Music

Next to books, music is my other favorite. Listening to music, that is; the three years I spent studying the piano as a kid accomplished little more than making the lives of my teachers miserable.

One of my latest discoveries is Astor Piazzola. It seems I am not the only one; Piazzola's music suddenly appeared in every record store I know of, and it was even featured as the music of a recent Hollywood film, 12 Monkeys. Piazzola is the father of modern Argentinian tango; his compositions, such as his Adios Noniño have a unique, incredibly sad but beautiful sound. One of the best records featuring Piazzola music (and a very good one to listen to if you are new to his music) is from the CBC (MVCD 1079): Grand Tango, by the Musica Camerata Montréal.

Another discovery was the music of Nino Rota. He is, of course, the composer who wrote the music score for Fellini's unforgettable films like 8½ or La Strada. Listening is believing: the record I have in front of me is from ITM Records: Rota/Music to the Films of Frederico Fellini is the title. (And to think that there was a time when I hated Fellini's films ...)

For something completely different, try Jan Garbarek. What this guy does with the soprano saxophone is unique. A great record from him is Legend of the Seven Dreams (ECM 1381).

Yet another composer I recently became acquinted with is Kurt Weill. He's of course best known for popular songs like the September Song or the Ballad of Mack the Knife (Macky Messer) from his Threepenny Opera, but he wrote some rather amazing pieces of "serious" music as well, such as his Second Symphony.