This page is about the music…my personal raison d’être

Music Reviews

Soundtrack – Seven Years In Tibet
SoundStage! – 11/97

Paul McCartney – Standing Stone
SoundStage! – 2/98

Class of ’73
On Sound & Music – August 2003

Guilty Treasure: Roger Waters Amused to Death
Positive Feedback – Issue 18, March/April 2005

Classic Records Reissues: Beth Orton – Central
Reservations
& The Alan Parson’s Project – The Turn Of A
Friendly Card
Positive Feedback – Issue 19, May/June 2005

Classic Records: The Who – My Generation, and
Neil Young – Greatest Hits 

Positive Feedback – Issue 23, Jan/Feb 2006

Classic Records: Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor
Positive Feedback – Issue 26, July/Aug 2006

Solti and the CSO – Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – May 17, 2020

Roger Waters – Amused To Death
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – June 28, 2020

Dire Straits – Love Over Gold
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – July 19, 2020

Genesis – A Trick of the Tail
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – September 6, 2020

Bruce Cockburn – Stealing Fire
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – Oct 25, 2020

Steely Dan – Aja
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – Dec 13, 2020

David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust…
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – Jan 17, 2021

Peter Gabriel – So
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – Feb 21, 2021

Supertramp – Crime of the Century
the audio analyst© YouTube Channel – Nov 7, 2021

RECORDINGS

One of my most rewarding finds of 2015 was the Original Broadway Cast Soundtrack of the Broadway musical Hamilton. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s game-changing play earned 11 Tony awards, making it the second most awarded musical in Broadway history ONLY to 2001’s The Producers. With only a few minor changes, this song, performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda at the White House “Evening of Poetry, Music, and the Spoken Word” on May 12, 2009, became the opening to Hamilton. I cannot recommend the Original Broadway Cast Soundtrack strongly enough. It is brilliant and captivating storytelling…

And, when Lin-Manuel appeared on SNL (15 Oct 2016), his opening monologue  was staggeringly good. Those of you who know me know how sold I am on the play’s soundtrack. Well, watch Hamilton’s uniquely gifted writer and star as he does a different take of “My Shot” from Hamilton, set to his appearance on SNL. As he goes through it, watch for the picture of Donald Trump on the hallway wall. His reaction/performance is priceless, as he repeats another line from the Hamilton song “The Reynolds Pamphlet,” which goes, “You’re never gonna be President now, never goanna be President now….” Keep in mind, this aired just 30 hours after the Trump “Locker Room Talk” tape was released. This is just perfection, both in its cleverness of writing and the timing… Just brilliant…

 

PERFORMANCES

November 20th, 2022 – Elkhart Symphony Orchestry/Camerata Singers/ Goshen Colllege Choirs, Beethoven – Sysmphony No. 9, Sauder Hall, Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana.

 

 

 

 The view of the stage and my program from my fifth row, center seat!

On May 7, 1824, Beethoven shared his 9th Symphony with the world, even though he could never hear it. According to participating musicians, the work had only two full rehearsals before it was premiered at the am Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna. Various stories and anecdotes surround this momentous occasion, but Beethoven—who had been profoundly deaf for almost a decade by that time—took part in the performance by giving the tempos for each part and turning the pages of his score “as though he wanted to play all the instruments and sing all the chorus parts.”

However, the “official conductor,” Michael Umlauf, supposedly had instructed the singers and musicians to ignore all of his instructions. When the work had ended, Beethoven was apparently still conducting.

It is recorded that the audience loved it, and were all standing and cheering with rapturous delight. Given his deafness, Beethoven is said to have failed to hear the thunderous applause (which he should have felt, right?), and had to be tapped on the shoulder by Caroline Unger, the contralto soloist, to face the adoring crowd.

Beethoven’s underlying conception of music as a mode of self-expression still resonates strongly today. Whether one agrees with, or rejects his compositional approach, after the premiere of Beethoven’s last symphony, a symphony combining a large orchestra, choir, and vocal soloists for the first time, NOTHING in music would ever be the same.

This only the third time I’ve seen this romantic masterpiece, and it was a triumphantly stirring performance… My hat is off to Han Soo, the Orchestra, the Choirs, and the featured soloists!

September 25th, 2021 – South Bend Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade in C major for String orchestra,” Leighton Hall, DeBartolo PAC, Notre Dame

the view from my seat for the performance…

Last evening, Saturday, September 25th, 2021, coincidentally, my birthday, saw the opening of the 2021-2022 Jack M. Champaigne Masterworks Series for the South Bend Symphony, held in the remarkable Leighton Hall of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

They opened with two pieces that I had never heard. “Starburst,” composed by Jessie Montgomery, is a three minute, one-movement work for string orchestra. (YouTube link here) This was a surprisingly vivid play on imagery with rapidly changing musical colors, exploding with gestures and fleeting melodies, creating an amazing, multidimension soundscape. I have to admit to being swept away with this piece.

Next up was “Concerto for Piano and String Orchestra,” featuring its composer, Adam Neiman, on the Steinway Concert Grand. (YouTube link here) Clearly influenced by the great romantic concertos, his piano work was highly complex, and woven into the tapestry of the string lines to create a vivid conversation between the instruments. The composition, and Neiman’s playing, were of the highest caliber, and again, I was very moved by this previously unheard concerto.

Finally, I must admit that the “Serenade for Strings” is probably my favorite Tchaikovsky work. And, I’ve heard it here in Leighton Hall before, in October of 2004, performed by the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-fields under Kenneth Sillito. Yet tonight’s performance was compellingly moving… Such a heartfelt composition, with remarkable artistic worth. 

The evening proved to be a marvelous and fitting commencement to this post-Covid-19 reopening and resurgence of the performing arts season here in the Midwest – and a fine birthday present to myself! ? I AM SO READY for this to all be behind us and be able to get back to celebrating our lives as a community once again…


September 24th, 2019 – Bruce Cockburn at Umbel Hall, Goshen College

Bruce Cockburn, with son John, touring his “Crowing
Ignites” release, September 24, 2019

I cannot tell you what at treat it was to finally see Bruce live… I’ve been following him since his 1980 release of “Humans.” This was the first opportunity I had to see him, and in Umbel Hall to boot, a very intimate, 400-seat theater at Goshen College. I think his two UNDISPUTED MASTERPIECES are 1980’s Humans, and 1984’s Stealing Fire! I can’t image either album without a single track that it contains… That was such a fertile period for him… And seeing him live in September of 2019, touring with son John Aaron, was amazing. He even played, “Peggy’s Kitchen Wall,” one of my all-time favs…

October 28, 29 & 30 -2011 – The First Annual SOKA/Blueport Jazz Festival – SOKA Performing Arts Center

The incomparable Mike Garson…

You can see my full report, with nearly 50 photos, on the AMAZING show published at Positive-Feedback Online here

20-May-2010 – REO Speed Wagon (with special guest, Blue Öyster Cult) – Morris Performing Arts Center – South Bend, IN

This was a show that I was genuinely concerned about. I hadn’t seen REO since the late 1980’s, or Blue Öyster Cult since the late 1970’s. After the letdown with Kansas last year, I was hopeful that the guitar band that was created as an American answer to Black Sabbath would still be something to recon with… I shouldn’t have worried.

Often billed as a “thinking man’s” heavy metal group, they opened with the AOR classic, “Burnin’ For You” from 1981’s Fire of Unknown Origin, their most successful album since the 1976 release of Agents of Fortune.

“The Blue Öyster Cult,” from left to right, Richie Castillano, Eric
Bloom, Rudy Sarzo, Jules Radino, and Don “Buck Dharma” Roeser.

The two guitar leads, alternately Richie Castillano and “Buck Dharma,” were remarkable – they just fed off each other, much as did Tommy Shaw and JY when Styx was here last year. They ran through many of their older songs but found time to work in most of their big AOR hits.

Don “Buck Dharma” Roeser and Rudy Sarzo during one of many
of this guitar band’s blazing guitar pyrotechnical demonstrations.

I have to say that I found it rather appropriate that they chose to close with “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” which they dedicated to the memory of Ronnie James Dio, who passed away (coincidentally, as did jazz pianist Hank Jones), the previous Sunday, May 16th.

Bruce Hall and Kevin Cronin “jammin” early in the show…

Next up, one of the true superstars of Arena Rock, now best known for their sting of “Power Ballads” throughout the ’80’s, REO Speed Wagon made it clear that they were there to take no prisoners. As it has been 30 years since the release of Hi Infidelity they opened with a string of songs from that album.

REO Speed Wagon is currently, left to right, Bruce Hall, drummer Brian Hitt, front man Kevin Cronin, co-founder Neal Doughty, and traveling guitar slinger, Dave Amato.

As expected, they made it a point to play all those AOR hit power ballads, but they also dug back to the R.E.O. T.W.O. days for some serious ROCK, like “Golden Country”. Call me crazy, but I MISS the influence of an early member, guitarist Gary Richrath. They also managed to squeeze in “Time for Me to Fly,” one of my all-time favs from this group, and, true to every time I’ve seen them, performed “Ridin’ the Storm Out” during the encore.

I must admit, these guys can still bring it…

9-April-2010 – The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields – Leighton Hall – Notre Dame, IN

This was another wonderful event, and the performance was almost as stunning as the last time they were at Leighton in October of 2004 when they performed Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. This was an unusual yet interesting program.

Fra Holbergs tid (from Holberg’s Time) “Holberg Suite,” Op. 40 by Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)

Sonata for violin & piano No. 9 in A Major “Kreutzer,” Op. 47 (Arrr. Tognetti) by Ludwig Van Beethoven (1970–1827)

Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821 (arranged for viola and strings – Arr. Tabakova) by Franz Schubert (1797–1826)

Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (Four Seasons of Buenos Aries – Arr. Leonid Desyatnikov) Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992)

The Cuatro estaciónes porteñas was a very intriguing variation on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, which seemed to “borrow” from many more works and composers than just Antonio’s work. It was something I’d never heard before, and though a bit odd, it was both familiar and new at the same time. All in, a fascinating program.

26-Sept-2009 – Opening of the 2009 South Bend Symphony Season – Morris Performing Arts Center – South Bend, IN

Saturday the 26th marked the opening of the South Bend Symphony‘s 77th season. It was a stirring success. The Rimsky-Korsakov “Easter” Overture and emerging sky-Korsakov “Easter” Overture and emerging Russian virtuoso pianist Gleb Ivanov’s take on the Rachmaninoff Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3, or the “Rach 3” for short, were superb.

Though I enjoyed the Bernstein Symphonic Dances, a medley of themes from West Side Story, the 1957 American musical based on a book by Arthur Laurents, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, all based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in my opinion, it would have been better served at a Pops show, rather than a Masterworks event…

One of the more interesting images in this year’s Season announcement was the double page spread for the Masterworks events which features a photo of my friend and Notre Dame colleague, Dr. Scott Russell. Besides being one of the most effective Apple Engineers I know, he also plays (and teaches) French horn with the symphony.

2009’s Subscription mailer featured a wonderful photo of my
friend and colleague, French horn teacher and player, Dr. Scott Russell.

As an aside, I ran into the surgeon who did my shoulder back in July of 2009, Dr. Gregory Peyer, and his wife Pat, in the lobby just before the show. And though I had a front row seat, just after the intermission, he invited me to take an empty seat in the Royal Box with them. It would have been awfully hard to refuse such a gracious offer.

Since you are not allowed to take “real” cameras into these events, I had to leave my Nikon D70 at home. I was able to use my new Nikon CoolPix S60. Not terrible results, but not what I would call great either…

Tsung Yeh  the SBSO ‘sconductor at the time,
during the stirring Rimsky-Korsakov “Easter Overture”

Associate Principal Cello Carol Bullock Russell (Peg and Robert O.
Laven Chair), coincidentally Dr. Scott Russell’s wife.

The full Symphony Orchestra during the powerful “Rach 3” – Sept.26, 2009

Visiting Russian Pianist, Gleb Ivanov, as he thunders through the closing of
the Rachmaninov Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3. – Sept.26, 2009

25-Sept-2009 – The Tokyo String Quartet – Leighton Hall – DeBartolo Performing Arts Center – Notre Dame, IN

On the coincident event of my 54th birthday, I had front row seats for the Tokyo String Quartet appearance here in the Leighton Hall at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

The evening opened with the Quartet in B-flat Major, op. 168, D. 112, by Franz Schubert, followed by the Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114 (1939), by Bela Bartok, and after the intermission, “Felix” Mendelssohn’s Quartet in D Major, op. 44, no. 1. While the Schubert was very polite, it was a bit of a yawn to many of the concertgoers I spoke with, myself included.

While I LOVE the earlier and romantic Russian composers (Borodin, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev…), I admit that the more contemporary and atonal works by Bartok leave me wanting. I recognize the difficulty of the piece, and the remarkable skills required to play it well, but it is just not terribly accessible or enjoyable music, to my ears at least. longtime friend Bob Guthrie was a little less polite in his assessment of the Bartok work, claiming “It sucked!”

After the intermission, the Mendelssohn Quartet was breathtaking! That work alone was well worth the price of admission. Just wonderful music, and musicianship, by this renowned and world-class quartet. Coincidentally, it was Cellist Clive Greensmith’s birthday as well, and when first violin Martin Beaver announced that fact, just before their encore Hayden piece, I leaned forward from my seat and got his attention. I silently mouthed, “Me too,” as I pointed to myself. After the performance, I got to spend about 10 minutes chatting with all four gentlemen. AND, I got ALL FOUR of them to sign a harmonia mundi Beethoven String Quartet SACD that I had with me. Image below.

9-Sept-2009 – ZZ Top – Morris Performing Arts Center – South Bend, IN

All I can say is that, Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard (all three born in 1949), collectively known as ZZ Top, can STILL tear it up. I have to admit to a soft spot for the earlier works, and when the second and third thing they played that night was the “Waitin’ For The Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago” medley, I was NOT unhappy! I apologize for the poor quality of the images, all I had with me that evening was my htc-S621 Windows CE 6.1 phone…

Billy has his “Blues Hat” brought out to him by some local “fans”

Just a bunch of “Bluesmen” who dig rock, they
really entertained the South Bend crowd

27-Mar-2009 – STYX (with special guest, Kansas) – Morris Performing Arts Center – South Bend, IN

I must tell you that these guys, collectively known as STYX, only get better with age. STYX is now Tommy Shaw (ex-Niles, MI resident), James Young, Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman and Ricky Phillips, along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo.

During this performance in 2009, Tommy Shaw was 55 years old, and get this, JY was 60! Yet, these two guitar slingers have ONLY GOTTEN BETTER since I saw them in the late 80’s. They fed off each other’s energy, and while being truly thankful for their reception at Morris, strove to please themselves, which is what made the show so BLOODY good.

Here is a listing of some of the more memorable
performances I’ve attended over the years…

 

Band/Artist/Orchestra Year Date Hall Performance
Uriah Heep 1973 23-Aug Johnstown War Memorial Sweet Freedom Tour
Edgar Winter & The James Gang 1973 Fall Johnstown War Memorial They Only Come Out at Night Tour/James Gang Bang
Emerson, Lake, & Palmer 1974 2-Aug Pittsburgh Civic Arena Brain Salad Surgery Tour
Rick Wakeman 1974 11-Oct Pittsburgh Civic Arena Journey to the Center of the Earth
David Bowie 1974 19-Nov Pittsburgh Civic Arena Diamond Dogs Tour
Miles Davis 1974 Sept Walt Harper’s Jazz Attic, Pittsburgh Dropped in on some local Fusion Band…According to Jim Merod, the bass player was Stanley Clarke
Bad Company 1975 28-May Pittsburgh Civic Arena First Tour – Bad Company Album
Pink Floyd 1975 20-Jun Three Rivers Stadium Wish You Were Here Tour
Jefferson Starship 1975 15-Oct Pittsburgh Civic Arena Red Octopus Tour
Rush 1975 20-Dec Pittsburgh Civic Arena Warm up for Kiss – big hit was “Working Man’ from Rush
Kiss 1975 20-Dec Pittsburgh Civic Arena Dressed to Kill Tour
Kiss 1976 4-Sep Pittsburgh Civic Arena Rock and Roll Over Tour
Stephen Stills 1979 2-Mar The Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh Long May You Run – Guest appearance by Neil Young
Robin Trower 1980 16-Apr The Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh Victims of the Fury tour w/ Shooting Star
The Pretenders 1982 17-Jan Recreation Hall, University Park, PA The Pretenders II Tour
The Police 1982 9-Apr Pittsburgh Civic Arena Ghost in the Machine Tour
Jethro Tull 1982 17-Sep Pittsburgh Civic Arena The Beast & the Broadsword Tour
The Who 1982 28-Sep Pittsburgh Civic Arena It’s Hard/Farewell Tour
Warren Zevon 1983 27-Jan Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park, PA The Envoy Tour
Pink Floyd 1988 30-May Three Rivers Stadium Delicate Sound of Thunder Tour
Eric Clapton 1988 4-Sep Pittsburgh Civic Arena Still Touring August, with special appearance by Mark Knopfler!
The Who 1989 16-Jul Three Rivers Stadium Farewell Tour Two
Rush 1990 7-Jun Pittsburgh Civic Arena Presto Tour
Rush 1992 21-Jun Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheater Roll the Bones Tour
The Penn State Philharmonic  Music At Penn’s woods 1991 29-June Schwab Auditorium/ Penn State University The Firebird 1919,          and More
The Penn State Philharmonic  Music At Penn’s woods 1991 6-Jul Schwab Auditorium/ Penn State University Dvořák – Symphony No. 8
The Penn State Philharmonic  Music At Penn’s woods 1991 13-Jul Schwab Auditorium/ Penn State University Schumann – Symphony No. 3
The Penn State Philharmonic  Music At Penn’s woods 1991 20-Jul Schwab Auditorium/ Penn State University Mahler – Des Kneben Wunderhorn
The Penn State Philharmonic 1993 22-Nov Recital Hall/ Penn State University Schubert/Sibelius/ Dvořák
Rachmaninoff Anniversary Concret 1993 3-Feb Schwab Auditorium/ Penn State University A recreation of the performance He gave here in 1943, at 70
Steely Dan 1993 28-Aug Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia MD  
Pink Floyd 1994 31-May Three Rivers Stadium The Division Bell Tour (Pulse)
Steely Dan 1996 17-Jul Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheater  
National Symphony & the Oratorio Society of Washington 1997 20-Apr DAR Constitution Hall, Washington DC  Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
Jonny Lang 2000 8-Mar Kalamazoo State Theatre Wander This World Tour
Hank Jones Trio 2003 10-May Herbst Theatre, San Francisco Live…
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-fields/Kenneth Sillito 2004 14-Oct Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame Tchaikovsky – Serenade for Strings
New York Philharmonic under Lorin Maazel 2005 3-Feb Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame Dvořák – Symphony No. 9 & Bartók – Concerto For Orchestra
Ensemble Galilei 2005 9-Sep Morris PAC, South Bend Period music on period instruments
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/Hans Graf 2005 10-Dec Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame Sibelius/Conc. For Violin & Orchestra
South Bend Symphony/Hoachen Zhang/Piano 2006 6-Feg Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame Respighi’s The Pines of Rome
Itzhak Perlman/               Rohan De Silva 2006 25-Oct Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame Schubert, Beethoven, Debussy
London Philharmonic/ with Sarah Chang 2006 2-Dec Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame Sibelius Concerto for Violin & Brahms Symphony No. 2
Julliard String Quartet 2007 15-Feb Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame  
Goo Goo Dolls 2007 10-Mar Morris PAC, South Bend  
Jeffrey Keezer/Christian McBride/Terreon Gully 2008 5-Jun Founders Hall, SOKA University  
South Bend Symphony 2008 2-Nov Morris PAC, South Bend Scheherazade
Styx with Kansas 2009 27-Mar Morris PAC, South Bend  
ZZ Top 2009 9-Sep Morris PAC, South Bend  
Tokyo String Quartet 2009 25-Sep Morris PAC, South Bend  
South Bend Symphony 2009 26-Sep Morris PAC, South Bend Rimsky-Korsakov Easter Overture and Piano Concerto No. 3
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-fields/Julian Rachlin 2010 9-Apr Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9: Kreutzer
REO Speed Wagon with Blue Öyster Cult 2010 20-May Morris PAC, South Bend  
The First Annual Soka/ BluePort Jazz Festival 2011 28-29-30 Oct SOAK Performing Arts Center Jazz Originals and Classics
South Bend Symphony 2015 25-Apr Morris PAC, South Bend Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
South Bend Symphony 2016 6-Feb Morris PAC, South Bend Respighi – Pines of Rome
Bruce Cockburn 2019 24-Sep Umble Center, Goshen College Crowing Ignites Tour
South Bend Symphony 2021 25-Sep Leighton Hall, University of Notre Dame Tchaikovsky – Serenade for Strings
The Martin Barre Band 2022 19-Jan Acorn, Three Oaks MI Aqualung, 50th Anni.
Al Stewart 2022 16-Sept Acorn, Three Oaks MI The Year of the Cat  celebration
Elkhart Symphony    Orchestra 2022 20-Nov Sauder Hall, Goshen College Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
Aalborg Symphony Orchestra 2023 19-Jan House of Music,  Aalborg, Denmark Debussy’s Nocturns / Mozart’s Sym. No. 41
Elkhart Symphony    Orchestra 2023 5-Feb The Lerner, Elkhart Symphony Legends / Holst/Sibelius/Copland
Elkhart Symphony    Orchestra 2023 5-Feb Lerner’s Crystal Ballroom 75th anniversary Gala
Elkhart Symphony    Orchestra 2023 14-May The Lerner, Elkhart Dvořák’s Sym. No. 9, “From The New World”
Boz Scaggs 2023 31-July The Lerner, Elkhart The 2023 Summer Tour
Elkhart Symphony    Orchestra 2023 5-Nov Sauder Hall, Goshen College Mussorgsky/Pictures At An Exhibition
 

 

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