Now playing: Jean-Marie Leclair, Leclair Sonatas — II (from Op. 9) (Hyperion)
Composed between c1738-1743, for violin, cello and harpsichord. The Convivium ensemble plays this music at a pitch of A=415Hz, substantially lower than modern concert pitch (440). The result is harmonically bright music that sounds strangely dark.
Music not to listen to while writing about violence and death —
Luciano Berio’s “Sinfonia,” a 1968 suite for eight voices and orchestra.
Two CDs featuring piano and (operatic) soprano
1. Brad Mehldau and Renée Fleming, Love Sublime (Nonesuch, 2006). The jazz pianist makes good on his longtime fascination with classical art song. Haunting, challenging original music by Mehldau; words by Rainer Maria Rilke, Louise Bogan and Fleurine.
Fred Hersch, Mehldau’s former teacher, collaborated with Fleming (and Bill Frisell) last year on the album Haunted Heart (Decca), under Fleming’s name. Love Sublime is more of an experience.
2. Dawn Upshaw (soprano) with Gilbert Kalish (piano), Voices of Light (Nonesuch, 2004). An ideal companion to Love Sublime, featuring vocal/piano works by Messiaen, Debussy, Golijov and Fauré.
Three women
Last night I heard three female pianists, from three different ethnic backgrounds, in three different venues in one afternoon/evening. At 6B Garden, at 4:30 in the afternoon, Eri Yamamoto played trio music from her new record Cobalt Blue, with David Ambrosio on bass and Ikuo Takeuchi on drums. At Jimmy’s, as part of the Freestyle Jazz Series, Angelica Sanchez led a quartet with Tony Malaby on tenor, Devin Hoff on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums (my writeup will appear in the August issue of All About Jazz-New York). Finally, at Cornelia Street Café, Anat Fort of Israel played modernist originals with Gary Wang on bass and Lieven Venken on drums.
Then it was off to Nublu to hear Brazilian Girls, with lead girl Sabina Sciubba on vocals (the others are guys). Advertised starting time midnight, actual starting time 1:20 am. Tiring but worth it.
I’m not usually out from 4 pm to 2 am on a Sunday (in the blistering New York heat, no less). But it had to be done: I’m about to write a Brazilian Girls feature, my first for Global Rhythm magazine. Watch this space for updates.
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