The Komodo Dragon Show: 2012

26 December 2012

On holidays. This and next week the show goes dark.

19 December 2012

Ravi Shankar in Memoriam. I will be live-tweeting the raga titles and performers @vonwichert starting at 8am Central Time.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ravishankar

12 December 2012

Set #1 - 8:30am - 9:00am

1. Life Is Splendid (rec. Ann Arbor, MI Sep. 1972)
Sun Ra & His Solar Myth Arkestra
Total Energy Records, NER 3026
37'

Set #2 - 9:00am - 11:00am

2. The Solar-Myth Approach Vol.1 & 2 (rec. NYC 1970-71)
Sun Ra & His Solar Myth Arkestra
Fuel 2000 Records, 302 061 159 2
90'

05 December 2012

The Christmas Edition of the Komodo Dragon Show. I will be live-tweeting the movement titles @vonwichert starting at 8am Central Time.

1. Franz Liszt: Harmonies poétiques & religieuses (1845-51)

Steven Osborne - piano

Hyperion Records, CDA67445

84'

2. Olivier Messiaen: Vingt regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus (1944)

Peter Serkin - piano

RCA, 82876-62316-2

123'

28 November 2012

Holy trifecta of Batman scores!

Set #1 - 8:00am - 8:30am

1. The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale: Batman and Robin (1966)
Sun Ra & The Blues Project
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/02/sun_ra_and_the_.html
35'

Set #2 - 8:30am - 9:30am

2. Nelson Riddle: Batman (1966)
Nelson Riddle - conductor
Batman Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Film Score Monthly, Vol.3 No.7
62'

Set #3 - 9:30am - 11:00am

3. Danny Elfman: Batman Returns (1992)
Jonathan Sheffer - conductor
Batman Returns Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
La-La Land Records, LLCD 1153
92'

4. Lacy Gibson & Alton Abraham: I'm Gonna Unmask the Batman (rec. Philadelphia 4 July 1974)
Sun Ra & His Astro-Galactic Infinity Arkestra
Sun Ra: The Singles
Evidence Music, ECD 22164-2
2:19

21 November 2012

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth (rec. Chicago 1956-58)

Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra

31'

2. Interstellar Low Ways (rec. Chicago 1960)

Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra

31'

Tracks 1-2

Evidence Music, ECD 22039-2

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

3. Strange Strings (rec. NYC c. 1966-67)
Sun Ra & His Astro-Infinity Arkestra
Unheard Music Series, ALP263CD

54'

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

4. The Night of the Purple Moon (rec. NYC 1970)
Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra
Unheard Music Series, ALP264CD
56'

14 November 2012

Who is the original Space Oddity? David Bowie? No no, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sun Ra and possibly Maurice Ravel. Music by composers not born of this Earth.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

1. Karlheinz Stockhausen: Ylem (1972)
Karlheinz Stockhausen - conductor, The London Sinfonietta
Deutsche Grammophon, 25530 442
24:40

2. Mayan Temples (rec. Milan 24-25 July 1990)
Sun Ra Arkestra
Black Saint, 120121-2
79'

Set #2 - 9:30am - 11:00am

3. Maurice Ravel: Piano Trio (1914)
Triple Forte: Jasper Wood - violin, Yegor Dyachkov - cello, David Jalbert - piano
Atma, ACD2 2633
25:02

4. Maurice Ravel: Violin Sonata (1923–27)
Isabelle van Keulen - violin, Ronald Brautigam - piano
Koch Classics, 3-6416-2
17:42

5. Karlheinz Stockhausen: Kontakte (1958-60)
Stockhausen, 3
35:30

07 November 2012

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

*1. Jason Adasiewicz & Mike Reed: New Myth
1:13

*2. Jason Adasiewicz & Mike Reed: Think Tank
11:39

*3. Jason Adasiewicz & Mike Reed: 2000 West Erie
5:38

4. The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra Vol.1 (rec. NYC Apr. 1965)
Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra
Esp-disk', ESP1014
35'

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:15am

*5. Jason Adasiewicz & Mike Reed: Shadow Boxer's Delight
6:57

*6. Jason Adasiewicz & Mike Reed: Forget B
6:46

7. Monorails & Satellites (rec. NYC 1966)
Sun Ra - piano
Evidence, ECD 22013-2
33'

8. The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra Vol.2 (rec. NYC 16 Nov. 1965)
Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra
Esp-disk', ESP1017
38'

Set #3 - 10:15am - 11:00am

*9. Jason Adasiewicz & Mike Reed: Grow Lights
6:20

*10. Jason Adasiewicz & Mike Reed: Old Science
5:53

*Tracks 1-3, 5, 6, 9 & 10 (rec. Chicago 3 & 5 Sep. 2011)
Living by Lanterns
Old Myth/New Science
Cuneiform Records, RUNE 345

11. Holiday for Soul Dance (rec. 1968-69?)
Sun Ra & His Astro-Infinity Arkestra
Evidence, ECD 22011-2
32'

31 October 2012

Maximalism vs. minimalism in vocal music.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Phil Minton: No Drone Rising
7:34

2. Phil Minton: Cappa
2:43

3. Jaap Blonk: Quiet Neighbours Moaning
6:43

4. Bob Cobbing: Six Cobbings
6:59

5. Koichi Makigami: Haiku Sonic
8:56

6. David Moss: Ten Tones High
4:54

7. Jaap Blonk: Four Way Four
3:09

8. Paul Dutton: Nosing: A Round
4:13

9. Paul Dutton: Tough & Rumble
7:47

10. David Moss: Five Men Singing
7:03

Tracks 1-10 (rec. Victoriaville, QC 16 May 2003)
Jaap Blonk, Koichi Makigami, Paul Dutton, Phil Minton & David Moss - voice
Five Men Singing
Les Disques VICTO, cd 092
60'

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

11. John Cage: A Flower (1950)
William Winant - closed piano
3:32

12. John Cage: Mirakus² (1984)
9:05

13. John Cage: 8 Whiskus (1984)
4:17

14. John Cage: The Wonderful Widow of 18 Springs (1942)
William Winant - closed piano
2:41

15. John Cage: Nowth upon Nacht (1984)
William Winant - closed piano
1:09

16. John Cage: Sonnekus² (1985)
Leonard Stein - piano
17:08

17. John Cage: Forever & Sunsmell (1942)
William Winant - percussion, Scott Evans - suspended cymbal
5:10

18. John Cage: Solo for Voice 49 (1970)
1:19

19. John Cage: Solo for Voice 52 (1970)
3:58

20. John Cage: Solo for Voice 67 (1970)
2:21

21. John Cage: Music for Two (by One) (1984)
5:04

Tracks 11-21
Joan La Barbara - voice
Singing Through: Vocal Compositions by John Cage
New Albion Records, NA 035 CD
56'

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

22. John Cage Meets Sun Ra (rec. Coney Island, NY 8 June 1986)
John Cage - voice, Sun Ra - DX-7 synthesizer

44'

(http://www.johncage.info/cdlabels/meltdown1.html)

24 October 2012

I hope you'll be able to tune into today's Pledge-O-Rama edition of my Komodo Dragon Show. All week long UMFM is raising money to keep up with the rising costs of running a radio station.

From 8-11am Central Time on 101.5 FM in Winnipeg and wwww.umfm.com in stream, you'll hear Lubomyr Melnyk's continuous music, a raga by Ravi Shankar, and I'll compare the exotica (recorded in the SAME YEAR!) of Sun Ra with that of Martin Denny. Why does one sound well-formed and the other kitschy?

The number to call to make your pledges is 204-474-6610. Operators are standing by from 6am-3am! The first 10 listeners to pledge to the Komodo Dragon Show will receive a sturdy Komodo Dragon Show coffee mug, which some have been known to put soup in, along with other neato incentives.

More details here: http://www.umfm.com/

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Lubomyr Melnyk: It Was Revealed unto Us That Man Is the Centre of the Universe... But Few Can Now Remember (1996)
Lubomyr Melnyk - piano, Marie Berard - violin, Douglas Perry - viola, Margaret Gay - cello
Bandura Records, n.n.
44'
(No recording can do justice to Lubomyr's continuous piano technique. You've got to hear him play live to appreciate the resonances which he sets up in the piano.)

2. Raga Malkauns (rec. 1965)
Ravi Shankar - sitar
Ravi Shankar: Sound of the Sitar
EMI, CDM 5673092
20:48
(Regular listeners will be aware that I have gone on and on about Raga Malkauns. It is the mystical raga of moral development for becoming a human.)

Set #2 - 9:00am - 11:00am

{3. Angels & Demons at Play (rec. Chicago 1956-60)

24'

4. The Nubians of Plutonia (rec. Chicago 1958-59)

40'

Tracks 3-4

Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra

Evidence Music, ECD 22066-2

5. Exotica: The Best of Martin Denny (rec. 1957-59)
Rhino, R2 70774
55:08}
(Curly brackets indicate the order is ad libitum.)

17 October 2012

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

I have a big secret to tell you about Sun Ra.

1. Janus (rec. 1963-70)
Sun Ra & His Arkestra
1201 Music, 9012-2
35'

2. Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra (rec. 10 Oct. 1961)
Sun Ra & His Arkestra
Savoy Jazz, SV-0213
42'

Set #2 - 9:30am - 10:00am

3. Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy (rec. NYC 1963)
32'
(For me, this title sums up the power of Sun Ra's work: It's intensely spiritual and uplifting.)

4. Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow (rec. NYC 1961-62)
34'

Tracks 3-4
Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra
Evidence Music, ECD 22036-2

5. Nothing Is... (rec. May 1966)
Sun Ra & His Arkestra
Esp-disk', ESP1045
40'

10 October 2012

The album is the unit.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Keep Swingin' (rec. NYC 11 Jan. 1960)
Julian Priester Quintet: Julian Priester - trombone, Jimmy Heath - tenor sax, Tommy Flanagan - piano, Sam Jones - bass, Elvin Jones - drums
Fresh Sound Records, FSR-CD 643
36'

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Sound Sun Pleasure (rec. Chicago 1958-60)
Sun Ra & His Astro-Infinity Orchestra
Evidence Music, ECD 22014-2
48'

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

3. Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth (rec. Chicago 1956-58)
Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra
31'

4. Interstellar Low Ways (rec. Chicago 1960)
Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra
31'

Tracks 3-4
Evidence Music, ECD 22039-2

03 October 2012

The album is the unit.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

4. Love in Outer Space [conclusion] (rec. NYC 7-8 Oct. 1995)

Myth-Science

Knitting Factory Works, KFW 183

40'

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

5. Supersonic Jazz (rec. Chicago 1956)

Sun Ra & His Arkestra

Evidence Music, ECD 22015-2

49'

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

6. Angels & Demons at Play (rec. Chicago 1956-60)
24'

7. The Nubians of Plutonia (rec. Chicago 1958-59)
40'

Tracks 6-7

Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra

Evidence Music, ECD 22066-2

Starting today and running through until the winter break in December, we'll be showcasing the vast catalog of legendary jazz composer, and otherworldly being, Sun Ra! Of all the jazz musicians, Sun Ra was probably the most controversial, because of his eclectic music and unorthodox lifestyle.

Claiming that he was of the "Angel Race" and not from Earth, but from Saturn, Sun Ra developed a complex persona using "cosmic" philosophies and lyrical poetry that made him a pioneer of afrofuturism. He preached awareness and peace above all. He abandoned his birth name and took on the name and persona of Sun Ra (Ra being the Egyptian God of the Sun), and used several other names throughout his career, including Le Sony'r Ra and Sonny Lee.

Tune in every Wednesday at 8:00am for 3 hours of music that's out of this world!

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

1. Live at Montreux (rec. 1976)
Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Cosmo Arkestra
Inner City Records, IC 1039
83'

Set #2 - 9:30am - 10:30am

2. Concert for the Comet Kohoutek (rec. NYC 22 Dec. 1973)
Sun Ra Arkestra
ESP-DISK', ESP3033
55'
(I am just old enough to remember the debacle of Comet Kohoutek which reached perihelion on 28 December 1973.)

Set #3 - 10:30am - 11:00am

3. Love in Outer Space [beginning] (rec. NYC 7-8 Oct. 1995)
Myth-Science
Knitting Factory Works, KFW 183
30'

19 September 2012

Addressing the accordion deficit.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 8:45am

1. Antonio Soler: Sonata No.62 in B flat major
5:03

2. W. A. Mozart: Adagio & Rondo K.617
Moshe Hammer - violin, Marie Berard - violin, Douglas Perry - viola, David Hetherington - cello
10:13

3. Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in C major K.159
2:22

4. Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in C major K.406
3:32

5. Bernhard Molique: Sonata for pianoforte & concertina
Guy Few - piano
20:43

Tracks 1-5
Joseph Petric - accordion
CBC Records, MVCD 1056

Set #2 - 8:45am - 9:30am

†7. Charles Camilleri: Concerto for Accordion & Strings
Gary Kulesha - conductor, The Composers' Orchestra
14:47

†8. Walter Buczynski: Fantasy on Themes of the Past (1980)
Gary Kulesha - conductor, The Composers' Orchestra
19:31

†9. Norman Symonds: Persuasion (1993)
Robert W. Stevenson - bass clarinet
10:32

Set #3 - 9:30am - 11:00am

*10. Norman Symonds: El duo (1988)
Bob Becker - marimba
9:22

*11. Christos Hatzis: Orbiting Garden (1991)
15:50

*12. Alcides Lanza: Arghanum V (1990)
13:32

*13. Micheline Roi: Fondly, Through the Madness Breathing... (1992)
9:44

*14. Tomas Dusatko: Diastema (1980)
Bob Becker - percussion, Ryan Scott - percussion, Doug Perry - viola
11:07

*15. Serge Arcuri: Bandoneon (1990)
10:09

†16. Alexina Louie: Refuge (1981)
Erica Goodman - harp, Beverley Johnston - vibraphone
10:30

†Tracks 7, 8, 9, & 16
Joseph Macerollo - accordion
Persuasion: The Contemporary Accordion
CBC Records, MVCD 1096

*Tracks 10-15
Joseph Petric - accordion
Orbiting Garden
Centrediscs, CMCCD 7802

12 September 2012

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

1. Ahmet Adnan Saygun: 10 Sketches on Aksak Rhythms (1976)
Kathryn Woodard - piano
Albany, TROY1168
18:46

2. Sun Ra: Free Improvisation
4:57

3. Sun Ra: Blues
4:33

4. Sun Ra: Love in Outer Space
5:15

5. Sun Ra: Outer Spaceways Inc.
6:56

6. Billy Strayhorn: Take the "A" Train
4:13

7. W. C. Handy: St. Louis Blues
4:26

8. Val Burton & Will Jason: Penthouse Serenade
5:53

9. Sun Ra: Angel Race
3:57

10. Sun Ra: Free Improvisation
4:08

11. Fats Waller: Honeysuckle Rose
7:21

12. Sun Ra: Friendly Galaxy/Spontaneous Simplicity
7:36

Tracks 2-12 (rec. 24 Nov. 1977)
Sun Ra - piano
Piano Recital: Teatro La Fenice
Leo Records, GY 21

Set #2 - 9:30am - 11:00am

13. Keiko Fujiie: Pas de deux II (1988)
7:08

14. Eka Chabashvili: Panorama (1996)
7:32

15. Kathryn Woodard: Lyric Suite for prepared piano (2008)
8:40

16. Ivan Božičević: Sotto voce (1994/2008)
17:11

17. Paula Matthusen: run-on sentence of the pavement (2002)
7:58

18. Hasan Uçarsu: "Aperlai (Sunken City) & "Patara (A City Singular in Its Richness)" from Reminiscences of a Summer Journey I (1995)
10:08

19. Sansargereltekh Sangidorj: Endless Stairways (1999)
3:47

Tracks 13-19
Kathryn Woodard - piano
Journeys
Sonic Crossroads, SC 02

20. Isaac Albéniz: Book 4 from Iberia (1907-08)
Marc-André Hamelin - piano
Hyperion Records, CDA67476/7
20:14

05 September 2012

Set #1 - 8:00am - 8:45am

(Finno-American prog rock accordeen.)

1. Kimmo Pohjonen: Sumu
8:43

2. Kimmo Pohjonen: Optikus
8:37

3. Kimmo Pohjonen & Samuli Kosminen: Sineen
7:23

4. Trey Gunn & Pat Mastelotto: Absinthe
8:21

5. Trey Gunn, Samuli Kosminen, Pat Mastelotto & Kimmo Pohjonen: Keho
10:02

Tracks 1-5 (rec. 2004)
KTU: Trey Gunn - Warr guitar, Samuli Kosminen - accordion samples & voice samples, Pat Mastelotto - rhythmic devices, Kimmo Pohjonen - accordion & voice
8 Armed Monkey
Thirsty Ear Recordings, THI 57162.2

Set #2 - 8:45am - 10:00am

(Afrodelic journeys.)

6. The Pyramids: Mogho Naba
8:32

7. The Pyramids: Queen of the Spirits Part 3
6:42

8. The Pyramids: Jamaican Carnival
6:44

9. The Pyramids: Black Man of the Nile
16:32

10. The Pyramids: Lalibela
5:58

11. The Pyramids: Sheba's Dance
4:06

12. The Pyramids: Ya A Ya A Ya
6:18

13. The Pyramids: Birth/Speed/Merging Suite
7:45

Tracks 6-13 (rec. 1973-76)
The Pyramids: Idris Ackamoor - alto sax, Margo Simmons - flute, Kimathi Asante - bass, Donald Robinson - drums
The Best of The Pyramids
n.l., 885767 588738

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

(Ultra-high-energy cosmic raise.)

14. Sun Ra: The Mystery of Two
5:52

15. Sun Ra: Interstellar Low-Ways
5:24

16. Sun Ra: Neo-Project #2
5:04

17. Sun Ra: Cosmos
2:59

18. Sun Ra: Moonship Journey
6:17

19. Sun Ra: Journey among the Stars
5:13

20. Sun Ra: Jazz from an Unknown Planet
7:10

Tracks 14-20 (rec. 1976)
Sun Ra & His Arkestra
Cosmos
Inner City Records, IC 2010

(Musical warm down.)

21. César Portillo de la Luz: Nuestra canción
2:32

22. Luis Yáñez & Jesús Valdés: Indestructible
2:57

23. Juan Pablo Miranda: Mil congojas
2:51

24. Jorge Mazón: Date una vueltecita
4:11

25. Rubén González: Clímax
2:44

26. Rubén González & Fabián García: Fabiando
3:51

27. José Antonio Méndez: Gloria eres tú
3:26

Tracks 21-27 (rec. 1975)
Rubén González - piano & electric organ, Fabián García - bass, Guillermo García - conga, Roberto García - bongos, Gustavo Tamayo - güiro
Indestructible
Egrem, CD 0275

15 August 2012

In celebration of 65th Indian Independence Day, August 15, 2012.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Morning Mist: Rag Jogiya Kalingra
10:41

2. Awakening: Rag Ahir Bhairav
7:31

3. Sun's Welcome: Rag Nat Bhairav
3:26

4. Passing of the Day: Rag Bhimpalashri
11:30

5. Twilight's Secret: Rag Puriya Dhanashri
4:37

6. Soothing Rain: Rag Desh Malhar
12:56

7. Moonstruck: Rag Chandranandan
8:15

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

8. Path to the Heart: Rag Sindhi Bhairavi
17:39

Tracks 1-8 (rec. 2002)

Ken Zukerman - sarod, Anindo Chatterjee - tabla, Sunita Asnani - tanpura, Amelie Berner - tanpura

Nature of Ragas: Ragas of Nature

Living Music Traditions, LMT CD 3007

9. Chittham Irangaayo
18:40

10. Chodhanai Thanthu
13:20

11. Nadru Dri Dhom: Tillana
2:04

Tracks 9-11 (rec. 1989)
Shankar - double violin & vocals, V. Lakshminarayana - violin, double violin & vocals, Ganam Rao - vocals, Zakir Hussain - tabla, Vikku Vinayakram - ghatam, Caroline - vocals & tanpura
Shankar: Nobody Told Me
ECM Records, ECM 1397

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

12. Rag Malkauns
50:18

13. Rag Pilu
9:05

Tracks 12-13 (rec. 1999)
Barun Kumar Pal - slide guitar, Ray Spiegel - tabla, Ted Morano - tanpura
Ragas on Slide Guitar
Simla House, SIMLA-006

08 August 2012

In 2010 flamenco was declared an "intangible cultural heritage" of mankind. Today I am making it tangible.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Rafael Romero

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.18

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 1027
58'
(Rafael Romero [1910-1991]: "[His] cante is a spoken, murmured song, to be listened to in religious silence.... Strong cante, pure cante, flowing, going from mouth to mouth, heart to heart.")

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Juan Talega
Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.20

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 1032

47'
(Juan Talega [1891-1971]: "Juan's voice was that of the ancient ancestors, of the old sages....")

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

3. Isaac Albéniz: Books 1-3 from Iberia (1907-08)

Marc-André Hamelin - piano

Hyperion Records, CDA67476/7
62'

01 August 2012

In 2010 flamenco was declared an "intangible cultural heritage" of mankind. Today I am making it tangible.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Camarón de la Isla

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.15

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 957

70'
(Camarón de la Isla [1950-1992]: "'New wave' flamenco.")

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Beni de Cadíz
Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.17

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 992

63'
(Beni de Cadíz [1929-1990]: "Beni carried the great cante inside him, the cante that comes from far away, and he sang it without affectation, just as it came to him, sometimes with flashes of sheer genius, and always with incontestable musicality and purity of style...")

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

3. Aledo: Sones de Fiesta
La Cuadrilla de Animas
Auvidis, B 6798
47'

18 July 2012

In 2010 flamenco was declared an "intangible cultural heritage" of mankind. Today I am making it tangible.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Tío Gregorio El Borrico
Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.12

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 928

45'

(Tío Gregorio El Borrico [1910-1983]: "... A grandiose voice, a voice of solid bronze worn by time, somewhat like the gnarled roots of an ancient tree, a voice shaken by sudden plunging leaps, singing a wild, millenary, prehistoric chant, a voice of the caves.")

2. Gerardo Nuñez: Queda la sal
5:34

3. Gerardo Nuñez: La Cartuja
5:28

Tracks 2-3 (rec. 1987-88)
Gerardo Nuñez - guitar
Flamencos en Nueva York
veraBra Records, No.28
(Gerardo Nuñez [b. 1961]: "He has even attempted fusion with other kinds of music, especially jazz, but without ever leaving out flamenco as its foundation.")

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

4. La Perla de Cádiz
Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.13

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 934

53'

(La Perla de Cádiz [1925-1975]: "Her singing is bursting with health, it is wholesome, full, warm, joyous, it makes one happy. Not a trace of darkness, of morbid torment.")

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

5. Sabicas

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.14

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 935

65'

(Sabicas [1912-1990]: "And it is true that the first thing that strikes one on hearing him is his prodigious technique, which is truly unprecedented, and of which the analysts said that before Sabicas there were things that seemed impossible to do on the guitar, after him there is no longer anything!")

11 July 2012

In 2010 flamenco was declared an "intangible cultural heritage" of mankind. Today I am making it tangible.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Antonio Mairena

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.9

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 911

61'
(Antonio Mairena [1909-1983]: Considered to be an admirable academic artist. "...It was he who 'reversed the current' in the 30s by rising up against decadent flamenco and working indefatigably to restore pure cante jondo to its former glory, uncompromisingly re-establishing the old forms... to the point of unearthing whole families of songs that were dying out...")

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Pepe Marchena

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.10

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 912

62'
(Pepe Marchena [1903-1976]: "A fluent, pliant voice (always in tune, with a pleasant tone quality), nonchalant, easy-going, never forced; a precious vocalizing style indulging too freely in circuitous diversions, drawing out the ornaments like the tendrils around the vine-stock." and "Marchena's approach to flamenco is solely to sing about the joy of living, a ray of sunshine, a rose, a pretty woman."

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

3. Niño de Ricardo

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.11

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 927

60'
(Niño de Ricardo [1904-1972]: "...A singing, pure, natural guitar, fragrant and multi-coloured as a bouquet of flowers." and "...The converging synthesis of the classical guitar, flamencoism and the staggering development of the guitar of the modern period.")

04 July 2012

In 2010 flamenco was declared an "intangible cultural heritage" of mankind. Today I am making it tangible.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. La Niña de los Peines

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.3

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 859

40'
(La Niña de los Peines [1890-1969]: "We might perhaps be surprised to discover the shrill nasal quality of her voice... but what a delight it is when, after a strong attack, we hear her voice transformed into a narrow, clear trickle of water, winding a lengthy and superb course amongst the wild flowers.")

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Manuel Soto el Sordera

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.16

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 958

75'

(Manuel Soto el Sordera [1927-2001]: "... His career has taken a long, slow course that, from an artistic point of view, progressed from cantaor de venta [tavern singer], rustic, powerful, but without genius, towards an expressiveness that became less brutal, increasingly more restrained and profound with maturity.")

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

3. Manuel el Agujeta

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.8

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 900

62'
(Manuel el Agujeta [b. 1939]: "This cantaor is almost always tense, violent, barbaric, without delicacy. Expressionism carried to the point of incandescence....")

27 June 2012

In 2010 flamenco was declared an "intangible cultural heritage" of mankind. Today I am making it tangible.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. El Niño de Almaden

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.2
Le chant du monde, LDX 274 830

49'
(El Niño de Almaden [1899-1968]: "A river meandering through the sunlight; passing through the darkest forests and coming out into the light again... What is special about Almaden is the way in which he can take the song to the limit, swoop and rise suddenly to break the tension, and slow down, to move the listener with notes which are only faintly discernible in the distance... holding back with a fragility that comes from the depths of the soul...")

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Terremoto de Jerez

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.4
Le chant du monde, LDX 274 860

40'

(Terremoto de Jerez [1934-1981]: "He's a force of nature, a soaring mountain peak, a turbulent cascade, a peninsula jutting out to sea, a raging volcano. He's a tidal wave breaking over a rocky promontory and bearing everything away in its wake.... For once we have a cantaor whose name reflects his vocation: terremoto means 'earthquake.'")

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

3. Ramón Montoya

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.5
Le chant du monde, LDX 274 879

55'
(Ramón Montoya [1879-1949]: "He frequented the Café de la Marina as a child, endlessly watching the fingers of the great fin de siècle guitarists and little by little receiving advice from them. But the great revelation came when the young Montoya met the most important classical guitarist of that time: Miguel Llobet... Thus Ramón, who never learned how to read music, 'created his own technique, using his creative genius to synthesize all that he saw and heard.'")

4. Miguel Llobet: 13 Catalan Folksongs (1899-1920)
Lorenzo Micheli - guitar
Naxos, 8.557351
23:32

20 June 2012

In 2010 flamenco was declared an "intangible cultural heritage" of mankind. Today I am making it tangible.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Pepe de la Matrona
Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.1
Le chant du monde, LDX 274 829
46'
(Pepe de la Matrona [1887-1980]: "A master of the purest form of cante, a rigorous observer of the old style, never once giving in to commercial pressures." and "A voice of torrent cascading through the rocks, through the whirlpools, through the rapids, through the falls coming to rest in the stillness below.")

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Carmen Amaya
Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.6
Le chant du monde, LDX 274 880
55'
(Carmen Amaya [1913-1963]: "Amaya was a dancer of genius whose body burned with passion from head to toe, and we can hear the fire in her voice on this record, along with her amazing, almost inhuman zapateados.")

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

3. Manolo Caracol

Grands cantaores du flamenco Vol.7

Le chant du monde, LDX 274 899

60'
(Manolo Caracol [1909-1973]: The quality of his body of work apparently ranges widely. "When he forgot the light, trivial song, when he sat down one night on a chair next to a guitarist, then he gave the full measure of his greatness.")

4. Soleares, Sevillanas, Ritmos de Cádiz
Carlos Montoya - guitar
Allegretto, ACD 8063
10:43

13 June 2012

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Anton Bruckner: Symphony No.3 in D minor (1873, rev. 1890)
Gennadi Rozhdestvensky - conductor, Grand Symphony Orchestra of Radio & Television
Revelation, RV 10007
54:40
(As I grow older, I warm up to Bruckner more, from the passages of sublime beauty to the bull-in-a-china-shop clumsiness.)

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Robert Pussecker: First Meeting
7:36

3. Wolfgang Puschnig: Root March
9:14

4. Wolfgang Puschnig: Little Stars Dancing & Jumping
8:41

Tracks 2-4 (rec. 11-12 May 1991)
Wolfgang Puschnig, Die Amstettner Musikanten
Alpine Aspects
Amadeo, 511 204-2
(The village band meets the big band.)

5. Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling: Sinfonia diatonica (1957)
José Serebrier - conductor, Staatskapelle Weimar
Naxos, 8.570435
27:05
(Why bother with all those sharps and flats?)

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

6. Richard Strauss: Josephs Legende (1914)
Hiroshi Wakasugi - conductor, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Denon, 33CO-2050
66:30

23 May 2012

Under construction, so bugger orff!

1. Carl Orff: Carmina Burana (1936)
Eugen Jochum - conductor, Gundula Janowitz - soprano, Gerhard Stolze - tenor, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - baritone, Chor & Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Schöneberger Sängerknaben
Deutsche Grammophon, 423 886-2
56:09

2. Carl Orff: Catulli Carmina (1940-43)
William Noll - conductor, Susan Crowder - soprano, Philip Bologna - tenor, Choral Guild of Atlanta
Newport Classic, NCD 60118
42:19

3. Igor Stravinsky: Les noces (1914-23)
Igor Pokrovsky - director, Pokrovsky Ensmeble
Elektra Nonesuch, 9 79335-2
22:47

4. Carl Orff: Carmina Burana Suite (1936)
Arranged for concert band by John Krance
27:23

5. Arthur Bird: Serenade for Wind Instruments (1898)
24:11

Tracks 4-5
Harlan D. Parker - conductor, The Peabody Conservatory Concert Band
Naxos, 8.570242

16 May 2012

With my synaesthesia, I get a hankering for a plate of pancakes every time I listen to Brahms.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

1. Frederick Delius: A Mass of Life (1904-05)
Text by Friedrich Nietzsche from Also sprach Zarathustra
Richard Hickox - conductor, Joan Rodgers - soprano, Jean Rigby - mezzo-soprano, Nigel Robson - tenor, Peter Coleman-Wright - baritone, Waynflete Singers, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus & Orchestra
Chandos Records, CHAN 9515
99'

Set #2 - 9:30am - 11:00am

2. Johannes Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem (1865-68)
Text from the German Luther Bible
Herbert von Karajan - conductor, Barbara Hendricks - soprano, José van Dam - baritone, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Philharmoniker
Deutsche Grammophon, 431 651-2
75:45

09 May 2012

Special guest Larisa Segida joins me at 9:30am to discuss her latest project, I-Migrations: Psychedelic Story. Winnipeggers can catch the premiere performance of this conceptual music work at the Gas Station Arts Centre on May 12, 2012 at 8pm.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

1. Andrew Rudin: Tragoedia (1967-68)
Nonesuch Records, H-71198
40'

2. Harold Budd: Dark Star (1983)
Eugene Bowen - guitars
Harold Budd: The Serpent (In Quicksilver)/Abandoned Cities
Warner Bros., 9 26025-2
19:56

3. Ingram Marshall: Hidden Voices (1989)
Elektra Nonesuch, 79227-2
19:09

Set #2 - 9:30am - 11:00am

4. Larisa Segida: I-Migrations: Psychedelic Story (2012)
Larisa Segida, 885007 274964
77'

02 May 2012

Fearlessness and Goodwill is an oratorio for tenor, mixed chorus and orchestra with text by the composer Werner Egk: "Der von einer Mücke gestochen wird, was nützt es ihm, wenn er sie tötet?... Da bleiben doch tausend Mücken, die bereit sind, zu stechen!" A sentiment most Winnipeggers can agree with. "What use is it, to the person who gets stung by a mosquito, if he kills it?... There remain thousands of mosquitoes who are ready to sting!"

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

†1. Werner Egk: Joan von Zarissa (1940, rec. Paris 21 July 1942)

Werner Egk - conductor, Orchestre de l'Opéra

16:08

2. Werner Egk: Abraxas (1948)
Mark Mast - conductor, Landeskapelle Eisenach
Oehms Classics, OC 574
60:15
("Faust-Ballett nach Heinrich Heine.")

Set #2 - 9:30am - 11:00am

3. Werner Egk: Furchtlosigkeit und Wohlwollen [Fearlessness and Goodwill] (1931, rev. 1959)
István Kertész - conductor, Fritz Wunderlich - tenor, Chor & Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Orfeo, C 510 011 B
57:56

†4. Eduard Künneke: Tänzerische Suite (1929, rec. Berlin 14 Feb. 1938)
Eduard Künneke - conductor, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

29:53

†Tracks 1 & 4
German Composers Conduct
Dutton, CDBP 9787

25 April 2012

Music by the original Aaahnold from Austria: Schönberg, that is.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 10:00am

1. Arnold Schönberg: Gurrelieder [Songs of Gurre] (1901-11)
Seiji Ozawa - conductor, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Chorus

Philips, 412 511-2

103'

Set #2 - 10:00am - 11:00am

2. Ernest Gold: Ship of Fools (1965)

Ship of Fools Original Soundtrack

Monstrous Movie Music, MMM-1962

57'
(Waltzing towards doom. Viennese-flavoured score from the motion picture.)

3. Didina, didina mea [My Darling]
4:02

4. Pentr-un cal şi-o iapā surā [I Bought a Horse Which Has Cost Me Dear]
3:33

Tracks 3-4
Romica Puceanu - voice
Romica: The Sensual Voice: Gipsy Songs
Electrecord Records, EDC 254

18 April 2012

Bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Gustav Mahler: Das klagende Lied [Song of Lamentation] (1878-80)

Richard Hickox - conductor, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra & Chorus

Chandos, CHAN 9247

69'

Set #2 - 9:00am - 11:00am

2. Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.8 (1906-7)

Giuseppe Sinopoli - conductor, Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra

Deutsche Grammophon, 435 434-2

83'

3. Gustav Mahler: First movement: Langsam. Schleppend. Wie ein Naturlaut from Symphony No.1 "Titan" (1888-96)

Transcribed by Chitose Okashiro

Chitose Okashiro - piano

Château, C10001

14:38

11 April 2012

Apocalypse 1937. "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads, and a big red bloodshot eye in the centre of his forehead."

Set #1 - 8:00am - 10:00am

1. Franz Schmidt: Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln [The Book with Seven Seals] (1935-37)

Text after the Book of Revelation

Franz Welser-Möst - conductor, Stig Andersen - tenor, René Pape - bass, Chor & Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

EMI, 7243 5 85782 2 5

107'
(This piece was not as dissonant as I expected. The Apocalypse is actually quite pleasant, an oasis of beauty and sanity.)

Set #2 - 10:00am - 11:00am

2. Alfred Schnittke: Seid nüchtern und wachet [Be Sober and Attentive] (Faust Cantata) (1983)

James DePreist - conductor, Inger Blom - mezzo-soprano, Mikael Bellini - counter-tenor, Louis Devos - tenor, Ulrik Cold - bass, Malmö Symphony Orchestra & Chorus

BIS, CD-437

34:15

3. Alfred Schnittke: Sonata No.1 for Violin & Piano (1963)

17:46

(Goodbye world. The last movement quotes La cucaracha because only cockroaches will survive the coming nuclear war.)

4. Alfred Schnittke: Stille Nacht for Violin & Piano (1978)

4:51

Tracks 3-4

Ulf Wallin - violin, Roland Pöntinen - piano

BIS, CD-527

04 April 2012

What has three masts and flies?

Set #1 - 8:00am - 10:00am

1. Richard Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer (1841)

Karl Böhm - conductor, Thomas Stewart - Dutchman, Gwyneth Jones - Senta, Hermin Esser - Erik, Harald Ek - Steersman, Karl Ridderbusch - Daland, Sieglinde Wagner - Mary, Chor & Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele 1971

Deutsche Grammophon, 437 711-2

134'

Set #2 - 10:00am - 11:00am

2. Miklós Rózsa: The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974)

Miklós Rózsa - conductor, Rome Symphony Orchestra

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Prometheus Records, PCD 148

54:25

28 March 2012

Ish bin ein Berliner.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

*1. Alexander Zemlinksy: Sinfonietta (1934)

22:01

2. Arnold Schönberg: String Quartet op.7 (1905)

Lark Quartet: Eva Gruesser - violin, Jennifer Orchard - violin, Anna Kruger - viola, Astrid Schween - cello

Arabesque Recordings, Z6671

44:16

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

3. Arnold Schönberg: Brettl-Lieder (1901)

Text by Frank Wedekind, Otto Julius Bierbaum, Hugo Salus, Gustav Hochstetter, Colly & Emanuel Schikaneder

Jody Karin Applebaum - soprano, Marc-André Hamelin - piano

Masterpieces of Cabaret

Music & Arts, CD-729

20:33

4. Kurt Weill: Little Threepenny Music (1929)

24:01

5. Franz Schreker: Chamber Symphony (1916)

26:20

Tracks 4-5

Raffi Armenian - conductor, Canadian Chamber Ensemble

Music from Berlin in the 1920's

CBC Records, SMCD5010

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

*6. Alexander Zemlinksy: Die Seejungfrau [The Mermaid] (1903)

41:06

(A segue into next week's nautical opera.)

*Tracks 1 & 6

James Judd - conductor, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

Naxos, 8.570240

21 March 2012

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

1. Béla Bartók: 14 Bagatelles (1908)

22:06

2. Béla Bartók: Out of Doors Suite (1926)
17:02

Tracks 1-2

Jerome Lowenthal - piano

Pro Piano Records, PPR224515

3. Jan Rääts: 24 Estonian Preludes (1989)

Lorenzo Meo - piano

The E.P.M. Project

n.l., n.n.

40:48

Set #2 - 9:30am - 11:00am

4. Jan Rääts: 24 Marginalia for 2 Pianos (1982)

Lorenzo Meo - piano

Boundaries: Music by Jan Rääts

n.l., n.n.

32:41

5. Boris Tishchenko: Sonata No.7 for Piano with Bells (1982)

Sedmara Zakarian Rutstein - piano, Michael Rosen - bells

Albany Records, TROY 096

51:29

14 March 2012

Today's show is brought to you by the letter H.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Siegmund von Hausegger: Natursymphonie (1911)

Ari Rasilainen - conductor, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, WDR Rundfunkchor Köln

CPO, 777 237-2

56:37

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

2. Lou Harrison: Seven Pastorales (1952)

Dennis Russell Davies - conductor, Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra

MusicMasters, 67089

19:31

3. Rodolfo Halffter: Don Lindo de Almería Suite (1936)

José Ramón Encinar - conductor, Orchestra of the Communidad de Madrid

Naxos, 8.557623

19:18

4. Alberto Ginastera: Popol Vuh (1975-83)

Leonard Slatkin - conductor, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

RCA, 09026-60993-2

25:07

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

5. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No.92 "Oxford" (1789)

25:55

6. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No.96 "Miracle" (1791)

23:09

Tracks 5-6

George Szell - conductor, Cleveland Orchestra

Sony, SBK 46332

06 March 2012

Special guest Amir Amiri joins me in the third hour to discuss his composition Nafas (Breath) for choir, santur, viola and percussion.

Listeners in the Winnipeg area can catch Amir's composition at Camerata Nova's Chant! concert on Saturday, March 10 at 8pm and Sunday, March 11 at 2pm, at Église Précieux-Sang (200 Kenny Street).

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Miles Davis: Spanish Key (rec. Nov. 2006-July 2007)

Gino Banks - drums, Louiz Banks - piano/Fender Rhodes, Rakesh Chaurasia - flute (solo), Selva Ganesh - kanjira [frame drum], Adam Holzman - keyboards, Dave Liebman - Indian flute, Shankar Mahadevan - vocals, Rudresh Mahanthappa - alto sax, Sridhar Parthasarthy - mrdangam [double-sided drum], Taufiq Quresh - djembe/world percussion, Benny Rietvold - bass, Wallace Roney - trumpet, Mike Stern - guitar, Lenny White - drums

Miles from India

Times Square Records, TSQ-CD-1808

20:04

2. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Aag daman mein lag jai (rec. 1988?)

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party

The Supreme Collection Vol.1

Caroline Records, CAR 7552-2

26:18

("My life will be set on fire.")

3. Philip Glass & Ravi Shankar: "India" from Orion (2004)

Philip Glass Ensemble, Michael Riesman - conductor, Gaurav Mazumdar - sitar

Orange Mountain Music, OMM0021

12:51

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

4. Dhun Kafi (rec. 1963)

Ravi Shankar - sitar, Kanai Dutt - tabla

Ravi Shankar: In Celebration Highlights

EMI, CDC 7243 5 55617 2 5