Category Archives: Music

Jethro Tull’s Songs from The Wood

Songs From The Wood was released in February 1977, after Jethro Tull had avoided doing major concert tours for almost two years, and Ian Anderson had moved from the city to the countryside, which allowed him to indulge his interest … Continue reading

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Lúnasa: The Story So Far

Strange as it may seem from someone who’s been writing about music – at GMR of all places – for several years now, one area in which I am less cognizant than I should be is traditional Celtic music. I … Continue reading

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Clannad’s Landmarks

I always think of Clannad as an Irish traditional group, which they aren’t — at least, not any more. Traditionally grounded, yes, as one can see from their early recordings, but what has become their signature style incorporates bits of … Continue reading

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Rosanne Cash’s Blue Moons and Broken Hearts: the Anthology 1979-1996

Rosanne Cash is the daughter of the legendary Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian. She has a brand new album out which is being strongly promoted. This disc, Blue Moons and Broken Hearts, is an anthology of her earlier work. … Continue reading

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String Sisters’ Live

There seems to be something magical about the number “6” when you’re talking about fiddles. Maybe that many fiddlers reaches a kind of critical mass that sets off a chain reaction of some sort. At any rate, when the six … Continue reading

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Anonymous 4: Gloryland

Gloryland is Anonymous 4’s second foray into traditional Anglo-American music, and with their usual scholarship and insight, they’ve brought out a near-perfect collection. The material is focused on imagery of the journey, and the presentation is arresting. There’s not really … Continue reading

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Gustav Mahler: The Complete Symphonies

Both Tim Page and Erik Ryding, in their essays accompanying this Sony reissue of Leonard Bernstein’s landmark cycle of the complete symphonies of Gustav Mahler, give Bernstein pride of place in Mahler’s “rehabilitation” in the 1960s. While I don’t want … Continue reading

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Roger Norrington, conductor and The London Classical Players’ Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9 Symphonies 

Listening to these recordings of Beethoven’s nine symphonies, plus the overtures to “Creatures of Prometheus,” “Coriolanus,” and “Egmont,” I find myself right back in the middle of the “tradition versus innovation” argument. This is particularly entertaining, given that the subject … Continue reading

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Ludwig van Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets

Beethoven Early String Quartets Beethoven Middle String Quartets Beethoven Late String Quartets Beethoven String Quartets Live (DVD) Mmm . . . two of my favorite things in one review: Beethoven and string quartets. I willingly confess to a weakness for … Continue reading

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Béla Bartók: Bartók: Solo Piano Works

Vol. I: Seven Sketches (Sz 44), Sonata 1926 (Sz 80), Fifteen Hungarian Peasant Songs and Dances (Sz 71), Four Dirges (Sz 45), Allegro Barbaro (Sz 49) Vol. II: Suite (Sz 62), For Children (42 Hungarian Folk Songs) (Sz 42), Three … Continue reading

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