Hovhaness/Husa/Straight-Split Release (CRI 221) ca. 1968

Notes excerpted from the back cover (enclosed)

The Hovhaness TRIPTYCH was commissioned by the Columbia Broadcasting System,each number being composed for a specific Christmas of Easter broadcast.

I:The AVE MARIA is scored for two oboes,two horns,harp and women's chorus.It is  a four-part polyphonic motet in ancient modal scales.

II:The CHRISTMAS ODE is scored for piano, strings and celesta.It opens with a brief introduction for solo violin over plucked sounds and bell-like celesta in a polymodal idiom. this leads to a soprano solo, interspersed with lively but chorale like string interludes and modal counterpoint creating a mood which the composer describes as "celestial joyousness".

III:The EASTER CANTATA,dedicated to Oliver Daniel, was composed in three days for the Easter broadcast of 1953. Since Mozart's Jubilate was on the same program, Hovhaness was required to use the same instrumentation for his work: two oboes,two horns and strings (plus, at his request,a harp and celesta). The composer writes:
  "The EASTER CANTATA  begins with a tiny prelude in fantastic sounds,tuning the ear to the musci of lamentation.A mournful air and chorus follow, depicting the sorrow of the Crucifiction.A soprano aria changes the mood to ecstasy as it contemplates the Resurrection.Canonic textures of harp,celesta and pizzicato strings prepare the entrance of the soprano solo over drones, and continue their polyphony throughout the movement.A lively double canon in the orchestra accompanies a joyous  polymodal canon sung by the chorus,forming the climax of the Resurrection movement".

Karel Husa:MOSAIQUES FOR ORCHESTRA
Professor Husa describes the review of Hans Hauptmann as a completely unclued statement of his own meditations while composing the music:

"It reaches spectacular orchestral display with rather macabre tone effects.Rhythm and instrumentation combine into an organic conglomeration of rising bizarre grandiose sounds.The entire work appears menacing and diabolic.It is a clarion call of defense,an admonition to meet chaos with the unification of coordinated powers.In the end we have a quiet,soothing release of unrestrained form."

Willard Straight;DEVELOPMENT FOR ORCHESTRA was commissioned by Mrs.Courtney Campbell for the 1961 Washington Square Concert series and premiered that year undr the direction of Russell Stanger.It was composed for the limited instrumentation available (flute,oboe,two horns,two trumpets,percussion and strings) and has no programmatic implications beyond the musical one suggested by the title.It is a series of free and contrasting variations not of a melodic line but of the harmonic structure of the opening measures.
-Carter Harman
 
Side One:

a1-3:Alan Hovhaness:TriptychMembers of the Bamberg Symphony 
Singers:Benita Valente,soprano
Alferdo Antonini,conductor

I- Ave Maria 2:44
 
II- Christmas Ode 6:28
 
III- Easter Cantata 13:12 


Side Two:
 
b1: Karel Husa: Mosaiques For Orchestra (1961) 16:03 
Stockholm Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by the composer.  

b2:Willard Straight: Development For Orchestra (1961) 8:42
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Russell Stanger,conductor
 























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Accent on Steam Volume One

Arkay Enterprises - Accent on Steam Volume One

released on cassette in 1978

Cassette has recordings of train engines and train whistles from various places such as Ecuador, Argentina, South Africa, what was then Czechoslavakia, what was then West Germany, Canada, and the United States. Recordings of gate and bell mechanisms, cannon fire, chipmunks, and birds make brief appearances. In my modest collection of train sound recordings, this one may be my favorite.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1.  Guayaquil & Quito Railway #44, 2-8-0  {2:36}

2.  On Board Guayaquil & Quito Railway #44, 2-8-0  {3:57}

3.  Argentine National Railways #1321, 2-10-2  {0:58}

4.  Argentine National Railways #3035, 4-6-2  {0:59}

5.  South African Railways, Double Headed Garratts  {2:56}

6.  South African Railways #3422, 4-8-4, Class 25NC  {2:05}

7.  South African Railways, 4-8-4, Class 25NC  {1:55}

8.  South African Railways, 4-8-2, Class 15AR  {2:59}

9.  South African Railways #3693, Class 24, 2-8-4  {1:40}

10. Denver & Rio Grande Narrow Gauge #484 and #498  {2:12}

Side 2

1.  Chessie Steam Special #2101, Orleans Road  {4:24}

2.  Chessie Steam Special #2101, Sandpatch Grade  {4:37}

3.  Czechoslovakian 2-10-0, Class 566  {3:41}

4.  Czechoslovakian 2-10-0, Class 556  {2:51}

5.  German 2-10-0, 3-cylinder, Class 043  {1:26}

6.  Canadian National #6218, 4-8-4  {1:46}

7.  Cass Scenic Railway, 4 Shays, 2-3-4-5  {3:31}

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The Runaround

Some of you may have experienced frustrating restrictions on the flow of the Rapidshare files:"File owners' public traffic exhausted" is how they put it.
Those new restrictions allow for only 1Gb outgoing traffic per day.
And recently RS limited the capacity of free accounts to 5Gb.

THE GOOD NEWS:
For the next month, until April 24, there are NO restrictions on Rapidshare traffic.
You are encouraged to grab whatever intrigues you during this open period..
It (RS availability) will return to "normal" after April 24,

Thanks to all the visitors who left comments of support and suggestions to a recent post regarding the current difficult times.

We appreciate it.

Master Musician of India

Ustad Ali Akbar Khan - Master Musician of India

released on LP in 1966

The title of Chandranandan alludes to the Hindi words "chandra" (moon) and "nandan" (son). Accordingly, it is evening music, and introspective rather than romantic. After the briefest possible alap the basic rhythmic pattern of sixteen beats (teental) is set by the tabla. This particular performance unfolds first in vilambit laya (slow rhythm), gaining momentum with the ensuing madhya laya (moderate rhythm), then breaking into drut laya (fast rhythm). An unusual feature here, beginning about three-quarters of an inch from the end of the side, is the yugal-bandi ("yugal", concert; "bandi", a sort of contest) or question-and-answer exchange in which the sarodist and tabla player "talk" to each other, the latter replying to the former in precisely the same "words", mutatis mutandis. Not once in the heat of this episode do the artists traduce the fundamental teental; the "questions" are exactly eight beats long and the "answers" begin on the ninth beat and end on the sixteenth. Nor does this fidelity to the rhythm waver in the ati-drut (very fast) peroration, which readers such an overwhelming climax that one of the invited guests at the recording session could not forebear from applause despite a strict injunction. The engineers could not edit out the spontaneous first moment of this reaction without doing violence to the recording., and so it is still there to be heard, at the very end of the side.
The word "Gauri" is a proper female name; the prototype was the wife of none less than Lord Shiva, the Hindu deity who was among other things god of the arts. The word "manjari" means flower petals.Gauri Manjari, then, one may take to be an artist's offering to his muse. Properly under these circumstances, it is not one of the thrice-familiar ragas. It is in fact one of the aprachalit ones - "unpopular" is the translation but in the sense that it is relatively new and known only to Ali Akbar Khan's audiences. Being without benefit of tabla, this recorded performance seems to be all alap. In truth it is a complete but compact ragini. There is no rhythmic pattern, but in the absence of beats there is a clearly defined pulse and a feeling of laya (which alludes to bar-lines; the teental units on the overside contain four layas each). When this pulse quickens, about one inch in on the side, we are in the jor, corresponding very roughly to what we would call the development section. Less than another inch later we are precipitated into the concluding jhala, which emphasizes overtones and Beethoven-like patterns of repeated notes and dazzling pyrotechnics all contained within the compass of the ragini as initially stated by the composer-performer.  (James Lyons from the liner notes)

Chandranandan and Gauri Manjari are both raginis (female). The playing time for Chandranandan is between 8 P.M. and 3 A.M. It has three expressions of human feelings (rasas); they are Karuna (pathos), Bhakti (devotion), and Sringara (love). In the beginning, the melody creates the pathetic emotion, and then leads to the expression of devotion. When the Bhakti or devotion is settled and established in the tune, then through a change of notes, but maintaining the same ragini, it takes us into the feeling of love. And that is Sringara. This Sringara rasa is not bound by the carnal desires. It is a love which is based above that; the love which comes through the pains of life and the devotion of life.
Gauri Manjari is composed of Bhakti (devotion), Karuna (pathos), and Vir rasa (the rasa of strength), mixed with very little Sringara. The time for this music is between 9 P.M. and 2 A.M. Gauri Manjari begins with a feeling of uneasiness of mind, and then, gradually, the rasas will bring the other feelings one by one, and end in the notes of happiness.
These two raginis took several years to compose. They are my original creations. I have taken the characteristics of many ragas and raginis and mixed them, and created a new color and character. This is the final shape and expression of the tunes.  (Ustad Ali Akbar Khan)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1.  Raga Chandranandan  {21:28}
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan - sarod ; Pandit Mahapurush Misra - tabla ; Anila Sinha - tanpura

Side 2

1.  Raga Gauri Manjari  {19:07}
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan - sarod ; Anila Sinha - tanpura

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Paraguayan Harp, Vol. 2

Ed Lange and His Trio Andeno - Paraguayan Harp, Vol. 2

released on LP in 1977

I found this record at a thrift store. While finding really good records like this one between $1 and $2 at thrift stores and other similar places is great, one of the drawbacks is that volume 2 of something is there yet volume 1 or other volumes are missing. I searched in the same racks again twice trying to find the first volume of Paraguayan Harp. No luck. Perhaps someday I'll obtain volume 1. In the meantime, do enjoy Paraguayan Harp, Vol. 2 supremely produced and performed.

From the liner notes:

The Indian Harp of Paraguay was most probably introduced to South America by the Jesuit missionaries of the middle 1500's. These astute men studied the Guarani language (the language of the Tupi-Guarani Indians in and around Paraguay) and Christianized them in their native language, and taught them to sing and dance in celebration of the God of the Western European world. Most probably it was the medieval harp of Ireland that was carried to Paraguay. After many turbulent years, during which the missionaries were killed or run out of Paraguay, the musical instruments and European influence remained.

Until the turn of this last century, the harp was most probably an accompanying instrument, and differed in shape and tonal quality from the present one. As the harp gained popularity, it became more and more the focal point of conjuntos [groups], and began to attract the attention of prolific folk song composers. The Paraguayan harp of today is a highly sophisticated, incredibly fine-tempered instrument, and is still undergoing changes. It is distinctively Paraguayan, and yet has found popularity the world over. It is a diatonic instrument, and has 36 strings covering five octaves. It is played with the fingernails and callouses to achieve a wide range in tonal qualities. Although diatonic, much of the solo music of the harp is played in the relative minor key, and guitars sometimes add in missing notes to achieve otherwise impossible chords. The masters of the instrument have achieved a rapid dexterity that entrances audiences, who see hands flying all over the harp. This is a virtuoso's instrument, and to play it well requires either brutal attack of the instrument - or tender caressing of the strings. It is a harp played by men and yet... it sings to the Gods.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1.  Pajaro Campana (The Bell Bird)  {4:16}

2.  El Condor Pasa  {3:56}

3.  Malambo  {4:03}

4.  Lamento Paraguayo (Paraguayan Lament)  {3:22}

5.  Rio Rebelde (Rebel River)  {2:45}

Side 2

1.  Mi Atarraya (My Fishing Net)  {3:06}

2.  El Tren (The Train)  {2:35}

3.  Zambita  {3:07}

4.  Torrealbara  {3:06}

5.  Caballito (Little Horse)  {2:30}

6.  La Calecita (Merry-Go-Round)  {1:52}

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Yet Another Message

This is yet another one of those "I haven't posted in a while" type of posts. Given what's been happening lately including blogs disappearing or quitting, I wonder if people no longer visit music blogs frequently. I have been noticing that in some other areas of the blogosphere, bloggers are posting sporadically and visitors hardly come to the blogs. It seems a lot of the people have migrated over to Twitter and Facebook. I have been considering reviving my Twitter account and possibly start posting shares over there. I still have a Facebook account, but I am using it less often. I don't feel it's safe for me to post there considering Facebook's stance on not valuing privacy. I also don't really like it much. I don't think I've ever felt more uncomfortable on the Internet when I was using Facebook.

Now to the main point of this post. A lot of my links have been dying lately. One of the main culprits is Mediafire. It's been using a bot to find and block access to what has been programmed in its system as copyrighted material that is available on iTunes and/or Amazon. Often, the bot does a poor job. It has blocked access to a lot of my files because it has mistaken the tracks posted for some different artists' tracks that seem to have similar names. I know that Mediafire is using the bot because of panic caused by what happened to Megaupload and threats from the MPAA (Motion Pictures Association of America). I won't be using it anymore. I'll always remember that it was once a great site to store files from the late 2000s to 2012.
Anyway I have read the numerous re-up requests in my past posts. I am having trouble finding time to do re-ups, but I am still trying to meet requests. Finding reliable file hosters is becoming more difficult. It may be a long while before I can have at least most of them back up. Patience is a virtue.
I did re-up several electronic music albums a few days ago. Check the "Updates" page.
I'll try to keep on putting more back up. They'll be in small batches. Keep checking the "Updates" page.