2008 in Review

If 2007 was a year of preparation, 2008 was the year events came into fruition.

Of course, the news event that most people will associate with 2008 is the election of Barack Obama. I intended to vote Democratic, as I have in nearly every election since I came of age. But I struggled with who to support in the primary. (For the record, I don’t have a good record for picking the winner in the primaries. Some of my previous selections: 1988 - Jesse Jackson; 1992 - Jerry Brown; 2004 - Howard Dean). After much internal struggle, I decided to support Obama in the primary due to his consistent opposition to the Iraq war. If Hillary Clinton had come forward earlier, and said “I was wrong” about her 2002 vote, I may well have supported her. But she didn’t, so I selected Obama, despite his weaker position on gay issues. In the end, he won. Time will tell if he merits reelection.

Danny and I did not take a joint vacation in 2008. For me, there was only a brief trip to Florida for my niece’s high school graduation.

Careerwise, after years of attempts, I’ve finally been relieved of my phone job, at least temporarily. I’ve enjoyed my new position, testing our new policy servicing system. It’s scheduled to roll out in April, at which time I may have to return to the phones. But I’m hoping to spin it off into a permanent position in my new department, and my new manager seems eager to help.

In August, after months of scouting the market and saving money for a down payment, Danny and I made an offer on a house. After some negotiations, the deal was finalized, and our loan was approved mere days before the economy suffered a ground quake. For someone who’s used to stumbling while reaching for the goal, it was a rare moment of serendipity in my life. Between the deflated housing market and low interest rates, we secured a very good deal. Buying a house is a major hassle, and I don’t plan on doing it with any regularity. Unless we have a massive increase in income, or leave Northeast Ohio, Danny and I plan to remain here until we retire. The house was built in 1942, and many of my plans for 2009 revolve around sprucing up the exterior, and, of course, buying furniture!


But for me, the greatest event of 2008 was adopting Mason. Indeed, one of the primary reasons for getting a house was so I could get a dog. Ever since my childhood, I’ve related to dogs on a level where I often encounter failure with humans. I’ve wanted a Labrador for over 20 years. Mason is not purebred, but I’ve learned the benefits of mixed breed, or All-American dogs, and I couldn’t be happier with him. He sits by my side as I type this. All too many people treat pets as toys. But I’m always cognizant that Mason is a living creature. It’s a major responsibility, but I welcome it. In less than two months, Mason has taught me so much. Dogs don’t spend time worrying about the future or fretting over past events. They live for the moment, and Mason is helping me to do that. Theologians debate whether animals have “souls.” Although I’m not particularly spiritual, when I look into Mason’s eyes, I know he has a soul.


Mason on November 3rd.

Mason on Christmas day

On to 2009!

Being Screwed Without Getting a Kiss...

Here are two articles about the controversy surrounding President-Elect Obama's selection of Rick Warren to lead the invocation at his inauguration. The first goes a little over the top, but I can't argue with the basic premise. The second is more measured, but also condemnatory.

I've already commented on this issue, but it's worth asking those who are defending the selection: would they feel the same way if Obama chose a minister who favored the deportation of illegal aliens, or one who said non-Christians wouldn't get into heaven, or one along the lines of Jeremiah Wright?

In the aftermath of Warren's selection, Obama defended the choice and called himself a "fierce" advocate of gay rights. There is no evidence to support that statement. During the campaign, he didn't even make a "I have a vision and you're a part of it" speech ala Bill Clinton in 1992.
President-Elect Obama may surprise GLBT America yet, and champion our issues. But I'm not holding my breath.

Danny & I quietly enjoyed our first Christmas in our new home, with our new addition, Mason.  Our friend Zsolt was ill and had to beg off. 

After we finished opening our presents, I took Mason for a walk.  Then we crashed on the sofa for a nap.


Since 1978, it's been my Christmas tradition to go to a movie.  Danny and I went to see Marley & Me.  I don't care what the critics say, this was a wonderful film.  Word of caution, if you go to see it, bring some Kleenex.

Keeping Obama to his word

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/17/obama.warren/index.html

I think Obama is taking this "big tent" keep everybody happy thing a bit too far. He needs to remember who got him elected, and it wasn't Rick Warren or his ilk.

In his campaign, Obama promised the following:

* Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. Barack Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.

* Fight Workplace Discrimination: Barack Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. Obama also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

* Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.

* Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: Barack Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.

* Expand Adoption Rights: Barack Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.

* Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, Barack Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. Obama will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. Obama also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma -- too often tied to homophobia -- that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. He will continue to speak out on this issue as president.

* Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Barack Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.
We need to hold President Obama's feet to the fire on those issues, and make sure they are enacted. Bill Clinton made big promises to the gay community in 1992, and all we got from him was DADT and DOMA. Let's not allow history to repeat itself.

On Saturday, I had a free gingival graft done.  It was not pleasant, to say the least.  While I breezed through the removal of my wisdom teeth last year, the recovery from this is becoming a trial.  The left side of my face is swollen, and my mouth bled intermittently yesterday.  Thank heavens for Vicodin.

Still, I was determined to head out and see Milk.  I'm not well enough to go into detail now, but let me say it was simply the best movie I've seen this year. 

Danny and I have been incredibly busy. The house is now more or less in order. Repairs needed to get us through the winter are complete, I bought a snow blower, and the Xmas decorations are up. The only item remaining on the agenda is to buy a medicine cabinet for the bathroom and replace the rather tacky option by the previous owner (he simply hung a mirror over the hole in the bathroom wall).

 

Instead of Xmas presents for each other, Danny and I each got something for the house. I bought the Washer/Dryer which was installed the day before we moved in. Danny got a 47” LCD TV last weekend. I think I’m going to indulge in some couch potato-hood this winter. 

 

The rest of the past month has been taken up with work and Mason. He’s growing by leaps and bounds, both in physical size and behavior. Mason weighed in at 14 pounds at the veterinarian’s office on Monday. He’s very smart and is mostly housetrained, although he has had a few accidents (such as last weekend when our friend Zsolt visited and Mason wet himself with excitement). He’s also freakishly neat. I’ve noticed that he places his toys back in his cage after finishing with them – often in the same spot in the cage where they were before. Although friendly, Mason is now basically a toddler, and is in the “terrible twos” stage of behavior. For the last week, he has been rebellious and testing the limits of what he can get away with. Danny and I try to be patient and give him an activity to appease his restlessness, or put him in a restricted area for a time out.

 

On the work front, things are proceeding apace with our project. Our team had a very heavy work load, so we were given a two week extension to complete our testing – which ends today. Despite the extension, not all our tests were completed, mostly due to system outages and tests which had to be listed as invalid. Management has asked us to divide into two shifts: one starting at 6am, the other at Noon. So, beginning next week, I’ll be setting the alarm for 4:30am. It actually works out well for me since Mason won’t be alone at home too long. Amusingly, I discovered a few weeks ago that I went to high school with one of the members of my team. Same school, same year. But she and I didn’t share any classes, apparently.

 

Danny and I have been appalled by the economic news, but I have not been especially surprised. America has been living a debt heavy lifestyle for too long, and the chickens have come home to roost. I really think that GM in particular has dug its own grave. Carrying eight brands of automobiles with that duplication of models (like the Pontiac G5, which is a rebadged Chevy Cobalt) was recipe for disaster. Troubling is GM’s apparent plan to ditch Saturn, one of their only brands to show any innovation over the past few years. I’m aware most Americans are opposed to any bailout of the Big Three. And as a Honda driver, I don’t see myself driving a Ford, GM, or Chrysler anytime soon. But we can’t afford to lose this industry, as clumsy and idiotically run as it is. I think the government should place them in receivership, and a reformer should be appointed who would have broad authority to nullify union and dealership contracts and reorganize the companies. GM should drop the Buick, GMC, and Hummer labels, and sell Daewoo. Saab and Saturn should be spun off into their own, independent, companies. Ford should eliminate the Mercury brand, sell Volvo and sell their stakes in Mazda and Aston Martin. Then Ford needs to learn marketing, build fewer models (one compact, one midsize, one luxury car model) and not change the model names every three years, which is confusing to consumers and annoying to dealers. (Honda and Toyota know how to market autos. Civics and Camrys have been around for decades and have a defined image). I don’t know enough about Chrysler’s situation to comment, but the PT Cruiser I had as a rental a few months ago was a total piece of crap.   


I've been following President-elect Obama's handling of the transition, and I've been very impressed.  He's picking strong leaders for the Cabinet, although I don't agree with every one of them on every issue.  Hillary Clinton at State is undoubtedly his most controversial pick so far.  But most Americans don't appreciate how incredibly popular both Clintons are world wide.  Hillary can help America restore its image as a leader rather than a bully.  I must also admit, to my surprise, that President Bush has been handling his end of the transition with a graciousness sadly lacking during the bulk of his reign.  By the way, this whole "smooth transition of power" thing is rather new.  The first president to pledge one was Harry Truman, who knew something about assuming power under difficult circumstances. 

 

Neither Danny nor I face an immediate threat to our jobs. Progressive is in pretty good shape (in fact, we seem to have profited from AIG’s troubles and have 337,000 more policies than a year ago), and people will always need health care – so Danny’s job is safe. Still, I have decided to reign in my furniture purchases for now, so the house will continue to have one empty bedroom and a partially furnished living room.

 

Time to enjoy the weekend…

This Thanksgiving, we're having HAM!

"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.


"With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country . . .


"I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat "

Mason makes a new friend

Zsolt with Mason

Please vote for Mason!

http://www.progressive.com/petphotos/pet-image.aspx?id=2457

Mason, ten weeks old on Saturday, is growing by leaps and bounds.

Snowy weather

Mason seems to enjoy it, though.

Well Said, Keith.

My latest review...

Arthur Rubinstein: The Original Jacket Collection

This volume of Sony/BMG's Original Jacket Collection compiles Arthur Rubinstein's stereo cycle of Chopin's solo piano music. Well regarded by most critics, these are some of the best selling classical recordings of all time.

It's no surprise that Sony/BMG would choose Rubinstein's last cycle of these works: recorded in stereo, they are easy to market to a generation accustomed to excellent sound. Rubinstein changed over time, he matured and mellowed, and by the time these recordings were made, he was already considered the elder statesman of Chopin interpreters. In general, his later approach is better suited to works like the Sonatas, but I prefer the spontaneity of his trailblazing 1930s versions of the Nocturnes, Mazurkas, and Scherzos, and the controlled fire of his 1950s set of Polonaises. There is one mono disc in this set, from 1946, including Rubinstein's first recording of the Sonata, Op 35, and his only version of the Preludes, Op. 28 - - neither of which show the pianist at his best. Rubinstein never recorded a complete set of Etudes, although he did record the Trois Nouvelles Etudes twice (the latter set is included here).

These recordings were originally issued as complete sets by genre, and Sony/BMG mostly follows the original programming concept (with the exception that the Mazurkas and Nocturnes are published on 2 CDs instead of 3 LPs). The original record covers are produced in miniaturized form, and the original liner notes are included. The sound is identical to BMG's 1999 complete Rubinstein reissue, which faithfully reproduces the pianist's distinct tone. If you already have those releases, there's little point in getting this set. But if you're new to Chopin or Rubinstein, this Original Jacket box is a worthy and classy investment.

There are a few sore losers out there who are equating Barack Obama's victory to reverse racism. "Those darned black and brown people voted for one of their own." But the election was merely a repudiation of modern Conservatism, and eight years of failed ecomomic and foreign policy. To me, it's ridiculous to equate Obama's election to some kind of reverse racism. It's not racism to have pride in a member of one's own community. When John F. Kennedy ran for President, Catholics overwhelmingly voted for him. Was that religious prejudice? Besides, Obama got more of the white vote in Ohio than did Gore or Kerry.

I also hope this election will put to rest that whole "experience" mantra as well. The Presidents who came into office with the most impressive resumes were Buchanan, Hoover, and the elder George Bush. How well did they do as President? The lesson of history is that judgement trumps experience every time.

Finally, this election is a vindication of Howard Dean's 50 state strategy, and a repudiation of the Clinton/McCauliffe strategy of only emphasising the states "that matter."

As promised, here are some photos of Mason

Puppy Uppers!

Danny and I adopted a puppy on Saturday. Danny did the research and found an animal shelter in Akron which had a litter of seven pups available. Only 8 weeks old, he’s a mix of ½ chocolate Labrador, ¼ Shepherd, and ¼ Collie. He’s very sweet natured, and Danny and I are happy but tired “parents.” We’ve named him Mason.

I’ll be posting pictures soon.

Vladimir Horowitz: The Original Jacket Collection

Horowitz Deserves Better, October 29, 2008
By Hank Drake (Cleveland, OH United States)

Several years ago, Sony Classical began reissuing some acclaimed older recordings as the Original Jacket Collection. The concept was simple: each box contained ten CDs which exactly duplicated the content and cover art (obverse and reverse) of the original LP issues. The attraction for collectors was obvious. But some complained about the short playing time of the CDs, so Sony began adding bonus tracks to take advantage of the CDs playing time.

The only thing that this issue has in common with the Original Jacket concept is that facsimiles of some original LP covers are used. In fact, the programming on these CDs does not duplicate or even approximate what Horowitz authorized back in the day. Rather, the contents are mostly the same as RCA's Gold Seal reissue of the 1990s, which was generally panned by critics and collectors. The single composer per disk programming is a mish-mash of Horowitz's studio and live recordings from the 1940s to the 1980s, haphazardly thrown together as if they were of equal merit. In addition, this set uses the same remastering as was used for the Gold Seal reissue, which was often done from second or third generation sources because RCA's vaults were in disarray at the time (they have since been organized). The only exception to this is Schumann's Concerto without Orchestra (Sonata No. 3 in F Minor), for which RCA accidentally released the wrong takes on the 1989 CD issue. For this set, the correct, Horowitz authorized takes have been used - - all the better because it's quite a performance and far superior to the unsteady one issued on "Horowitz ReDiscovered."

Many of these performances are justly legendary, from the Scriabin 3rd and 5th Sonatas, to Horowitz's own Variations on the Gypsy Dance from Bizet's Carmen. While I agree with Neville Cardus's remark that hearing Horowitz play with orchestra is like "trying to get the best of a fine wine while eating roast beef", the pianist's recordings with Toscanini show the pianist and conductor in excellent form. Has there ever been a more honestly played Brahms 2nd or a more incendiary Tchaikovsky 1st? Horowitz's Rachmaninoff 3rd with Ormandy may be imperfect technically (the pianist was 74 years old during his Golden Jubilee season), but the performance is ripe with memory and a sense of occasion - a true valedictory.

Still, Sony/BMG's cavalier treatment of the Horowitz legacy is a disappointment. What Horowitz deserves from Sony/BMG is no less that that which has been afforded to Arthur Rubinstein and William Kapell: A comprehensive reissue of all of his recordings, newly remastered from the best sources, programmed in a way that Horowitz would have approved. That he has not received it as of yet is a slap at his memory, and a discredit to Sony/BMG.

Adventures in Commode Repair

Back during our house hunting days, Danny and I spotted a house on a nice quiet street. The home, built in 1922, was beautiful on the outside. The inside was another matter. Several of the rooms had been remodeled, but each change was done in the style of the respective era: so there were 1970’s kitchen cupboards and avocado green appliances, a 1980’s fireplace, and 1950’s bookcases. It was atrocious. As it turned out, the house had serious moisture problems in the basement, so the question of that house became academic. But I determined that if Danny and I got an older house, we would try to keep it true to the period. (Within reason, I’m not doing without TV or the Internet.)

The house we bought was built in 1942. There have been several changes, including the addition of a gas fireplace about six years ago. But much of the house is unchanged from the original construction. One of the original pieces, as it turns out, is the toilet. It’s an American Standard Cadet, and the date stamped on the underside of the tank lid indicates it was built in 1939. Our hunky inspector, Greg, noticed a leak which he indicated was coming from the connection between the toilet and floor. Greg explained the procedure for fixing it, and since the seller was already taking care of some electrical problems (to the tune of $1,400), I agreed to repair the toilet.

As it turned out, the leak was actually coming from the connection between the tank and the bowl. The bolts holding the tank in place were badly corroded and needed replacement, and upon inspecting the mechanism, I determined that the parts would need to be replaced. A simple repair, I figured. I had no idea what I was in for this past Sunday.

I soon discovered a large amount of sludge between the tank and bowl, so the tank had to be removed and cleaned. It took over two hours to remove the tank, including over one hour just to unscrew one rusted bolt. I had to hammer in a screwdriver between the tank bottom and bolt to hold it in place (which was risky because I could have cracked the porcelain) while I twisted off the nut. Not a pleasant experience.

Once the tank had been removed, I carried it down to the basement and discovered the part that covered the vent was sealed tight, which made a replacement tank an easier option. However, we were unable to find a tank that fit our older toilet. So, we had to find a wrench large enough to unscrew the over 3” wide mechanism. As it happened, there were several trips to Severance Town Center Home Depot over the course of that Sunday, and I want to take this opportunity to point out that the staff at that particular location are neither knowledgeable nor helpful.

After much grunting, sweating, and straining, I was finally able to remove the part by using the wrench while Danny simultaneously held the other end and the tank itself in place. We then thoroughly cleaned the tank interior and exterior with bleach and an SOS pad. It shone like new.

Before reinstalling the tank, we painted the area behind where the tank sits that the previous owner had skipped - - fortunately, he’d left the spare paint behind. Carefully, I added piece by piece of the new mechanism while Danny handed me the parts, and after a few adjustments, our “new” commode worked perfectly: quiet, efficient, and no leaks.



Time spent on project: 8 hours

Cost of replacement mechanism and tools: $50

Satisfaction due to not having to call Joe the Plumber for help: Priceless

Home Sweet Home

After a lot of struggle, frustration, and exhaustion, Danny and I have finally completed the move to our home. We got access to the house on Saturday at noon. As soon as we entered the living room, Danny and I shared a celebratory kiss.

We had already bought supplies at Costco and unloaded them from the car as soon as we arrived. Although the interior was basically ok, there was a lot of leftover dog hair, so I got to work on the floors. Despite the dog hair situation, Danny and I still want to get a dog of our own and have been checking out shelters.

On Sunday, Danny experienced the “joys” of yardwork while raking the entire front and back yard. We discovered a lawnmower in the garage but haven’t tested it to see if it works. If so, I may give the lawn a quick mow before winter sets in. We also met our immediate neighbors, Loraine, a nice older lady, and Paul, who has a dog (we’ve heard the dog, but haven’t seen it yet) which barks every time we close our car doors.

Monday was installation day: we had the cable set up and the washer/dryer installed. I was worried the latter might not fit down the narrow stairwell to the basement, but the movers were just barely able to squeeze them in. The house (built in 1942) has a laundry chute, a great time saver. We had considered spending the Monday night at the house, but with the movers coming early Tuesday morning, decided to head back to the apartment for one final night.

Tuesday was a frustrating ordeal, mostly because of continuing problems at Richmond Park Apartments. The elevator nearest our apartment hasn’t been working for ten months, so the movers had to haul our stuff all the way to the central elevator, which caused considerable delay. It took until 4pm for the delivery to our new place to be complete. And then there was the dilemma of unpacking. Danny and I did all we could before collapsing in the evening.

We awoke early Wednesday to pick up Zsolt for his trip to the airport - - he’s heading to Japan to play some concerts. Zsolt treated us to a comforting early morning breakfast at First Watch Café (we all ordered the same thing) before we battled rush hour traffic. After dropping Zsolt off, Danny and I headed back to the apartment where we left a few items behind. I plan to head there again on Saturday to do a quick cleanup and finalize our departure.

Over the past few days, I’ve reviewed a few small problems which will require attention soon, including a repair to the toilet that I plan to take care of this weekend. Although the house doesn’t appear to be a money pit, as an older dwelling it will definitely be a work pit for the foreseeable future. Ah, the joys of ownership...

People seem to be focusing on the total head-to-head numbers in the Presidential election tracking polls, which currently show Senator Obama with a nine point lead. These charts indicate why those numbers are solid.







The last figure is the most important. For the last year, the Republicans have been trying to paint Senator Obama as, at best, an elitist, and at worst, a terrorist sympathizer and closet Muslim. Yet, more Americans indicate that Obama shares their values. Even though the lead is narrow in the last chart, judging by the other numbers, it's solid.

Given this, I believe that, barring a political earthquake, Senator McCain cannot win. Political races tend to tighten in the final weeks, but I still believe that Obama/Biden will enjoy at least a 4% popular majority and end up with at least 330 Electoral votes.

My Latest Review

IGOR Lovchinsky - Debut Recording

Balance is the Key, October 13, 2008
By Hank Drake (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews

While dinosaur mainstream classical labels such as Sony/BMG and Deutsche Grammophon are busy reissuing their back catalogues (often for the umpteenth time) or promoting pianists of questionable musicality (Lang Lang), smaller labels have been searching for interesting artists to promote. Ivory Classics, started by pianist Earl Wild and his partner, Michael Rolland Davis, is one such label, and Igor Lovchinsky is one such pianist. The secret to playing Chopin's Mazurkas lies in balancing the dance elements with the fantasy/tone-poem aspects of the works. Vladimir Horowitz and William Kapell have been notably successful in this. Lovchingsky's imaginative interpretations bear in mind that the Mazurkas are, first and foremost, peasant dances. Lovchinsky favors formal clarity over romanticism in the Polonaise-Fantasie. There is little of the rubato heard in many performances of this piece, the pianist preferring a firm rhythmic hold and steady tempo. While many pianists use Scriabin as an excuse to engage in keyboard histrionics and near psychotic posturing, Lovchinsky plays the Sonatas 2, 5 and 9 as true sonatas - - and the great works they are. The pianist's performance of the early 2nd Sonata suits the ardor of the young Scriabin, and demonstrated why the composer was often referred to as the "Russian Chopin." I've never heard the 9th Sonata, the so-called "Black Mass" played with such a unified approach . Lovchinsky easily outdoes Ashkenazy's rather soggy reading, although for me Horowitz's satanic versions will always reign supreme in this work . Nevertheless, Lovchinsky's performances refute Aaron Copland's assertion that Scriabin's sonatas were "great mistakes" of the piano literature. Earl Wild's arrangements of several of Gershwin's songs are reflections of the popular works as heard through the ears of a super-virtuoso. It takes formidable technique, and sound musical judgment to balance the many pianistic layers and make the works "sound", and Lovchinsky succeeds here as few others have. Speaking of sound, Ivory Classics favors a microphone placement which is an ideal balance between intimacy and luxurious spaciousness. Lovchinsky's performances are helped by a beautifully tuned, voiced and regulated Shigeru Kawai piano. If only the major labels put out such excellent products.

Greetings

My name is Hank Drake. I'm a writer and former pianist living in Cleveland, Ohio.

You can find my Amazon reviews here. I also contribute articles at AllAboutClassical and maintain a personal blog.

I decided to begin publishing on Blogspot when I learned that another user was pagiarizing my work, but will be combining the contents of my other postings and putting them here.