Category Archives: On record

Bernard Haitink – An appreciation

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by Ben Hogwood

Last week we heard the sad news of the death of Dutch conductor Bernard Haitink at the ripe old age of 92.

Haitink was a special man indeed, seen by many as the last in a long line of ‘old school’ conductors. He was an artist of great craftsmanship and elegance, who earned the respect of his peers through an incredibly long career that only ended in 2019.

The tributes flooding in from ensembles the conductor worked with say everything about Haitink as a man. The Salzburg Festival declared, “The music world has lost one of its very greatest. His aim was never to triumph; probably that is why his interpretations became such triumphs.” The Berliner Philharmoniker praised how “He always impressed and inspired us with his qualities – his great craftsmanship, his perfect knowledge of the score, his warm, noble bearing.” From Sir Simon Rattle, an insight borne of personal experience: “He was one of the rare giants of our time, and even rarer and more precious, a giant full of humility. My dear Bernard, we keep you deep in our hearts.”

Like many people I have had the pleasure of listening to Haitink’s recordings for many years, but my first live memories go back to the first ever BBC Proms concert I attended in September 1997. There he conducted the European Union Youth Orchestra in Bruckner’s Symphony no.7, following a sensitive account of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no.4 where the soloist was Emanuel Ax. By coincidence the same works and soloist featured at Haitink’s last Prom in 2019, this time with the Vienna Philharmonic.

I also saw Haitink at the Proms in 2005, conducting the London Symphony Orchestra as soloist Hélène Grimaud performed the Ravel Piano Concerto. After the interval, Haitink gave a characteristically poised account of Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony, which left its mark on this particular listener for days:

I remember too a very special pair of Proms in 2011, Haitink and Ax united once again for Brahms with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, one of several ensembles with which the conductor forged a special relationship.

As a recording artist, Haitink gave us a vast array of special symphony, concerto and opera recordings. He recorded multiple symphony cycles of Mahler, Bruckner, Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann, not to mention landmark collections of Shostakovich and Vaughan Williams symphonies with the Concertgebouw and London Philharmonic Orchestras, and fine cycles of Rachmaninov and Beethoven piano concertos with Vladimir Ashkenazy and Alfred Brendel respectively. That’s before we even get to opera! There he delivered much-loved recordings of Mozart, Wagner, Richard Strauss and Britten to highlight just a few.

I have delved into the discography for a set of recordings with personal significance – which can be accessed on the Spotify playlist below. They include Mahler, Bruckner, Shostakovich and begin with Vaughan Williams’ Symphony no.5, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

It is safe to say that Bernard Haitink will occupy a special place in the heart of many a musician and listener, and this gives just a small number of reasons why:

On Record – MF Robots: Break The Wall (BBE)

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reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

MF Robots is the continuation of a prestigious family tree in British soul and funk music. The new project is spearheaded by Jan Kincaid and Dawn Joseph, who were once part of the Brand New Heavies. Jan, a founding member and part of the group since 1985, found that when he and Joseph started working together they were instantly musically compatible. Drawn to the new project, they wasted no time in building a substantial group together.

There has never been an explicit desire to deviate greatly from their roots, the group’s Bandcamp page professing a continued love of 1970s and 1980s American rhythm sections while recognising the importance of their part in Acid Jazz with the Heavies in the early 1990s. MF Robots, though, is a move towards a more improvised and instinctive way of working, collaborating with a number of illustrious guests.

The group is completed by keyboard player Alex Montaque, bass player Naz Adamson, guitarist Mark Beaney, Jack Birchwood on trumpet and Ben Treacher on saxophone. The guests include bassist Gail Ann Dorsey, who has session work with David Bowie and Lenny Kravitz under her belt, and guitarist Cory Wong, a solo artist and member of the Vulfpeck collective.

What’s the music like?

MF Robots are like an Indian summer. Their approach is incredibly fresh, their grooves and rhythms straight off the page and with a whole set of brilliant songs to offer. The chemistry between players is evident, but the song is always the winner. In the best tracks we get a good song and an excellent instrumental section, with extended grooves like Crazy Life hitting the spot consistently.

That track is a faster number and is immediately complemented by the slower funk of Gold, beautifully sung by Kincaid with an easy, natural groove and punctuation from the brass of Birchwood and Treacher.

The band’s early songs, over a year old now, sound brilliant in the context of the album. Mother Funkin’ Robots is a celebration of their funk heritage, with some seriously taught grooves, while the extended version of Happy Song leans provocatively towards the sounds of Masters At Work. Good People has a radio friendly chorus that the likes of Trevor Nelson have been quick to exploit, while the breezy Make Me Happy has immediate sunshine appeal. Brand New Day is another singalong number, while Foster adds a really nice touch to songs like The Love It Takes and You, ‘walkin’ the walk with your head in the clouds’ rather beautifully.

Does it all work?

Absolutely. The band do pay an obvious homage to the music of their immediate past, but their own musical instincts and personalities shine through in a set of fresh, upbeat and celebratory songs. If you want to sing and dance with considerably less cares in the world than you currently have, then this is the place to come!

Is it recommended?

It certainly is. Break The Wall hangs together effortlessly, a stream of rhythmic consciousness and good feelings that manifest themselves into some excellent songs. MF Robots are an outfit to keep tabs on, for sure.

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On record – Nino Rota: Chamber Music (Éric Le Sage, Emmanuel Pahud & friends) (Alpha)

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rota-alpha

Nino Rota
Trio for flute, violin and piano (1958)
Valzer Sul Nome Bach (1975)
Piccola Offerta Musicale (1943)
Nonetto (1959-1974)
Trio for cello, clarinet and piano (1973)
Prelude XIII; Prelude II (from 15 Preludes) (1964)

Emmanuel Pahud (flute), Eric Le Sage (piano), Daishin Kashimoto (violin), Paul Meyer (clarinet), François Meyer (oboe), Gilbert Audin (bassoon), Benoît de Barsony (horn), Joaquín Riquelme García (viola), Claudio Bohórquez (cello), Aurélien Pascal (cello), Olivier Thiery (double bass), 

Alpha ALPHA746 [62’25”]

Producer and Engineer Jean-Marc Laisné

Recorded 6-7 August 2020 at La Courroie, Entraigues-sur-la-Sorgue, France

Written by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Nino Rota might be best known for his film scores, but a cursory exploration of his output reveals a whole lot more to his make-up. Most collections of his music tend to explore the orchestral works, which makes this release from Alpha of the chamber music even more gratifying. Their chosen selection ranges from works for one player (some of Rota’s small output for piano) to the substantial Nonet, a work which occupied the composer for more than two decades. The recordings were made by a group of illustrious soloists, headed by flautist Emmanuel Pahud and pianist Eric Le Sage.

What’s the music like?

The programme chosen here offers a very satisfying portrait of Rota the composer, and in particular the breadth of his work.

The Nonet is the principal piece, a substantial work at nearly half an hour in length. It is written for the same combination of nine instruments used by Martinů in his Nonet – flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello and double bass.

Complementing this are two trios of roughly similar size. The Trio for flute, violin and piano of 1958 has a lively and unexpectedly driven first movement, initially surprising in its density but revealing a tender underside. The second movement takes more time for thought but soon the energy is back for a quick third movement, like the first two with some attractive tune-making.

The Trio for clarinet, cello and piano dates from 15 years earlier. I am surprised this combination of instruments hasn’t proved more popular since Beethoven, and this piece enjoys the interweaving of colours. The second theme in the march-like first movement is particularly attractive, with Russian flavouring to these ears. It is followed by an eloquent slow movement and a playful finale which trips along mischievously.

The short pieces here are rather lovely, none more so than the Piccola Offerta Musicale, written to mark the 60th birthday of Alfredo Casella in 1943. An attractive piece with a fountain of ideas, it is beautifully coloured and moves from slow, relatively sombre thoughts to bubbly exchanges.

Finally Eric Le Sage adds some excerpts from Rota’s small body of work for piano – two perky Valzer Sul Nome Bach, playing with Bach’s name in musical form (B – A – C – H (B flat) and two of the Fifteen Preludes from 1964. A graceful Prelude XIII and contemplative Prelude II provide a thoughtful postscript to the collection.

Does it all work?

Yes. The programming is ideal, and Rota’s colour combinations are consistently appealing, as is his ability to write a number of good tunes. His engaging development of them shows his ability as a composer of music in a more serious format, though it has to be said there is nothing staid at all about these works, happily!

Is it recommended?

It is, enthusiastically. Rota’s music is full of positive energy and lyricism, but it has depth too. The performances are all excellent, and contribute to the appeal of a disc which stands up really well to repeated listening. A fine achievement filling a gap in the repertoire that has been there all too long.

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You can discover more about this release at the Outhere website, where you can also purchase the recording.

Switched On – Various Artists: Total 21 (Kompakt)

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reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Kompakt’s annual compilation series rolls on, but on hitting the coming of age number the Cologne label have decided to put it on a diet. Slimmed down to a single disc / four sides of vinyl, it is a leaner beast but still packs in 13 tracks that cast the net across the label’s output.

Seasoned Kompakt regulars such as John Tejada, Jürgen Paape, Voigt & Voigt, Gui Boratto and label founder Michael Mayer rub shoulders with new talent to these pages – Kollmorgen, The Bionaut and Nicky Elisabeth.

What’s the music like?

Kompakt’s approach to techno is always pleasingly varied, and this set of tracks spreads itself nicely across the tempo and emotional spectrum. It doesn’t take long for us to be transported to warmer climes in the company of Jürgen Paape, whose La Guitarra Romantica is dreamy and exotic. The same words could apply to Roman Flügel’s remix of Nicky Elisabeth’s Celeste, though in truth this is a magical piece of work, beautifully floated above the deep beats.

“I Am A Dancer!”, proclaims the track from Marc Romboy & C.A.R. of the same name, an assertive piece of work shaking its booty from the off, while Jonathan Kaspar’s Von Draussen also hits the tougher spot with its rolling drum track. John Tejada contributes some typically thoughtful and nicely woven techno on Spectral Progressions, while Voigt & Voigt do similar with darker shades on Nicht Mein Job.

Michael Mayer’s contribution Happy plays around with spatial effects rather well, as does Sascha Funke’s Fasson, working in a nice broken beat and airy synths for good measure.

Does it all work?

It does. The decision to slim down to a CD’s worth of tracks pays off – not that the previous Total series instalments were overlong – but it works well because it brings the focus in to some really good compositions. The Kompakt catalogue is still in good shape, it would seem!

Is it recommended?

It is indeed. One for the seasoned Kompakt fans, but also an effective introduction to the label if you’re late to their recent output.

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Switched On – Park Hye Jin: Before I Die (Ninja Tune)

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reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Park Hye Jin releases her first album on Ninja Tune, the culmination of a whirlwind couple of years for the South Korean. Now based in Los Angeles, she has built up a strong reputation for original electronic music through collaborations with Blood Orange, Nosaj Thing and Clams Casino & Take A Daytrip – their track Y Don’t U being especially successful.

Perhaps her biggest calling card yet however is the track Like this, caught by BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music and chosen for the soundtrack of FIFA 2021. It is one of the many reasons Before I Die is so highly anticipated.

What’s the music like?

Extremely varied. Pigeon holes don’t exist with Park Hye Jin around, for she can effortlessly turn her hand to so many styles, reflecting the human condition through a wide range of moods. While that might sound like a lazy observation, few artists can rise to this challenge with such infectious confidence.

She moves from the deadpan rap of Never Give Up to the direct come-on of Can I Get Your Number, from down tempo R&B numbers like the slightly warped Sunday ASAP to big dancefloor gunners such as Hey, Hey, Hey. Sometimes the lyrics involve straight-to-camera honesty, like I Need You, which is dressed with an old-style piano and briefly drenched in nostalgia.

This direct approach runs through the album, which is highly entertaining, often funny, sometimes tender – but almost always hitting the mark with its sharp riffing and clever beatmaking.

Does it all work?

It does. Before I Die is over in a flash, with many of the tracks well under three minutes – showing Hye Jin’s ‘all killer and no filler’ approach, which works really well. In the course of the 15 episodes you really feel like you get to know her as a person, what makes her tick and what pisses her off, and to end with the level-headed i jus wanna be happy is right on the money.

Is it recommended?

It is. Park Hye Jin’s original approach takes dance music back to its first principles, working through an often thrilling range of beats and emotions. She is without question an artist to watch.

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