Richard Koch

Renée Fleming performs in a wonderful version of Der Rosenkavalier with an all star cast. Sophie Koch, Diana Damrau, Franz Hawlata, Jonas Kaufmann perform in this Decca release with the Munchner Philharmoniker and Christian Thielemann conducting. For this filming, Baden-Baden Festival Opera is re-staging the celebrated Herbert Wernicke production, already seen in Salzburg (1995) and Paris (1998) – a stylish pastiche of vast mirrors, Viennese Baroque decorations, Hollywood-esque staircases and early 20th century evening wear.

This live recording of Ariadne auf Naxos in October 2014 took place not only at the site of the opera premiere of the version of the opera that we are best familiar with these days, but it also testifies Christian Thielemann’s first conducting engagement of a scenic performance of a Strauss opera at the opera house on the Ring. The cast includes Soile Isokoski as Ariadne, Johan Botha - in one of his latest performances before his untimely death - as Bachus, Daniela Fally as Zerbinetta, Sophie Koch as the composer, Jochen Schmeckenbecher as the music teacher and Peter Matic as the dancing master. Many attendees of the premiere of Strauss’ first version of Ariadne - which was intended to succeed Moliere’s Le Bourgeois gentilhomme and for this reason was six hours long - felt that they had just been part of a first-rate funeral.

Die schweigsame Frau was first presented in 1935; Hitler and Goebbels refused to attend because Stefan Zweig, the librettist, was a Jew and Strauss had restored his name to the program after the Nazis had insisted it be removed. It was a great success but was withdrawn for obvious reasons after three performances. It was not played again until 1946.

Die schweigsame Frau was first presented in 1935; Hitler and Goebbels refused to attend because Stefan Zweig, the librettist, was a Jew and Strauss had restored his name to the program after the Nazis had insisted it be removed. It was a great success but was withdrawn for obvious reasons after three performances. It was not played again until 1946.
The opera is a comedy, and despite its large scoring (no Ariadne, this), you’re never overwhelmed by it. Except for being more human and tender, the plot is almost identical to Donizetti’s Don Pasquale: old man is duped by nephew and friend (a barber in this case) into “marrying” young woman he thinks is quiet (the “silent woman” of the title) who really is married to his nephew; she immediately becomes noisy and difficult; they “divorce”, and everyone is happy.

Die schweigsame Frau was first presented in 1935; Hitler and Goebbels refused to attend because Stefan Zweig, the librettist, was a Jew and Strauss had restored his name to the program after the Nazis had insisted it be removed. It was a great success but was withdrawn for obvious reasons after three performances. It was not played again until 1946.
The opera is a comedy, and despite its large scoring (no Ariadne, this), you’re never overwhelmed by it. Except for being more human and tender, the plot is almost identical to Donizetti’s Don Pasquale: old man is duped by nephew and friend (a barber in this case) into “marrying” young woman he thinks is quiet (the “silent woman” of the title) who really is married to his nephew; she immediately becomes noisy and difficult; they “divorce”, and everyone is happy.

Die schweigsame Frau was first presented in 1935; Hitler and Goebbels refused to attend because Stefan Zweig, the librettist, was a Jew and Strauss had restored his name to the program after the Nazis had insisted it be removed. It was a great success but was withdrawn for obvious reasons after three performances. It was not played again until 1946.

Criminally overlooked by academics, critics and purists who refuse to listening to anything outside of conventional jazz vernacular, Andy Bey's delivery on Experience and Judgment goes beyond anything he previously committed to tape, revealing a spiritual side that's punched up and supported by a jazz-funk ensemble. The album's opener "Celestial Blues" finds Bey delivering lines that wouldn't be out of place on Bill Withers records from this era, and the remainder of the album sounds similar to the works of such contemporaries as Roy Ayers and Gil Scott-Heron. It's soul soothing music that's been played with great reverence by the rare soul and funk community for years and rightly so, as Bey captures the essence of the soul world brilliantly, and fuses it into something that is uniquely his own.

Elvin Jones may have established himself as one of the greatest drummers of all time, but equally important to him was his nurturing of young musicians. His Jazz Machine opened the door to several upcoming musicians, including Delfeayo Marsalis, Antoine Roney and Ravi Coltrane. He characteristically took delight in their playing, thus forging an emphatic bond. His attitude also served to enrich the music of the band.

The Microscopic Septet - Take The Z Train (1983) {Koch Jazz - KOC-CD-7863 rel 1998} (Phillip Johnston)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 287 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 100 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 33 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1983, 1999 Press / Phillip Johnston / Koch Jazz | KOC-CD-7863
Jazz / Progressive Jazz / Modern Creative / Post-Bop / Saxophone

The quirky music of the Microscopic Septet defies classification, other than it is swinging jazz blended with R&B and a host of other influences, full of twists and turns, yet remaining very catchy and accessible. Their debut LP originally came out on the Press label and was finally reissued as a Koch CD in 1998. Much like the musicians that made up Spike Jones' City Slickers in the 1940s, only some very talented players could follow these demanding charts; yet unlike the comparison to Jones' records, there is nothing that is obviously or purely cornball about this music.