Biochemistry Van Holde, Ahern Biochemistry Mathews 1999

Bach is often credited with having invented the keyboard concerto, despite the fact that all of his works in the mode were arrangements of existing concertos for other instruments. Furthermore, whatever influence they may have had was indirect. It’s unlikely that either Haydn or Mozart had heard any of this music or even knew of its existence. But Haydn may have encountered the keyboard concertos of Carl Philippe Emanuel, and Mozart knew Johann Christian’s works in the genre. Nevertheless the elder Bach’s concertos, whether played on a harpsichord, or on a piano, retain a revered place in the keyboard literature.

Renaissance music for the Tenebrae constitutes an endless fund of passionate and evocative polyphony. The nature and design of the texts beautifully articulates the music, alternating the single letter that opens each section with more expansive music for the Lamentations proper and ending with the words ‘Jerusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum’. There is no clear explanation why Paul van Nevel chose these four particular settings, but they do show some of the range of styles adopted across the years, opening with the little-known set by Tiburtio Massaino (published in 1599) and ending with the superb Good Friday set that is among the last works of Lassus.

This Beethoven recording conducted by Daniel Harding is marked out mostly by its bristling, scintillating energy. Despite the brisk (but marvellous) "tempi", the interpretation here shows a great musical clarity alongside a subtlety of detail and beauty of sound. The fiery, apollonian character of these overtures is clearly stressed by this young conductor, and it is simply perfect! Take the "Leonore I" as an example… It (definitely) is the most thrilling recording I ever heard of this exciting work. Harding's personal choices of tempo and rubato seemed a natural part of the music onward flow. The entire set of overtures is remarkable for its consistency of interpretation! Forget Abbado, Barenboim or Gardiner - this is the definitive recording of Beethoven Overtures!

"By Popular Demand" is a CD of live performances by Ron Boots, Eric van der Heijden and friends. The friends are Gerald Vos, Harold van der Heijden, Ad van Gerwen, Bas Broekhuis, Ingrid Lohuis and Klaus Hoffman Hoock. Some of the selections feature Ron's penchant for live synth trios, others feature synth duets and percussion. The highlight is the cosmic and ethereal "Through Mental Doors." That piece features narration by Louise, Harold's masterful drumming, a synth trio of Ron, Eric and Ad and Ad and Ron on didjeridu! It is one of the wildest outer space rides imaginable! The massive soundscape is carried by some wild sci-fi manipulations and some overblown sequences. Ron's didg drone sets it up and a synth drone takes it home. The whole album sparkles with energy and giddy zeal.

David Zinman and his Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra have all but completed what is without question one of the most invigorating Beethoven cycles to appear in the last few years. True to form, Zinman takes the latest Beethoven scholarship on board, which in this case includes some novel emendations to the opening of the Second Symphony.

Ron Boots: This is our third official live release and it gives an impression of the music we play as specials and encore pieces. In other words: This is all new music. You don't hear any familiar pieces from other CDs. That makes this CD unique, with music that was played once and will never be heard in this form again.
For us musicians this is the greatest way to perform; not being limited to studio versions, it gives us a feeling of freedom on stage and it certainly increases the amount of adrenalin in our vains during the performance…