Today has been an exceptional day for records. After a couple weeks of waiting, my used copy of Toby Twining's Chrysalid Requiem -- yet another Cantaloupe release -- arrived in the mail from Amazon. I can't believe I hadn't heard of Toby Twining before a few weeks ago, and that I hadn't heard this hour-long piece for 10 singers without accompaniment until just this afternoon. Twining uses a variety of extended vocal techniques, from throat singing and overtone singing to yodeling. It was commissioned through Bang on a Can's People's Commissioning Fund in 2000, and recorded in 2002. The search begins for Twining's release titled "Shaman", which I understand was released a decade or so ago but has been out of print. If anyone has any tips, let me know.
That alone would have made for a nice day. But when I got home from a rehearsal this evening (1), there were two stacks of CDs waiting, from a couple of dear, wonderful friends who still have Access. There was a time when I had direct Access, but now I must get by with a little help from my friends. M. W-'s Access is to new releases from Universal Classics (Decca, Philips, Deutsche Grammophon). Being a fine singer himself, M. W- is well aware of my interest in vocal records and presented me with a wonderful selection of discs, mostly beautiful re-releases from Decca's Classic Recitals series with the original artwork. He also threw in new albums by Anna Netrebko, who was the funnest thing in last season's Boheme as Musetta, and Thomas Quasthoff, whose concerts with the SF Symphony next month I'm looking forward to. Plus an advance of Renee Fleming's new album! With friends like M. W-, who needs other friends?
Except of course if one also has a friend like M. E-, who has Access at Blue Note and was generous enough to send along what seems to be Kurt Elling's entire recorded output after I expressed some interest. Kurt Elling is going to be in town in March with Fred Hersch performing Fred's setting of Whitman's Leaves of Grass. San Francisco Performances' single-ticket sales for their 25th anniversary season started yesterday, and there are a huge number of things worth hearing.
Sincere thanks to Messrs. W- and E-! These packages have injected excitement and delight into my petty little life.
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(1) Wedged myself into a tiny little space on a steep hill. Why are there so many driveways in this town?
future political Coach Outletand to ensure their re-electability after passing unpopular measures
head of state will oversee
Posted by: Coach Outlet | Nov 12, 2011 at 09:46 PM