LAWRENCE'S PICKS FOR THE SUMMER
July 22, 2010 (Comments (View))
1. Book. Favela: Four Decades of Living on the Edge in Rio de Janeiro
by Janice Perlman, Oxford University Press, 2010
Favelas are squatters settlements on the hillsides of many Latin American cities. Janice Perlman has written a moving account based on her experience over four decades studying, living and working in three of Rio's favelas. In Favela, Perlman carries that story forward to the present and re-interviews many longtime favela residents whom she first met in 1969, as well as their children and grandchildren. Perlman offers a long-term perspective on the favela families as they struggle for a better life, providing great insight into the growing problem of urban poverty.
2. Concert. Matthias Goerne, baritone & Andreas Haefliger, piano in recital, Koerner Hall, July 27, 8 pm.
Goerne has one of the great baritone voices in the world - his lieder singing is reminiscent of the wonderful Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. The Toronto Summer Music Festival sponsors this recital. Click here for more info or to purchase tickets.
3. CD. Jamsine, Keith Jarrett, piano, Charlie Haden, double-bass, ECM Records 2165, 2010
Manfred Eicher, the founder and CEO of ECM Records, sure knows how to pick 'em. I hope some of you caught, as I did, Jarrett's recent Toronto Jazz Festival appearance at the Four Seasons with Jack DeJohnette, drums and Gary Peacock, double-bass. One of the best concerts of the season, it was, and this new disc is no poor second. Jarrett has an uncommonly sensitive touch on the piano, and moves effortlessly between genres, though at his most moving in ballads. Highly recommended.
4. Book. Global Catastrophes and Trends: The Next Fifty Years, Vaclav Smil, MIT Press, 2008
Vaclav Smil is not a household name, but this University of Manitoba professor has published some 23 books, and is read by Barack Obama, among others. We are now so used to hearing doomsday scenarios for the ills that beset our world, that it is highly refreshing to read a book that puts the world's challenges in perspective. No rose-coloured glasses here either, but a different take on how to predict the future. I'm not sure why we haven't all heard of him. It's a brilliant analysis.
5. CD. Sacred Works, Valentin Silvestrov, with the Kiev Chamber Choir, ECM Records 2117, 2009
Silvestrov's early career was extraordinary in that until the 1990's, his music was almost never played in his native Ukraine, only in Russia and in the West. Largely self-taught, his music speaks eloquently of silence and a deep mysticism and spirituality that reminds of us of the music of Arvo Part, but is highly idiosyncratic. The performances by the Kiev Chamber Choir are simply stunning.
6. Concert. Beauty Dissolves in a Brief Hour, Queen of Puddings, July 29-31, Young Centre for the Performing Arts.
The Queen of Puddings knows how to make an opera, in this case 3 operas in one night: composers Fuhong Shi (Beijing) and Canadians John Rea and Pierre Klanac. It stars soprano Xin Wang, who sang so beautifully in Soundstreams' production of the opera Pimooteewin: The Journey by Tomson Highway and Melissa Hui, and mezzo-soprano Kristina Szabo, who performs at Koerner October 20 in Soundstreams 2010-2011 season opener. Fuhong Shi studied composition for several years at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, before going back to China, and is one of the most promising younger composers to have emerged in recent years. Click here to purchase tickets.
LAWRENCE'S PICKS FOR JUNE
June 18, 2010 (Comments (View))
AD's Picks June 2010
1. Architecture & Book. Snøhetta.
One of the world's great architecture firms, who have built the extraordinary National Library in Alexandria, Egypt, the new magnificent Norwegian Opera and Ballet House in Oslo, and many other projects including the new one just announced for the remake of Times Square in New York City.
An exhibition of their work: Cambridge Galleries, Cambridge, Ontario, now until August 14: www.cambridgegalleries.ca
Snøhetta website: www.snoarc.no
A wonderful collection of their works: Snøhetta Works, Lars Muller Publishers, 2009, available on-line and at booksellers.
2. Concerts. Music at Sharon
This is a series of concerts Sunday afternoons through June into July at the historic Sharon Temple in Sharon, Ontario. This is a revival of the summer festival by the same name, of which I was the founding artistic director 1981-1993. The current co-artistic directors are Larry Beckwith of Toronto Masque Theatre and broadcaster Rick Phillips. Highly recommended. Call 416-872-4255 or go to www.roythomson.com. Tickets are also available at the door. www.sharontemple.ca for more information.
3. CD. Jordi Savall, The Celtic Viol, AliaVox AVSA 9865.
Is there anything Jordi Savall can't do? I don't pretend to be an expert in any aspect of traditional Irish and Scottish traditional folk traditions. What I do know is that there are plenty of artists claiming to fuse the authenticity of these traditions with rock, jazz, even hip-hop, with varying degrees of success. What is for sure is that Savall has taken these traditions back to their ancient roots, and has brought incredible vitality and sheer verve to the performances. It makes you want to stand up and dance, and I'm not even Irish!
4. Vacation. Croatia, coast of the Adriatic Sea.
I was recently in Croatia, attending the International Society of Performing Arts conference in Zagreb in early June. It's hard to believe that such a beautiful part
of the world regularly tears itself to pieces in bitter ethnic wars that have the most tragic results for millions of people. Zagreb, like much of Croatia, has well-preserved medieval quarters in its cities, and many similarly preserved Roman ruins, particularly in the north. I took an extra 2 days to drive the Adriatic Coast between Split and Zadar, and not only are the vistas stunning, but the accommodation and food are very reasonable (the Euro is very low right now), and of exceptional quality. Consider Croatia for your next vacation! In case you're not sure where it is, think just around the corner of the Adriatic Sea from Italy, and you're there!
5. Concert. Keith Jarrett, Toronto Jazz Festival, June 30 at Four Seasons Centre, with Jack DeJohnette, Gary Peacock. Click here for details
Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette are two of the great improvisational artists of our time. Keith Jarrett defies categorization - his improvisations are often inspired by the idioms of classical music, but strongly influenced by jazz, the blues and much else that you can't pigeon-hole. And Jack DeJohnette? You're not even thinking that he's a drummer when he plays, not that it's bad to be a drummer. But his artistry transcends all genres and instruments. It's expensive, but not to be missed!
Andrew Staniland, Composer
One of Canada's most Innovative Musical Voices, June 03, 2010 (Comments (View))
All of us at Soundstreams are looking forward to attending the Tapestry/ Luminato presentation of Andrew Staniland's Dark Star Requiem at Koerner Hall on June 11 & 12.
Soundstreams' recent Cool Drummings International Percussion Festival featured the world premiere of Andrew Staniland's powerful Talking Down the Tiger and we will present another Staniland World Premiere next season at Les Percussions de Strasbourg on February 25.
Mr. Staniland has firmly established himself as one of Canada's most important and innovative musical voices.
The New Yorker magazine has described his work as "an alternately beautiful and terrifying instrumental meditation". His music is regularly heard on CBC Radio 2 and has been broadcast internationally in over 35 countries.
Andrew has received numerous accolades, including the 2009 National Grand Prize in EVOLUTION, a contemporary music competition presented by CBC Radio 2/Espace Musique and The Banff Centre, top prizes in the SOCAN young composers competition, and the 2004 Karen Keiser Prize in Canadian Music. His music has represented Canada at both the UNESCO International Rostrum (Paris, 2007) of Composers and the ISCM World Music Days (Hong Kong, 2006).
LAWRENCE'S PICKS FOR MAY
May 17, 2010 (Comments (View))
MAY 2010 A.D.'S PICKS
1. Book. Spark, Frank Koller, Public Affairs 2010
This is the amazing story of Lincoln Electric, a welding company based in Cleveland, Ohio, that first opened its doors at the turn of the last century. This company, still one of the world's leaders in its business today, believed from the beginning that treating workers with respect was the key to productivity, healthy communities, and the longevity of the company. They haven't laid off a single worker for nearly 80 years! The company, its management and its employees have not only endured, they have prospered! If you've given up on capitalism, this book may change your mind - don't throw in the towel until you've read it. Click here for more details.
2. Opera. Stitch, by Juliet Palmer and Anna Chatterton, Theatre Centre May 26-30, 2010.Accompanied solely by the rhythmic sounds of three sewing machines, three wonderful singers including Patricia O'Callaghan deliver a spectrum of musical styles evoking life in the garment factories, telling us their own personal stories as they work. A must see/hear! Visit www.theatrecentre.org for more details.
3. CD. The Enchanted Wanderer, Rodion Shchedrin, Mariinsky MAR 0504
Rodion Shchedrin's roots in Russia go deep, and none understands those roots better than Valery Gergiev and his Mariinsky Orchestra and Chorus. The Enchanted Wanderer is really a "concert" opera, premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 2002. The disc also contains some early ballet music of the 78-year old Shchedrin, no doubt inspired by his also famous wife, the former Bolshoi prima ballerina Maya Plisetskaya.
4. Concert. Continuum Contemporary Music, Music Gallery May 21, 2010, 8 pm
Continuum Contemporary Music celebrates its 25th anniversary with a concert entitled Wisdom of the Elders. Continuum has made a very valuable contribution to the new music scene in Canada, not only by introducing and championing younger composers, but by bringing to our attention deserving established composers who for whatever reasons are not as well known to us as they should be. $20 / $15 / $10 tickets available at the door or buy tickets now online.
5. Vacation. Red Rock Inn, Red Rock, Ontario.
Many of you will know that the Soundstreams production of the Cree-language opera Pimooteewin: The Journey, recently toured Northern Ontario. I was able to join the tour at the very end in Red Rock, Ontario, a town of 1000 people 100 klms north-east of Thunder Bay. What a beautiful community Red Rock is, set against stunning cliffs on the edge of the most gorgeous part of Lake Superior. The views of the lake are breathtaking, and the hiking in the area, for example, between Red Rock and Nipigon, is sublime. The Red Rock Inn is cozy, well-run, reasonably priced, and has a world-class chef! Highly recommended and well worth a visit.
LAWRENCE'S PICKS FOR APRIL
April 16, 2010 (Comments (View))
1. Concert. Toronto Consort - Lutefest. May 7 & 8. Click here to purchase tickets.
This concert is a fascinating journey through the antecedents and descendents of the lute, including the oud (Middle Eastern stringed instrument) and pipa. The outstanding virtuoso oud player Bassam Bashira will perform, and you can hear Bassam in our Cool Drummings concert April 28 at Hugh's Room. David Fallis and his Toronto Consort consistently have some of the most interesting programming on any series in Toronto.
2. Toronto Symphony Sibelius Festival running April 14 to 22 with Thomas Dausgaard. Click here for more details.
The Sibelius Symphonies are among the highlights of the entire symphonic repertoire, and we seldom get a chance to hear the whole cycle in a brief period of time. Thomas Dausgaard is one of the great younger conductors on the world stage, currently music director of the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Sibelius is one of his specialties - not to be missed.
3. Book. Frank Gehry in Toronto: Transforming the Art Gallery of Ontario (Hardcover) ISBN-10: 1858944678. Available at amazon.ca and other local booksellers.
Put a great architect like Frank Gehry together with Edward Burtynsky's photographs, and you will get magic, and we do! One of the great transformations of any building in the history of the City of Toronto is captured with a real sense of discovery and excitement. No dry documentation of a building's makeover, this book!
4. Diminuito. Rolf Lislevand. ECM Records 2088. Click here for more details.
This sparkling disc features Rolf Lislevand, members of Trio Medieaval (coming next season on the Soundstreams series), and other phenomenal instrumentalists from Norway and elsewhere. It's all 16th century music, and quite simply makes you want to get up and dance and sing. The ECM recording of this disc is also to die for - I have never heard Renaissance music recorded with this much vitality in the sound. But they play and sing pretty well too
5. Restaurant. J-Time Japanese Restaurant
394 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1X4
(416) 323-2288
From the outside this restaurant just looks like just another Japanese restaurant in the Annex. However, my good friend Rafi Kossover, owner of the Harbord Bakery, took me there for the first time one night last week. And you know what? They have Japanese foods that you can't get anywhere else in Toronto. They do advertise that they're the only Japanese-owned restaurant in the area. Whatever the reason, it's the best.
6. CD. Neharot, Kim Kashkashian. ECM Records 2065. Click here for more details.
Kim Kimkashian is a great performer even if she is a violist. The world is full of viola jokes, but I think it's just viola envy. No instrument can plead, lament and touch us with sadness the way the viola can. The work by Betty Olivero, Neharot, that opens the disc, has the most stunning opening - accordion and strings, reminiscent of the drones of Middle Eastern music, of course - discordant and unsettling, but a brilliant preparation for the plaintive voice of the solo viola that enters soon after. The disc also contains music by the Armenian composer Tigran Mansurian, equally powerful and unsettling, full of the fiery rhythms of Armenian folk traditions, and utterly compelling. I couldn't stop listening to this disc - and this is an ECM release too!
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