The Budapest Festival Orchestra performed Bach, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff under Iván Fischer w/ Dénes Várjon

Last night, I saw the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer performing Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, and Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E minor. It was magnificent. I love th…

My Top 10 Albums / Concerts of 2017

CLASSICAL 1. Munich Philharmonic Orchestra under Sergiu Celibidache - Schubert: Symphony No. 8, "Unfinished" / Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, "From the New World" (MPHIL0004) open.spotify.com 2. Boston Symphony Orchestra under Andris Nelsons - Br…

Jürg Frey - Ephemeral Constructions (EWR 1709)

I have been listening to Jürg Frey’s music intensively in the last few months. I first became aware of Frey’s works in 2010, around the time when I discovered Wandelweiser composers’ works and became deeply immersed in - first Michael Pisa…

Jürg Frey - Collection Gustave Roud (at115x2)    

'Collection Gustave Roud' is a double CD of Jürg Frey's recent works from 2007 to 2016. All five pieces of this album are closely connected with the works of the French-Swiss poet Gustave Roud, who has been a profound influence on Frey’s c…

My new essay on Jürg Frey's L'ame est sans retenue composition series

“It’s about how ‘normal’, ‘regular’ things are transformed - by the work of composing, by decisions, by intuition, by the ear - to an art work.” - Jürg Frey (8/16/2017) My new essay on Jürg Frey's L'ame est sans retenue composition series …

The New York Philharmonic perfomed Salonen, Rachmaninoff and Sibelius under Paavo Järvi w/ Leif Ove Andsnes

October 12, 2017 (Thurs) @ David Geffen Hall - 7:30 PM On Thursday, the first half of The New York Philharmonic concert under the baton of Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi opened with Esa-Pekka Salonen's 1998 composition Gambit (revised in 1…

FOR/WITH: Works by Christian Wolff, Ashley Fure, Annea Lockwood, Michael Pisaro (9/29-30) @Issue Project Room, NYC

Successful interaction of composers and improvisers The trumpeter and composer Nate Wooley organized a two-night mini-festival “FOR/WITH” at Issue Project Room in Brooklyn on September 29th and 30th, featuring four iconoclastic composers—C…

Jürg Frey - L'ame est sans retenue I (ErstClass 002-5)

Jürg Frey - L'ame est sans retenue I (ErstClass 002-5) Jürg Frey's L'ame est sans retenue I (ErstClass 002-5) is officially released from Erstwhile Records today (10/6). This is so far my favorite package I have ever designed. The cover ar…

Opening Gala Concert of NY Philharmonic 2018 w/Jaap van Zweden

On Friday, in the first half of the Opening Gala Concert program, The New York Philharmonic under its new music director Jaap van Zweden, along with pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque, performed the NY premiere of Philip Glass's Concerto …

My Year-End List of 2016

Favorite Releases of 2016 (classical + experimental genres) 1. Keith Rowe - The Room Extended (ErstSolo) 2. Michael Pisaro/Reinier Van Houdt - the earth and the sky (ErstClass) 3. Mitsuko Uchida - Mozart Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major / …

The Cleveland Orchestra (Franz Welser-Möst) perfomed Shostakovich - Symphony No. 4

2016年1月17日(日)7:00PM開演 @カーネギーホール The Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Franz Welser-Möst PROGRAM:Hans Abrahamsen - let me tell you (NY Premiere) by Barbara Hannigan (soprano)Shostakovich - Symphony No. 4 クリーヴランド管のラ…

Michael Tilson Thomas & San Francisco Symphony - Mahler Symphony No. 2 (SACD)

マイケル・ティルソン・トーマス指揮サンフランシスコ交響楽団のマーラー交響曲第2番「復活」 マイケル・ティルソン・トーマス(MTT)指揮サンフランシスコ交響楽団のマーラー交響曲第2番「復活」のハイレゾ音源をネットで入手したので、聴いてみた。これ…

Music with Fluctuations (揺らぎのある音楽)

About ten years ago, I talked about 'music with fluctuations' at one of the lecture series held every Saturday at a jazz cafe in Tokyo, where music writers and critics gave small lectures each week while playing some music (mostly jazz) un…

*[music] Toshiya Tsunoda / Manfred Werder 'detour

Since Toshiya Tsunoda / Manfred Werder 'detour' was released last year, several people asked us about the concept and details of the collaboration, so I posted some text I wrote based on what Toshiya and Manfred told me about the piece. --…

英語と日本語

この数日、iPhone 6 Plusの操作にすっかりなじんでしまっていたら、今日久々にMacBook Proを開いて操作しようとした時に、「おや、画面を何度タッチしても全然反応しないじゃないか」と慌てたけれど、ああそうだこれはタッチスクリーンじゃなかったんだった…

久々のブログとPB2400の話

はてなの有料オプションの期限がしばらく前に切れたのでそのままにしておいたら、いつの間にか広告バナーが雑草のようにはびこって見苦しくなっていたので、再びはてなプラスを申し込んで広告を非表示にしました。これですっきり見られます。このブログも放…

Michael Pisaro 'Continuum Unbound' (GW011-013) box set has released!

Michael Pisaro's new and the most ambitious works: 3CD box set 'Continuum Unbound' (GW011-013) just came out from our Gravity Wave label. The box set contains 3 CDs and a 12-page full color booklet of Michael Pisaro's essay. You can see th…

My new baking blog started

I started a new blog about my recent obsession with baking artisan breads, inspired by the master bakers/authors Chad Robertson and Ken Forkish. The URL is here:http://bakingartisanbread.blogspot.comI may still post about music or some oth…

Homemade Kouign Amann (DKA)

Inspired (and obsessed) with Dominique Ansel's signature pastry DKA, I made homemade kouign amann for the first time with his recipe from Food Arts. (You may have to register to be a member of the website, but the recipe is so great, it wi…

My year-end list of top 20 releases of 2013

Top 20 Releases of 20131. Michael Pisaro / Greg Stuart - Closed Categories in Cartesian Worlds (Gravity Wave) 2. Dennis Johnson - November (by R. Andrew Lee) (Irritable Hedgehog/Penultimate Press) 3. Eva-Maria Houben - Piano Music (by R. A…

Michael Pisaro / Greg Stuart - Closed Categories in Cartesian Worlds (GW 010)

Michael Pisaro / Greg Stuart - Closed Categories in Cartesian Worlds (GW 010) was just released today. The details are here:http://michaelpisaro.blogspot.com/

Graham Lambkin / Jason Lescalleet 「Photographs」 (Erstwhile 070-2)

グレアム・ラムキンとジェイソン・レスカリートは、エッジのある大胆な音作りとアナログサウンドの温かみを絶妙のバランスで融合させたコラボ作品を、2006年頃から作り続けている。2枚組の本作は、過去にアーストワイルから出た2008年の「The Breadwinner」…

Cover Design of Michael Pisaro - Closed Categories in Cartesian Worlds (GW 010)

Michael Pisaro / Greg Stuart - Closed Categories in Cartesian Worlds (GW 010)To be released in early November. http://michaelpisaro.blogspot.com/

My Father's Design Tutorial Book (1966)

This is my dad's design tutorial book which was issued in Japan in 1966, titled 'Commercial Design: How to Create Store Design and Layout'. I found this last issue at an online used book store and got it, since the one my dad used to have …

Homemade Gluten-Free Orange Almond Cake

Homemade gluten-free orange almond cake, topped with unsweetened whipped cream. This is a perfect summer dessert to have with afternoon tea (my favorite is Earl Grey tea).The amount of sugar for the cake sponge is less than half of the mos…

Antoine Beuger / Michael Pisaro 'this place / is love (erst 068)' is released

Antoine Beuger / Michael Pisaro - this place / is love (erst 068) was officially released today. Very happy with the final product, especially how the disc image turned out. One of my favorite CD covers and disc labels I have ever designed…

Afternoon Tea on Our Deck

MENU FOR AFTERNOON TEA (6/15/2013)〜アフタヌーンティー at 自宅テラスMini Cheese Corn MuffinsTomato & Cucumber Sandwich on Whole Wheat BreadChocolate CakeMini Chocolate Mousse CupStrawberriesEarl Grey Tea(all homemade except strawberries, s…

Afternoon Tea at Home

MENU FOR AFTERNOON TEA (Thursday June 6, 2013) 〜アフタヌーンティー at Home メニューButtermilk Scones Served with: clotted cream, strawberry jam, homemade lemon curd, whipped creamFinger Sandwiches on Homemade Whole Wheat Bread (Curried Ch…

Independent Art Fair 2013 (3/9 in Chelsea, NYC)

art

Above photo is Michel François' copper tubing work and Richard Aldrich's painting at Bortolami gallery booth, from Independent Art Fair 2013. Michel François was the most fascinating artist whom I found at the art show this year. You can s…

Antoine Beuger's Music

Dissolve the borders between the outer world and the inner world with the equality of sound, silence, performer, environment and listener In order to understand and appreciate Antoine Beuger’s compositions, I strongly recommend you to expe…