My iPod was cranked this morning, earbuds jammed into my ears, shuffling
(page 32) Steely Dan during the commute to the office; their concert will resume during my trek home. Apple holds sway at work, too, where I edit, write and traffic articles while listening to iTunes — occasionally Pandora.com or nutsie.com — with a pair of noise-canceling headphones (page 77). Today, I listened (sort of) to Stravinsky, Fauré and Brad Mehldau — never music with words when I’m working with words.
But should I find the time and energy tonight to preview a new classical release from ECM, Harmonia Mundi or Naxos, I will be listening to it on a compact disc, played on a stereo, out loud, while I am centered and seated in front of speakers, liner notes in hand. This is the way I listen to music when I’m only listening to music.
I enjoy the accessibility, convenience and portability of listening to music online, on computers and on MP3 players, but these tools are best for music as incidental, as soundtrack, music as white noise. If the concert hall provides the ultimate listening experience (where we presumably give our undivided attention to performers we have paid to hear), the next best experience is a good — or even decent — stereo system with music played on CD. The compact disc remains the premier audio format available, second only to Super Audio CD (SACD), whose viability beyond independent labels remains questionable. The CD also offers a quality, permanence and packaging not available from MP3s or streaming, making our listening experience more immersive and therefore more complete.
In our spring issue, we have a plethora of CDs to recommend, as well as headphones with which to listen to them. But first, we hear from Marin Alsop, look further into the struggles of classical radio and ponder postmodern precursors to the iPod shuffle. We investigate the growing community of American wind bands, the niche market of art case pianos and the history of the Baroque concerto. Conductor Robert Spano, pianist-arranger Dejan Lazič and producer Jared Sacks discuss their efforts to recast the Brahms Violin Concerto. Arranger Gil Evan’s fluency in classical, jazz and beyond is revealed. We learn what’s in store for conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and I’ll wow you with my insight into contemporary staging of opera. Finally, organist Cameron Carpenter shares his idea for solving the conundrum of his instrument’s immovability.
Best,
Ben Finane
Editor in Chief
editor@listenmusicmag.com
