THE OLD BOY IS 76 TODAY!

On By robccowan

With Granddaughter Elizabeth a month ago after a fish supper!

Here is just a handful of ideas for musical gifts – recent cd releases – for anyone who has a birthday at around the same time (or at any other time for that matter).

Yunchan Lim’s dazzling set of Chopin’s Etudes (Decca 4870122), piano playing of rare distinction, deeply expressive and with an old-world style of virtuosity that I find impossible to resist.

Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances with the Prague Symphony Orchestra under Tomas Brauner (Supraphon SU 4332-2), more symphonic than folksy perhaps, big-boned playing with a keen sense of rhythm – a throwback to Václav Talich

Smetana’s Ma vlast idiomatically performed by the Czech Philharmonic, the Orchestra sounding more its vintage self under Semyon Bychkov (Pentatone PTC 5187 203) than it has for many a year. Great sound too.

The ‘Allan Pettersson Complete Edition’ (BIS BIS-9062 SACD, 17 discs). At the heart of this grand enterprise are the 17 symphonies (the last an uncompleted fragment) by Sweden’s greatest composer, massive, granitic music, Sibelius and Nielsen writ large, unpeopled terrains to wander around in wonderstruck. Christian Lindberg and Leif Segerstam are the principle conductors and the sound is magnificent.

Tchaikovsky’s First and Second String Quartets played by the Dudok Quartet (Rubicon RCDH03), the Second a dramatic essay in whirring counterpoint, as cerebral as anything Tchaikovsky wrote (exciting too), played with spirit and precision.

14 thoughts on “THE OLD BOY IS 76 TODAY!”

    1. Thanks Gill! Re fish’n’chips, such fond memories of Bill. We went out for them in Hendon one lunchtime. Bill lashed on the tomato sauce as if it were a hose in a carwash. “So you like fish’n’chips with your tomato sauce do you Bill?” I asked. We did have a laugh. I miss those days. Love. Rob.

      Like

      Reply
  4. Humphrey Burton

    Dear Rob

    Many congratulations!  

    <

    div>From a much older old boy- Humphrey

    Sent from my iPad

    <

    div dir=”ltr”>

    <

    blockquote type=”cite”>

    Like

    Reply
  6. Anthony Norgate

    Hi Rob, that’s a great pic but a bit less of the “old boy” if you don’t mind! Crikey I’m only 3 years odd behind you but I’m just getting into my stride! Thanks for the Pettersson recommendation, he has somehow always been below my radar so spurred on by your comment I’ll be investigating those symphonies as soon as.
    Belated birthday wishes and kind regards,
    Tony Norgate

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much Anthony. Half-joking re age. Whenever I think how old I am, somehow the figure ’46’ is still in m mind, so I’m with you there! Do, do try the Pettersson set … each symphony is like a rugged holiday destination that you can take as and when you please, more Brucknerian than Mahlerian in my view – in other words outdoor grandeur rather than indoor self-absorption (an approximate description, but I’m sure you get my drift). Thanks again for writing. Best, Rob

      Like

      Reply
  7. Lance G. Hill

    Happy birthday, Rob. Beautiful young granddaughter, too. Thanks for all you do for music! Much appreciated.

    Lance

    Sent from my Galaxy

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment