This photo lacks the depth and detail of the other shots; it too was (heavily) edited in Snapseed. But the remarkable thing is that the original photo was not taken with the 5D, but with the iPhone 4S.

I used the finger-hold-down trick (locks focus and metering) and got what I think were outstanding results from the camera.

I tweaked color and blur (on the edges) with the iPad app for editing. The editing also lost contrast.

The Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D. C. is a pain to get to… it’s far from the mall, and the path isn’t so well marked on getting there. To add insult to the walk, construction currently taking place requires extra-special walking around the back of the monument to snake around to gain entrance at the front.

I haven’t been here since the 8th grade when our class from Learwood Middle School visited (it was a memorable trip, which included Williamsburg, VA. In retrospect, I am wondering why the Greco-Roman architecture was chosen for these monuments in good measure. I can see the relationship to Jefferson who admired the classic forms, but these are replicated in other Washingtonian buildings. It’s also a statement that we (as Americans) could be as elegant as the Europeans. The culture to support this, however, is still developing.

Some more photos:

Too bad they didn’t include an oculus!

XS commented on there being too many columns. I disagree.

And from afar, the tidal basin with the memorial on the left.

Magdalena Kozena and Musica Antiqua Köln perform works by the Bach family in Lamento, (p) 2005 DG Archiv.

This is an interesting program, for it spans different stylistic periods. Among my favorite works on the CD is a cantata by Francesco Conti, which J.S. Bach evidently had copied and performed in Cöthen. The long fourth movement aria is well done, but the solo violin line that keeps returning almost gets old by the movement’s end. MAK performs BWV 170 too on the recording, with their usual tell-tale faster than we’re used to tempos. I like it, though.

The works by later Bachs I felt less inclined to listen to a second time. I have spent the most time listening to the opening track, Ach dass ich Wassers g’nug hätte from Johann Christoph Bach, part of the Alt-Bach Archiv. This has been recorded by MAK earlier, and interesting of course is listening to the concertante violin line. Here Goebel plays with vibrato in ways that his earlier recording didn’t dare try. I am not sure I like the new style with vibrato, nor do I think it is particularly authentic. Yet, despite these details, and the fine contributions from Kozena, it’s so easy to listen to.

There are a certain collection of CDs that I buy, seemingly without thought, and these include those by Europa Galante, under the direction of Fabio Biondi, and this group playing Vivaldi. It was their earlier recording, the first on Virgin Veritas of L’estro armonico that hooked me; this new release explores works for wind and string instruments under the moniker volume 2, concertos for many instruments. (p) 2005 Virgin Classics

I gather that you’re reading this because you love the music and the performances and want to see what others think… did I hear what you do? Do you hear what I do? There is a reviewer at Amazon that wrote a review; one point I agree with, the other I do not:

This release is obviously a must have for anyone who buys these sorts of recordings, but it’s also very accessible music that would make an ideal gift for a child or perhaps someone just getting into music. This release is not beyond criticism, however lovely it may be. There are a few brief spots where the solo playing isn’t “technically” perfect, but it doesn’t necessarily detract from the enjoyment of the performances.

Music for a child? I can hardly think the opening concerto, with horns at full-blast and timpani would be suitable for childplay listening. But I do agree there are blemishes in the playing which take this release a notch-down from where other Biondi recordings have enjoyed prestige. I was not a big fan of their volume 1, as it was poorly recorded in a too-live acoustic. Here, the acoustic is well-done, but the un-even quality of works and a few interpretive choices rob this recording of top-shelf status.

What we get in this release are familiars and some new concerti: RV 562a in three movements, with an added alternative movement penned by Pisendel which includes horns and timpani, RV 566, RV 569, the d-minor work for lute and viola d’amore RV 540, RV 561, a cello concerto RV 413, and a 4-violin concerto, RV 553. A diverse lot, for sure, and in general the orchestra sounds great, and the woodwinds especially in this ensemble are all strong players.

The opening concerto is certainly different from what we might ever expect from Vivaldi… the sound of drums takes adjustment. The horns earn their money five times over. I like loud, brash, and creative horn players, and these guys are full of life. What’s odd about the miking is that the horns are “far away” and I doubt they were individually miked. The strings sound front and center, and we hear the oboes somewhat behind. Biondi’s playing is energetic with his tell-tale tone and while the ensemble here does a commendable job, I think any disappointment I reserve goes to the composer in this case… I no doubt guess this work was written for a special occasion for the types of players available at that venue.

The next concerto was already known, and the tempo chosen here to open is brisk. In fact, in an old dictionary I have, the definition for brisk is accompanied by a reference to this recording. I found the middle movement weak; I felt it was too tame for the fast, energetic opening. I would have taken the tempo faster, and I am not sure I cared for the colorful-sounding harp in the continuo. The third movement has been done better elsewhere, here too muted in sound, and too flat in dynamics.

The next work in F is also familiar, and I expected Biondi to do some interesting things with the different sections. Good sound again. Must be those horns. But do I detect rushing? Middle movement here is better; Biondi’s violin is very transparently recorded and every single detail is detectable. The vibrato I detect in the playing isn’t overdone, per se, but I find it somewhat disconcerting in a few places. The full orchestral sound in the closing movement is thick, full, and if I dare say, richer-sounding than Vivaldi’s palette of instruments. What’s going on with tempo, however? At one point, 1:00 in, during some violin passage work, the ensemble is speeding up. I would have expected better from them.

The least-admired reading on the CD comes from the great concerto by Vivaldi for two infrequently solo-ed instruments, the viola da amore, and the lute. It’s a wonderful work that I feel is treated here with the wrong type of styling. Like wearing the wrong type of dress to a wedding.

EG play RV 561 well; it’s not my favorite Vivaldi concerto, but the violin and 2 cellos have it all together. The fast runs by Biondi tell us he’s completely in charge, and technically has all the notes down… it’s this brand of confidence that I am more used-to with EG under Biondi.

The solo cello concerto in G is over-rushed in its opening, but who the heck cares… it sounds like fun, and I have other versions to listen to if I like it slow. The cello sound here is a little choked… very nasal. But the frenzied orchestra keeps it together to match Biondi’s vision. The final movement matches the brisk, frenzied-pace of the first, with some now-characteristic Biondi “bites” with accented gestures added by the entire ensemble.

I don’t know what possessed Vivaldi to write a concerto in B-flat for four violins, but he might have been better-off to have skipped the exercise. It does have its moments, and EG give it their all, but the work for me simply isn’t that rewarding.

In full, the disc is good, but not superlative. In some cases, the composer Vivaldi let me down, and in others, Biondi with poorly-judged cadenza and the ensemble with some tempos that they pushed a little too hard during VIvaldi’s sequences of chords.

Musica Antiqua, Köln records Telemann Flute Quartets, (p) 2005 DG Archiv.

Violinist Reinhard Goebel groups both Maurice Steger, recorder, and Verena Fischer, flute, together for works by Telemann for strings and flute. All works from the TWV 42 cycle on a 70+minute CD.

Let me first get-off my chest what I didn’t like about the recording: nothing, in particular, but the booklet left a lot to be desired. After the opening listing of tracks, all we get is gratuitous remarks about MAK and their decades-long recording career of Telemann works. Half the booklet is this dribble, and then the essay isn’t even by Goebel. Such a strong release deserves a good booklet essay. We do learn that these “sonatas” are in the style of “concertos,” but then again, these designations are hardly ever steadfast and constant… why don’t we ever get commentary by performers on which works are hardest to perform, or why they like certain ones?

MAK excels in the area of chamber music, and despite their rosters changing considerably over the years, their best recordings were from the 1980s with their Brandenburg Concertos and Art of Fugue. I am glad to see this return to chamber repertoire after several successful large-ensemble recordings.

These works pair basso continuo against violin, viola, two violins, oboe and violin, etc.: you get the picture, there’s a lot of variety in scoring. But likewise, there’s a lot of variety in personnel. In the opening work, Goebel is on viola, in the second, Schardt’s on violin, in the third, Goebel on violin. It’s interesting to listen, for instance, to the d-minor, four-movement sonata for transverse flute and violin (Goebel), to the sound he produces… is this the same sound he’d have had in 1990? 1980? He’s started as a violinist who first emerged with a thin tone, and some inconsistencies in pitch, to (by the late 1980s) the best baroque violinist I’d ever heard, with a tone so rich and fat you felt yourself watching calories… his attacks, sound, and interpretive choices seemed (for me at least) dead-on.

Here in the d-minor work that wonderful violin sound is back, but I can’t help but think it’s not the same played backwards (Goebel now bows with his left hand) as it used to be… this changes the sound world somewhat of his ensemble, and especially so with his playing. His playing, while different, is totally competent. For my taste, I would like to hear more of his playing… for my ears, the cello was too far pronounced in balance, the flute even overbearing the violin… the tempos chosen keep everyone busy, and Telemann’s music, while not as “rich” as that of Bach, is always enjoyable, listen-”able,” and this sentiment is true not only for the d-minor work, but for the whole disc.

The G-major work, with Goebel again on violin is at one point very modern sounding, at another, old fashioned with a 2nd-movement fugue. The final movement of this work had my turning my head at one point, there’s a sour note in there somewhere, I think by the cellist. If I am missing anything so far from the CD, it’s the fact that tempos are so “regular.” Dynamics seem a tad consistent, too. Telemann is a composer whose works shine with moments of dynamic interplay that only underscore the richness of his harmonies and melodic lines. MAK here is less aware, it seems, of these nuances than in their most excellent recording of Telemann’s Tafelmusik, but these works are nonetheless played well, I’m only nitpicking, of course.

Again, in the A-minor work (TWV 43 a3), strong contributions are to be heard from oboe (Diego Nadra), recorder, but where’s the violin to come wash over their already loud sounds? I am not sure if Goebel needs closer miking or what, but there’s excellent playing going on that’s being missed! The short second movement is quick to fly by, but technically very exciting. The next movement has these little stabs from the bass.. I almost wished at this point we were afforded some variety in continuo; perhaps solo cello here would have made things a tad more soft–matching the character of the music? Again, I’m half-ashamed to complain, but… soon enough the last movement comes in, and I’m reminded I’ve heard this elsewhere? It’s all played very well, and finally the violin is on top… Some very difficult recorder playing in this last movement is simply showing off for Mr. Stegner, but he shows off very well.

I’ll comment on one more work… a quartet for 2 violins, transverse flute, all in the sunny key of G. What makes it a difficult work is that the two violins are locked-in for a lot of passage work while the flute dances on top. The Vivace is taken at such a pace to make this all very daring. MAK pulls it off… I only wish they’d slow down from time to time to take in Telemann’s cadences. As I listen to the earlier Allegro, I am reminded I have this recording–this work at least–by Collegium Musicum 90. They take this movement faster, and yet, while their version doesn’t sound rushed, perhaps the MAK version does? Perhaps it’s those interlocking violin lines that make it sound so concerted… it’s a different feeling for the movement, no one better or worse than the other. MAK do sound more aggressive than CM90.

In the end, this is an excellent release by MAK, showing off their prowess as excellent interpreters of chamber music. The fact that rich, and musically-fat Telemann is to be heard, is for the better… perhaps as the liner-note/advertising says, MAK and Telemann are a good match. There’s plenty to enjoy, and for me, only one repeat (work) with a catalog (my collection) well-stocked already with Telemann. A highly-recommended release from MAK by your most humble Fan of Biber.

Originally published in May, 2005.

More trouble than amazon or iTunes store for sure. But the sound has a perceptible improvement! Smoothness would best describe the quality. Also a tinge more “liveness” to the sound. Dynamics, perhaps?

It’s akin to a small hifi upgrade. I just hope it gets easier to procure more albums more easily soon.

Buxtehude Sonatas , op. 2, and Vivaldi, op. 8, part two, both featuring violinist Stefano Montanari.

Ceclia Bartoli performs with Il Giardino Armonico works of supposed complexity written for castrati. Composers represented include Handel, Porpora, Leo, Graun, et al. This might be my second “castrato” CD after already enjoying Vivica Genaux in Arias for Farinelli.

I picked up the deluxe edition which includes a booklet covering everything you might want to know about castrati. Perhaps unsettling is the graphic representation throughout the CD packaging of knives and tools used for castration. Multiple languages are represented in the book, and we also get some detailed notes on the arias.

Bartoli certainly sounds different than a castrato might sound, but she nevertheless does an admirable job with the music. She’s of course got a first-class “backup” band in Antonini’s Giardino (minus Onofri). Pieces such as track #7, In braccio a mille furie by Porpora is a real fireworks type of piece that Bartoli excels at. If you were to judge her intonation and control in the Vivaldi set with IGA, here she has even more control and finesse.

The sound effects come out with thunder and horns in Chi temea Giove regnante Leonardo Vinci’s number. Between all the singer’s notes, the sound effects, and the energy behind the ensemble, the piece is emblematic of the type of bounty found within this set.

You likely won’t know any of the pieces presented here, save for Handel’s Ombra mai fu from Serse. The faster numbers are certainly fun and will survive repeated listens. The whole collection isn’t all fireworks, and Bartoli manages to find her regular soft side here too. They are less favorite, but when listening to the album as an album, they certainly break up things for contrast. Throw in some rustic concerti for strings by Vivaldi or a concerto by other Italians, and you’ll have an even more collection for a evening of listening.

This release may not be for all fans of vocal music. You’ll likely already know Bartoli’s sound. I like far less robust singers (Emma Kirkby, Jaroussky) but there’s enough room for Ceclia too! Take the plunge into the world of the unknown. I’m not sure you’ll need the “compendium” of castration, as I certainly don’t need it to enjoy the music. But if you’re interested at all in the art and history behind music like this, you may well decide to go for it. Samples are available via the singer’s website of both the prose and of course, the singing.

I like the tempo (unlike many commenters), but find the conducting by Hantaï to be laughable. It looks like he has no clue about what he should be doing up there. He’s an excellent harpsichordist, and incidentally, the performance isn’t bad. But sadly he looks a little bit like a clown up there.

Audibly, it sounds as if Mr. Bernadini is really leading with his strident oboe.

(No real fault to Mr. Hantaï, but I can’t help but giggle too because he looks like Jerry Seinfeld up there at the podium, which brings back memories of the storyline regarding “The Maestro” and his summer home in Tuscany.)

I remember well the book by Macaulay on Cathedrals. Building the Book Cathedral

Today I finally visited the closest one to my home and had a good time snapping photos.

They have some great stuff to practice my photography skills upon.