New Classical
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It’s a shame that so many music lovers associate the classical genre with symphony orchestras. It’s a little like seeing rock and roll through the lens of heavy metal. All power, precious little finesse. Chamber music has always been where the real action is. Small groups of musicians, taking cues from one another in an…
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Often the decision whether or not to give an artist a try is which record label he or she has chosen to partner with. The best imprints are those that have an ear for talent and that consistently select titles that in one way or another fit together. Two-year-old 1631 Recordings in Sweden has quickly…
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It is a privilege to write this blog. It’s a privilege to have readers log on and spend 10 minutes checking out my recommendations. It’s a pleasure to have the luxury of setting aside an hour or so almost every day to think and write. More than anything else though, it is an honour to…
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One of the great pleasures of writing music reviews is that it presents opportunities to connect with people who love the same artists you do. Lena Natalia did exactly that a short time ago, after reading a review I wrote for exclaim.ca about Ryuichi Sakamoto’s extraordinary new album async. The only thing better than hearing…
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Fair warning. A little more than three and a half minutes into this darkly foreboding record, you will be startled by a grotesque, inhaled scream. The fact that this occurs at the front end of an opening piece entitled “Angels” may cause you to wonder how such a terrible sound could ever be associated with…
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Long-time fans of ambient music will recognize the parallels between Nhung Nguyen’s wonderful playing and the great Harold Budd’s penchant for spacious, unabashedly pretty piano solos. Her new disc An ordinary narrative is far from ordinary. It is a great success. I’ve written about Nguyen before. She’s been producing both modern classical and ambient music…
The Moderns 