that <strong>the</strong> decision to<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> of Johann<br />
Sebastian Bach was a case of<br />
unashamed show<strong>in</strong>g off. The<br />
full playlist consists of tracks<br />
of <strong>music</strong> by Bach, Mozart,<br />
Beethoven and many popular<br />
and non-Western numbers.<br />
51
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
Grammy Award w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g viol<strong>in</strong>ist August<strong>in</strong> Hadelich has made a name for himself as one of <strong>the</strong><br />
foremost <strong>music</strong>ians of his generation. Born <strong>in</strong> Italy to German parents, Hadelich thrived at <strong>the</strong><br />
Juilliard School <strong>in</strong> New York where he evolved from young prodigy to fully-fledged concert soloist,<br />
emerg<strong>in</strong>g as one of today’s most sought-after <strong>music</strong>ians. He plays on <strong>the</strong> 1723 “ExKiesewetter”<br />
Stradivari viol<strong>in</strong> which is on loan to him from <strong>the</strong> Stradivari Society of Chicago. <strong>primephonic</strong><br />
editor Rachel Deloughry caught up with him to discuss his listen<strong>in</strong>g preferences.<br />
WORDS RACHEL DELOUGHRY PHOTO ROSALIE O'CONNOR<br />
how do i listen:<br />
august<strong>in</strong> hadelich<br />
AUGUSTIN HADELICH<br />
Born <strong>in</strong> 1984 <strong>in</strong> Tuscany, Italy, to<br />
German parents.<br />
He is a graduate of <strong>the</strong> Instituto<br />
Mascagni <strong>in</strong> Livorno, Italy and <strong>the</strong><br />
Juilliard School <strong>in</strong> New York<br />
He won a Grammy for Best Classical<br />
Instrumental Solo <strong>in</strong> 2016 for his<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g of Henri Dutilleux’s Viol<strong>in</strong><br />
Concerto ('L'Arbre Des Songes') with<br />
<strong>the</strong> Seattle Symphony and Ludovic<br />
Morlot.<br />
He plays on <strong>the</strong> 1723 “ExKiesewetter”<br />
Stradivari viol<strong>in</strong> which is on loan to<br />
him via <strong>the</strong> Stradivari Society of<br />
Chicago.<br />
“When I perform viol<strong>in</strong> concertos,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y are usually <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> first half of<br />
<strong>the</strong> programme but I almost always<br />
listen to <strong>the</strong> second half of <strong>the</strong><br />
concert, which I greatly enjoy! I<br />
also listen to many record<strong>in</strong>gs for<br />
research (especially o<strong>the</strong>r works by<br />
<strong>the</strong> same composer as <strong>the</strong> piece I<br />
am perform<strong>in</strong>g). However, because<br />
my ear is next to <strong>the</strong> viol<strong>in</strong> so much<br />
when I'm practis<strong>in</strong>g, rehears<strong>in</strong>g or<br />
perform<strong>in</strong>g, I do also f<strong>in</strong>d silence<br />
to be very relax<strong>in</strong>g, someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
which is very hard to come by<br />
<strong>the</strong>se days! I don’t like background<br />
<strong>music</strong> (for example <strong>in</strong> restaurants),<br />
especially if it is <strong>classical</strong>, s<strong>in</strong>ce I<br />
<strong>in</strong>variably start listen<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>the</strong>n<br />
can’t keep up with <strong>the</strong> conversation!<br />
I still have my m<strong>in</strong>idisc player<br />
although I haven’t used it <strong>in</strong> years.<br />
I generally listen to <strong>music</strong> on <strong>the</strong><br />
computer, ei<strong>the</strong>r over speakers<br />
or headphones. I can never quite<br />
understand people who listen to<br />
<strong>music</strong> while walk<strong>in</strong>g or runn<strong>in</strong>g - I<br />
would run <strong>in</strong>to th<strong>in</strong>gs or get lost if<br />
I did that. The computer I take with<br />
me when I travel doesn’t actually<br />
have a CD player, so I usually buy<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> that I want to listen to<br />
on iTunes. I feel it’s important for<br />
<strong>music</strong>ians to buy record<strong>in</strong>gs – we<br />
have to set a good example!<br />
When I’m study<strong>in</strong>g a new work,<br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g makes record<strong>in</strong>gs more<br />
easily accessible. However, I<br />
have also found that some of my<br />
favourite record<strong>in</strong>gs are not <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
stream<strong>in</strong>g libraries. And sometimes<br />
I f<strong>in</strong>d that it’s just nice to take out a<br />
CD and hold it <strong>in</strong> your hand!<br />
One th<strong>in</strong>g I love about <strong>the</strong> <strong>digital</strong><br />
revolution is that it has changed<br />
<strong>the</strong> programm<strong>in</strong>g of albums: it<br />
used to be common to record <strong>the</strong><br />
52
title goes here<br />
‘i greatly<br />
prefer to<br />
listen to<br />
<strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> concert<br />
sett<strong>in</strong>g’<br />
repertoire of one composer on<br />
each album, for example, <strong>the</strong> 3<br />
Brahms sonatas, so that it could be<br />
easily found <strong>in</strong> a store, under “B for<br />
Brahms.” If <strong>the</strong>re was Schubert on<br />
<strong>the</strong> same disc, however, would <strong>the</strong><br />
disc be filed be under B or S? Such<br />
categorical conundrums are now<br />
obsolete, as we can now easily use<br />
search eng<strong>in</strong>es to f<strong>in</strong>d composers,<br />
works, or performers we want to<br />
hear or buy. We can programme<br />
albums more creatively, more like<br />
a concert programme. Personally, I<br />
love record<strong>in</strong>gs with highly contrast<strong>in</strong>g<br />
repertoire and often f<strong>in</strong>d<br />
anthologies bor<strong>in</strong>g!<br />
I greatly prefer to listen to <strong>music</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> concert sett<strong>in</strong>g. There is someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
special about be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a hall<br />
with many o<strong>the</strong>r people, listen<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to <strong>music</strong> that is be<strong>in</strong>g created <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> moment. But I do also enjoy<br />
<strong>the</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g process. Music is an<br />
ephemeral th<strong>in</strong>g and record<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
work after years of study<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
play<strong>in</strong>g is very satisfy<strong>in</strong>g.’<br />
The new record<strong>in</strong>g of Lalo and<br />
Tchaikovsky concertos with <strong>the</strong><br />
LPO are my first live record<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
and <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>the</strong> perfect works to<br />
record live! Play<strong>in</strong>g Tchaikovsky<br />
at 10.00am <strong>in</strong> a record<strong>in</strong>g studio<br />
just would not work because this<br />
work thrives on <strong>the</strong> excitement<br />
of <strong>the</strong> concert hall. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
hand, I knew that my record<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Adès concerto had to be<br />
a studio record<strong>in</strong>g, as only <strong>the</strong>n<br />
would we be able to work out <strong>the</strong><br />
more subtle details <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> complex<br />
score. I was also really happy with<br />
my record<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> Bartók and<br />
Mendelssohn concertos with <strong>the</strong><br />
Norwegian Radio Orchestra and<br />
Miguel Harth-Bedoya on AVIE.<br />
53<br />
At <strong>the</strong> moment I am record<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
24 Caprices of Pagan<strong>in</strong>i for Warner<br />
Classics, which will be released<br />
<strong>in</strong> early 2018. The caprices are<br />
really fun, <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g and beautiful<br />
pieces, which are unfortunately<br />
often treated more like etudes. I<br />
feel very strongly about Pagan<strong>in</strong>i's<br />
<strong>music</strong> because I grew up <strong>in</strong> Italy,<br />
where he is beloved as a composer<br />
and his works are played operatically,<br />
more like Ross<strong>in</strong>i.”<br />
how do I listen playlist<br />
Henri Dutilleux: L’arbre des songes,<br />
II Vif Interlude 2<br />
Seattle Symphony Media<br />
Édouard Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole, I<br />
Allegro non troppo<br />
LPO<br />
J.S. Bach : Herr Jesu Christ, wahr’<br />
Mensch und Gott, BWV 127: Die Seele<br />
ruht <strong>in</strong> Jesu Händen Ste<strong>in</strong>way & Sons<br />
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Viol<strong>in</strong> Concerto<br />
<strong>in</strong> D major, I Allegro moderato<br />
LPO<br />
Henri Dutilleux: Nocturne for Viol<strong>in</strong> &<br />
Orchestra “Sur le même accord”<br />
Seattle Symphony Media<br />
Béla Bartók: Mikrokosmos, Sz. 107, BB<br />
105, Vol. 6 - Dance <strong>in</strong> Bulgarian Rhythm VI<br />
Gramola Records
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
<strong>music</strong> &<br />
architecture<br />
TEXT RACHEL DELOUGHRY<br />
The Berl<strong>in</strong> Philharmonie,<br />
home of <strong>the</strong> Berl<strong>in</strong> Philharmonic<br />
Orchestra, is one of<br />
<strong>the</strong> most renowned concert<br />
halls <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, celebrated<br />
for its acoustical brilliance<br />
and its visual and spatial <strong>in</strong>genuity,<br />
with organic acoustics<br />
at <strong>the</strong> centre of it all. The<br />
fact that it was built dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> lifetime of Herbert von<br />
Karajan – a tower<strong>in</strong>g figure <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> world of conduct<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
<strong>the</strong> orchestra’s longest-serv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
conductor – is monumental<br />
<strong>in</strong> itself. The Berl<strong>in</strong><br />
Philharmonic Orchestra was<br />
already recognised as one of<br />
<strong>the</strong> world’s great orchestras,<br />
so <strong>the</strong> construction of one<br />
of <strong>the</strong> wonders of modern<br />
architecture cemented<br />
<strong>the</strong> orchestra’s status and<br />
brought forth a hall appropriate<br />
for an orchestra of<br />
such calibre.<br />
The architect, Hans<br />
Scharoun, was celebrated<br />
for his organic architecture<br />
and this harmonious<br />
balance between nature<br />
and build<strong>in</strong>gs has stood <strong>the</strong><br />
test of time. Scharoun was a<br />
member of an architectural<br />
collective called Der R<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
from which expressionist<br />
architecture emerged with a<br />
socialist <strong>age</strong>nda. It dissolved<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1933 and many members<br />
left Germany dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> war.<br />
Scharoun, however, stayed<br />
<strong>in</strong> Germany and worked on<br />
<strong>the</strong> restoration and re-construction<br />
of bombed-out<br />
build<strong>in</strong>gs. Interest<strong>in</strong>gly, he<br />
discreetly anticipated his<br />
architectural plans for a<br />
post-Nazi Germany by creat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
watercolours of cityscapes<br />
– secret architectural<br />
bluepr<strong>in</strong>ts <strong>in</strong> disguise.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>side of <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong><br />
concert hall <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Berl<strong>in</strong><br />
Philharmonie has been frequently<br />
described as “tentlike”<br />
and German filmmaker<br />
Wim Wenders called it “a<br />
huge <strong>music</strong>al <strong>in</strong>strument <strong>in</strong><br />
itself”. Acoustics are centre<br />
st<strong>age</strong>. The concert st<strong>age</strong> of<br />
<strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> hall is placed centrally,<br />
with audience seat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
situated all <strong>the</strong> way around.<br />
Symmetry is not one of its<br />
features – <strong>in</strong> fact, it is noted<br />
for its offset terraces of<br />
seat rows at elevations that<br />
irregularly <strong>in</strong>crease around<br />
<strong>the</strong> platform. While this may<br />
not seem unusual, it charted<br />
new architectural territory<br />
and <strong>in</strong>spired <strong>the</strong> same asymmetrical<br />
features <strong>in</strong> more<br />
recent concert halls such as<br />
<strong>the</strong> Walt Disney Concert Hall<br />
by <strong>the</strong> architect Frank Gehry<br />
and Jørn Utzon’s Sydney<br />
Opera House.<br />
54
title goes here<br />
<strong>music</strong> & architecture<br />
playlist<br />
Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde,<br />
Prelude to Act I<br />
Warner<br />
Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 40<br />
<strong>in</strong> G M<strong>in</strong>or, K.550 I Molto allegro<br />
(1996 - Remaster) Warner<br />
Jean Sibelius: F<strong>in</strong>landia, Op.26<br />
(2002 - Remaster)<br />
Warner<br />
Claude Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande,<br />
L. 88, Act I Scene I Interlude<br />
Warner<br />
Richard Strauss : Don Quixote, Op. 35,<br />
Variation V - Don Quixote’s vigil dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> summer night Warner<br />
55<br />
Christoph Willibald Gluck: Orfeo et<br />
Eurydice, Act IV “Jái perdu mon Eurydice”<br />
Warner
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
amplify your life<br />
with <strong>primephonic</strong><br />
Our catalogue items have become as diverse<br />
as <strong>the</strong>y are numerous, with just <strong>the</strong> right<br />
picks for <strong>the</strong> explorer, <strong>the</strong> adventurer and <strong>the</strong><br />
pioneer <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>.<br />
56
catalogue<br />
57
unconventional<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
Every <strong>music</strong>al <strong>in</strong>strument started life as an <strong>in</strong>vention, as a piece<br />
of technology. In most cases <strong>the</strong>y went through hundreds of trials<br />
and modifications In a way <strong>the</strong> most successful <strong>in</strong>struments<br />
are those, like <strong>the</strong> viol<strong>in</strong> or <strong>the</strong> piano, which have gone through<br />
so many perfections and modifications that <strong>the</strong>ir evolution has<br />
reached a dead end, rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g essentially unchanged for decades<br />
or centuries. However, for every <strong>in</strong>strument that reached<br />
this st<strong>age</strong>, <strong>the</strong>re are hundreds if not thousands of failed experiments,<br />
impractical designs and creations simply too weird to<br />
become popular amongst <strong>music</strong>ians or composers. Here are a<br />
few <strong>in</strong>struments that, for one reason or ano<strong>the</strong>r, failed to make<br />
it <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>stream.<br />
WORDS MATT ADOMEIT<br />
ILLUSTRATIONS BOB MOLLEMA<br />
NAIL VIOLIN<br />
The nail viol<strong>in</strong> is one of many<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> S<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Saw, that work on <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>ciple of<br />
bow<strong>in</strong>g a sheet or spike of metal.<br />
Invented <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> mid-18th century by<br />
Johann Wilde, a German viol<strong>in</strong>ist,<br />
it takes <strong>the</strong> form of several nails of<br />
vary<strong>in</strong>g lengths arranged <strong>in</strong> a circular<br />
or semicircular shape and stuck <strong>in</strong>to<br />
a wooden soundboard. The sound<br />
can be sharp and grat<strong>in</strong>g, and <strong>the</strong><br />
range and tonality is severely limited.<br />
Comb<strong>in</strong>ed with a quiet volume, it is<br />
no surprise that <strong>the</strong> nail viol<strong>in</strong> failed<br />
to catch on. Its close relative, <strong>the</strong><br />
s<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g saw, cont<strong>in</strong>ues however to<br />
enjoy popularity as a folk <strong>in</strong>strument,<br />
particularly <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United States.<br />
GLASS HARMONICA<br />
Oddly enough, <strong>the</strong> glass harmonica<br />
falls <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> same category as <strong>the</strong><br />
nail viol<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> that sound is produced<br />
by direct friction from a non-toneproduc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
object. In this case<br />
however it is not a bow but <strong>the</strong><br />
human hand. The modern version<br />
was <strong>in</strong>vented by none o<strong>the</strong>r than<br />
Benjam<strong>in</strong> Frankl<strong>in</strong>, and comprises<br />
a mechanical device similar to a<br />
la<strong>the</strong> on which a variety of glass<br />
disks are mounted, with <strong>the</strong> wider<br />
(and lower pitched) disks on <strong>the</strong><br />
left. As <strong>the</strong>se sp<strong>in</strong>, simple contact<br />
with a human f<strong>in</strong>ger emits an eerie<br />
pitch, rem<strong>in</strong>iscent of <strong>the</strong> sound of<br />
rubb<strong>in</strong>g one’s f<strong>in</strong>ger around <strong>the</strong><br />
rim of a w<strong>in</strong>e glass. The popularity<br />
58
<strong>in</strong>struments<br />
brilliant simplicity to it, operat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
based on <strong>the</strong> distance of <strong>the</strong><br />
player’s hands from two medal rods,<br />
one to control pitch and one for<br />
dynamics. It emits a pure, spooky<br />
sound emblematic of decades<br />
worth of movie soundtracks. But it<br />
has however had some success <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> concert hall as well, with Dmitri<br />
Shostakovich be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> most famous<br />
composer to write for it. The Ondes<br />
Martenot, <strong>in</strong>vented less than ten<br />
years after <strong>the</strong> Therem<strong>in</strong>, can be<br />
thought of its logical cont<strong>in</strong>uation.<br />
Although <strong>the</strong>y share some sonic<br />
properties, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g cont<strong>in</strong>uous<br />
pitch, <strong>the</strong> Ondes Martenot is more<br />
complicated and features multiple<br />
speaker cab<strong>in</strong>ets and a sound<strong>in</strong>g<br />
board with str<strong>in</strong>gs. Although <strong>the</strong><br />
Ondes Martenot can still be found <strong>in</strong><br />
France where it was <strong>in</strong>vented, it has<br />
not enjoyed <strong>the</strong> same longevity as<br />
<strong>the</strong> Therem<strong>in</strong>.<br />
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument used to be much<br />
higher than most people realize, with<br />
many notable composers <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss<br />
writ<strong>in</strong>g <strong>music</strong> for it. However, it<br />
began to decl<strong>in</strong>e precipitously <strong>in</strong><br />
popularity by <strong>the</strong> mid-19th century,<br />
perhaps due to <strong>the</strong> legend that<br />
listen<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> sound for too<br />
long would drive <strong>the</strong> listener (or<br />
performer) mad.<br />
ORCHESTRION<br />
Also fall<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> relatively small<br />
category of <strong>in</strong>struments that are<br />
largely mechanical <strong>in</strong> nature but<br />
not electronic, <strong>the</strong> orchestrion<br />
can refer to a variety of <strong>in</strong>ventions<br />
of dazzl<strong>in</strong>g complexity that arose<br />
around <strong>the</strong> turn of <strong>the</strong> 19th century.<br />
Essentially a “super-organ”, <strong>the</strong><br />
aim of <strong>the</strong> orchestrion is to imitate<br />
even more of <strong>the</strong> timbres from<br />
<strong>the</strong> orchestra, often <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g all<br />
of <strong>the</strong> w<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong>struments and many<br />
percussion <strong>in</strong>struments. Although<br />
<strong>the</strong> nearly endless possibilities<br />
were surely tantaliz<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>the</strong> sheer<br />
cost, size and complexity of <strong>the</strong><br />
orchestrion ensured from <strong>the</strong><br />
start that only a few would ever be<br />
produced. Syn<strong>the</strong>sizers have also<br />
replaced many of <strong>the</strong> roles that <strong>the</strong><br />
orchestrion was designed to fill.<br />
THEREMIN<br />
Perhaps <strong>the</strong> most famous<br />
“alternative” <strong>in</strong>strument, <strong>the</strong><br />
Therem<strong>in</strong> was <strong>in</strong>vented <strong>in</strong> 1919 by <strong>the</strong><br />
Russian physicist Leon Therem<strong>in</strong>,.<br />
In addition to be<strong>in</strong>g one of <strong>the</strong> only<br />
<strong>music</strong>al <strong>in</strong>struments to operate<br />
without physical contact between<br />
<strong>the</strong> performer and <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument,<br />
it is also <strong>the</strong> first famous electronic<br />
<strong>in</strong>strument. The Therem<strong>in</strong> has a<br />
EWI<br />
In recent years, countless <strong>digital</strong><br />
devices have been added to <strong>the</strong><br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g pool of <strong>in</strong>struments vy<strong>in</strong>g<br />
for attention. Many of <strong>the</strong>se take<br />
<strong>the</strong> form of keyboard <strong>in</strong>struments,<br />
hence <strong>the</strong> special significance of <strong>the</strong><br />
EWI, or Electronic W<strong>in</strong>d Instrument.<br />
With variable sett<strong>in</strong>gs that can<br />
duplicate <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ger<strong>in</strong>gs of <strong>the</strong> flute,<br />
oboe and saxophone, toge<strong>the</strong>r with<br />
sensors that can detect changes <strong>in</strong><br />
dynamics and vibrato, and a whole<br />
catalogue of syn<strong>the</strong>sized sounds, <strong>the</strong><br />
EWI is ano<strong>the</strong>r extremely versatile<br />
<strong>in</strong>strument. Made famous mostly by<br />
jazz and genre-cross<strong>in</strong>g saxophonists<br />
such as Michael Brecker and Bob<br />
M<strong>in</strong>tzer, it was never taken seriously<br />
as a concert <strong>in</strong>strument. However<br />
with <strong>the</strong> additional breath sensors,<br />
<strong>the</strong> possibilities of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument<br />
are <strong>in</strong> many ways even more<br />
59
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
numerous than on a traditional<br />
keyboard syn<strong>the</strong>sizer, ensur<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to be<br />
used <strong>in</strong> new and excit<strong>in</strong>g ways.<br />
MANDOBASS<br />
Despite its niche status today, <strong>the</strong><br />
mandol<strong>in</strong> used to be surpris<strong>in</strong>gly<br />
popular, particularly <strong>in</strong> early 20th<br />
century America. By <strong>the</strong> onset of<br />
World War II, hundreds of mandol<strong>in</strong><br />
orchestras had sprung up all over<br />
North American and Europe,<br />
typically featur<strong>in</strong>g mandol<strong>in</strong>s,<br />
mandolas and mandocellos (which<br />
correspond to <strong>the</strong> three highest<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> viol<strong>in</strong> family) <strong>in</strong><br />
addition to <strong>the</strong> occasional guitar or<br />
contrabass. See<strong>in</strong>g an opportunity to<br />
create orchestras consist<strong>in</strong>g entirely<br />
of mandol<strong>in</strong>-family <strong>in</strong>struments,<br />
several companies, most notably<br />
Gibson, began manufactur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
mandobasses <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> early 1910s.<br />
Typically tuned identically to a<br />
contrabass but with frets and<br />
an A-style mandol<strong>in</strong> body, <strong>the</strong>se<br />
awkward and uncomfortable-look<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments were produced until <strong>the</strong><br />
1930s, when <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> mandol<strong>in</strong><br />
orchestras began to wane.<br />
SHOFAR<br />
The Shofar is <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument most<br />
closely associated with many Jewish<br />
ceremonies and holidays. Crafted<br />
from a ram’s horn, <strong>the</strong> Shofar is<br />
typically used to emit a pierc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
tone or rapid burst of short notes,<br />
and is mentioned numerous times<br />
throughout <strong>the</strong> Old Testament.<br />
Interest<strong>in</strong>gly, <strong>the</strong> asymmetrical<br />
shape of <strong>the</strong> air cavity often<br />
means that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument does<br />
not follow <strong>the</strong> normal overtone<br />
series, and <strong>the</strong> organic nature<br />
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument makes <strong>the</strong>m<br />
nearly impossible to tune, which is<br />
‘it is quite<br />
likely that<br />
many of<br />
<strong>the</strong>se supposedly<br />
obsolete<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments<br />
will witness<br />
a resurgence’<br />
perhaps <strong>the</strong> reason <strong>the</strong> Shofar is<br />
traditionally played solo. Nowadays<br />
it can regularly be found <strong>in</strong> Israeli<br />
pop <strong>music</strong> and is even called for <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> score of Edward Elgar’s “The<br />
Apostles,” although a flugelhorn is<br />
often substituted for reasons of<br />
convenience.<br />
HURDY-GURDY<br />
Despite its comical name and<br />
bizarre construction, <strong>the</strong> hurdygurdy<br />
is a surpris<strong>in</strong>gly versatile<br />
<strong>in</strong>strument. Although it is technically<br />
a str<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>strument, <strong>the</strong> mechanics<br />
of play<strong>in</strong>g are truly unique. The<br />
performer’s right hand turns a wheel<br />
that rubs aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> str<strong>in</strong>gs, while<br />
<strong>the</strong> left hand changes <strong>the</strong> pitch<br />
through a series of wooden keys,<br />
result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a bizarre cross between<br />
a bowed <strong>in</strong>strument and a keyboard<br />
<strong>in</strong>strument, powered by a hand<br />
crank. A series of drone str<strong>in</strong>gs gives<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument a bagpipe-like quality<br />
and a characteristic buzz<strong>in</strong>g sound.<br />
Used <strong>in</strong> folk <strong>music</strong> throughout most<br />
of Europe, <strong>the</strong> hurdy-gurdy has<br />
also enjoyed periods of popularity<br />
with <strong>the</strong> upper classes, although it<br />
60
<strong>in</strong>struments<br />
never truly caught on with <strong>classical</strong><br />
composers. It has often been<br />
imitated <strong>in</strong> <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>, most<br />
famously <strong>in</strong> Der Leiermann (The<br />
Hurdy-Gurdy Man) <strong>in</strong> Schubert’s<br />
W<strong>in</strong>terreise.<br />
DIDGERIDOO<br />
The didgeridoo is an ancient<br />
<strong>in</strong>strument that has been played by<br />
<strong>in</strong>digenous Australians for at least<br />
1,500 years. Rang<strong>in</strong>g between 1<br />
and 3 metres <strong>in</strong> length, <strong>the</strong> sound<br />
of <strong>the</strong>se massive aerophones is<br />
<strong>in</strong>stantly recognizable by its deep<br />
dron<strong>in</strong>g quality and pulsat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
overtones. The technique to play<br />
it often requires <strong>the</strong> performer<br />
to employ circular breath<strong>in</strong>g, and<br />
accomplished players such as Mark<br />
Atk<strong>in</strong>s have been known to play<br />
for nearly an hour without tak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a breath. Although <strong>the</strong> didgeridoo<br />
is a traditional <strong>in</strong>strument, more<br />
recently it has found its way <strong>in</strong>to<br />
<strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong>, particularly through<br />
Australian composers such as Peter<br />
Sculthorpe, Sean O’Boyle and<br />
William Barton.<br />
<strong>the</strong> triple concerto for banjo, double<br />
bass and tabla “The Melody of<br />
Rhythm”, along with Béla Fleck and<br />
Edgar Meyer.<br />
With <strong>the</strong> advent of <strong>digital</strong> <strong>music</strong> and<br />
syn<strong>the</strong>sizers, <strong>the</strong>re are even more<br />
obscure and uncommon <strong>in</strong>struments<br />
<strong>in</strong> existence today than ever<br />
before. When <strong>the</strong>se are comb<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
with <strong>the</strong> vast number of traditional<br />
and folk <strong>in</strong>struments from around<br />
<strong>the</strong> world, it is clear that <strong>the</strong> standard<br />
Western orchestral <strong>in</strong>struments<br />
represent only a t<strong>in</strong>y fraction<br />
of <strong>the</strong> possible range of sounds<br />
available. As <strong>the</strong> boundaries between<br />
genres cont<strong>in</strong>ue to dissolve<br />
and composers cont<strong>in</strong>ue to search<br />
for new tonal possibilities it is quite<br />
likely that many of <strong>the</strong>se supposedly<br />
obsolete <strong>in</strong>struments will witness a<br />
resurgence, both <strong>in</strong>side and outside<br />
of <strong>the</strong> concert hall.<br />
TABLA<br />
The tabla is <strong>the</strong> most recognizable<br />
and widespread <strong>in</strong>strument used<br />
<strong>in</strong> H<strong>in</strong>dustani Classical <strong>music</strong>,<br />
centered <strong>in</strong> present-day Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
India. The tabla consists of two small<br />
drums of different size and pitch<br />
that are played with <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>gers<br />
and heel of each hand, <strong>the</strong> latter<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g used to apply pressure and<br />
change <strong>the</strong> pitch. Outside of India<br />
<strong>the</strong> most prom<strong>in</strong>ent tabla player is<br />
undoubtedly Zakir Hussa<strong>in</strong>, who has<br />
made serious <strong>in</strong>roads <strong>in</strong>to Western<br />
<strong>music</strong> through collaborations with<br />
<strong>music</strong>ians from John McLaughl<strong>in</strong> to<br />
Charles Lloyd. Hussa<strong>in</strong> also found<br />
his way <strong>in</strong>to American concert halls<br />
as a performer and co-composer of<br />
unconventional<br />
<strong>in</strong>struments playlist<br />
Zakir Hussa<strong>in</strong>: Overture<br />
Phaia<br />
Peter Sculthorpe: Str<strong>in</strong>g Quartet No. 12,<br />
“From Ubirr” (Earth Cry)<br />
Sono Lum<strong>in</strong>us<br />
Schubert: W<strong>in</strong>terreise D. 911 - XXIV.<br />
Der Leiermann (The Hurdy-Gurdy Man)<br />
harmonia mundi<br />
Camille Sa<strong>in</strong>t-Saëns: The Carnival of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Animals – VII Aquarium<br />
Chandos<br />
Edgard Varèse: Amériques<br />
Seattle Symphony Media<br />
Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie<br />
Introduction<br />
Ond<strong>in</strong>e<br />
61
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
62
eviews<br />
what <strong>the</strong> critics say<br />
JESSICA<br />
DUCHEN<br />
MELANIE<br />
GARRETT<br />
TRISTAN<br />
RENFROW<br />
KEVIN<br />
PAINTING<br />
DVOŘÁK: SYMPHONY NO.8; CARNIVAL OVERTURE<br />
SUK: SERENADE FOR STRINGS<br />
BAVARIAN RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA,<br />
MARISS JANSONS (CONDUCTOR)<br />
BR KLASSIK 900145<br />
Some commentators can be bizarrely mean about<br />
Dvořák, regard<strong>in</strong>g him as somehow <strong>the</strong> best of <strong>the</strong> second-rate<br />
composers. He’s not quite Brahms – nobody<br />
else could ever be Brahms, let’s face it<br />
– and <strong>in</strong>deed, championed by <strong>the</strong> German<br />
composer, he perhaps spent too<br />
long <strong>in</strong> his shadow. Still, <strong>the</strong>re’s a quality<br />
to him that is unique – call it, perhaps, a<br />
purity of soul, and a deeply Czech one,<br />
too. It can be elusive, and what it needs<br />
to do, most of all, is to make you smile,<br />
dance and cry at <strong>the</strong> same time.<br />
The Symphony No. 8 <strong>in</strong> G m<strong>in</strong>or is concise<br />
and concentrated, with a strong<br />
core of <strong>classical</strong> form, which is perhaps why it packs <strong>the</strong><br />
punch it does. Unlike his concertos, <strong>in</strong> which Dvořák<br />
sometimes had a slight tendency to sprawl, here he presents<br />
never a note too many. This is distilled Dvořák, <strong>the</strong><br />
Czech rhythms unmistakable <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> lilt<strong>in</strong>g third movement,<br />
<strong>the</strong> passion for nature rebound<strong>in</strong>g softly through<br />
<strong>the</strong> open<strong>in</strong>g allegro con brio’s second subject – recall<strong>in</strong>g<br />
birdsong, perhaps, on <strong>the</strong> flute – and <strong>the</strong> twist <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
pit of <strong>the</strong> stomach deep <strong>in</strong>side <strong>the</strong> cello-rich open<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong>me’s harmonies.<br />
This account of <strong>the</strong> symphony was recorded live at<br />
Munich’s Gasteig last year, and despite <strong>the</strong> hall’s slightly<br />
difficult acoustic it proves that Mariss Jansons has at his<br />
disposal one of <strong>the</strong> most luxurious orchestral<br />
sounds <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world. The Bavarian<br />
Radio Symphony Orchestra sh<strong>in</strong>es<br />
with high polish and a generous heart,<br />
and Jansons balances its elements to<br />
near-ideal calibration. The str<strong>in</strong>gs match<br />
<strong>the</strong> brass and w<strong>in</strong>d for lustre and <strong>the</strong>y<br />
respond to Jansons’ mix of seriousness<br />
and gentle wit, of thrill and lilt, with<br />
alacrity and unanimity. The rhythmic approach<br />
is rigorous, extremely discipl<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
– <strong>the</strong>re is no h<strong>in</strong>t of self-<strong>in</strong>dulgence <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> up-tempo allegros – but Jansons never loses sight of<br />
<strong>the</strong> softer side of Dvořák’s soul, handl<strong>in</strong>g rubato with a<br />
light, deft touch, and lett<strong>in</strong>g str<strong>in</strong>g portamenti offer just<br />
<strong>the</strong> right amount of sensuality.<br />
63
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
But if you th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>the</strong> Dvořák is drop-dead gorgeous, just<br />
listen to <strong>the</strong> Josef Suk Serenade for Str<strong>in</strong>gs. Suk, Dvořák’s<br />
pupil and also his son-<strong>in</strong>-law, likewise suffers from<br />
overshadow syndrome. His Serenade, though, is easily as<br />
f<strong>in</strong>e as Dvořák’s; dat<strong>in</strong>g from 1893-4, it f<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>the</strong> composer<br />
match<strong>in</strong>g chamber-like <strong>in</strong>teraction with richness<br />
of sonority, and captur<strong>in</strong>g to a tee that Bohemian ache<br />
of m<strong>in</strong>gled beauty and sorrow. The play<strong>in</strong>g flows with<br />
apparent effortlessness, yet one has <strong>the</strong> feel<strong>in</strong>g every<br />
note is be<strong>in</strong>g cherished.<br />
The recorded sound is excellent: <strong>the</strong> Gasteig acoustic<br />
seems relatively unproblematic <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Dvořák, and <strong>the</strong><br />
Suk, a studio record<strong>in</strong>g, is warm and clear, beautifully<br />
enhanc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> sat<strong>in</strong>y str<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
– Jessica Duchen<br />
RICHARD STRAUSS: EIN HELDENLEBEN<br />
& MACBETH<br />
FRANKFURT RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA,<br />
ANDRÉS OROZCO-ESTRADA (CONDUCTOR)<br />
PENTATONE 5186582<br />
The Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra has obta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
a prestigious reputation worldwide for <strong>the</strong>ir excellent<br />
<strong>in</strong>terpretations, especially of Romantic and late Romantic<br />
<strong>music</strong>. They are considered one of <strong>the</strong> top Mahler and<br />
Bruckner orchestras.<br />
The relationship between PENTATONE and <strong>the</strong> Frankfurt<br />
Radio Symphony extends more than ten years back<br />
with <strong>the</strong> release of a remastered<br />
SACD version of Rachman<strong>in</strong>ov’s Piano<br />
Concerto No. 2 and <strong>the</strong> Rhapsody<br />
on a Theme of Pagan<strong>in</strong>i with soloist<br />
Werner Haas and conductor Eliahu<br />
Inbal. Follow<strong>in</strong>g this release came two<br />
more albums with <strong>the</strong> highly esteemed<br />
conductor Eliahu Inbal, namely Sa<strong>in</strong>t-<br />
Saëns’s Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 and an<br />
album of works for flute and oboe by<br />
Bell<strong>in</strong>i, Molique, Moscheles, Rietz and<br />
Vivaldi.<br />
Half a decade later, <strong>the</strong> orchestra returned for a<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g of Strav<strong>in</strong>sky’s The Rite of Spr<strong>in</strong>g and The<br />
Firebird with PENTATONE, this time under <strong>the</strong> baton<br />
of <strong>the</strong> much sought-after conductor Andrés Orozco-<br />
Estrada. This album, released <strong>in</strong> early 2016, received<br />
much praise. Audio Review was impressed by <strong>the</strong><br />
“ruthless dynamic <strong>in</strong>tervals” and <strong>the</strong> “rich tonal palette”<br />
while Gramophone complimented <strong>the</strong> orchestra’s<br />
responsiveness and <strong>the</strong> ability of Orozco-Estrada as he<br />
“unearths an astonish<strong>in</strong>g amount of detail”. PENTATONE<br />
also received a great deal of praise for <strong>the</strong>ir “awesomely<br />
precise record<strong>in</strong>g”.<br />
With a history of successful record<strong>in</strong>gs with<br />
PENTATONE, it comes as no surprise that <strong>the</strong>ir newest<br />
album, conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Strauss’s tone poems E<strong>in</strong> Heldenleben<br />
and Macbeth, are also impressive.<br />
The orchestra performs E<strong>in</strong> Heldenleben flawlessly; at<br />
times a bit tentative, perhaps afraid to crack notes or<br />
distort <strong>the</strong> sound at some of <strong>the</strong> most <strong>in</strong>tense moments<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> open<strong>in</strong>g sections. The backst<strong>age</strong> trumpet fanfare<br />
lacks clarity, certa<strong>in</strong>ly due to <strong>the</strong> position<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong><br />
players; <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>in</strong>tonation is excellent<br />
and <strong>the</strong>y exude an enormous amount<br />
of energy, <strong>in</strong>vigorat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> orchestra.<br />
The dynamics of <strong>the</strong> orchestra are<br />
surpris<strong>in</strong>gly extreme, from barely a<br />
whisper <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> w<strong>in</strong>d to a (well-balanced)<br />
storm. Not only is <strong>the</strong> viol<strong>in</strong> solo<br />
splendidly performed, <strong>the</strong> trumpet<br />
and horn solos are heroically executed<br />
with <strong>the</strong> support of <strong>the</strong> bombastic<br />
str<strong>in</strong>g play<strong>in</strong>g. The orchestra builds to<br />
an <strong>in</strong>credible climax toge<strong>the</strong>r, with <strong>the</strong><br />
trumpets and trombones lead<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> way.<br />
Strauss’s first <strong>in</strong>frequently heard tone poem, Macbeth,<br />
is also featured on this album. It is certa<strong>in</strong>ly <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to hear Strauss’s f<strong>in</strong>al tone poem followed by his first.<br />
The style is quite different, and sometimes this first<br />
tone poem is referred to as a transitional work, though<br />
Strauss was not affected by such criticism. Macbeth uses<br />
a smaller sett<strong>in</strong>g than E<strong>in</strong> Heldenleben, but <strong>the</strong> sense<br />
of drama between two ‘heroes’– Lady Macbeth and<br />
64
eviews<br />
Macbeth – is still evident, as characterized by woodw<strong>in</strong>ds<br />
and low <strong>in</strong>struments respectively. This drama is much<br />
more subtle than E<strong>in</strong> Heldenleben.<br />
The record<strong>in</strong>g quality is excellent, allow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> listener<br />
to experience <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> with <strong>the</strong> depth and special<br />
awareness of a live concert. Comb<strong>in</strong>ed with <strong>the</strong><br />
orchestra’s “outstand<strong>in</strong>g w<strong>in</strong>d section, its rich str<strong>in</strong>g<br />
sound and its culture of dynamic performances”, it<br />
creates an unforgettable listen<strong>in</strong>g experience.<br />
The accompany<strong>in</strong>g booklet is <strong>in</strong> a convenient <strong>in</strong>teractive<br />
and colourful pdf format full of <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g tidbits about<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong>, <strong>in</strong> both English and German.<br />
– Melanie Garrett<br />
PHILIP GLASS: GLASSWORKS AND INTERVIEWS<br />
WITH THE COMPOSER<br />
PHILIP GLASS ENSEMBLE<br />
SONY CLASSICAL G010003613671W<br />
Widely recognized as one of <strong>the</strong> most prom<strong>in</strong>ent <strong>music</strong>al<br />
figures of <strong>the</strong> 20th century, Philip Glass, <strong>the</strong> self-proclaimed<br />
“bad boy of modern <strong>music</strong>” is credited with<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g one of <strong>the</strong> founders of <strong>the</strong> American m<strong>in</strong>imalist<br />
movement along with Steve Reich, La<br />
Monte Young and Terry Riley. The Sony<br />
Classical UK label’s recent release of<br />
his 1982 album Glassworks also features<br />
an enthrall<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>terview with <strong>the</strong> composer,<br />
provid<strong>in</strong>g context and <strong>in</strong>sight<br />
<strong>in</strong>to his career and process.<br />
As an exemplary student of <strong>the</strong> Julliard<br />
School and recipient of various grants<br />
and awards, Glass’s early accolades<br />
evaporated after he radically redef<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
his compositional approach while liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Paris.<br />
He refers to his early work as <strong>music</strong> that he had merely<br />
learned without representation of his own compositional<br />
voice. In search of a more personal style, he decided to<br />
abandon his academic approach, subsequently arriv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
at a very reduced form of <strong>music</strong> which was based on<br />
process and simple repetitive structures. Glass remarks<br />
“I got rid of everyth<strong>in</strong>g I had learned very systematically.”<br />
His new approach was <strong>in</strong>itially met with misunderstand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and rejection until he formed his own ensemble<br />
shortly after mov<strong>in</strong>g to New York <strong>in</strong> 1967. His dist<strong>in</strong>ctive<br />
use of rhythm, tonality, arpeggios and repetitive structures<br />
became central to <strong>the</strong> work that he is known for<br />
today.<br />
Regarded as one of his most iconic compositions,<br />
Glassworks was composed <strong>in</strong> 1981 for <strong>the</strong> Philip Glass<br />
Ensemble to be recorded and released as a studio album<br />
<strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g year. In an attempt to appeal to a wider audience,<br />
<strong>the</strong> six-movement piece presented ano<strong>the</strong>r new<br />
direction <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> composer’s development while ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
his trademark style. The codified glassisms are well<br />
represented: motor rhythm, repetitive structures, chord<br />
progressions, electro-acoustic voice doubl<strong>in</strong>gs and a<br />
constant stream of arpeggios. With<br />
<strong>the</strong> addition of tuneful melodies and<br />
shorter pieces, he man<strong>age</strong>d to make<br />
Glassworks more accessible to a larger<br />
audience which greatly contributed to<br />
his renown and recognition.<br />
The order of movements is constructed<br />
<strong>in</strong> a way that <strong>the</strong> slow, peaceful Islands<br />
and Façades alternate between <strong>the</strong> frenetic<br />
Floe and Rubric giv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> album<br />
a natural undulat<strong>in</strong>g shape. Open<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
performed entirely by solo piano, <strong>in</strong>troduces <strong>the</strong> composition<br />
with a simple triple over duple polyrhythmic drive<br />
and repeated chord progressions that emanate a melancholic<br />
mood. With regard to <strong>the</strong> choice of solo piano,<br />
Glass states, “what I was try<strong>in</strong>g to evoke <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> open<strong>in</strong>g<br />
was a feel<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>in</strong>timacy.” Us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> same compositional<br />
material, Clos<strong>in</strong>g returns to <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>timacy of Open<strong>in</strong>g by<br />
gradually reduc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> full ensemble orchestration until<br />
<strong>the</strong> piano is left alone to conclude <strong>the</strong> album.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>strumentation of flutes, saxophones, horns,<br />
viola, cello and syn<strong>the</strong>sizers comb<strong>in</strong>e to create peculiar<br />
timbres and a decidedly amplified sound <strong>in</strong> Glassworks.<br />
Because of his prom<strong>in</strong>ent emphasis on sound quality,<br />
Glass worked closely with sound eng<strong>in</strong>eer Kurt Munkac-<br />
65
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
si, treat<strong>in</strong>g him as an <strong>in</strong>tegral member of <strong>the</strong> ensemble<br />
as well as mak<strong>in</strong>g him co-producer of <strong>the</strong> album. Glass<br />
found it imperative to keep sound eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g an “<strong>in</strong>house<br />
operation” to achieve <strong>the</strong> ideal sound quality of his<br />
amplified <strong>music</strong> ensemble as opposed to rely<strong>in</strong>g on hired<br />
sound eng<strong>in</strong>eers of venues who would not be as familiar<br />
with <strong>the</strong> <strong>music</strong> and ensemble sound.<br />
As Philip Glass approaches his 80th birthday, this new<br />
release of Glassworks paired with an engag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>terview<br />
with <strong>the</strong> composer <strong>in</strong>forms a fresh perspective on <strong>the</strong><br />
sem<strong>in</strong>al 1982 work.<br />
– Tristan Renfrow<br />
BRAHMS: PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2, OP. 83<br />
BEETHOVEN: SONATA NO. 23, OP. 57<br />
“APPASSIONATA”<br />
SVIATOSLAV RICHTER (PIANO)<br />
CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ERICH LEINS-<br />
DORF (CONDUCTOR)<br />
SONY CLASSICAL G010001718537R<br />
On 15 October 1960 <strong>in</strong> Chicago, Sviatoslav Richter gave<br />
his e<strong>age</strong>rly awaited North American debut with a sensational<br />
performance of Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 2<br />
<strong>in</strong> B-flat major with <strong>the</strong> Chicago Symphony Orchestra<br />
conducted by Erich Le<strong>in</strong>sdorf, <strong>the</strong> latter stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
at short notice for Fritz Re<strong>in</strong>er who had been taken ill.<br />
The concert created quite a stir, one critic writ<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
Richter gave “<strong>the</strong> performance of a lifetime”. Two days<br />
later, <strong>the</strong> work was recorded by RCA to<br />
produce an <strong>in</strong>stant classic that has never<br />
been out of <strong>the</strong> catalogue, released<br />
here <strong>in</strong> a remastered version.<br />
Richter recorded <strong>the</strong> work n<strong>in</strong>e times<br />
between 1950 and 1969 but it is this<br />
performance with <strong>the</strong> CSO/Le<strong>in</strong>sdorf<br />
that is widely regarded as a landmark<br />
and it earned a Grammy Award <strong>in</strong> 1961<br />
for “Best Classical Performance - Concerto<br />
or Instrumental Soloist”. However,<br />
<strong>the</strong> ever fastidious Richter was dissatisfied with it, exclaim<strong>in</strong>g<br />
“one of my worst records, even though people<br />
still praise it to <strong>the</strong> skies. I can’t bear it!”<br />
Listen<strong>in</strong>g to this vibrant record<strong>in</strong>g afresh, it’s hard to<br />
agree with Richter as his performance is revelatory.<br />
Incandescent without be<strong>in</strong>g impos<strong>in</strong>g or mannered, he<br />
tosses aside <strong>the</strong> phenomenal technical challenges with<br />
alacrity – just listen to <strong>the</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>ed crescendo <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
open<strong>in</strong>g cadenza, <strong>the</strong> startl<strong>in</strong>g pianissimo octave pass<strong>age</strong>s<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> second movement or <strong>the</strong> ease with which he<br />
despatches massive chords and dramatic flourishes. It’s<br />
matched with play<strong>in</strong>g of great sensitivity <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> mesmeris<strong>in</strong>g<br />
slow movement with f<strong>in</strong>e cantabile play<strong>in</strong>g from <strong>the</strong><br />
orchestra throughout. All <strong>in</strong> all, a performance not to be<br />
missed.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g his debut <strong>in</strong> Chicago, Richter went on to give<br />
a series of wildly successful recitals a few days later at<br />
Carnegie Hall <strong>in</strong> New York. The first programme featured<br />
five Beethoven Sonatas and concluded with a now legendary<br />
performance of “<strong>the</strong> Appassionata Sonata”. Richter’s<br />
record<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> work shortly after for RCA “raised<br />
<strong>the</strong> bar for all of us” noted <strong>the</strong> pianist Malcolm Fr<strong>age</strong>r,<br />
“…no one was able to play [it] without worry<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong><br />
audience might have <strong>the</strong> sound of<br />
Richter’s performance <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir ears.”<br />
It’s an astonish<strong>in</strong>g and susta<strong>in</strong>ed performance,<br />
played with sear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>tensity<br />
and conviction by Richter and it’s a<br />
rollercoaster of tension and drama. A<br />
respite to <strong>the</strong> adrenal<strong>in</strong> rushes is given<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> tender slow movement which<br />
has f<strong>in</strong>e filigree f<strong>in</strong>ger pass<strong>age</strong>s. But it’s<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al movement where Richter<br />
really lets rip. While some pianists<br />
match his demonic speed few can equal <strong>the</strong> almost visceral<br />
<strong>in</strong>tensity of his play<strong>in</strong>g. Exhilarat<strong>in</strong>g and breathless,<br />
it’s an unforgettable performance and a must-buy <strong>in</strong> this<br />
remastered version.<br />
– Kev<strong>in</strong> Pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g<br />
66
HISTO<br />
title goes here<br />
RIC<br />
AL<br />
Day by day <strong>primephonic</strong> takes you on an<br />
historical journey through <strong>classical</strong> <strong>music</strong><br />
<strong>primephonic</strong>.com/calendar<br />
CAL<br />
ENDAR<br />
67
1808<br />
<strong>primephonic</strong><br />
BEETHOVEN PREMIERES HIS WORKS IN A FOUR-HOUR CONCERT<br />
22 December 1808<br />
Ludwig van Beethoven premiered a few of his most celebrated works <strong>in</strong> Vienna, <strong>in</strong> a concert that lasted<br />
four hours. The performance at Theater an der Wien <strong>in</strong>cluded his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Piano<br />
Concerto and Choral Fantasy, all conducted by Beethoven himself. It was <strong>the</strong> writer E.T.A. Hoffmann who<br />
first noted down and published elements that established <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>ciples of Romanticism <strong>in</strong> a review of<br />
Beethoven’s 5th Symphony around 18 months later, declar<strong>in</strong>g it one of <strong>the</strong> most important works of <strong>the</strong> time.<br />
His terms were <strong>in</strong> contrast to <strong>the</strong> formality and restra<strong>in</strong>t that were <strong>the</strong> def<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g features of <strong>classical</strong> forms.<br />
1910<br />
FIRST BROADCAST FROM NEW YORK’S METROPOLITAN OPERA<br />
13 January 1910<br />
The first experimental broadcasts of live performances from <strong>the</strong> st<strong>age</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Metropolian Opera New<br />
York took place. Radio pioneer Lee De Forest carried out an experimental live transmission from <strong>the</strong><br />
opera st<strong>age</strong> of Pucc<strong>in</strong>i’s Tosca. This was followed by ano<strong>the</strong>r partial broadcast <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g day, of<br />
Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, starr<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> legendary Enrico Caruso.<br />
1922<br />
FIRST COMPLETE SYMPHONIC CONCERT BROADCAST LIVE ON RADIO<br />
10 February 1922<br />
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra became <strong>the</strong> first orchestra ever to perform a full symphonic concert<br />
live on air. The orchestra, with guest pianist Artur Schnabel, was conducted by Ossip Gabrilowitsch and<br />
broadcast live on <strong>the</strong> American radio station WWJ.<br />
68
1992<br />
CLASSIC FM WAS LAUNCHED<br />
7 September 1992<br />
title goes here<br />
Classic FM, <strong>the</strong> UK's first national commercial <strong>classical</strong> radio station, was launched. The first work to be<br />
broadcast was Handel's an<strong>the</strong>m Zadok <strong>the</strong> Priest, a celebratory an<strong>the</strong>m that Handel had composed for <strong>the</strong><br />
coronation of K<strong>in</strong>g George II <strong>in</strong> 1727; it has been performed at every British coronation ever s<strong>in</strong>ce, as well as<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g used widely <strong>in</strong> film and television and as <strong>the</strong> an<strong>the</strong>m for <strong>the</strong> UEFA Champions League.<br />
2006<br />
FIRST LIVE STREAM OF AN OPERA IN HD FROM THE METROPOLITAN OPERA<br />
1 December 2006<br />
The Met: Live <strong>in</strong> HD first appeared <strong>in</strong> December 2006 featur<strong>in</strong>g live transmissions shown <strong>in</strong> high def<strong>in</strong>ition<br />
<strong>in</strong> movie <strong>the</strong>atres around <strong>the</strong> world. The Met also developed a programme for US students to attend <strong>the</strong>se<br />
broadcasts for free at <strong>the</strong>ir schools.<br />
2008<br />
MEDICI TV LAUNCHED<br />
1 May 2008<br />
After film<strong>in</strong>g and broadcast<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Verbier Festival <strong>in</strong> 2007, <strong>the</strong> medici.tv video platform was officially<br />
launched on 1 May 2008 with 200 programmes available onl<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
69
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