Saturday, October 29, 2022

Innerviews: Music without Borders


Innerviews is a web site that collects in-depth interviews of mainly artistic pop/rock stars by music journalist and music industry commentator Anil Prasad (Wikipedia link). As an illustration I have selected a dozen outstanding examples, all linked to their occurrence on the web site - just click the little microphone at the end of each entry and you will be taken to the right spot. Copyright statement for image above: by Anil Prasad - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.


Loreena McKennitt: Times of Discovery (1991)

After the release of The Visit, her fourth studio album, Anil Prasad interviewed Canadian singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Loreena McKennitt. Questions include her formal training, various influences on her style, interactions with her record company and her work for Amnesty International.


Tori Amos: Drama of the Gifted Child (1992)

Very early in her career, Anil Prasad interviewed Tori Amos after the release of her stunning debut album Little Earthquakes, including her thoughts about several tracks, and related issues such as her work with the band Y Kant Tori Read and her covers.


Fish: Mirroring Influences (1993)

Scottish singer Fish (real name is Derek Dick) rose to fame as the lead singer of neo prog band Marillion. He quit the band in 1988 to embark on a solo career. The interview took place shortly after he released his third studio album Songs from the Mirror, a cover album featuring Fish's versions of songs by artists who inspired him before his career started. Anil Prasad focuses inter alia on the decision to leave the band, and the various influences on his solo work.


David Sylvian: Leaping Into the Unknown (2003)

"David Sylvian’s musical journey is characterized by soul-searching and constant change." I love the first line of the linked contribution. Sylvian is one of my art pop/rock heroes, both as lead singer from Japan and his solo career. The interview includes important questions about interaction with the listener, the influence of spiritual background, and the various cooperations with famous artists. A wonderful piece.


No-Man: Positive Momentum (2008)

No-Man is the two man band Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson. This interview was held after the release of the album Schoolyard Ghosts, their first album after a five years break. It touches upon matters like how the two members see each other's development over that five year period, changes in creative processes, and side projects.


Riverside: Liquid Modernity (2011)

The brilliant Polish progressive rock band Riverside was interviewed after they released the 2009 album Anno Domini High Definition, which got rave reviews, but did not click with me. The interview is short, but still welcome.


Steven Wilson: Past Presence (2013)

Steven Wilson has been interviewed a number of times in Innerviews, I have selected the one done after the release of his masterpiece, his third solo album The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories).  In this interview with Anil Prasad he discussed details of many songs, but also his perceived way forward.


Kronos Quartet: Infinite Horizons (2014)

The Kronos Quartet has been a champion for contemporary classical chamber music for decades. For me, they were one of the main gateways into that fascinating part of classical music. In this interview, Anil Prasad talks with the band (current line-up), as well as with people they have worked with such as Terry Riley and Aleksandra Vrebalov.


Richard Barbieri: Exploring Dualities (2017)

Richard Barbieri is/was a key member of two of my all-time favourite bands: Japan/Rain Tree Crow and Porcupine Tree. This interview was held after the release of his third solo album Planets + Persona. Barbieri talks about his solo career, the bands mentioned above, and the related project JBK (also featuring  Mick Karn and Steve Jansen from Japan), and the various influences on his work.


Security Project: Looking for a Spark (2018)

Tribute bands are ten a penny, but few (if any) come with such a pedigree as the Peter Gabriel tribute band Security Project. In this interview, band members are asked about their careers, experiences and choices. Of particular interest is drummer Jerry Marotta, who actually played with Gabriel from 1977 to 1986. I loved the background stories about the recording sessions of Gabriel's landmark solo albums from that era, including the anecdote about Kate Bush' contribution to the PG4 album: she did a perfect take the first time, but Peter kept asking her to do it over and over again so they could watch her sing. A very interesting read.


Tony Banks: Beyond the Physical (2019)

Keyboard virtuoso Tony Banks was one of the founding members of Genesis, and stayed in the group until the end. The interview focuses on his solo career, which started in 1979 in parallel with Genesis, and his forays into classical music such as the album depicted above.


Porcupine Tree: Collective Action (2022)

At the occasion of the restart of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, including a new album (Closure/Continuation) and a new tour, Anil Prasad interviewed the three band members (Wilson, Barbieri, and Harrison) for five hours over Zoom. A riveting read.


Copyright statement: posting lower quality album covers is deemed fair use.

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

The Compositions of Sir Arnold Bax


Sir Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953) was an English composer, poet, and author. His output includes songs, choral music, chamber pieces, and solo piano works, but he is best known for his orchestral music. In addition to a series of seventeen symphonic poems and a number of concertante works., he wrote seven numbered symphonies, and was for a time widely regarded as the leading British symphonist. He is a personal favourite of mine, ranking easily in my top 20 composers. The text of this post includes snippets of Wikipedia entries.

As with all posts dedicated to one composer, I will select my 12 favourite works, listed in chronological order. All depicted CD's are from my own collection.


The Garden of Fand ( 1916)

The Garden of Fand is a tone poem inspired by an Irish mythical figure: Fand, the daughter of the lord of the ocean. The work evokes Fand's island. The composer had been greatly influenced by Celtic culture in his earlier works, but described this one as his last in that vein. The version shown above is by the Ulster Orchestra under Bryden Thomson on a Chandos CD.


November Woods (1917)

November Woods is not be the most famous of his tone poems, but for me it is the best. Bax stated that the piece "may be taken as an impression of the dank and stormy music of nature in the late autumn, but the whole piece and its origins are connected with certain rather troublous experiences I was going through myself at the time...." The version shown above is by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under David Lloyd-Jones on a Naxos CD.


String Quartet No. 1 in G major (1918)

This is the first of three numbered string quartets (there are also two unnumbered early works) - and my favourite of the three, a truly wonderful piece that deserves far more attention than it is getting. The version shown above is by the Maggini Quartet on a Naxos CD.


Tintagel (1919)

Tintagel is clearly his most famous tone poem, and also in my opinion one of the best. Bax stated that the piece "is intended to evoke...the castle-crowned cliff of Tintagel, and more particularly the wide distances of the Atlantic as seen from the cliffs of Cornwall on a sunny but not windless summer day." The version shown above is by the Ulster Orchestra under Bryden Thomson on a Chandos CD.


Quintet for Harp and Strings (1919)

The Quintet for Harp and Strings is a one movement work inspired by Ireland. Intriguingly, the piece opens like a string quartet, with the harp used sparingly in an accompanying way. Later on, the harp gets far more prominent as one would expect. It is a sorrowful yet beautiful piece. The version shown above is by the Nash Ensemble on a Hyperion CD.


Symphony No. 1 (1922)

The first of his seven numbered symphonies, and in my opinion one of the best first symphonies of the twentieth century. Its outer movements were based on a Piano Sonata in E♭ that Bax subsequently orchestrated, while the central movement was newly composed for the symphony. The version shown above is by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Bryden Thomson on a Chandos CD.


Oboe Quintet (1922)

Bax wrote his Oboe Quintet very quickly, between the completion and the first performance of his epic first Symphony, in the autumn of 1922. In a work ending with an Irish jig, Bax is again reflecting his engagement with Ireland (quote from Hyperion site). The version shown above is by Darah Francis and the English String Quartet on a Chandos CD.


Symphony No. 3 (1929)

His gentle third symphony is one of my two top favourites from this excellent cycle. It is reputedly the most often performed as well. He composed it in Scotland and was influenced to a large extent by the spirit of Northern legends.


The Tale the Pine-Trees Knew (1931)

The last of Bax' brilliant tone poems to make this list. To quote the composer: "Thinking of two landscapes dominated by pine-trees (Norway and the west of Scotland) thinking too of the Norse sagas and the wild traditional legends of the Highland Celt".


Cello Concerto (1932)

This Cello Concerto has a soundscape similar to that of his seven symphonies, with the cello integrated very well. A beautiful concerto, for me the third best in the genre (after Moeran and Finzi, but well ahead of the more famous ones by Dvořák and Elgar). The version shown above is by Raphael Wallfisch and the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Bryden Thomson on a Chandos CD.


Symphony No. 6 (1935)

The sixth symphony is my favourite of the seven numbered symphonies, and is widely seen as his best. It is said that it was Bax' favourite as well. The Nordic inspiration is less clear than in previous symphonies, but it is still there, as demonstrated by a reference to Sibelius' Tapiola.


Violin Concerto (1938)

This Concerto for Violin and Orchestra is his final concerto. In contrast to most of his orchestral output, it is a relatively sunny piece. The lay-out is traditional, in three movements with a Rondo as the third, and there are some Irish influences in the melodies. The version shown above is by the Ulster Orchestra under Bryden Thomson on a Chandos CD.


Copyright statement: posting lower quality album covers is deemed fair use.

Friday, October 21, 2022

The Art of André Derain


André Derain (1880 - 1954) was a French artist, painter, sculptor and co-founder of Fauvism with Henri Matisse. In 1898, while studying to be an engineer, he attended painting classes where he met Matisse. In 1900, he met and shared a studio with Maurice de Vlaminck and together they began to paint scenes in the neighbourhood, but this was interrupted by military service. Following his release from service, Matisse persuaded Derain's parents to allow him to abandon his engineering career and devote himself solely to painting; subsequently Derain attended the Académie Julian. Afterwards Matisee and Derain worked together and founded the Fauvist movement (from Wikipedia). The painting displayed above is Self Portrait with a Cap (1905)


Boats at Collioure (1905)

Collioure is a town on the Mediterranean coast of southern France. This is one of the first examples of the fauvist style.


The Drying Sails (1905)

The same spot, but a more subdued approach.


Charing Cross Bridge (1906)

One of a series of paintings Derain made during a visit to London. This must be the Thames river of course - and near to the famous series of paintings Monet created there earlier.


The Red Sails (1906)

This is a personal favourite of mine. No location is given in the title.


Madame Derain in Green (1907)

A bit of a puzzle here based on the painting's title - wife or mother (guessing the latter)? Anyway, it's a very strong portrait.


Landscape near Cassis (1907)

One of many landscape paintings Derain made at or near the Côte d'Azur. This one stands out for its bold uses of colours and stylized shapes.


View of Cagnes (1910)

Cagnes-sur-Mer, also located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, has drawn many artists in the 19th century, starting with Renoir. Of course Derain also took the opportunity to paint this picturesque town.


The Dancer (1910)

One of the best model paintings Derain made. Depicted in true expressionist style, the dancer looks very attractive.


Vista de Saint Paul de Vence (1910)

Back to 'portraits' of towns in the Provence. This is one of the best paintings in the series, befitting for one of the most attractive towns. We visited it ourselves early this century, and I still remember how narrow the streets were...


The River (1912)

A personal favourite of mine. The river is not identified, but it is probably in the Provence region.


Landscape At Cadaqués (1913)

Hopping just across the border to Spain. It is another town popular with artists in the early 1900's, from Dali to Picasso.


Female nude with a jug (1925)

In later years, Derain turned his back on the expressionist Fauves style, and switched to neoclassicism. These are not to my taste, with a big exception for this nude. 


Copyright statement: images all in public domain.

Monday, October 17, 2022

The Dutch Seventies' Jukebox (6)


Over ten years ago I ran a parallel blog to this one, dedicated to sharing some of the best pop/rock hit singles of the seventies made by Dutch acts. That blog has long gone the way of the dodo, but I'm reviving it for the new lay-out of my art blog. There will be a number of posts, each containing twelve songs by different acts, in chronological order within one post. I will also be restricting myself in three aspects: no songs that were huge hits in the UK and/or USA, maximum four songs total for each act spread out over the various posts, and each song scores at least a 4/6 on the Artrockometer. The illustrations will be the original singles covers if I can find them, and each song description will end with a little symbol that links to the corresponding YouTube video (if available). The image above is by Rudy van der Veen and is in the public domain. OK... enjoy!


House of the King by Focus (1970)

Focus are a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flutist Thijs van Leer. They enjoyed international success with their hit singles Hocus Pocus and Sylvia. From 1970 until 1974, they scored six top40 hits, including the aforementioned songs. House of the King was their first hit, peaking at #14.


Nathalie by George Baker Selection (1971)

The George Baker Selection was a pop group from the Zaanstad region, formed around lead singer George Baker (real name Hans Bouwens). Their 1969 debut single Little Green Bag was a hit in many countries, including the USA. Paloma Blanca from 1975 did even better. In the period 1969-1999 they charted with 28 songs in the Dutch top40, including 16 top 10 hits, and three number ones. As I'm not really interested in most of their hits, their appearance in these blog posts will be limited. I do like Nathalie, a love song that topped at number 11.


Easy, Boy (And We All Prayed Together) by Greenfield and Cook (1973)

Greenfield and Cook (a translation of their real family names: Rink Groenveld en Peter Kok) were a duo from The Hague that was also known as the Dutch Simon and Garfunkel. They scored seven top40 hits (three of them making the top ten) in the period 1971-1973. Easy, Boy (with a guest appearance by Patricia Paay) was their last top ten hit, reaching number 8.


Arizona by The Buffoons (1973)

The Buffoons were a close harmony pop group from Enschede (my town of birth). In the period 1967-1973 they scored nine hits in the Dutch Top40, three of them reaching the top 10. Arizona was not one of the three, as it peaked at #15. It is a personal favourite of mine, not just for this band, but for the Dutch chart hits of the seventies.


Fly Away by Teach-In (1974)

Teach-In were another pop group from Enschede. They scored twelve Top40 hits between 1974 and 1979, half of them making the top ten. Internationally they are best known for winning the Eurovision Song Festival in 1975. Fly Away was their first hit, and a big one to start with, reaching the #5 spot.


Be My Day by The Cats (1974)

The Cats were one of the most successful pop groups from the Netherlands. They hail from the tiny fishing village of Volendam near Amsterdam, and inspired so many others from there to start a band, that the name Palingsound (Eel Sound) was coined for this particular style of radio-friendly music by groups from Volendam. From 1966 until 1985 they scored 36 hits in the Dutch top40, five of them reaching #1. Be My Day was one of those five.


Ce Soir by Golden Earring (1975)

Golden Earring (originally The Golden Earrings) were a rock band from the Hague. Their music was mainly melodious rock with progressive tendencies. They were one of the most successful Dutch bands, scoring international hits with Radar Love (1973) and Twilight Zone (1982). Their successes in the Netherlands were astonishing: 47 top40 hits from 1965 until 2005, 22 of which made the top10, and five the number one spot. Ce Soir is one of my favourite hits of this band. It reached  #5 in the charts.


Somewhere Between by The Tumbleweeds (1975)

The Tumbleweeds were a country & western band from Kaatsheuvel. They profited from a brief increased popularity of the genre in the mid seventies in the Netherlands, scoring three top40 hits in the period 1975-1976. Somewhere Between, a cover of the Merle Haggard song, was by far their greatest hit, reaching #2 in the charts.


Wings of an Eagle by The Classics (1976)

The Classics were a Dutch pop group from Stramproy (Limburg). With their middle of the road pop sound, they scored eight top40 hits in the period 1972-1976. Wings of an Eagle was their final hit, and my favourite of the band - it peaked at #15.


Selfpity by Lucifer (1976)

Lucifer were a pop group from Zaandam, led by singer/keyboard player Margriet Eshuijs. They had four top40 hits between 1975 and 1977. Their last hit Selfpity, a powerful ballad, topped at #15.


Do You Remember by Long Tall Ernie and the Shakers (1977)

Long Tall Ernie and the Shakers were a rock and roll band from Arnhem, led by Arnie Treffers. From 1973 until 1978 they scored ten top40 hits, including one that went to the #1 spot - this one. A rock and roll medley in a style that would later be used (with world wide success) by Stars on 45.


Wet Day in September by Pussycat (1978)

Pussycat were a country pop group from the south of Limburg, formed around three singing sisters. With their debut single Mississippi from 1975 they scored an international hit, hitting the #1 position in many European countries, including the UK. All in all they charted with 15 songs in the Dutch top 40 in the period 1975-1983, including seven top ten hits, of which Mississippi and My Broken Souvenirs made #1. Wet Day in September topped at #7, and is one of my two favourite songs from the band.


Copyright statement: posting lower quality single covers is deemed fair use.