Karajan: beauty and Brahms

As published on The Supplementary Paper 

The year was 1978. It had been 24 years since Herbert von Karajan succeeded Wilhelm Furtwangler as principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. The relationship between orchestra and conductor was far from rosy. Karajan’s celebrity status, as a jet-setter sporting his famous kiss-curl hairstyle outshone by far the prodigious orchestra. The Philharmonic was subject to the egotism of its director, its ignominy epitomized by the numerous Karajan-centric music videos produced at the time. Still, Karajan’s tremendous mastery of orchestral direction is hardly contestable: there seems to be a certain magic to his every gesture. Or maybe it’s just pure charisma (he’s married to a model wife!)

The contention among critics today is that Karajan’s imposing terms has purged much of the Philharmonic’s soul, leaving much of the later recordings hollow and superficially despite their beauty. Karajan is reputed to have stripped the Berliner brass of its prowess, preferring to tune up the bass to cushion his luscious strings. This obsession over beauty, coupled with the complete musical mastery of artistic direction leaves his 1970s and ‘80s Beethoven cycle devoid of power and agony.

However, in this 1978 recording of Brahms’ 2^nd and 4^th symphonies, this beauty seems to serve the music very well. Brahms’ sophisticated orchestration calls for careful attention to balance and blend – an area which Karajan was most skilful at. The abundance of inter-weaving passages commands musicians to subscribe to the architecture of fluidity – a task fit for a genius musical dictator. (In this regard, powerful Leningrad renditions of these symphonies under Evgeny Mravinsky have yielded interesting results.)

By the late 70s, too, Karajan had become knowledgeable about the mixers and dials in the recording studio. Technology buff that he was, he was often guest to Sony CEO, Norio Ohga, so that he could access the latest toys. More importantly, the late Karajan recordings were edited and mixed by the maestro himself. While this is as close as one can get to understanding the music from the perspective of the conductor (literally a ‘director’s cut’), sadly the atmosphere and sonority of Brahms’ orchestration is somehow lost in this recording.

Will it be worth the USD12 or so for this disc? This really depends on the nature of the listener. Should one take classical music as second-hand smoke or simply as a means to de-stress, Karajan’s streamlining will assuredly soothe the nervous and frazzled. For the aspiring conductor, audio recordings are not the way to learn the ropes — there’s a trove of video resources on Karajan’s art that are more instructive. Sawallisch and Solti offer more sincere and genuine takes on Brahms for the musically-literate.

Brahms: Symphonies Nos.2 & 4 – Berliner Philharmoniker, Karajan
Deutsche Grammophon
International Release 02 Jul. 2012
CD 0289 478 4219 4 GB
http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/cat/single?PRODUCT_NR=4784219

Reference recordings:
Brahms Symphony No. 2
Sir Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Brahms Symphony No. 4
Wolfgang Sawallisch, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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Is it increasingly more difficult to believe in a faith?

People of the Muslim faith have been tested throughout the 20th century, and their struggle have only intensified into the 21st. 

Syria, Egypt and Tunisia all have seen the cover of prime local newspapers. The world has heard their plight in practising their faith in the light (or darkness) of tyrannic subjugation. Praises be to God the most Merciful, they have passed this test of faith, for now they have spoken, and the world has listened. 

Here lies the key: social media, really. True, increased exposure to the flurry of ideas through our computer screens do at times test our understanding of our faith. But we need not always be at the receiving end. It ultimately is up to the believer - he can either take a concerted effort in rooting out such information, or tackle them head-on. So, it is not quite social media making it hard for us to practise our faith, but we are only bounded by our own response to all information we receive. 

The key? Social media proved too formidable and inexorable a force to be reckoned with, even by the most powerful of men, good and bad.  The voice of the believers challenged the nerves of tyrants, and awakened world leaders into action - as represented by the American cruise missiles and French warplanes bombarding Gadaffi's forces in support of the Benghazi rebels, and the ouster of Mubarak, paving the way of an Islamist government. God is the Greatest!

See, the challenges to faith posed by social media, if being responded to in a responsible and constructive manner only serves to facilitate the bolstering of one's faith. Speak the truth and it will prevail. 

Inevitably the believer comes across information which genuinely challenge his belief. To this, I say, the rise of social media is in tandem with that of Google. The Internet is a treasure trove of knowledge which in the past were confined between the walls of scholars. Why not see this as an opportunity to gain knowledge and wisdom and hence only increase our faith. After all, "admitting one’s ignorance is the beginning of wisdom" (Socrates). 

Hence, this widening of opportunity for expression only means greater ease of not only believing but also to propagate your faith. 

Social media is not only the surging force of today. Let's not forget temptation. This too today rules Man; the king of kings reign supreme deep in Man's heart. We travel, we watch television and we succumb to the cultural forces of globalization for we admire some of these foreign cultures; their freedom in conducting themselves; concept of career success triumphs over the need for self-actualization and atonement. To this, I say, wait and see. Globalization, too, is an awesome force. Everyone will realize that globalization works two ways. They (the foreign) too will have to start accommodating the faithful and their practice. 

Why? For the bottom-line ones amongst us, the global Muslim population is forecast to increase by 35% in the next 20 years. Clearly, in weighing the cost and benefit of the changing world to faith, this number speaks for itself.

To be man or wo-man?

Transcending time, its accompanied progress in socio-economic circumstances across spaces, and the engagement in paradigm shifts by societies, the human condition remains a constant.


Surely, women have undertaken new roles far away from the kitchen - at the top floor of magnificent skyscrapers or in cabinet offices; being where the world's riches and power lie.
Still, no Hillary Clinton or Angela Merkel or Indra Nooyi can stand a chance in overcoming the forces of nature.

The sad truth remains: For as long as women have existed, they have fallen victim to the relentless menstrual cycle, and the excruciating pain of childbirth. 

These issues are exclusive to the female kind, while men can at most only sincerely emphatize with the plight of women.

Ranks, riches and power and related variables aside, is there much reason to believe that being a woman is better than being a man?


As trivial as this issue seems, it is a real, pressing issue. 

Quantitatively, it's worse than world hunger, poverty and HIV/AIDS: approximately half the world population are agonized by the monthly discharges alone, every month of their lives.

Given a choice of either side of nature in terms of sex, being a man is undeniably the more convenient (and rational choice). 

We will never have the luxury of setting the terms of nature to abide by, so when this is made a variable, then we should pay attention to it more than anything else.

Talk about inequalities and injustices in income, literacy and treatment by society, but there still is some degree of control to counter these forces for a female if she so desires. But Lady Fortune waits for no women in delivering the cramps.

Concert Review: Rite(s) of Spring

Source: Orchestra of the Music Makers – Official Website

http://www.orchestra.sg

The programme line-up for this evening is of particular interest. Yes, the pieces certainly fit squarely into the Singapore Arts Festival 2012 theme, Our Lost Poems. But the amalgamation of these three pieces in one evening is most amusing. Londoners made plain their dislike for Gustav Holst’s Beni-Mora during its first airing on 1^st May 1912, and exactly thirteen months later, the premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring in Paris instigated one of the most famous classical music riots in history. Meanwhile, this evening would see the world debut of Dr. Ho Chee Kong’s Passage – Fantasy for Cello and Orchestra. Could it be that the programme was orchestrated to create a scandal, as the former pieces had – this time in the humble Esplanade Concert Hall?

The evening opens with Oriental Suite-Beni Mora, a less-known orchestral piece by Holst, inspired by the sounds of the streets of Algerian. Having released an internationally-acclaimed album of Gustav Mahler’s first and second symphonies in 2010, it is no wonder that the OMM managed to give the world-class performance venue a beating, during moments of sudden and even abrupt climaxes and exploit its iconic atmospheric acoustics with the Algerian lyric passages, led by the flute, devoutly holding on to the E note in the third movement; yet the motif does not tire the audience given Holst’s mastery of harmonic texture.

Source:

http://www.liweicello.com

Dr. Ho’s Passage features Li-Wei Qin, who is hailed as “one of the most important Chinese cellists of his generation”, having appeared in venues around the world alongside conductors of the highest eminence. Li-Wei’s stage presence is a stark reminder of the pianist Lang Lang; visually foraging the hall, as if in search of inspiration to give life to the written notes, as so successfully he has done. The piece begins with a question posed by the solo cello that repeats itself in variations, in a painful search answers to the meaning of life. The orchestra has sufficiently matched the energy of the distressed cello, though there were portions when the cello seemed to be undermined by a zealous orchestra. Nevertheless, Li-Wei’s fiery cadenza was breath-taking, as he masterfully extracted the full depth and height of the sounds of his instrument. One was fortunate enough to be in the presence of a Yo-Yo Ma in the making; that too for a reasonable price.

Then, the hall turned pitch-black. An unannounced solo piece by Li-Wei was played, aptly to highlight Li-Wei’s star capabilities, and aptly too to summon the (in)famous beginning passage of The Rite by the bassoon, being forced to play in its highest range. This “misuse” of the bassoon famously infuriated composer Camille Saint-Saens at the premiere. This night, however, there can only be commendation of this solo by a culturally-evolved audience, mimicking crude Slav village song and noise. The Augurs of Spring, however, was disrupted by blatantly incorrect untimely entrances of the Eb Clarinet – a favourite instrument in Stravinsky orchestral pieces – to the point that the part was buried for full three measures. An unforgivable mistake in the presence of a paying audience.

Source: National Endowment for the Arts (USA)

http://www.nea.gov/about/40th/joffrey.html

The orchestra may have started not quite on the right note, nevertheless, the orchestra exhibited consistency and togetherness in ensemble playing, considering that the piece has “never been topped for sophisticated handling of primitive rhythms”¹ and has the most complex harmonies ever written. The mastery of these key characteristics was very prevalent through The Naming and Honoring of the Chosen One. The OMM received a very long applause (but short of a standing ovation) so very well deserved, but not for their music in entirety. Credit should be attributed to the immense ambition that this volunteer organisation possesses and dares to carry out. They dared to program sophisticated pieces, they dared to accompany a world-class soloist. And all these accomplishments just two years after its conception. Let’s also not forget that this society has been coined a ‘charity’ orchestra by the press. This is truly an all-rounded orchestra; contributing significantly to the local arts scene with its foray into high-order classical music, grooming youth in their craft, nurturing responsible young citizens. The OMM is on an exciting road ahead, and even the professional Singapore Symphony Orchestra may one day be made to run for its money.

Meeting challenge with resilience

Singapore has been battling challenges which threaten its very existence since its independence in 1965. Abruptly separated from Malaysia then, Singapore was left with little to survive on. The challenges then were managed very well by our leaders but our physical limitations continue to be a concern for Singapore’s economy. For a developed economy f today, not only has Singapore tackled age-old challenges, globalisation has also brought increased economic competition. Social and environmental issues have also evolved in the leap forward to the twenty-first century, yet again, by global happenings. Politically, it is vital that Singapore continues to have strong leaders at the helm. One can definitely say that Singapore has been very effective in managing the challenges of today.

Singapore has always been effective in tackling economic challenges. Being one of the four Asian tigers, Singapore had a head start in industrialisation as it welcomed by multi-national businesses - at a time when many of its Southeast Asian neighbours were most wary of them. Today, at least at the regional level, Singapore is faced with competition from its neighbours, particularly in the manufacturing sector, where their labour costs are low, while Singapore, given its scarce land resource and a modicum of manpower. In an economic world that values speed and rock-bottom operating costs, it is certain that Singapore cannot afford to remain content with what it has been doing for a little over two score years.

While Singapore emerged as one of the first industrialised Asian states, today it boasts to be a hub of many; a research and development hub, a tourism hub and an education hub, among others. Singapore is still manufacturing goods, but now these goods are those with high value-addedness. It has shifted away from making bicycles and canned pineapples to exporting hard-disk drives and wing clips of the Airbus A380. Restructuring of Singapore’s economy is by and large necessitated by its physical constraints while taking its strengths into account. Frankly, its neighbours are less able to compete with Singapore in the high-technology industries as the latter has always been emphasising education for its people. Education mobilises Singaporeans to engage in tertiary ad quaternary industries which are more profitable, productive and less land-exhausting. Here, it is clear that where Singapore is in danger of losing out, it has overcome its limitations to excel.

The Internet and social media has brought about a new set of challenges for Singapore today. As the world becomes as interconnected as never before, information spreads apace. This is beneficial to an information-oriented economy. Inevitably, bad information crafted by irresponsible parties threaten the social fabric of this country. Singapore before independence was plagued by racial unrests and riots which jeopardise our security. One may say that the Singapore government today is in paranoia when it comes to the local regulation of information. Such a claim is not with solely unfounded reasons. Its authorities are quick to put out any display of hostility between ethnicities in Singapore. Social media such as Facebook, blogs and Twitter speeds up the accessibility of such information. Being a non-homogenous society, these sentiments are able to fuel potential periods of unrest and instability if left unattended.

One can say that Singapore has been successful in maintaining its social harmony in spite of its diversity by a simple measure: Singapore since the 1960s has not witnessed a single racial conflict, creating a safe and stable environment for its citizens to work and play, and for foreign investments to pour in and strengthen Singapore’s economy. Again, maintaining social stability has always been a constant issue Singapore has always been tackling, but today, it manifests itself in new, thoroughly evolved forms today. Measures which are in place, albeit seemingly draconian and undemocratic, have undeniably made Singapore face.

Maintaining good governance in Singapore itself is an important challenge of today which needs to be tackled. Not that the quality of its leaders have deteriorated, but globalisation and new media puts its leaders in a position where they can be more easily challenged by their people. Being a democracy at least in name, free and fair elections have been the means for people to give their mandate – or not – to the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) government. The PAP has always received no less than a two-third majority in parliament since 1959 but this is no longer a given.

Singapore, in implementing sound and viable policies has won the hearts of not all of its citizens. Social media and foreign ideological influences have opened the eyes of Singaporeans, especially its youth, to new peoples and their ideas. This poses a problem to Singapore as anti-government sentiments, if not managed, may resonate at the ballot boxes. Singaporeans are exposed to top-notch opposition candidates and their ideals seem to be better able to win the hearts of those who feel sidelined. As a result, the PAP has only amassed 60.1% of valid votes – hence showing exceptional opposition performance – during the 2011 General Elections. While outsiders may pass this off as an unsurprising outcome of the democratic process, Singapore’s political stability is now questioned. All along, with an absolute majority, the government can pass policies without much question. However, we now fear that Singapore’s political scene would end up like the United States, whose bipartisan congress almost always end up in deadlock over key, pressing issues of national importance, as in its economic crisis.  Politically speaking, the power of technology can no longer be ignored or it will take its toll in ballot boxes.

More pressing and visible global issues literally engulf this island-nation. The haze caused by burning of forests in Kalimantan and Sumatra in neighbouring Indonesia has posed serious environmental problems. The haze drops visibility to only a few hundred metres, posing a health threat and inhibiting certain economic activities. Singapore has assisted its neighbours in tackling the haze with technological and technical assistance. Singaporean satellites are used to track forest fires, while Singaporean personnel and equipment help put out forest fires. These cooperative measures will not be permanent solutions to the haze, nor are they totally ineffective. The haze will persist so long as vegetation is set on fire, but the issue can be said to be well-managed, noting the decline in the incidences of forest fires in recent years.

Singaporeans tend to take its water supply for granted but it is one of Singapore’s most crucial issues. Singapore has always been purchasing water from Malaysia, which is then treated by Singaporean water-processing plants. However, the contract for this supply is set to expire in 2061. Currently, Singapore has been innovating means to ensure self-sufficiency in its water supply, mainly by introducing NEWater. It has been mocked by many in the local and international community as sewage is its source. Nevertheless, not only has the technology been in place, it has been exported and sold off to water scarce regions, particularly in the Middle East. Water scarcity is a future challenge but its management is an issue of today. Beyond reasonable doubt, Singapore is successful in sustaining its physical lifeline.

Underlying all of Singapore’s successes – and failures – are its leaders. Westerners tend to criticise Singapore for practising maximum governance where much power lies within the state, where policies implemented are often unchallenged and where political opponents have prison cells waiting for their blunder. However, this is done not to feed ravenous despots but to serve the Singaporean people. Its leaders are the best this country can offer despite its small population. The challenges faced by Singapore today has always been a constant, only evolving into new forms brought about by global phenomena and thus, change, too, has to always be the constant, evolving to adapt to new challenges. Singaporean leaders have always welcomed and embraced change to suit the needs of today’s economy, noting that tomorrow’s today will be of a different form from now. One might have recognised by now that the economy is the core of Singapore. Without it – and a strong one – there can be no talk on other aspects of Singaporean life. What have made Singapore resilient to challenges are its adept and imaginative leaders. For example, the building of the two Integrated Resorts, which include casinos, faced strong objection from many segments of society, but has also spurred a record double-digit 14.5% economic growth in 2010, while many in the west were struggling to even recover from the 2008 recession. Singaporean values in governance are not exactly moral, but are those which encourage flexibility and bravery to be different.

From a fishing village to a key player in the International Monetary Fund, Singapore has not only managed the challenges of today but has always emerged stronger with greater eminence at every hurdle it overcomes. Adaptation and determination has always been in our genes; most Singaporeans are sons of immigrants who braved through the seas to even reach here physically intact, braved through the hardship of the Japanese occupation and struggled to make ends meet upon independence – it is no wonder that Singapore has been successful in managing the challenges of today.

Melaka

My stay in my motherland for the past three days has been one filled with literal tears of joy, reconciliation and reflection. Melaka is where my forefathers originate; where they were born, raised, put to work, encountered rattan-enabled strokes and nurtured to break to productively break their backs.

Home Kampong
What I witnessed I the village was still nothing like how it used to be, albeit not as modern as Singapore. Still the nostalgia of the setting has not failed to send chills down my dad's and uncle's spines thus catalysing the tear-making process. The desired by-product was only to be triggered by a 40 year-overdue aunt-nephew embrace. The reversal of such deep reactions proved to be highly endothermic given that the elder has superb memory. Even spectator particles like me can't be spared from  these cheek-wetting moments.

Makan
I thought my tongue was malay enough until I sat cross-legged in a kampong house, harrassed by flies on a straw mat. I ate what looked like vegetables simmered in a gravy of vomit. But praises to god, its taste is most interesting and nothing like I've ever seen; the most creative way of utilising durian. Not forgetting the asam pedas which tasted just like my late grandma's cooking (says my dad). And I won't be stepping on the weighing scale for some time to come.

Urge.

This week I've faced life in a different manner.

Might I say that I was not too happy by the time the results came out. Not because I was unhappy about the results, though. That is least of my concerns. I only wanted to be promoted as that is all that matters.

I was really unhappy because I get annoyed when people misunderstand me. Nobody will take me seriously in a heart-to-heart conversation for I tend to have an upbeat demeanour and a "bo-chup" face, which I find useful for stealthily gathering aural information. And so, I decided to reactivate myself to post stuff on this blog. As and when I sense that an action of mine needs to be justified, this is for all to see and discern for themselves.

Right from the beginning of the year, I resolved to only have simple ambitions, that is, such that I can sufficiently feed my family.

It so happened that the post-promo period was met with an internal conflict of moral, directional and emotional sorts. Might I reiterate that it has got nothing to do with my results. (I am indifferent towards it, until now, like my parents. No cause for celebration.) Nor was it PW, although something ugly was triggered then, but it is only due to the sudden unleash of all the emotional baggage thus far. And so, ironically, I felt lousy of myself, as if society does not value me anymore, as if people I know think I'm rubbish.

This perception changed after much reflection, catalysed by morning sunlight and boredom, at Sembawang Park. I suddenly felt that I am to impact society one day.

I used to have very big dreams. Those which people expect of me: politician, lawyer, diplomat and so on. I thought I would one day I would be able to do all that I want. But somehow, my self-esteem degraded since. However, apparently, teachers don't think so, but I still didn't realise. I thought they shared the same opinion as me. Until today when I looked at this:

My very recent change of perception of my destiny is only reaffirmed by the above which came a considerable period of time before.

God give me strength to deliver my responsiblities, show me the path of those whom you love, bless my family with good health.

Yes, the above is a wordly endeavour of mine, but to me, I do hope that this big thing I'll be doing will help my fellow Malays, help make Singapore great and most of all, do justice to the care showered by my family thus far.


P.S. Thank you, Shahir, for making me work my fingers and discern my actions even more.