Return-Path: Delivered-To: clackman-alasdairfraser:com-mail@alasdairfraser.com X-Envelope-To: mail@alasdairfraser.com Received: (qmail 11406 invoked by uid 3241); 21 Aug 2004 08:42:41 -0000 Delivered-To: clackman-alasdairfraser:com-info@alasdairfraser.com Received: (qmail 11399 invoked from network); 21 Aug 2004 08:42:41 -0000 Received: from mta08-svc.ntlworld.com (62.253.162.48) by bhoth.pair.com with SMTP; 21 Aug 2004 08:42:41 -0000 Received: from ifriend ([80.6.174.121]) by mta08-svc.ntlworld.com (InterMail vM.4.01.03.37 201-229-121-137-20020806) with SMTP id <20040821084232.CIEU512.mta08-svc.ntlworld.com@ifriend>; Sat, 21 Aug 2004 09:42:32 +0100 Message-ID: <004201c4875a$cccd9cd0$6401a8c0@ifriend> From: "Debbie Koritsas" To: , Subject: Songlines review Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2004 09:42:32 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_003F_01C48763.2E5C9CF0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441 X-Spam-Filtered: bf2bd47b12488297c11b26ccdc93f5a0 X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-4.8 required=4.0 tests=BAYES_00,HTML_MESSAGE X-Spam-Flag: NO X-Spam-Level: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003F_01C48763.2E5C9CF0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear Natalie & Alasdair I reviewed Fire & Grace for Songlines Magazine, and here's the result! = A lovely album, I'm pleased they accepted my recommendation to include = it. Incidentally, I loved your Glasgow Cathedral performance in January - = stunning! Best regards Debbie=20 ----------------- Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas Fire And Grace Culburnie Records CUL 121 Full Price (65 minutes) **** =20 This is a classy recording, quite literally oozing 'Fire And Grace'. = Gifted young Californian cellist Natalie Haas joins Alasdair Fraser = (Skyedance), acknowledged Scottish fiddle ambassador. Together, they = bring a strong sense of rhythm, emotion and joie de vivre to their = interpretations of tunes old and new - Scottish waltzes, jigs, and reels = - even a Scandinavian polska. =20 =20 This recording is distinguished because it reunites the fiddle with its = centuries-old ceilidh partner, the cello, often confined to the = orchestral setting. Indeed, Fraser's joy at performing with cellist = Haas at a recent Celtic Connections performance I attended was palpable. = In Captain Simon Fraser's collection of 1816, the lyric to one song = claims that the fiddle and violoncello had no rival "at wedding, dance = or ball". David Allen (1744 - 96) depicted a fiddler and cellist at = work in his painting 'The Highland Dance'. And here we seemingly have = their 21st century reincarnation! =20 Fraser's expressive playing twists and turns throughout, shimmering with = a remarkable lyricism. He embraces many of Scotland's fiddle styles - = from the hugely enjoyable 'Stirling Castle Set', 'St Kilda Wedding/Brose = And Butter' to the exquisite 'The Duchess'; Haas' performance lends = depth, structure and rhythm, besides conveying great emotion, = particularly on tunes such as 'Josefin's Waltz' and 'Da Stockit Light'. = On 'Calliope Meets Frank', her rhythm making is astonishing, and the = album abounds with similar examples. It's Haas' performance that hooks = me as I listen - her playing is often angular, dark, and underpins the = whole with superlative bass rhythm. =20 Debbie Koritsas =20 ------=_NextPart_000_003F_01C48763.2E5C9CF0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Dear Natalie & = Alasdair
 
I reviewed Fire & Grace for = Songlines=20 Magazine, and here's the result!  A lovely album, I'm pleased = they=20 accepted my recommendation to include it.
 
Incidentally, I loved your Glasgow = Cathedral=20 performance in January - stunning!
 
Best regards
Debbie
 
-----------------
 

Alasdair Fraser & = Natalie=20 Haas

Fire = And=20 Grace

Culburnie Records=20 CUL 121

Full = Price (65=20 minutes)

****

 

This = is a classy=20 recording, quite literally oozing =91Fire And Grace=92.  Gifted young Californian = cellist Natalie=20 Haas joins Alasdair Fraser (Skyedance), acknowledged Scottish fiddle=20 ambassador.  Together, = they bring a=20 strong sense of rhythm, emotion and joie de vivre to their=20 interpretations of tunes old and new - Scottish waltzes, jigs, and reels = - even=20 a Scandinavian polska. =20

 

This = recording is=20 distinguished because it reunites the fiddle with its centuries-old=20 ceilidh partner, the cello, often confined to the orchestral=20 setting.  Indeed, = Fraser=92s joy at=20 performing with cellist Haas at a recent Celtic Connections performance = I=20 attended was palpable.  In = Captain=20 Simon Fraser=92s collection of 1816, the lyric to one song claims that = the fiddle=20 and violoncello had no rival =93at wedding, dance or ball=94.  David Allen (1744 =96 96) = depicted a=20 fiddler and cellist at work in his painting =91The Highland = Dance=92.  And here we seemingly have = their=20 21st century reincarnation!

 

Fraser=92s expressive=20 playing twists and turns throughout, shimmering with a remarkable = lyricism.  He embraces many of = Scotland=92s fiddle=20 styles =96 from the hugely enjoyable =91Stirling Castle Set=92, =91St = Kilda=20 Wedding/Brose And Butter=92 to the exquisite =91The = Duchess=92; Haas=92=20 performance lends depth, structure and rhythm, besides conveying great = emotion,=20 particularly on tunes such as =91Josefin=92s Waltz=92 and = =91Da Stockit=20 Light=92.  On = =91Calliope Meets=20 Frank=92, her rhythm making is astonishing, and the album abounds = with similar=20 examples.  It=92s Haas=92 = performance=20 that hooks me as I listen =96 her playing is often angular, dark, and = underpins=20 the whole with superlative bass rhythm.

 

Debbie = Koritsas

 

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