The Former Wasted

Het Festivalgevoel

Sat, 23 May 2009 09:24 +0200

In which I regained my love for taking photos.
See also here.

Musica De Feria

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:54 +0200

I only visited two performances of Revueltas "Musica de Feria", both by Cuarteto Latinoamericano. The first one I skipped because of an invitation to a typical Dutch celebration ("Sinterklaas"). I made photos of the occasion, see here (this is right in the heart of where I work - the Dutch TV world).
The performances were excellent, no surprise there. I was especially impressed by a piece by fellow Mexican Lavista - called "Reflejos de la Noche", which was entirely based on the sound of violin harmonics. Quite an experiment, but surprisingly palatable.
At the reprise concert I ran into the cello player, and we had a nice little chat about music, Revueltas and Lavista's work. I was asked whether I played any instrument - unfortunately I don't, I just like listening to music.
Youtube has a nice video of "Musica de Feria" played by the Martinez Bourquet Quartet too, hear for yourself here. The players look a bit too serious for this piece, which has humour, a bit of sensuality in the middle part, and sounds of intoxication in the last part. Fantastic music.
(In a previous post I mentioned about how the viola and cello play melodies in harmony. I was wrong - first the 1st violin and cello, followed by the violins, viola and cello playing in counterpoint. Blame it on the sound of the viola.)

Varèse's Déserts

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:40 +0200

Visited Insomnio Ensemble's great performance of Varèse's "Déserts". I came only for the first few notes of the piece, because according to lore, it is indebted to Revueltas' "Planos" - strikingly so. Revueltas was quite influenced by Varèse in the 1930's, corresponding eagerly with the elusive master, even urging him to visit the New York premiere of "Ocho Por Radio" (which Varèse did - and quite enjoyed).
The concert today was in celebration of Elliott Carter's 100th birthday, and I liked his "Penthode" piece, which lasted for about 20 minutes, and was closed by an invitation to celebrate it by having a cake pie.(Afterwards, I ran in to the conductor, and congratulated him with the solid performance of "Déserts".)

In praise of "Musica de Feria"

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:49 +0200

Interesting occassion: Revueltas' Fourth string quartet, "Musica de Feria" (1932; En: "Music At The Fair") is performed thrice in December.
It's the most interesting of his four quartets, because it's an obvious break with the previous three. Quartets 1-3 sound impenetrable, and are obviously indebted to the chromatic experiments of European composers. With "Feria" it's as if Revueltas finds his own style, away from obvious, predictable and quite boring dissonant experiments.
In "Feria" there's still dissonance, but for the first time he uses meter changes effectively - across all instrument parts, even letting individual instruments play in different meters. And to surprising and stunning effect: They give the work the one thing that defines Revueltas' later work - rhythm.
But more interesting is "Feria"'s middle section. First the viola and cello play two melodies, slightly in harmony and then in counterpoint. The section is brought to a close by all four instruments (the other two being violins) playing different parts of the melodies in counterpoint.
I'll try to take my camera.

Mahler Nr. 4, "Das himmlische Leben"

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 19:36 +0200

With an excellently played 3rd movement - performed by Dutch Philharmonic and sung by Sally Matthews. First time I heard it live - and it still affects me.Coming up next is Revueltas' playful experimental violin quartet "Musica de Feria"(Also first time in Vredenburg Leidsche Rijn concert hall)

Mahler's 4th

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:42 +0200

Sunday.I selected the 3rd movement for both burials; its the only Mahler symphony I didn't hear and see live.
Also I'm pretty aghast about Apple's iPhone's HTTP classes. Confirmed: They leak. Using BSD sockets right now. So vintage 1995.

Spider

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:06 +0200

After the dreadful shock of miscalculating my departure date, a tense drive to Saint John Airport - for me at least, one of the passengers asked me whether I saw a spider in his neck. Supposedly he was bitten. I assured him it was just a mosquito bite, but he didn't seem assured.
While browsing The Globe And Mail in the flight to Montreal, I realized why he was worried: Flesh eating spiders.
I should have said he was probably bitten by a flea.

Newspapers

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:47 +0200

I hardly read newspapers nowadays. I didn't for 6 months after my mother died, then I bought them for my father, and now I buy them but leave them unread.For some reason misery sells.

A Stratagem (Deventer Op Stelten 4/...)

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:16 +0200

And for the third time at Deventer On Stelten, Fadunito with a colourful and amusing performance. The previous years they took a walk through the centre, now they just meddled with the public. Familiar actors too.
More portraits later.

A Stratagem (Deventer Op Stelten 3/...)

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:05 +0200

I didn't mention yet that it was quite colourful too.