For those who want to immerse themselves in the work of Arvo Pärt (1935) but don’t know where to start, Brilliant Classics collected his most beautiful music in a reasonably priced box. The nine albums contain a generous selection from the rich oeuvre of the Estonian-born composer, ranging from solo piano pieces to impressive choral […]
Reviews
Hania Rani and Dobrawa Czocher offer hope and comfort
With their debut album as a composer duo, Hania Rani (1990) and Dobrawa Czocher (1991) try to offer some hope and comfort in these dark days. The fact that they were contracted by Deutsche Grammophon must have been a giant boost for these two Polish musicians. Pianist Hania Rani and cellist Dobrowa Czocher started this […]
The White Tiger drilled into perpetual servitude
Balram Halwai is not a sympathetic protagonist. Yet the narrative voice of The White Tiger is so powerful that you continue to read with fascination. Aravind Adiga’s debut novel won the Man Booker Prize in 2008. Thanks to a recent film adaptation, the book is now once again in the spotlight. Author Adiga has Indian […]
Amusing and entertaining science fiction novel
If you thought that science fiction stories can’t be funny it is high time you dive into the world of CD Warhurst. His latest novel The Planet Baggers is one of the most amusing and entertaining books I have ever read. The Planet Baggers has the most improbable antihero as its protagonist: Colin, a single […]
Ebba Åsman zooms out
Rotterdam has become a flourishing centre of improvisation music. Musicians from all over the world meet in this Dutch city, where they stimulate each other in their quest for new musical forms and perspectives. The Swedish trombonist Ebba Åsman moved on the advice of her teacher Ilja Reijngoud to Rotterdam, where she plays a key […]
Love is a better motivator than guilt
If an essay bundle obsesses your mind for weeks, it must be well-written. Jonathan Franzen (1958) communicates the urgency of his message in a refined way. The American author has not chosen for the detour of the novel (The corrections (2001), Freedom (2010), Purity (2015)), but he addresses his audience in a direct way. In […]