"Burn" by Deep Purple, the rebirth of the band

On February 15, 1974, when "Burn" finally hits record stores, there is a lot of anticipation among hard rock fans. The work is in fact the first recorded by the new formation - called Mark III - and marks the rebirth of a band now given up for dead.

But how did that come about? Deep Purple were not new to lineup changes, so much so that the Mk III acronym makes it clear that we were already on the third reshuffle. Born in 1968 with Rod Evans on vocals and Nick Simper on bass, the Mk I had lasted the space of an album, “Shades of Deep Purple”, a good work but still immature. The addition of Ian Gillan, frontman with a powerful and flexible voice and indisputable stage presence, and bassist Roger Glover, had brought the hoped-for fruit; after some time of adjustment the legendary masterpieces of the group had arrived: "In Rock", "Fireball", "Machine Head" and the fiery live "Made in Japan". Blackmore's blazing riffs and his extremely personal soloism, Gillan's screams, Jon Lord's rides between rock and baroque on the organ and a rhythm section (with Glover and Ian Paice) of unprecedented power, had imposed the five boys English as one of the vertices of the hard rock triangle composed with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

But one thing that line-up could do even better than rock: fight.

Between endless tours and all the excesses typical of a rock star's life, contrasts were the order of the day, especially between Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Gillan, musicians with as much talent as their huge ego. At the end of June 1973, the news that has been in the air for some time finally arrives: Ian Gillan, followed by Roger Glover, leaves Deep Purple.

At that point the chances of the band moving forward are really slim; obviously it will not. Ian Paice and Jon Lord attend a concert one evening by Trapeze, a band of some success in the rock cauldron of the early 1970s, which features an exuberantly talented singer and bassist: Glenn Hughes.

Lord and Paice make two and two: the solution to move forward is at hand and to replace the two resigning ones, it is enough to convince Hughes who - obviously - accepts on the fly.

Who gets in the way is the management of the band: Deep Purple have established themselves as quintet and quintet must remain. Then we continue to search and the story here acquires the contours of the legend. David Coverdale, a boy in his early twenties with long blonde hair and the cavernous voice of a bluesman, sings in an amateur way with some bands and works as a shop assistant in Redcar to support himself; one day he publishes an ad on "Melody Maker" looking for a real band and records a demo in which - clearly tipsy - he sings some covers. Incredibly, he was chosen and, overnight, he found himself from clerk to frontman of one of the most important rock bands in the world.

On paper, the new line-up has everything to amaze and to worthily continue the history of Deep Purple, there is only to deal with the public, fond of the Mk II line-up; the perfect amalgamation between the voices of Coverdale and Hughes, however, is miraculous and bodes well. So dark and perfect for the lower registers that of the blond David, so ductile and excellent in the upper parts that of Glenn; their voices are perfectly complementary, so as to allow daring vocal harmonies and a swerve towards territories veined with funk and soul, as will certainly be more evident in the following “Stormbringer”. The enthusiasm, then, is typical of new beginnings.

However, not everything works properly and “Burn”, it must be said immediately, has not only positive sides; if, up to at least "Machine Head", the evolution of Deep Purple had been constant and almost miraculous, giving each time to the press works that are always different from each other and with a precise musical direction, the process with "Burn" is a little 'less.

As much of the critics point out, despite "Burn" is a good record, with very strong songs and with the novelty of the double singer that is well exploited, Deep Purple inevitably begin to be a bit of a representation of themselves, proposing a formula that from then on - also thanks to the end of the golden age of rock - will always be the same, net of the great quality.

A separate note for the cover, with the faces of the musicians transformed into candles in a rather questionable way; the artwork - it must be said - has never been the highlight of the complex.

Let's see how this “Burn” sounds, analyzing the tracks.

We start with the titletrack, and we are immediately faced with one of the most exciting moments of the disc.

The song attacks with a typically Blackmore-style killer riff, immediately making it clear that - as in the famous phrase of “Il Gattopardo” - “If we want everything to stay as it is, everything must change”. The riff - and we have a nice surprise right away - is incredibly shaped

on “Fascinating Rhythm”, a song composed by George Gershwin in 1924, while the lyrics are written by David Coverdale and discuss, at the kind request of Blackmore, on witches and demonology. The blond singer immediately had the opportunity to show everyone his talent, hitherto unknown, while Hughes’s equally precious uvula was immediately exploited in bridge and for harmonization. For the rest, the song is a long ride in perfect Mk II style, with incandescent duels between Ritchie's six-string and Lord's organ, as always suspended between hard rock and classical music. We can only imagine the enthusiasm of the fans at the time, in finding an even more cohesive band despite the change of line-up, and a piece that in the Mk III live will replace the legendary "Speed ​​King".

It goes on with "Might Just Take Your Life", the song that was chosen as the album's first single. Here too we are in the presence of a piece that is based on a masterful riff, this time guided more by Lord's organ, but with a decidedly more sedate rhythm than "Burn". Coverdale and Hughes share the vocals equally and harmonize properly. However, Glenn has ample opportunity to show off his undoubted singing qualities. The song closes with a long organ solo.

“Lay Down, Stay Down” opens with a saloon piano that quickly gives way to a nice almost Hendrix-like riff and voices that alternate singing in staccato; here the song seems to lend itself more to Coverdale's powerful vocality, even if it is perhaps the piece where the lack of Ian Gillan becomes heavier. Ian Paice's drum shot is deadly as always and Blackmore's solo is pulled at supersonic speed; however, Ritchie’s inspiration does not seem at the top.

"Sail Away" is a not too celebrated song from our songbook, however it is - in the opinion of the writer - one of the most inspired passages of the work, and one of the few in which you really hear a musical direction that strives to be new . The riff of Blackmore's Stratocaster shines for groove - it almost sounds like a Stevie Wonder piece - and Coverdale's singing is quite right: here too the good David seems more at ease than Hughes, especially in the beautiful chorus that ends with the harmony of the two voices. Lord opens the instrumental section with a slow and suggestive keyboard part, while the coda is up to Blackmore with an alienating slide guitar part. A very successful song and finally something that sounds different from the past.

Even "You Fool No One" has a very particular structure, with a base still at the limits of funk and - curiously - the verse sung by the two harmonized voices that separate to intone the chorus; it usually happens the other way around, not that it's a written rule though. In the middle of the piece, the usual instrumental break starts with Blackmore's guitar solo; once again a flood of almost Hendrixian notes, yet good Ritchie seems slightly less sparkling than in the past. However, a piece in front of which you can not help but bow.

"What’s Going On Here" is a curious song, a nice bluesy boogie quite dissonant in the Deep Purple production; Blackmore's guitar lazily blues and Lord's piano evokes the famous “Roadhouse Blues” by the Doors several times; the inspiration that however seems to come out most, very bizarrely, is that of the first ZZ Tops, especially in the blues-like solo by Ritchie Blackmore, very much indebted to certain passages by Billy Gibbons. A good breath of fresh air, although perhaps fans of the typical Mk II sound might find themselves blown away.

The following “Mistreated” is another of the big hits of “Burn”, an overwhelming and painful slow blues, where David Coverdale finally takes the spotlight by himself, giving the best of his abilities. The song had been written by Ritchie Blackmore a couple of years earlier and already considered for "Machine Head". The strong black component of the ensemble, however, was deemed unsuitable for Gillan's vocal characteristics, and "Mistreated" had ended up in a drawer.

The song opens with the heavy gait of Blackmore's riff that heralds Coverdale's painful scream. David and Glenn Hughes initially recorded very structured backing vocals for the lead part of the guitar, however Blackmore - who certainly didn't mind doing and undoing - felt that the sound of his Stratocaster was not so prominent. Years later David Coverdale, initially disappointed by the wasted experimental work, nevertheless agreed with the official version of the arrangement. However, the song remains a worthy masterpiece in the band's discography, a miraculous balance between blues and melody, between melancholy caress and hard rock. Lord's contribution, as in much of the work, is less than in the past.

"Burn" closes c or the most bizarre and unsettling song, “A 200”, a sort of bolero split between Blackmore's guitar and Jon Lord's synthesizers that the keyboardist had started experimenting at that time. The rhythm refers a lot to some instrumental parts of the first album, the "Shades Of" that every now and then came back to peek out from the scores of the ensemble. The synthesizer part winks at the prog but also at the famous soundtrack of "A Clockwork Orange" by Walter Carlos. The guitar part is quite inspired, with Ritchie playing with putting as many notes as possible into each bar. Lord's synthesizer regains possession and carries out this bizarre experiment, perhaps not very consistent with the rest of the record but which effectively testifies to the last gasps of an era full of experimentation.

"Burn" ends like this, perhaps leaving the listeners a bit stunned, but with the satisfaction of an album that - while certainly not the band's masterpiece - worthily continues the history of Deep Purple. The road seems to be paved for other great successes, and instead the following “Stormbringer”, with its turn towards warmer and less hard sounds, will so dissatisfy Ritchie Blackmore that the guitarist will say enough is enough and will go to form Rainbow.

The future of Deep Purple will be marked by continuous line-up changes - which from 2002 will settle with the Mark VIII - and there will be room for many returns and as many departures.

"Stormbringer", Deep Purple's funk twist and Blackmore's farewell

The addition of the new bassist Glenn Hughes, coming from Trapeze and endowed with a voice with high registers and a ductile and clean timbre, and of David Coverdale, a vocalist with complementary characteristics to those of Glenn and with an important stage presence, had brought a breath of freshness.

“Burn” had sold very well, carrying on the hard rock and proto metal style that had rightly made the band legendary, net of some soul and blues streak brought by the new singers. However, Blackmore and especially Lord seemed slightly weakened compared to their contributions and the usual rate of innovation for which Deep Purple moved the bar a little higher with each record, seemed to be less. “Burn” was an excellent record, made up of some great songs and with the novelty of the double voice, however it marked a certain stasis under the compositional profile.

We arrive in November 1974: a few months after "Burn" comes the sequel, "Stormbringer". The tensions in the compositional phase and in the recording studio - especially between the bizarre guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and David Coverdale - are important; the first pushes to maintain a high rate of epicity in the lyrics and atmospheres, as well as insisting on the hard sound that has made the history of the group. Coverdale often keeps his head on the issue of writing lyrics and - also supported by Hughes - would like to point the direction towards a sound strongly oriented towards soul, funky and black music in general.

The sparks lead to a compromise that is not too productive: divided between traditionally hard pieces and heavily funk passages, “Stormbringer” is a poorly cohesive record and the victim of a design dichotomy that jeopardizes its complete success.

Mind you, taken one by one, the pieces are almost all valid, apart from some obvious slips, however the band lacks a real artistic direction, divided between almost metal songs - the title track - and pieces at the edge of the American AOR (" Hold On ”), which wink at overseas radio airplay.

The result is not long in coming: taking as a pretext the failure to insert a cover of the prog group of Quatermass, Blackmore slams the door and leaves. He will found Rainbow, a band where he will finally be able to dominate as he sees fit and which will get good results, at least initially. The market is also showing itself rather tepid and “Stormbringer” will not completely renew Deep Purple's previous hits.

However, the group decides to go ahead on the funk road and replace the charismatic Blackmore with the young and talented Tommy Bolin; plagued by chronic drug addiction problems, the guitarist will have time to fire the discreet “Come Taste the Band”, before dying of an overdose, ending the first part of Deep Purple's career with his tragedy.

So let's see how this “Stormbringer” sounds.

The record is produced by the famous Martin Birch, a sound engineer who had cut his teeth with the first blues rock - Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac in particular - and who will become number one among metal producers.

The long plain opens with the piece that gives the collection its title, “Stormbringer”, and which is perhaps the most successful piece. Let's imagine the reaction of the Deep Purple fan who found himself putting vinyl on the plate in that November 1974: probably the reaction would have been that of the most genuine enthusiasm. “Stormbringer” is in fact a piece in perfect Deep Purple style, worthy of the best pages. A tight rhythm section that anticipates metal, on which Coverdale dictates with his powerful vocalism and with Blackmore who gets in with the right guitar fills and with a solo that perhaps represents his swan song within the formation; the sound is distorted and the phrasing is tight without reaching paroxysm. The only drawback is perhaps the too subtle contribution of Jon Lord, who punctuates the piece here and there with synthesizers. A flawless opening.

Unfortunately, already with the subsequent "Love Don't Mean a Thing", our hypothetical 70's listener risks getting the inevitable metalhead beer wrong; driven by a rather light organ riff, the piece sports a trend between pop and funky and an over-the-top performance by Coverdale, all of groans and screams, is not enough to raise the tenor of the piece; when Hughes' turn comes the situation becomes even more bleak, a lopsided cross between Stevie Wonder and Traffic. Not surprisingly, Blackmore's contribution is limited to the instrumental coda, resolved with a very clean sound and some blues phrasing: certainly not what fans expect from the pyrotechnic guitarist, certainly subdued in this piece.

The next “Holy Man” opens with Beatlesian suggestions and Blackmore's slide guitar that quotes Harrison's. The vocal part is the prerogative of Hughes, who demanded more space and not to deal only with bass and vocal harmonies. The result is not despicable and is placed among the almost melodic ballads of the band, not disfiguring but certainly not even doing anything memorable; the almost country refrain sounds peculiar and the instrumental contribution of Blackmore and Lord is nuanced. Gone are the days of guitar - organ duels resolved in endless rides.

"Hold On" continues showing perhaps too much lightness and still the voice of Hughes to be the master; in the chorus one almost seems to hear bands like Electric Light Orchestra hybridized with ZZ Top at the beginning of their most commercial period. Blackmore's solo, with unexpected melodic overtones, sounds much like the homework done in an excellent way but without any momentum; Lord's short organ part only increases the regret for the past: we are more on the side of Steely Dan than on the wild rides of Manzarek and the Doors; times are changing, but a bit of nostalgia also comes now.

"Lady Double Dealer", after three pieces with a high glycemic rate, lifts the morale of the most rockers a bit; it is a robust hard rock with a fast and sustained performance. The refrain with the choirs and the strong melody is a counterbalance but is pleasant. Blackmore, evidently more at ease, plays a solo of his own, complete with a kitschy use of the vibrato lever as in the good old days of the Mk II. A beautiful sustained piece that in “Stormbringer” almost looks like a workhorse: in “Machine Head” it would probably have been a filler.

The next "You Can't Do It Right (With the One You Love)" returns to stepping on the accelerator pedal on the funk. The voices of Coverdale and Hughes alternate effectively and harmonize in the choruses of the chorus, the rhythm is sustained and the result is good. The missing Jon Lord returns to peep with a solo on the synthesizer that certainly does not leave its mark, while Blackmore - as in almost all funk episodes - is definitely out of sight.

"Highball Shooter" opens with a nice blues riff - a bit "Lazy" - and goes on sustained offering a fairly in-tone rehearsal with the more traditional Deep Purple and with the voices of Hughes and Coverdale alternating as always with effectiveness. In the middle of the piece, Lord's organ solo starts, heralded by Ian Paice's drum cut, and it really seems to be back in the good old days. Blackmore's guitar is in hiding a bit this time, however the piece is very successful.

The disc closes by regaining altitude with two beautiful ballads. The first is "The Gypsy", supported by a nice riff and a rocky rhythm that is the basis of an epic melody that recalls certain things from the early days of the band (the beautiful and unrecognized "Hallelujah").

The solo offers a rare Blackmore performance on the slide, where the guitarist doubles himself in overdub; nothing transcendental but evocative enough.

The closing of the disc is up to "Soldier of Fortune", a melancholy ballad with epic themes, unusual in the band's repertoire but curiously risen to a true cult object, covered by various bands, including Opeth and Whitesnake of Coverdale himself.

Opened by Blackmore's classical guitar, the song is sung in a painful and flawless way by Coverdale and perhaps owes something in terms of structure to the beautiful “Waiting Around to Die” by the great Townes Van Zandt, underrated folk artist.

The electric guitar part is very measured and perhaps leaves some regret for what could have been another "Child in Time", if not Deep Purple's "Stairway to Heaven".

In short, "Stormbringer" is a decent record, with some excellent songs and others that are decidedly forgettable, recorded by a group that by now could no longer make up for the too discordant yearnings of the various components with technique and craft. In the mid-seventies the English hard rock triangle, consisting of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, was practically dismantled. Page and Plant's group had moved on to increasingly complex and experimental records, perhaps unable to replicate the first four masterpieces; Black Sabbath were definitely turning to heavy metal.

Deep Purple - slaves to chronic internal problems - tried the key to funk, but the facts proved him wrong and, despite the good records, the band - after Bolin's death - will return to the studio only in 1984.

Andrea La Rovere - Musical Wave

Rod Stewart concert screening delights care home residents

STAFF and residents at a York care home have been rocking out to the greatest hits of Rod Stewart, in a specially planned concert that was particularly close to one resident’s heart.

Staff at Ebor Court discovered that 88-year-old resident, Dot Hudson, is a self-proclaimed super fan of the British rocker, but despite having all his records and being an avid collector of his memorabilia, she had never attended a concert.

Staff organised a concert for Mrs Hudson using a large cinema TV to screen one of Rod's performances at the Royal Albert Hall. Staff brought snacks and drinks including some of her favourite fizz to mark the special occasion.

Mrs Hudson said: "The staff here are absolutely fantastic and always go above and beyond to make residents dreams come true! I used to regret never going to a concert but now I can tick that off my list thanks to the team here at Ebor Court. I had a wonderful evening."

Rod Stewart in Celtic recovery roar as he writes off Rangers defeat with rousing Hotline return

Fraser Wilson takes your calls with Sir Rod first in line to have his say on the derby

Rod Stewart once sang I Don’t Want to Talk About It but the Celtic -daft rocker was only too keen to mull over his side’s derby disaster on a Hotline special.

Sir Rod is becoming a bit of a regular on the blower after big games and he was back yesterday to defend the Hoops despite Neil Lennon failing to get a tune out his depleted side on Saturday.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer still has Reason to Believe the champions will be back. But after Lennon fumed about his team being leaked ahead of kick off in the 2-0 defeat to Rangers it’ll be very much ‘You’re in my Heart, dig out the Mole’ at Parkhead this week.

Sir Rod was gracious as always in defeat when he said: “To my dear Rangers fans, top marks to the Gers on Saturday as you were by far the better team.

“But can you imagine your boys without Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Scott Arfield, Steve Davis, Connor Goldson and Glen Kamara? We were decimated. It’s not an excuse, just a fact. We’ll be back. Sir Rod.”

And just like that the great man was gone.

Which opened the door for one of the most heated Hotlines since … well the last Old Firm.

Robert Montgomery, Kirkconnel, kicked us off: “So Lennon thinks he has a double agent in his dressing room leaking his team sheet. All I can say to that is ‘ma mole’! Lennon picked that horrendous team so the blame lies directly with him and his backroom staff. Well done to Stevie Gerrard and his team who outplayed Celtic in every position except in goals where Allan McGregor could have put in for a rest day as he wasn't required.”

Jimmy Murray, Edinburgh, said: “Lennon now has his agent defending him on social media. Pathetic. He was totally outclassed by an under 19 year old coach is his first management job. Even Deila was man enough to put his hands up and admit he couldn’t do the job. Lennon is a total embarrassment to the club. But sadly when he is emptied he will be replaced by a guy who doesn’t have a clue and has crawled his way through the ranks since his 28-match career came to an end through injury.”

Roy Graham fumed: “There will be no 10 in a row as long as Lennon remains the manager at Celtic, he has to be removed now, supporters are going to have to act and protest to get him and his puppet master Lawwell out of the club. They are both taking Celtic backwards. Barkas is one of the worst goalkeepers ever at the club and bringing Duffy in on loan is proving to be a mistake, he cost Celtic against a poor Rangers team. But the all round Celtic performance should have Lennon hanging his head in shame.”

Gordon Ashley, Ayr, followed-up with: “As much as I love Lennon, I can’t argue with the fans who say he should go anymore. They have been proved right as he has had his pants pulled down three times by a rookie manager with a much smaller budget. Peter Lawell took a gamble with 10 in a row and he must now make the hard decision or the blame will lie with him.”

Eddie Easson, Ballingry, said: “Well done to Rangers, they wanted it more than Celtic. There is something seriously wrong at Celtic and it all goes back to earlier in the season when Lennon publicly slaughtered the team. He keeps on saying everything is rosy but obviously it is not. The supporters are starting to pick up on this and so too Dermot Desmond.”

And Stevie Delaney, St Andrews, mused: “Celtic were outmuscled, out thought and well beaten. Patryk Klimala is an imposter and Callum McGregor had his worst game in a Celtic jersey. The only positive for me was derby debutant Stephen Welsh.”

Dr Robert Pender took aim at the big guns in Hoops shirts. He slammed: “Celtic’s biggest problem is how Scott Brown slows the team down. His aggression is all mouth and Duffy the same. He played the occasion and not the game, shouting all week how he would be a leader but slow and ineffective.”

John Caw emailed: “It hurts me but well done Rangers. They beat the most lacklustre Celtic team I have ever had the misfortune to watch. No pace, nothing! And as for Ntcham, how this character gets a game is beyond me.”

Jack Armstrong, Bathgate, said: “Rangers played us off the park. The coaching at Celtic has never been the same since Damien Duffy left. I’ve never seen so many disjointed Celtic sides than I have in the past few months. Hopefully we get our mojo back as leagues aren't won in October.

Lewis Doyle, Limerick, added: “Again the Old Firm game showed the Celtic weakness. They lack creativeness and if the rest of the league get their teams to just sit in I’m afraid Celtic will be struggling for third spot unless there is a dramatic change in personnel at the club. Guys it pains me to say this: 10 will be gone.”

Lance Little, Erskine, isn’t concerned though. He said: “Here we go again. Rangers win at Parkhead and all of a sudden they are world beaters and will stop the 10. It'll be another false dawn and the pressure will be too much. They will start dropping points even earlier this season and league will be over by Christmas. This is how the story ends....again.”

But James Wilkie, Glenrothes, said: “Apparently Celtic were yet to find top gear - they found REVERSE at home and natural order was restored. Know your place 55 is coming and the bookies are rarely wrong.”

Andrew Lamb, Fraserburgh, added: “Looks like Lennon’s Invincibles aren't so invincible after all. Well done Rangers, especially big Connor Goldson, a colossus.”

The four basic sounds of piano and its development ‎throughout history

ALL OF THESE PIANISTS —amateur and professional—drew on the music available in their time, a repertoire that mushroomed decade by decade.

That creative storehouse is still expanding, as composers explore the instrument’s endless possibilities, drawing from its strings, hammers, and soundboard suggestions of the gentle resonance of an orchestra’s winds, the boisterousness of its brass, the featherlight strums of its harp, and more. The piano’s design makes it all possible.

Across the keyboard, different locations, or registers, provide their own individual sonic imprints. On the far left side, the lowest, deep bass notes are capable of sinister mutterings and thunderous growls. In the middle of the instrument, where the singing ranges of men and women meet, the sound is solid, clear, and warm. The highest treble notes, on the far right, tinkle, glitter, and ring like chimes

These vibrations are all picked up and amplified by the piano’s soundboard. In modern pianos, it’s a thin sheet of spruce—fine-grained and elastic—maintained in an arch shape and kept under a constant level of tension. As the strings cause this diaphragm to vibrate, it transmits its waves to the surrounding air, which
then move the elastic membranes of our ears. We experience these vibrations as sound when the varying pressure on our eardrums induces oscillations in small bones, which in turn cause a spiral-shaped structure called the cochlea to generate an electrical signal to the brain.
A player can further shape the outcome through foot pedals hanging below the keyboard’s center. On modern instruments, there are usually three: on the far right, the sustain, or damper, pedal, moves the dampers (which muffle the vibrations after a depressed key has returned to its original position) away from the strings, allowing them to continue resonating; on the left, the una corda, or soft, pedal, shifts the playing mechanism over so that the hammers will strike
only two strings (in Beethoven’s day it was only one string, hence the “una”) rather than the three assigned to most notes; and in the middle, the sostenuto pedal sustains only certain selected notes (those that are struck and held just before the pedal is depressed). Using these, pianists can add bloom to the sound, dull it, or suspend a choir of tones in the air while allowing others to bubble up and disappear without a trace.

The great pianists often used these pedals in combination, the way a painter mixes tinctures to find just the right color. Some, including Beethoven, used the sustain pedal along with the una corda pedal to create a special sonority for highlighting themes that recurred within a piece. According to one observer,
Chopin also “often coupled them to obtain a soft and veiled sonority [and] he would use the soft pedal alone for those light murmurings which seem to create a transparent vapor round the arabesques that embellish the melody and envelop it like a fine case.” As Chopin biographer Frederick Niecks remarked, “Every pianist of note has, of course, his own style of pedaling.” For example, the difference between the playing of Sigismond Thalberg and Franz Liszt, who met on the piano field of battle, was described by one witness as that between “an atmosphere charged with electricity and quivering with lightning” (Liszt) and one “floating in a sea of purest light” (Thalberg). Their pedal techniques had
much to do with it.
Even the shape of the piano’s individual tones provides a foundation for myriad styles and musical approaches. The very name piano actually suggests what we hear when its keys are struck.

Uttered out loud—“p-ia-n-o”—the word begins with a small burst of air, as the p escapes abruptly from pursed lips; linguists call this an unvoiced plosive.

It’s the first thing we detect as the instrument’s soft hammers are flung against taut strings; there is a subtle but percussive pop on impact, a barely discernable

In its wake, a soaring diphthong arises: ia—two vowels strung together and held out just long enough to suggest the birth of a song. But this new sound soon becomes pinched—only briefly—by the nasal n, before sailing outward, with rounded lips, into a final o, in an intimate gesture of openness.
Listen to the tones emanating from the instrument and you’ll discover a similar sonic profile. Play any simple chord and after the initial percussive hammer strikes (p), as the strings begin to vibrate, the sound stirs and blossoms like the singing of vowels. But pay close attention and you’ll notice a slight wavering—as if the strings are ever so softly repeating that n—while the music fades slowly into the openness of the surrounding air. (Those wavering sounds
are known as “beating,” and they result from a slight out-of-tuneness that occurs between the strings.) The sound is in constant flux, brimming with life.
Musicians may exploit any part of that tonal configuration, along with the instrument’s dynamic flexibility, to achieve their musical goals: emphasizing its percussive beginning, for instance, for rhythmic vitality; its long, leisurely diphthong for languid melodies; the loud roar of hammered keys and the whispers from those gently pressed for music filled with emotional turbulence; the magical resonances that occur when tones interact in particular combinations, creating a unique atmospheric chemistry. That’s why the piano can perfectly render the lyrical simplicity of a Mozart melody or the rhythmic snap of an Oscar Peterson run, the explosive din of Beethoven’s fury or the shimmering mists of a Bill Evans ballad.

An ancient cosmologist might note a relationship between the four
components of the piano’s sound (the percussive pop, singing diphthong, shimmering wave, and gradations of volume) and the primary building blocks of the world described by Empedocles in the fifth century BCE: earth, water, air,and fire. They are, it turns out, also convenient metaphors for describing the nature of the musical universe.
The element of fire, for example, suits the Combustibles, figures like the turbulent Ludwig van Beethoven, rock ‘n’ roll’s Jerry Lee Lewis, and jazz avantgardist Cecil Taylor, who bring edge-of-your-seat volatility to the keyboard, exploiting the piano’s vast dynamic range to give birth to music that can smolder and explode.
The supple nature of water suggests the quality of the Melodists, such as Romantic composer Franz Schubert, classicist J. C. Bach, and jazz pianist
George Shearing, whose streams of tones suggest sinuous waves, rising and falling and curling back on themselves in soft arabesques. Jean-Jacques
Rousseau, who declared that melody was the basis of all musical expression, claimed it was born of our most primitive impulses crying for release. But others have compared melody to nature’s gentle geometry: the soaring arcs of birds in flight, the spirals that build nautilus shells, the graceful undulations found in desert sands.
Air befits the world of the Alchemists, musicians such as jazz pianist Bill Evans, impressionist Claude Debussy, and bebop eccentric Thelonious Monk, who are masters of atmosphere. Combining tones (and silence) in mysterious ways, they transform the mundane ingredients of musical composition into haunting, resonant worlds, like alchemists changing ordinary lead into gold. While melody seduces, alchemy entrances.

Finally, the solidity of the earth is the fundamental quality of the
Rhythmitizers, like rock performer Fats Domino, Latin jazz pianist Arturo O’Farrill, and classical composer Sergei Prokofiev: musicians who take the percussive “pop” that brings every piano tone to life and place it center stage.
Rhythmitizers bring the swing to jazz, the spice to salsa, and the trance to minimalism. If melody tugs at the heart, rhythm’s symphony of pulses ignites the rest of the body’s musculature with music that twitches, lurches, taps its feet, and wriggles its hips.
No musician can be forced into just one of these types. Beethoven might unleash fireworks in one moment and conjure angelic reveries in the next. Most great artists find the boundaries permeable. Indeed, these essential musical elements are usually intertwined; almost all melodies are infused with a rhythmic contour. Still, composers, improvisers, and interpreters, no matter how chameleonlike, tend to display particular traits in their pieces, and history often

remembers them in that light. For that reason, it’s often possible to place diverse artists who worked continents and centuries apart, and in vastly different genres, within these four basic rubrics.

Music in Traditional African Culture and the Artistic Horizon

Having said all this, it would still be necessary to provide a broad perspective on one
dimension in which certain socio-musical activities can be perceived artistically. 

The performance of indigenous music is now frequently divorced from its original social and religious setting. For example, the Apirede (Ashanti executioner's) dancemay be staged
in a concert or on a national park as a form of secular entertainment without any
accompanying execution (though this may sometimes be dramatised). Similarly a war
dance, performed by school children in a festival, does not necessarily signify hostilities
or tribal warfare taking place, and no one would expect to witness war activities.
Various forms of tribal rituals are nowadays performed as musical, dance or drama
pieces in theatres built in Western European fashion. Although these are perceived
aesthetically, it is not in the same way as we may listen to a Brahms symphony with
such "disembodied concentration". Whatever the music, whatever the medium, and
wherever it is staged, it is evident that the audiences are not "participant" audiences,
though they may frequently breach their designated space with shouts, clapping, and
waving arms (Yi-Fu-Tuan, 1990: 243). Subsequently, throughout the country, alongside
the developments in choral music there has been a steady growth in the number of
'cultural' drama, music, and dance ensembles. Most of thesegroups take inspiration and
guidance from the activities of the National Dance Ensemble. Even such art works as
sculptures which
might have been created for exclusively ritual and or spiritual purposes,
.. are today increasingly produced for sale to tourists or foreign commercial
buyers. Many such 'made for export' works imitate traditional pieces, or in
any event continue a ritual artifact tradition beyond the survival of the
beliefs that underpinned it, indeed, beyond the life of the ritual itself

It is perhaps easiest to see an artistic dimension of music in a specific cultural
ceremony. For example, watching a funeral celebration, we can identify a number of
participating groups. First are the elders who are seatedto receive donations on behalf
of the bereaved family. This group is culturally obliged to be present. The second are
sympathizers and well-wishers; who must also fulfil social and moral requirements. The
third group are by-standers. Their presence is largely to appreciate the whole
proceedings from which both cultural lessons are learned and aesthetic pleasures are
derived. A funeral is, therefore, to a large extent, a kind of dramatic performance but
based
upon cultural conventions. It is also a time to learn: like a work of art, it teaches.
"The master-of-ceremonies, priest, [chief mourner], producer, or director createsart from
the ensemble of media and codes
 There are actors as well as
critics. These proceedings could occur without the accompaniment of music, if for
example, the deceased was known not to have actively participated in communal
projects during his or her life time.
However, a few yards away from this group, the musicians-a highlife band, a
choir, a brass band, or any indigenous musical association
- set up their stage. 

Their music serves to unite the minds of all attendants to sustain the spirit of the funeral, and

as "a summation activity for the expression of values, a means whereby the heart of the
psychology of a culture is being expose" (Merriam, 1964: 225). To the musicians, all
those present at the funeral ceremony - elders, sympathizers, and spectators- constitute
a target audience who must be treated to a satisfactory performance. In the musicians'
opinion, the occasion is also for them to display their expertise, and win the confidence
and admiration of the public. In part, their invitation to future social and similar
functions is dependent upon the success of that day's performance. They therefore
strive to achieve the best level of artistic excellence. Furthermore, some of the
spectators present may have nothing to do with the funeral at all. These are drawn to
the arena by the music. Some may come from other villages, far and near, attracted by
a particular musician or group of musicians in attendancethat day and their presenceis
purely aesthetically motivated.
At this stage, then, the funeral takes on a different meaning besidesa mere cultural
performance. It becomes a concert hall, though not in Western theatrical sense, in
which activities are simultaneously culturally mediated, artistically shaped, and
aesthetically inspired.
Let us take the extreme case of the Sisala of Northern Ghana as another example.
The
gangaar drums have been sounded. "An elder is dead, and all sympathizers are
invited". There, under the tree, are seatedthe drummers, and facing them is a group of
women, wailing and pacing up and down to the rhythm of the drums. They are
surrounded by other members of the village who are looking on enthusiastically though
not without sympathetic feelings. To the ordinary observer, the significance of this
might be blurred, but to the main actors, who know the traditions and code of values,
it is quite explicit: it is a musical activity. 

Blending the sound of wailing with the rhythm of drums is an artistic enterprise. It is a cultural activity which serves as "a
moral and symbolic force, a symbolic indicator of change, and a link with the past and
future" , but what is being presented on stage,for both the living and
the dead, is art. Nothing seems to happen at random but activities are musically and
artistically interwoven, controlled and directed by the master drummer just as the
conductor of a symphony orchestra "blends and opposes the sounds of the different
instruments to produce an often unrepeatable effect" (Turner, 1988: 23). No matter how
deeply emotional one feels about the loss of the elder, you cannot join in this musical
mourning if you are not an expert drummer or if you are unable to synchronise your
steps with the rest of the singers. The performers are engaged in a creative activity,
combining fact and memory on one hand, imagination and adventure on the other. As
Richard Schechner has argued, "It is also clear that rituals are not safe deposit vaults of
accepted ideas but in many cases dynamic performative systems generating new
materials and recombining traditional actions in new ways" (Schenchner, 1993: 228).
The question remains, what are the by-standers doing? Are they sympathizing or
attending a concert? It is unlikely that anyone present would not require both a
musicianly and an artistic attitude in order to appreciate this artful cultural performance.
Visually, it is a ritual, drama, but aurally, the spectators are listening to music.
In this chapter we have raised several setsof puzzles, between old and new, falsity
and truth, myth and reality. It could be said that the issue of what is social and what
is artistic about traditional African music remains a challenging phenomenon for
scholars. However, the ethnic creative capacity of traditional Ghanaian musicians has
been pointed out, but this leaves some important questions unanswered. What role do
children play in the socio-musicalactivities in Africa andwhat impact do thesemusical
developments have on their creative experiences?
As
we now pursue the task of making education more relevant to the child's
environment, it becomes incumbent upon educators to seeknew insights upon the world
in which the children live. Children are part of us; that is, they are part of our
environment, but they also have their own world within the larger one. Every adult has
beena child before and every child is a potential adult. Thus it could be saidthat the
roots of our culture are the children. Children's educational needs may be better
illuminated by an understanding of the ways in which they live in, build up and increase
mastery over their surroundings. The next chapter surveys the underlying musical
experience of Ghanaian children and the extent to which they are involved in music
creatively.

Legendary Artist and Philanthropist Herb Alpert Announces Herb Alpert Award in the Arts to Double Number of Awardees for 2021

The Herb Alpert Foundation which funds the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts will double the number of annual award recipients from 5 to 10 while maintaining the $75,000 unrestricted prize given to each winner in the five categories of dance, music, film/video, theatre and visual arts. The Foundation also adds immediate COVID-19 related support to artists in need and increases/accelerates grants to existing grantees.

Legendary trumpeter and philanthropist Herb Alpert has announced that the 27th annual Herb Alpert Award in the Arts (HAAIA) will be presented to ten artists, doubling the number of awardees from past years. The award includes an unrestricted prize of $75,000 for winners in each of five categories: dance, film/video, music, theatre and visual arts.

Herb Alpert, speaking to the financial crisis many artists are facing said, "If doctors, nurses, and firefighters are our first responders then artists, society's truth tellers, are our second responders. How can we as a society not do everything – more than we think - to support them in this crisis?”

The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts (HAAIA) was conceived by Herb Alpert and his two-time Grammy-winning vocalist wife Lani Hall Alpert to reward creative experimenters who are challenging and transforming art, their respective disciplines, and society. In addition, the awards provide vital financial support to each artist at a key juncture in their creative development. Past winners include: Suzan-Lori Parks, Catherine Opie, Carrie Mae Weems, Vijay Iyer, Taylor Mac, Tania Bruguera, Okwui Okpokwasili, Derek Bermel and Michelle Dorrance.

On this year’s major change to the awards, Lani Hall Alpert said, "Giving the award to five talented artists every year for the past 26 years has been incredibly gratifying. But the effect of the pandemic on the arts made us realize that we needed to do more. That’s why we've doubled the number of awardees for next year.”

The HAAIA has been overseen since its inception by founding director Irene Borger, who has watched the impact the award has had on the 130 recipients so far. Irene noted, “If a prize to an individual artist is doing its work, the benefits can inspire, shake up, irritate, move, and move others to action. May the impact of the ten artists be exponential.”

In addition to the $75,000 unrestricted prize, awardees are given a week-long artists residency at CalArts (California Institute of the Arts) which has administered the prize for 26 years. CalArts president Ravi Rajan added, "We all know why Herb and Lani didn't hesitate one bit to do this -- because they too are artists, and they see how artists will model that better future for us all."

In 1985 Herb Alpert and Lani Hall Alpert established the Herb Alpert Foundation to oversee their philanthropic efforts focused on the arts and compassion and well-being. Since then, hundreds of organizations have been positively impacted by the Foundation’s funding and support.

Rona Sebastian, president of the Herb Alpert Foundation, talking about the dynamic couple whose passion started it all, said, "Support to artists, whose voices are the heart and soul of our democracy, has always been important to Herb and Lani. It led them to start the Herb Alpert Award 26 years ago when the National Endowment for the Arts funding to artists was eliminated. And now, under incredibly difficult times, the desire to increase their support to individual artists is central to their philanthropic work."

Adapting strategies to the current crisis has been a priority for the Foundation. The first order was to commit continuing support to the existing pool of grantees, while also seeking opportunities to provide immediate relief to individuals in crisis. To do so the Foundation identified several organizations that could provide specific COVID – 19 emergency support and added additional funding for those objectives to existing 2020 commitments. These included six figure grants of additional COVID-19 relief / support to Chrysalis, the Jazz Foundation, the Good People Fund, and Artists Relief. Another priority was to expedite 2020 grant payments to grantees for which cash flow issues were pressing.

Rona Sebastian added, “In general, we see our funding addressing two levels of need simultaneously……direct emergency support as well as funding for ensuring longer term sustainability of our grantees as we continue to weather this terrible crisis situation.”

About the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts

The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, a program of the Herb Alpert Foundation, is an unrestricted prize of $75,000 given to ten, risk-taking, mid-career artists working in the fields of dance, film/video, music, theatre and the visual arts. The prize was initiated and funded by the Herb Alpert Foundation and has been administered by the California Institute of the Arts since 1994. The Award honors and supports artists respected for their creativity, ingenuity, and bodies of work, at a moment in their lives when they are poised to propel their art in new and unpredictable directions. The Herb Alpert Award recognizes experimenters who are making something that matters within and beyond their field.

About The Herb Alpert Foundation

The Herb Alpert Foundation envisions a world in which all young people are blessed with opportunities that allow them to reach their potential and lead productive and fulfilling lives. Over the past few years, the Foundation has focused on core areas, such as “The Arts,” a broad category that includes arts education, a focus on jazz, and support to professionals. This also includes programs that seek to use the arts to help meet the needs of underserved youth and to help build competencies that will enable them to become successful adults. The other core area is “Compassion and Well-Being,” which celebrates the positive aspects of human psychology and seeks to bring more empathy and compassionate behavior into our society. Please note: the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

About CalArts

CalArts (California Institute of the Arts) is recognized internationally as a leading laboratory for the visual, performing, media and literary arts. Housing six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theatre—CalArts educates professional artists in an intensive learning environment founded on art-making excellence, creative experimentation, cross-pollination among diverse artistic disciplines, and a broad context of social and cultural understanding. CalArts also operates the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT) in the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex in downtown Los Angeles.

1979: When 'General Hospital's Luke Raped Laura While Herb Alpert Played The Trumpet

 

Luke and Laura are the General Hospital couple everybody knows, except their well known drama sentiment had a clouded side. In an October, 1979 scene, Luke and Laura met at a club, and Luke carried out a jailable wrongdoing against his future spouse, as a Herb Alpert disco hit played on circle. Was 1979 such a long time ago? Socially, yes it was. The Luke-and-Laura story curve is tricky, no doubt, given 21st-century perspectives about assault and rape. 

A Storyline To Improve Ratings 

General Hospital, which debuted in 1963, was set in the anecdotal town of Port Charles, New York. All through the 1960s, it had good evaluations, yet during the '70s, the show's notoriety was in decay. The organization was going to drop the show in 1978, Instead, they chose to grow it from 45 minutes to 60 minutes, yet with a final offer: the makers needed to improve the appraisals in a brief timeframe. 

Luke Was Only Supposed To Be A Temporary Character 

Gloria Monty chose to move Laura Vining, a youngster played by Genie Francis, to the front line of the show so as to pull in more youthful watchers. Laura started a relationship with Scotty Baldwin, which made Bobbie Spencer bring her sibling Luke, played by Tony Geary, to Port Charles so as to separate Scotty and Laura. His underlying agreement was for 13 weeks, and once that agreement was fulfilled, he would pass on in Laura's arms. 

A Confession Of Love Beforehand 

In 1979, Pat Falken Smith turned into the head author and composed the assault storyline. The scene was at first proposed to be savage, yet Monty eliminated a portion of the merciless language and savagery, and re-arranged it so the scene showed up more like an enchantment, yet it was unmistakably an assault. 

At the point when Luke showed up in Port Charles, he began to work at the Campus Disco, where he met Frank Smith, the tax evasion mobster who was utilizing the disco as a front. Laura, who had hitched Scotty, additionally started working at the disco, attempting to set aside cash to purchase Scotty a law library. The evening of the assault, she was trusting that Scotty will get her in the obscured disco when Luke showed up, turning on the lights. Laura endeavored to comfort the distressed Luke, who was being compelled to wed Frank Smith's girl. After Luke discloses to her that he will bite the dust in a month, he announces his adoration for her and afterward says that he won't pass on without holding her. With Herb Alpert's "Ascent" playing out of sight, they move as Laura opposes him. They tumble to the floor, with Laura letting him know "no." When police discover Laura in the recreation center, she doesn't uncover the name of her attacker. 

Joyfully Ever After? Of Course Not 

Inevitably, Scotty discovers that Luke was the attacker, tosses him over the edge upon the arrival of Luke's wedding, and Luke is assumed dead. Obviously, Luke isn't dead, Laura and Scotty separation, and Laura weds Luke, yet not before the pair rout the detestable Mikkos Cassadine and his ground-breaking ice machine and spare the world (this is a drama all things considered). 

Everybody Cheered For The Couple 

Luke and Laura's ensuing marriage on November 16, 1981 was viewed by 30 million watchers and turned into the most elevated evaluated hour in American drama history. Elizabeth Taylor, an aficionado of Luke and Laura reached the show to request an appearance just with the goal that she could go to the wedding. During the appearance as Mikkos' widow Helena Cassadine, she reviled the upbeat couple. 

The Scene Made "Ascent" A Hit 

Pundits of the storyline have considered it a case of "constrained temptation." General Hospital attempted to gloss over the assault, clarifying that Luke assaulted Laura out of adoration. The scene really assisted with establishing the couple's notoriety with fans, and they turned into a "supercouple." It additionally helped a melody ascend on the diagrams. After the scene, Herb Alpert's tune "Rise," which was played during the assault scene, and again at whatever point the assault scene was referred to on the show, turned into a number 1 hit. 

At long last Confronting The Past 

In any case, these were various occasions, and as of late, General Hospital has at last faced the storyline they had made 20 years sooner. For about a year, the drama defied the issue of assault in an alternate manner, with the presentation of Liz Webber, who was additionally assaulted. Luke and Laura's child, Lucky gets associated with Liz and Lucky gets some answers concerning his dad's activities. Part of the storyline zeroed in on Lucky's disclosure, and part of it zeroed in on Laura at last going up against Luke and looking for guiding.

Luke Bryan Surprises His Mom for Her Birthday

Luke Bryan's mom, LeClaire, recently rang in her 73rd birthday, and while she thought she'd be spending the day at home in Mexico Beach, Florida, she got a surprise when her family showed up for a surprise. In videos posted on social media, Bryan, his wife Caroline and their two sons, Bo and Tate, were in the car together discussing the surprise they were about to pull off, which Caroline documented on her Instagram page.

"So we're riding around the block to surprise momma for her 73rd birthday," Bryan said in a video a few slides into a carousel Caroline posted celebrating LeClaire. "She has no clue that we're here in town, she's gonna die," Caroline said as her husband added, "She is going to flip out. It's going to be awesome." "Any words, Bo?" Caroline asked her son, to which he replied in the negative as Tate put in, "Happy Birthday!"

The previous video captured the aftermath of the family's surprise, LeClaire hugging Tate as Bryan asked, "We gotcha, didn't we?"

The slideshow began with a video of LeClaire getting another surprise as she sat at her kitchen counter, her son creeping up behind her before pressing his mom's ribs and making a loud noise, causing LeClaire to jump up from her seat. "Happy birthday to this psychopath. We love you [LeClaire]," Caroline captioned her post. "Thank you for loving my crazy a— too. you keep us entertained every single day!!!! Happy birthday MIL!!!"

LeClaire also documented the group's recent trip on her own Instagram page, posting a photo of Bryan smoking a cigar while riding on an electric scooter with a basket attached to the front. "Appears Luke had a ball on my fun birthday I ever had. We had a blast," she wrote, while Caroline commented, "Oh dear Lord..."

Bryan also left several messages on the photo and declared that "it's official. Hollywood hasn't changed me. [...] Bad part is I spilled my drink in that basket. I'd like to announce my campaign for chairman of fun for Mexico beach Florida."

The Bryan family's trip to Florida came after they stopped in Georgia to visit their nephew, Til, who recently began his first semester at the University of Georgia.

Reba McEntire Speaks Out for the First Time About Her Relationship With Boyfriend Rex Linn From 'CSI'

Reba and Rex, sitting in a tree ... ❤️

2020 has felt like anything but a fairytale, but for Reba McEntire and CSI Miami star, Rex Linn, it’s managed to become just that.

In the October 5 episode of Living & Learning with Reba McEntire Podcast, titled “Dating,” Reba opened up about finding new love in the midst of a pandemic.

In the episode, Reba revealed that she and Rex shared their first date back at the beginning of the year and then the pandemic hit in February.

Given Rex’s Instagram following is notably less than Reba’s, it’s understandable that this budding romance stayed mostly hidden from fans until Reba announced it on her podcast. Nevertheless, when scrolling back to January 23 of this year, users will find none other than a snap of Reba and Rex—who is 63 years old—on what we can assume to be one of the couple’s first dates.

“Had a fantastic dinner with this Oklahoma girl,” he captioned the post, in which the two looked quite cozy. “Tater Tots and Ketchup included.”

View this post on Instagram

Had a fantastic dinner with this Oklahoma girl. Tater Tots and Ketchup included. @reba

A post shared by Rex Linn (@rexlinn13) on Jan 23, 2020 at 10:16am PST

Of course, fans were quick to show their support for the new couple. One fan commented, "Loving this match!!" while another added, "I so happy for the both of you.😀😀"

Another fan offered a not-so-subtle warning to Rex (but it was all in good fun, of course!)—"Treat our mama Reba good. She has cyber kids to and we will get you! #kidding 😂😂😂 Best wishes to you guys!"

While it can be difficult to find new connections during quarantine, Reba and Rex found a way. “We were talking, texting, FaceTime,” she said. “And that's a really good way to get to know people.”

Beyond allowing the two to connect genuinely, Reba and Rex’s first date was able to bloom into so much more. And, she says his presence in her life has been a source of security during this truly crazy time.

"It's good to have a person to talk to, laugh with, get into subjects about what's going on,” the 65-year-old singer admitted. “Discussions about our past, our family, funny stories, him being an actor, me being an actress. And he's very into my music. I'm very into his career. It's just great getting to talk to somebody who I find very interesting, very funny, very smart, and is interested in me, too."

Needless to say, we couldn’t be happier for Reba and Rex. Though it’s worth noting, we could have experienced this joy all the way back in January had we had our eyes on the right places!