Posts Tagged Bach
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August 7, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 174 Maraetotara Falls
I was painting a house on a hill in Newtown one hot summer. It was for the first violinist in the NZSO and his wife who was a high-powered lawyer and they wanted it done in blood/fire-engine red entirely. It looked amazing and you could see it for miles. As usual I got paint all […]Archive
June 14, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Bach Beat – Michael Houstoun & The Rodger Fox Big Band (June 11, Wgtn)
Bach Beat: Michael Houstoun & The Rodger Fox Big Band Opera House, Wellington (3pm) Sunday, June 11 One of the most intriguing musical collaborations of recent years has been that of Rodger Fox and Michael Houstoun. It works. And I know this from the recordings – but at this year’s jazz festival I finally got […]Archive
April 2, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
We Need To Talk About Classical Music…Because We Never Have: Our Introduction To Classical Music
I’m going to tell you a bit about my background with classical music; some of my early touchstones, how I educated myself and explored options, and some of the favourite pieces I’ve collected and my go-to composers. That sort of thing. And then you can do the same. Seem reasonable? Otherwise we’ll be here all […]Archive
May 24, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
James Rhodes: Five
James Rhodes Five Instrumental Records/Signum Classics James Rhodes is an important – and perhaps polarising – figure in contemporary classical piano; he’s a scholar with a deep passion for and knowledge of the form/s and music/s. He’s a rule-breaker and though on the end of some technical instruction is sometimes described as “self-taught” even though […]Archive
June 13, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1105
Jacques Loussier, Play Bach Aux Champs-Elysees (1965) I heard Jacques Loussier playing in a store one day, a CD that is, not the actual guy. I got pretty hooked on his music, the jazz-trio versions of Bach – later he’d turn to a few other composers but the important work he did, the vast body […]Archive
May 28, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1115
Otto Klemperer/New Philharmonia Orchestra, Bach: Mass In B Minor (1968) Bach was the thing for me – in terms of classical music, baroque music, any sort of “instrumental” music outside of film scores. And what hooked me on Bach was hearing The Brandenburgs – realising I’d actually heard them before, heard things derived from them […]Archive
January 17, 2013 by Simon Sweetman
David Fray: Bach, Partitas Nos. 2 & 6, Toccata BMV 911
David Fray Bach: Partitas Nos. 2 & 6, Toccata BMV 911 Virgin Classics Young French pianist David Fray has been making waves as the new Bach specialist. Naturally, the comparisons to Glenn Gould have followed – and they are justified, both in the sound and idiosyncratic style behind the sound. But there is something of […]Archive
October 23, 2011 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1796
Paul Simon, Graceland (1986) I’ve been thinking about this album a bit lately, about how huge it was. I still like it. I’m a bit sick of some of the overplayed material but I Know What I Know could be a great DJ tune if dropped at the right time. A killer-dancefloor-filler. And I still […]Archive
August 26, 2011 by Simon Sweetman