10 Seconds: Anna Lowenstein
"Thanks George, for inviting me to contribute to one of your many musical schemes. Many of these picks come from long standing decisions of my own Desert Island Discs. As a fiddle player, my ear is always drawn first to melody so most of these are moments of melody that grab me in one way or another."
1. Balogh Kálmán és a Romano Kokalo-Hajnalodik - Cigány zenék (1'50" - 2'00")
“A voice that has seen many things and a melody to just crack you open."
2. Janis Joplin - Little Girl Blue (0’25” - 0’35”)
from This is Tom Jones TV show (December 4th, 1969)
"I actually love this video specifically; her incredibly timed walk from the back of the stage to the mic - dropping that first word perfectly in time.
Later at 1:25 she steps away from the mic during the instrumental break, looks around wringing her hands in a tragically vulnerable and self-conscious way - personifying the Little Girl Blue she’s singing so otherwise assuredly about."
3. Schubert Cello Quintet - 1st Movement (1'50" - 2'00")
“I love the moment this simple, singable melody comes bursting out of the solo cello note after the dramatic opening gambit from the full ensemble. A great lesson in textural writing that taught and inspired me a lot while I was writing my own string quartet music."
4. Keith Jarrett - Koln Concert Prt 1 (7'17" - 7'27")
from Keith Jarrett - The Koln Concert (1975)
“Say what you like about Keith Jarrett, when I heard the Köln concert for the first time I had to sit down and couldn’t move until I’d listened to the whole thing. This moment is my favourite, because again, it's a singable melody. It's nearly cheesy, but I think he gets away with it. His use of repetition and motif that this plays with, for me gives the near cheesiness structural integrity."
5. The Gloaming - The Sailors Bonnet (9’24” - 9’34”)
from The Gloaming (2014)
“You kind of have to listen to the whole piece for this moment to really hit but: that beat of silence before they drop back into the tune is electric. I also love how knowledgeable the crowd is; they know this is a recapitulation and are so up for it. The Sailor’s Bonnet is a very well known session reel but in this arrangement, its set up as a slow aire and then improvised over and around. I think what Martin Hayes does so masterfully and is so celebrated for is the way in which he takes Irish music to knew places whilst remaining completely rooted in the tradition."
6. The Heptones - Book of Rules (2’07” - 2’17”)
from The Heptones – Book Of Rules (1973)
“Just so groovy. Great melody. Incredible BVs. Dirty bassline. What more could you want?"
7. Nina Simone - Don't Smoke in Bed (1'38" - 1'48")
from Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue (1959)
"Devastating, terrible, tender. Nina in sparse dialogue with herself, in turn writing to a man she’s leaving. I love this lonely, descending phrase that is answered by ascending open chords."
8. Beethoven: String Quartet No. 10 “The Harp” (8’20” – 8’30”)
“Here, the 2nd violin comes climbing out of then texture, underneath the 1st violin’s frantic virtuosity, bringing back the beautifully singable melody supported by pizzicato cello. Another great lesson in textural writing and how to use an ensemble as instrument itself."
9. Jeanne Lee & Mal Waldron - Everytime We Say Goodbye (1’20” – 1’30”)
from Jeanne Lee & Mal Waldron - After Hours (1994)
“I’m not a massive Jazz head but I thought it would be impolite in such company not to include some Jazz. This record was introduced to me by legit Jazz head, the great music writer and political journalist Adam Shatz. I was immediately compelled by the sound Mal Waldron gets out of the piano: its so warm and full and he exercises such extreme tastefulness as an accompanist. Sad not to include his whole beautiful intro, but these ten seconds where he sets up Jeanne Lee to enter are so elegant. Their tones are so well matched - the richness of his keys perfectly compliments hers."
10. Anouar Brahem - Opening Day (1’06” – 1’16”)
from Anouar Brahem - Blue Maqams (2017)
“Another Adam Shatz recommendation, as it happens. I love this moment right at the beginning of the record where they start setting up and building the groove, full of anticipation and subtly."
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