Stories » Warts-and-all, Ron Howard's 'PAVAROTTI' is about as well-crafted a documentary as one could ask for / we are MOVIE GEEKS

Stories for December 02, 2020

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    The history of aviation is full of outlandish tales and colorful figures. PRX: The World discusses 'To Shiver the Sky' with composer Christopher Tin
     
    Posted At : December 2, 2020 2:20 PM

    Recognized as the first artist to win a Grammy Award for music written for a video game, composer Christopher Tin released his new album 'To Shiver the Sky' last summer. It marks Tin's major label debut after signing to Decca Gold.  To Shiver the Sky, is "an oratorio about the history of flight, and mankind's quest to conquer the heavens," explains Tin. The ambitious 11-track album will also mirror that story with the parallel evolution of Western classical music. Tin ultimately settled on eleven historical figures which are "our greatest astronomers, inventors, visionaries and pilots," he details. Each of whom serve as the basis for a composition, adding up to a kaleidoscopic epic that crosses centuries, continents, and perspectives.  The history of aviation is full of outlandish tales and colorful figures. PRX: The World's April Peavy discusses the project with the Califormia based composer.  LISTEN TO THE SEGMENT

  • Keith Jarrett - Budapest Concert makes Echoes November 2020 Top 25
     
    Posted At : December 1, 2020 12:00 AM

    Budapest Concert is the second complete show to be issued from Keith Jarrett's 2016 European tour, recorded two weeks earlier than the widely-acclaimed concert released as Munich 2016. The new double album documents the pianist's solo performance at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall in Budapest. Jarrett, whose family roots reach back to Hungary, viewed the concert as akin to a homecoming – also with regard to his lifelong affection for Bartók, as he explained to the audience - and the context inspired much creative improvisation.  Keith Jarrett - Budapest Concert makes Echoes November 2020 Top 25. SEE THE CHART

  • Olafur Arnalds - some kind of peace makes Echoes November 2020 Top 25
     
    Posted At : December 1, 2020 12:00 AM

    'some kind of peace' is the stunning new album from the ground-breaking composer and producer Ólafur Arnalds, available now on Mercury KX. The record features a brand new track 'The Bottom Line' ft. Josin, alongside a beautiful video featuring the work of Japanese flower artist Azuma Makoto out today, and 'Loom', Arnalds' collaboration with Bonobo. Also out now is 'finding some kind of peace', a very special behind the scenes film about the new album. Ólafur has been confirmed as the closing act for Iceland Airwaves' virtual festival, ‘Live from Reykjavík', on November 13th, where he will perform mostly new material played live for the very first time. Ólafur's music will also play a major role in the forthcoming Netflix documentary on Shawn Mendes, 'In Wonder', which is set to be released on November 23rd. Ólafur has also recently surpassed a staggering 1 billion streams, an incredible milestone for the Icelandic multi-instrumentalist. Olafur Arnalds - some kind of peace makes Echoes November 2020 Top 25.   SEE THE CHART

  • Shunia - Breeze At Dawn makes Echoes November 2020 Top 25
     
    Posted At : December 1, 2020 12:00 AM

    The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell. Don't go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don't go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don't go back to sleep. Rumi was a 13th-century Persian poet, theologian, and Sufi mystic. Rumi's influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions. People of many countries have greatly appreciated his spiritual legacy for the past seven centuries. Rumi has been described as the "most popular poet" and the "best selling poet" in the United States. Rumi believed passionately in the use of music, poetry and dance as a path for reaching God. Rumi encouraged listening to music and twirling, or doing the sacred dance. The dance represents a mystical journey in which the seeker symbolically turnstowards the truth, grows through love, and finds the truth. The seeker then returns from this journey, with greater maturity, to love and to be of service to the whole of creation without regard to beliefs, races, classes and nations. It was from these ideas that the practice of whirling Dervishes developed.  Rumi's poems have been widely translated into many of the world's languages and today Rumi's poems can be heard in churches, synagogues, Zen monasteries, as well as in the downtown New York art/performance/music scene. Recordings of Rumi poems have made it to the USA's Billboard's Top 20 list. A selection of his love poems have been performed by artists such as Madonna, Goldie Hawn, Philip Glass and Demi Moore. Shunia - Breeze At Dawn makes Echoes November 2020 Top 25. SEE THE CHART

  • Helene Grimaud creates a 'dialogue' between Mozart and Silvestrov on 'The Messenger'
     
    Posted At : December 1, 2020 12:00 AM

    Pianist Hélène Grimaud has created a "dialogue" of sorts between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the Ukrainian-born contemporary composer Valentin Silvestrov in her latest album "The Messenger."  The recording presents three works by Mozart, all in chronological order and in minor keys.  Grimaud sees his use of the minor as suggestive of "confrontations with fate or destiny".  Written in memory of his late wife, Larissa Bondarenko, Silvestrov's The Messenger – 1996 "establishes a connection between the world that once existed and the present day."  It offers "both a response to and an echo of Mozart's music – this idea of acknowledging and paying tribute to what has gone before is central to his art as a composer." I hope you enjoy the discussion with Hélène and Classical Music Host@VPM Music - Mike Goldberg about this project and her approach to the works that are included. LISTEN  

  • Olafur Arnalds 'Spiral' from 'some kind of peace' makes NPR Music's 'No. 1 Albums And Songs Of November'
     
    Posted At : November 30, 2020 12:00 AM

    On this edition of All Songs Considered, we pick our favorite music released in November 2020, featuring Kali Uchis' heart-struck devotionals, Tierra Whack's playful pop, metal duo Jucifer's tribute to Arabic music and Salaam Remi's star-studded soundtrack of the Black experience, as well as; Ólafur Arnalds: "Spiral" from Some Kind of Peace. Some Kind of Peace is a perfect description of what lies within; it's the most impactful record I've heard this year. At its center is Ólafur Arnalds' calming piano and electronics, which often sets the tone for the many collaborations heard within. (By the way, you can listen to my conversation with Ólafur Arnalds in the All Songs Considered podcast feed.) This is music that works as background or foreground, rich in textures making it the perfect headphone album. - Bob Boilen SEE THE FULL NPR PAGE

  • Sharon Isbin's 'Affinity' is the 90.1WRTI Classical Album of the Week
     
    Posted At : November 30, 2020 12:00 AM

    In his concerto for guitar and orchestra, Chris Brubeck pays homage to his father, the late jazz great Dave Brubeck. The pianist and composer, whose centennial we celebrate on December 6th, passed away in 2012. Brubeck's piece is the title track of our Classical Album of the Week. Guitarist Sharon Isbin's Affinity features music inspired by different cultures and genres, and has a personal story behind each work.  When Chris was writing his 2015 concerto for guitar and orchestra for her, Sharon says he wanted to tap into her broad-ranging musical interests. He was "intrigued by the idea that I'd worked with so many people from so many different genres."  Sharon met with me on Zoom in late September, 2020, and shared the personal stories behind the Brubeck piece and the other music on the album, which includes works by Cuban composer Leo Brouwer, Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro, Chinese composer Tan Dun, and American composer Richard Danielpour. Sharon Isbin's 'Affinity' is the 90.1WRTI: Philadelphia 'Classical Album of the Week.' READ THE FULL ARTICLE & WATCH THE VIDEOS

Top 10 for Dec

  • Christian Loffler :

    Parallels

     Invited to experiment with Deutsche Grammophon's Shellac Project – a collection of digitized material restored from early 20th-century 78s in a collaborative initiative with Google Arts & Culture – German musician, visual artist and producer Christian Löffler has created his own experimental electronica tribute to Beethoven.
  • Martin Phipps :

    The Crown - Season 4 S-track From The Netflix OS

     Sony Music today announces the November 20 release of THE CROWN: SEASON 4 (SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES) with music by BAFTA and Ivor Novello Award-winning composer MARTIN PHIPPS (Black Mirror, Peaky Blinders).
  • Hans Zimmer, David Fleming :

    Hillbilly Elegy - Music From the Netflix Film

     Milan Records today releases HILLBILLY ELEGY (MUSIC FROM THE NETFLIX FILM) with music by Academy Award®-winning composer Hans Zimmer and frequent collaborator David Fleming.
  • Olafur Arnalds :

    some kind of peace

     'some kind of peace' is the stunning new album from the ground-breaking composer and producer Ólafur Arnalds, available now on Mercury KX.
  • Chloe Flower :

    Carol Of the Bells

     Dynamic pianist CHLOE FLOWER has given the Christmas classic "CAROL OF THE BELLS" an eloquent twist on her latest single, which was co-written and co-produced alongside GRAMMY® Award-winning icon Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds.
  • Michael Ball | Alfie Boe :

    Together At Christmas

     They're back! Just in time for the festive season! Musical duo Michael Ball and Alfie Boe have joined forces again for a magical new album ‘Together at Christmas', out now on Decca Records.
  • Tigran Mansurian :

    Con Anima

     Conceived jointly by violinist Movses Pogossian and violist Kim Kashkashian on the occasion of Tigran Mansurian's 80th birthday, the Con anima project brings together a dedicated cast of players to perform the chamber music of Armenia's great contemporary composer.
  • Elina Duni, Rob Luft, Fred Thomas, Matthieu Michel :

    Lost Ships

     Lost Ships is the first collaborative album from Elina Duni and Rob Luft.
  • Dino Saluzzi :

    Albores

     Recorded in Buenos Aires last year, Albores [Dawn] is among Dino Saluzzi's most intimate albums, featuring the great Argentine bandoneonist alone with the instrument that has been his constant companion since childhood.
  • Stephan Moccio :

    Winter Poems

     Having amassed over 55M streams on his piano album ‘Tales of Solace' released earlier this year, Grammy and Academy Award-nominated composer, songwriter and producer Stephan Moccio returns with a brand-new instrumental Christmas album ‘Winter Poems', out on now on Decca Records.

Warts-and-all, Ron Howard's 'PAVAROTTI' is about as well-crafted a documentary as one could ask for / we are MOVIE GEEKS

Posted: June 21, 2019 12:00 AM | By: Admin
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In PAVAROTTI, director Ron Howard spotlights opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti, the most famous tenor of the past 50 years, so famous that even people who had never heard an opera knew his name. Even if you don't know anything about opera, you have probably heard of the Three Tenors – Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. If you are an opera fan, you know Pavarotti as one the great voices, the best tenor of the second half the last century and beginning of this one. Ron Howard's affectionate but honest documentary has something for both of those audiences.

Director Ron Howard's PAVAROTTI is about as well-crafted and entertaining a biographical documentary as one could ask for, hitting the highlights of the singer's career, his strengths and failings, and telling his personal story. It is a warts-and-all documentary, that looks beneath the famous exterior but which still leaves the audience feeling like they have gained an understanding of the man and a sense of why he has was both a great artist and a beloved star.

READ THE FULL we are MOVIE GEEKS REVIEW

Crossover Media Projects with Luciano Pavarotti

  • Luciano Pavarotti

    PAVAROTTI OMP

    To coincide with the theatrical release of the highly anticipated Ron Howard-directed documentary "Pavarotti," Decca Recordsreleases the original soundtrack, Pavarotti: Music From The Motion Picture.  from Decca/UMG.

    Pavarotti: Music from the Motion Picture draws from Pavarotti's rich recorded catalog and follows the arc of the film. It features selections from operas such as "Turandot," "La bohème," "Aida," "Tosca" and more as well as Italian songs and collaborations with friends such as Plácido Domingo, José Carreras ("‘O sole mio"), U2, Brian Eno, Passengers ("Miss Sarajevo"), and others. Touchingly, the complete recording of Puccini's "Donna non vidi mai," which Pavarotti dedicated to Princess Diana, is included. In addition to a special unreleased song with Andrea Bocelli, the soundtrack also features Pavarotti's duet of "Ave Maria" with Bono, available for the first time commercially. The song, recorded live during the 2003 "Pavarotti & Friends for SOS Iraq" benefit concert in Modena, Italy, is available now for streaming and as an instant grat download with digital pre-order. 

  • Luciano Pavarotti

    PAVAROTTI - THE GREATEST HITS

    To coincide with the theatrical release of the highly anticipated Ron Howard-directed documentary "Pavarotti," Decca Recordsreleases the new 3-CD best of collection titled Pavarotti: The Greatest Hits from Decca/UMG.

    The complementary releases both feature previously unreleased music and superstar duets with the likes of Bono, Elton John, James Brown, Lou Reed, and more.

    Pavarotti's incredible repertoire can be explored in depth with the new three-disc/digital best of collection, Pavarotti: The Greatest Hits, which serves as a companion to the soundtrack and film. The anthology features 67 of the world-renowned tenor's most well-known recordings and collaborations and includes the best of his "Opera Arias," "Italian Songs & Sacred Arias" and"Great Duets." Fittingly opening with his iconic performance of "Nessun dorma," the "Opera Arias" disc spans the opera legend's entire career and includes beloved performances from "La bohéme," "Rigoletto," "Pagliacci," "Tosca," "Carmen" and"Madama Butterfly." More than 20 of Pavarotti's most powerful works including "O Sole Mio," "Caruso," "Volare," "O Holy Night," "Mama" and"Funiculì, funiculà" are collected together on "Italian Songs & Sacred Arias."

  • Luciano Pavarotti

    The 50 Greatest Tracks

    Pavarotti 50 Greatest Tracks commemorates Luciano Pavarotti's 50th anniversary with Decca Records, and an unforgettable legacy of recorded music from one of the greatest voices of our time.  This definitive collection encompasses iconic Pavarotti selections,  including ‘Nessun Dorma,'‘Caruso,' ‘La Donna E Mobile,'and ‘Granada,' to incredible duets with fellow superstars Frank Sinatra, Bono, Eric Clapton and Sting.  Numerous milestones in the late-opera star's unprecedented career are captured here, including the first ever recording of Pavarotti's voice. The historic recording of the aria from La Bohème, ‘Che gelida manina' (‘Your tiny hand is frozen'), has been lying dormant in the archives for 50 years, only now to be unearthed by Pavarotti's widow, Nicoletta Mantovani Pavarotti, re-mastered and made commercially available for the first time. The 50 Greatest Tracks will be available October 22nd in the U.S. on Decca. 

    16 New 'ON' this week: 46 Total
    SYND:     PRI/Classical 24
    Direct: SiriusXM, Music Choice
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Wash DC, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Denver, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Detroit
    Online: WGOE