This page allows you to compare the bird voices in Messiaen's Réveil des oiseaux with recordings of the actual birds in question. The melodic translations are sometimes fanciful but the rhythms are incredibly precise. (Link courtesy of Radiohead.) ... An Unamplified Voice delivers another thoughtful critique of Gelb's Met.... KFJC, the radio station of Foothill College in Los Altos, CA, is broadcasting Berio's complete Sequenzas tonight at 6PM. There will be commentary from Berio scholars David Osmond-Smith and Janet Halfyard and from Brian Brandt, head of Mode Records, whose Sequenzas recording sets the standard. A 24-hour Sun Ra tribute follows. All this is part of Mayhem 2007, a month-long multi-genre festival somewhat reminiscent of the famous Orgies at WHRB — which on Wednesday begins broadcasting the complete Ligeti.... The hip event tonight in NYC is the Orchestra of the SEM Ensemble, playing — together again for the first time — Strauss's Metamorphosen and Stockhausen's Zeitmasse.... Speaking of Osmond-Smith, he has co-authored, with Paul Attinello, a lively-sounding article in Contemporary Music Review: "Gay Darmstadt: Flamboyance and Rigor at the Summer Courses for New Music."
