Last week saw the return of German super-trio Moderat, releasing their first album since a hiatus that began in 2017. More D4ta (a clever anagram) marked the creative renaissance of a group made up of Modeselektor (Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary) and Apparat (Sascha Ring)
It is without doubt the equal of the band’s previous work, with a wide variety of beats and styles, but we have selected a cut from the middle of the album suitable for a Saturday. Neon Rats is a journey right to the middle of the dancefloor. Enjoy!
To listen to the whole of More D4ta, click on the Bandcamp link below:
Sometimes the cover of a book can say it all! This is definitely the case with BBE’s sunshine collection, which presents an anthology of rare tracks with a distinctly Balearic tint. Compiler Paul Hillery works from a flexible brief, allowing him to cast the net wider stylistically and include examples with a folk, MOR or funk flavour.
What’s the music like?
Ideal for hot weather. Most if not all of these names will be unfamiliar, which is a great starting point for future discoveries Airborne‘s Marie is a blissful example of the compilation’s ability to bring the sunshine directly out of the speakers, a reverie that sings “Spread your wings and fly me away”.
Among the others well worth noting Alex Crispin‘s Effert is a beauty, an airy loop of bell sounds and a chant-like vocal. The effortless groove of Checkpoint‘s I Send You All My Love makes its mark, with a lovely oboe countermelody – while there are a couple of notable flute solos in the selection too, tastefully played and not overdone.
There are particularly sultry offerings from David Datunashvili and Diana Pequeno, strong West Coast feels from Guy Maxwell and Mike Baumann / Tom Huntington, whose Man Of Misery channels the work of Gibb brothers a little. There is a burst of energy from Guy Schwartz, with the expert storytelling of Ride That Train, in contrast to the woozy harmonica, scrambled piano and ticking hi-hat of Michael Welch‘s Phone Home. Meanwhile Monica Rypma‘s Let Love Flow is a highlight, bigger 80s drums and appealing vocal reminiscent of Swing Out Sister. Pixie Lauer‘s regretful Sunday Morning adds a touch of sweet melancholy, and back on the instrumental solos theme there are some enjoyable, noodly guitar efforts, none more so than that on Phillip John Lewin‘s excellent song Fear Of Flying.
Doesitallwork?
It certainly does the job! A blissful time in the company of Hillery, who offers a nicely balanced set that never gets too cheesy but always stays well above 20 degrees.
It is a beautiful spring day outside Arcana’s ‘head office’ today…so to celebrate, one of Dvořák‘s sunniest symphonies is on the playlist. Here is a performance given by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and Manfred Honeck, in celebration of the green season:
Debussy arr. Büsser Petite Suite; Debussy arr. Caplet La boîte à joujoux (1919), Children’s Corner (1911)
What’sthestory?
This beautifully packaged collection from BIS brings together a trio of Debussy pieces arranged for orchestra. There are two characterful suites whose cleaner lines look back to classical and baroque forms, beginning with the four-movement PetiteSuite, originally for two pianos and arranged for orchestra by Henri Büsser.
The central work of the three is La boîte à joujoux (Thetoybox). This surprisingly substantial piece was written by Debussy in 1913 as a piano score, but due to the first World War was not performed until 1919, after the composer’s death, by which time it had been orchestrated by André Caplet. The ballet tells in miniature detail of a toy soldier falling in love with a doll protected by a polichinelle, who will not give her up. The two fight and the soldier is wounded, but is nursed back to health by the doll, and they fall in love.
Caplet was a trusted collaborator, having already arranged Debussy’s Children’sCorner suite for orchestra in 1911. The composer wrote the piano version for his daughter Claude-Emma, nicknamed ‘Chou-Chou’, in 1908.
What’sthemusiclike?
As attractive as the cover! What is abundantly clear from each of the three scores is that even in his keyboard music Debussy had orchestral designs – which Caplet and Büsser bring to fruition.
The PetiteSuite is a charmer in this performance, from the languid Enbateau to the brisk, bracing Ballet. The phrasing is especially beautiful in the winds towards the end of the former, while there is an attractive lilt to the Cortège and a light bounce to the rhythms of the Menuet.
La boîte à joujoux features some exquisite storytelling and wind playing. There is a beautiful oboe solo as the scene isset in the toy shop, the music hanging mysteriously. The lovely clarinet in The doll’s waltz is complemented by detailed shading in the strings. There are stylish contributions from the orchestral pianist too, especially at the very end where the orchestra hang on every note. The bluster of battle and The sheepfold for sale leads to a translucent coda. Here a tender, slightly mournful finish from piano is trumped by an emphatic sign off from the orchestra
Children’sCorner is similarly colourful. The Berceuse has long shadows enhanced by the bass strings, but the SerenadefortheDoll is delightful. TheSnowIsDancing is appropriately mysterious, and there is a poignant oboe solo for The Little Shepherd. Finally the Golliwogg’s Cake Walk is a brilliant study of light and shade, with the ebullient theme a treat.
Doesitall work?
It does. Pascal Rophé brings great detail to Debussy’s storytelling, and while the orchestral playing is of an extremely high standard the wind section deserve special mention for the way in which they inhabit the characters of each tale. The BIS recording captures every detail. There are also reminders that in spite of these colourful stories the spectre of World War One lies in the shadows.
Isitrecommended?
Heartily. This is a colourful and thoroughly enjoyable album, lovingly realised and beautifully played. An essential addition to any Debussy collection.
I wanted to place on record my appreciation for three very different but fiercely passionate musical contacts we have very sadly lost in recent weeks.
My heartfelt condolences go to the family and friends of David Fraser, who until recently worked for the excellent distributor Proper Music. David headed the press and marketing facility in the UK for the prestigious ECM label, a position from which he was able to make many enlightening musical recommendations. I remember him as a generous, kind-hearted contact who was always pleased to talk and continually modest about his vast musical knowledge. Thank you, David – I shall miss our chats, and include one of our mutual loves, the music of György Kurtág – one of his Bach arrangements – below:
The world of classical music has also been paying tribute to Stewart Brown, who died earlier this month at the age of 69. Stewart founded and ran the Testament label from 1990 onwards, creating an important resource of historical recordings that were largely remastered on his watch. Many an EMI recording was enhanced at Stewart’s hand, and we will greatly miss the excellence of the projects he oversaw.
I only know a fringe of the Testament catalogue well, but the recordings I have reviewed and enjoyed include Erich Leinsdorf conducting Prokofiev, Carlo Maria Giulini’s Bruckner, Sir John Barbirolli’s Mahler, a chamber recital from David Oistrakh, Mstislav Rostropovich and Benjamin Britten in recital at the Aldeburgh Festival, one of the label’s most recent releases, and a wonderful series of Clemens Krauss conducting Richard Strauss. All those recordings are testament (pun intended) to Stewart’s eye for a valuable recording, and us record collectors owe him heartfelt thanks for his achievements. Most importantly – as his close friends have confirmed – he was a lovely man.
The third of my musical musketeers is John Bourke. I never met John, but while he was running his own music PR enterprise we built up that most modern of musical friendships, a regular e-mail and social media correspondence. Whenever he had something he genuinely thought I would enjoy, John would be on the virtual blower.
That is the key element – John was never too pushy with the music he was promoting, unless he felt the listener / reviewer would appreciate it, and our friendship grew on that assumption. Several of Arcana’s interviews and playlist features are the result of John’s thoughtful prompting, while a great many more of my musical discoveries, especially the Glacial Movements label – were made possible through John’s correspondence. Thank you John – and I hope that wherever you are resting now that you have the most ambient of electronic music to keep you company.
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