The Afterword

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Fracture

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If anyone has ever worshipped at the alter of Starless and Bible Black: further, if anyone has scratched their head or damaged their tendons in the pursuit of Fracture…Mr Fripp gives a demonstration of a small part.

But it crosses my mind: if Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads, in order to gain his blues guitar playing ability – what multi-fingered Lovecraftian nightmare did Mr Fripp meet?

Psychedelic Giveaway

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Afternoon all. In the spirit of the recent “headphone giveaway” by Sir Pencil:

if anyone would like a free (used) copy of Martin Strong’s Great Psychedelic Discography, PM me – first past the post, etc.

I was going to give it to the local chazza, when I remembered the number of groovy, laid-back, good-vibe psychedelicists who frequent this site – thought it might find a more appropriate home…

Peace: out

Some late night listening

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I’ve just watched/heard this for the first time, completely by accident (I was looking for something else). I was so impressed that I have to share. Smoky, late night jazz, if that sounds like your idea of a good time at the witching hour…

Has anyone been watching the Proms this year?

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I’ve just finished watching the BBC Philharmonic playing Sibelius’ second symphony, led by a Finnish conductor, Eva Ollikainen. I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that a Finn can produce something so special with Sibelius – but that was a remarkable performance. Sibelius is my all-time favourite composer, but the second symphony has not been one of my favourite pieces to date (I prefer the “chillier” symphonies); but she turned it into something else – I was quite emotional by the end.

On Friday, I watched the Oslo Philharmonic, also conducted by a Finn – Klaus Mäkelä – playing Tapiola. The big hit of the night was “superstar pianist” Yuja Wang playing Liszt’ first piano concerto and that was amazing. However, I’d have traded it to hear that orchestra with that conductor play an all-Sibelius program, maybe with the violin concerto and the fourth or sixth symphony.

Anyone else been watching or listening this year? Anyone make a point of catching them every year? Has anything caught your ear this year?

Borgen’s Back…

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Fans of Borgen will be pleased to learn that it’s back – on Netflix, starting on 2nd June. They’re being coy about describing it as a fourth series, preferring to call it a “stand-alone” project – I confess I’m not sure what the difference would be and I don’t really care. Borgen was one of my favourite series of the last ten or fifteen years and I hope this new “project” will be as good as before.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/may/30/borgen-again-the-most-prescient-show-on-tv-is-back-and-still-working-its-magic

Jazz on BBC4

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I’m just watching a recording I made from BBC4 the other night – Ella Fitzgerald on the Beeb from 1965, in glorious mono and black & white. First few numbers were backed by the Johnnie Spence Orchestra – and who should pop up as a featured, name-checked soloist but Tubby Hayes! How’s about them apples, Nadine?

This has been a public service announcement.

Classical Music on CD – fundraiser for Ukraine

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If anyone is interested: this popped up in my inbox this morning, via one of the participant record labels. The labels (eg Chandos) are waiving the cost of the goods passed to Presto Music and Presto are absorbing the cost of post and packing, so that the total paid by the buyer is passed to the DEC fund without any subtraction.

If you’re unfamiliar with these Ukrainian composers, this seems like an opportunity to donate some cash at the same time.

Over and out.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/articles/4585–announcement-humanitarian-fundraiser-for-ukraine

Music than Nobody Likes…

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In the Music Snob post, there was a suggestion –

“It’s possible[*] there is a third category. Music that nobody likes. [*]As yet unproven.”

Humankind is probably a bit too large to demonstrate this proposal: but within the confines of the Afterword (a fairly broad church of musical tastes, by most measures), is it possible to find music – even a single tune – that NOBODY likes? I know we’ve done something like this before…

One for the Hep-Cats

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This is from an album called The Scale – I can’t recommend it highly enough. This is the only sample I could find…I don’t think it’s the best tune, but there you go. I’m sure I can hear Ratledge samples in amongst some of the sounds used on the album.

As always, apologies if this is old hat and everyone already owns it…

Yes – Symphonic Live

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I’m just watching Yes – Symphonic Live on Sky Arts as I type. Three things occur:

– Tom Brislin was one of their better keyboard players, it’s a shame he wasn’t with them for longer.

– Magnification was one of their better latter-day albums, it deserves to be better known.

– Yes pulled off the “rock band with orchestra” thing better than most – presumably because they had a symphonic thing going on as part of their usual working method (I realise that’s part of the reason that the prog-haters particularly hate Yes – but I’m not writing this for them). I’m not left feeling that the orchestra is just an irrelevant add-on and everyone on stage seems to be having a good time.

As you were…

Holy Houses

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Any Zep fans out there?

Do you find yourself vaguely dissatisfied and uncomfortable when listening to Houses of the Holy? Is this unease mostly due to two infamous tunes of dubious quality?

Well, can I recommend you rush immediately to the site in the link and consider your position?

I would only make one alteration to the suggested (and much improved) running order which the Site-Meister has suggested: Page originally wanted the album to open with an instrumental overture which he called The Campaign. Plant got wind of this and quickly wrote some words. We get an idea of what Page had in mind from the Guitar Mix of Song Remains the Same, which appears on the “companion album” with the recent remaster. I prefer the song without the vocals and I prefer the album starting as nature and Page intended – with an overture.

Thoughts?

https://falsememoryfoam.blogspot.com/2022/02/holier-than-thou.html#comment-form

ATM: Progcast

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Morning all.

I need a bit of help (more than a bit, I hear you cry). I didn’t download the Progcast at the time – and now I can’t find a link to it. If anyone can direct me to it or provide a link, I’d be grateful.

Over and out.