logo for the 2020 GRAMMY awards
Once again the nominations for the 2020 GRAMMY Awards constitute “my annual reality check.” As always, my frustration arises from never giving up on choosing to focus on listener experiences, rather than commercial success. Indeed, the month of December has barely begun; and I already feel that I have hit my limit with the season’s hucksterism, which now seems to have taken over the domain of local news to supplement the purchase of on-air advertising time. That said, here is my annual list of GRAMMY categories that overlapped my own listening experiences one way or another:
35. Best Latin Jazz Album
ANTIDOTE
Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band
SORTE!: MUSIC BY JOHN FINBURY
Thalma de Freitas With Vitor Gonçalves, John Patitucci, Chico Pinheiro, Rogerio Boccato & Duduka Da Fonseca
UNA NOCHE CON RUBÉN BLADES
Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wynton Marsalis Featuring Rubén Blades
CARIB
David Sánchez
Miguel Zenón
Latin jazz is far from my “front suit” where my listening experiences are concerned. Nevertheless, I became interested in Zenón during his tenure with the SFJAZZ Collective; and that interest has endured. This was a first-rate example of useful music history embedded in a collection of truly engaging performances.
62. Best Instrumental Composition
Fred Hersch, composer (Fred Hersch & The WDR Big Band Conducted By Vince Mendoza)
CRUCIBLE FOR CRISIS
Brian Lynch, composer (Brian Lynch Big Band)
LOVE, A BEAUTIFUL FORCE
Vince Mendoza, composer (Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & Temple University Studio Orchestra)
STAR WARS: GALAXY'S EDGE SYMPHONIC SUITE
John Williams, composer (John Williams)
WALKIN' FUNNY
Christian McBride, composer (Christian McBride)
This was the first year I even knew that there was a Composing/Arranging category. As can be seen, the choices may be described as “genre independent.” Since my own personal choices can be described the same way, it was a minor jolt to discover that I was familiar with only one of the albums on this list. However, it gave me another opportunity to sing Hersch’s praises in a slightly different context.
73. Best Engineered Album, Classical
AEQUA - ANNA THORVALDSDÓTTIR
Daniel Shores, engineer; Daniel Shores, mastering engineer (International Contemporary Ensemble)
BRUCKNER: SYMPHONY NO. 9
Mark Donahue, engineer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
RACHMANINOFF - HERMITAGE PIANO TRIO
Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers; Keith O. Johnson, mastering engineer (Hermitage Piano Trio)
RILEY: SUN RINGS
Leslie Ann Jones, engineer; John Kilgore, Judith Sherman & David Harrington, engineers/mixers; Robert C. Ludwig, mastering engineer (Kronos Quartet)
Bob Hanlon & Lawrence Rock, engineers; Ian Good & Lawrence Rock, mastering engineers (Jaap Van Zweden, Francisco J. Núñez, Donald Nally, The Crossing, Young People's Chorus Of NY City & New York Philharmonic)
As can be seen from the description, this is an award presented to technicians, rather than performers. While I was not particularly swayed by Wolfe’s latest venture into “social significance,” it was hard to fault her on her everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to summoning resources. It would therefore be churlish not to give the engineers a nod for a truly impressive account of audio capture, particularly since all source content was captured during concert performances.
74. Producer Of The Year, Classical
BLANTON ALSPAUGH
• Artifacts - The Music Of Michael McGlynn (Charles Bruffy & Kansas City Chorale)
• Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique; Fantaisie Sur La Tempête De Shakespeare (Andrew Davis & Toronto Symphony Orchestra)
• Copland: Billy The Kid; Grohg (Leonard Slatkin & Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
• Duruflé: Complete Choral Works (Robert Simpson & Houston Chamber Choir)
• Glass: Symphony No. 5 (Julian Wachner, The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street, Trinity Youth Chorus, Downtown Voices & Novus NY)
• Sander: The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom (Peter Jermihov & PaTRAM Institute Singers)
• Smith, K.: Canticle (Craig Hella Johnson & Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble)
• Visions Take Flight (Mei-Ann Chen & ROCO)
JAMES GINSBURG
• Project W - Works By Diverse Women Composers (Mei-Ann Chen & Chicago Sinfonietta)
• Silenced Voices (Black Oak Ensemble)
• 20th Century Harpsichord Concertos (Jory Vinikour, Scott Speck & Chicago Philharmonic)
• Twentieth Century Oboe Sonatas (Alex Klein & Phillip Bush)
• Winged Creatures & Other Works For Flute, Clarinet, And Orchestra (Anthony McGill, Demarre McGill, Allen Tinkham & Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra)
MARINA A. LEDIN, VICTOR LEDIN
• Bates: Children Of Adam; Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem (Steven Smith, Erin R. Freeman, Richmond Symphony & Chorus)
• The Orchestral Organ (Jan Kraybill)
• The Poetry Of Places (Nadia Shpachenko)
• Rachmaninoff - Hermitage Piano Trio (Hermitage Piano Trio)
MORTEN LINDBERG
• Himmelborgen (Elisabeth Holte, Kåre Nordstoga & Uranienborg Vokalensemble)
• Kleiberg: Do You Believe In Heather? (Various Artists)
• Ljos (Fauna Vokalkvintett)
• LUX (Anita Brevik, Trondheimsolistene & Nidarosdomens Jentekor)
• Trachea (Tone Bianca Sparre Dahl & Schola Cantorum)
• Veneliti (Håkon Daniel Nystedt & Oslo Kammerkor)
DIRK SOBOTKA
• Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
This is a tricky category. After all, whether we like it or not, every recording that is released is a product. The extent to which that product offers a listening experience is probably secondary were the producer is concerned. Indeed, production is probably more about creating a salable product than about anything else. From that point of view, both Ginsburg and the Ledins came up with products that “push the right buttons.” On the other hand Alspaugh has been working with Slatkin to create a fresh new library of the repertoire of the music of Aaron Copland. The GRAMMY judges may not pay attention to that mission, but it has the highest priority in my own book!
75. Best Orchestral Performance
BRUCKNER: SYMPHONY NO. 9
Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Leonard Slatkin, conductor (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
NORMAN: SUSTAIN
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
TRANSATLANTIC
Louis Langrée, conductor (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
WEINBERG: SYMPHONIES NOS. 2 & 21
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, conductor (City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Kremerata Baltica)
There are several good candidates on this list, but I was particularly impressed with the programming that Slatkin brought to this album.
76. Best Opera Recording
BENJAMIN: LESSONS IN LOVE & VIOLENCE
George Benjamin, conductor; Stéphane Degout, Barbara Hannigan, Peter Hoare & Gyula Orendt; James Whitbourn, producer (Orchestra Of The Royal Opera House)
Marc Albrecht, conductor; Christopher Maltman & Eva-Maria Westbroek; François Roussillon, producer (Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra; Chorus Of Dutch National Opera)
CHARPENTIER: LES ARTS FLORISSANTS; LES PLAISIRS DE VERSAILLES
Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Jesse Blumberg, Teresa Wakim & Virginia Warnken; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer (Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble; Boston Early Music Festival Vocal Ensemble)
PICKER: FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Gil Rose, conductor; John Brancy, Andrew Craig Brown, Gabriel Preisser, Krista River & Edwin Vega; Gil Rose, producer (Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Boston Children's Chorus)
WAGNER: LOHENGRIN
Christian Thielemann, conductor; Piotr Beczała, Anja Harteros, Tomasz Konieczny, Waltraud Meier & Georg Zeppenfeld; Eckhard Glauche, producer (Festspielorchester Bayreuth; Festspielchor Bayreuth)
This is a case where my impressions are decidedly negative. I have been fortunate enough to see several productions of Wozzeck. This is probably a case in which I have had more concert experiences than those of listening to recordings. I therefore feel as if I have a strong enough platform to assert that the video release of Krzysztof Warlikowski served up the worst staging of Wozzeck I have ever encountered. Among other issues, it left me wondering bitterly whether or not it provided grounds for accusing that stage director of child abuse.
79. Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Yuja Wang
Yolanda Kondonassis; Ward Stare, conductor (The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)
Nicola Benedetti; Cristian Măcelaru, conductor (Philadelphia Orchestra)
THE ORCHESTRAL ORGAN
Jan Kraybill
TORKE: SKY, CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN
Tessa Lark; David Alan Miller, conductor (Albany Symphony)
I have come to praise the performance talents of Yuja Wang, rather than bury the compositions of Jennifer Higdon and Wynton Marsalis!
81. Best Classical Compendium
AMERICAN ORIGINALS 1918
John Morris Russell, conductor; Elaine Martone, producer
LESHNOFF: SYMPHONY NO. 4 'HEICHALOS'; GUITAR CONCERTO; STARBURST
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer
MELTZER: SONGS AND STRUCTURES
Paul Appleby & Natalia Katyukova; Silas Brown & Harold Meltzer, producers
Nadia Shpachenko; Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin, producers
SAARIAHO: TRUE FIRE; TRANS; CIEL D'HIVER
Hannu Lintu, conductor; Laura Heikinheimo, producer
I have any number of regrets about this category, the strongest having been missing out on Lintu conducting the music a Kaija Saariaho.
82. Best Contemporary Classical Composition
BERMEL: MIGRATION SERIES FOR JAZZ ENSEMBLE & ORCHESTRA
Derek Bermel, composer (Derek Bermel, Ted Nash, David Alan Miller, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra & Albany Symphony Orchestra)
Jennifer Higdon, composer (Yolanda Kondonassis, Ward Stare & The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)
Wynton Marsalis, composer (Nicola Benedetti, Cristian Măcelaru & Philadelphia Orchestra)
NORMAN: SUSTAIN
Andrew Norman, composer (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
SHAW: ORANGE
Caroline Shaw, composer (Attacca Quartet)
Julia Wolfe, composer (Jaap Van Zweden, Francisco J. Núñez, Donald Nally, The Crossing, Young People's Chorus Of NY City & New York Philharmonic)
Why does so much “contemporary” music sound like it was composed in the twentieth century?
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