SACD REVIEW: DMITRY BORTNYANSKY/"THE ITALIAN ALBUM." PRATUM INTEGRUM ORCHESTRA. CARO MITIS 0042003.

posted to Cue Sheet by James Reel

Dmitry Bortnyansky (1751–1825), a longer-lived Russian contemporary of Mozart, is remembered today chiefly for his important contributions to Russian Orthodox church music. But a splendid SACD by the Russian period-instrument orchestra Pratum Integrum demonstrates that there was far more to Bortnansky than solemn, bass-rich hymns. He spent much of the 1770s in Italy, studying with Baldassare Galuppi, and his music from that period, both secular and sacred, compares favorably to that of the two greatest composers of the day, Mozart and Haydn.

About half this disc samples Bortnyansky’s modest but idiomatic contributions to the Italian opera stage; the second half is devoted to motets, some in single movements, some multi-movement works. The disc opener, the overture to the opera Il quinto Fabio , is energetic (and exuberantly played), solidly crafted and rather Haydnesque (inspired by his Sturm und Drang manner, but happy rather than stormy and stressful). The vocal pieces, arias and motets alike, are more reminiscent of Mozart’s sacred music. All in all, there’s real vitality, rather than mere busyness, to this music, and true grace in the slower vocal movements, where lesser composers might merely trudge.

The surround sonics are extraordinarily natural, as is usual from this label. If you’re interested in the Classical era beyond Mozart and Haydn, this would be a fine disc for you to hear.

UA DELAYING PARKING FEE HIKES

posted to Rappaport's Notebook by Robert Rappaport

In an effort to "alleviate some of the financial burdens shouldered by our students, faculty and staff," the University of Arizona has decided to delay its planned hike in parking fees next academic year.

Just because the fees won't take effect next year doesn't mean they won't happen at all. They are merely being "delayed."

Parking & Transportation is self-supporting, meaning its operating budget is generated through parking fees and citations and it gets no direct funding from the university. Since the hikes are being delayed, PTS says it may have to delay, or eliminate, previously planned projects and improvements.

Here's a copy of the memo I received:

MEMORANDUM

DATE: January 14, 2009

TO: Deans, Directors, and Department Heads

FROM: David Heineking, Director Parking & Transportation Services

SUBJECT: Parking Permit Prices

In the coming academic year, the University of Arizona will face many financial challenges. To help alleviate some of the financial burdens shouldered by our students, faculty and staff, Parking & Transportation Services (PTS) will delay the planned increase in parking permit fees for next academic year (2010-2011). Therefore, no increase in parking permit costs will occur during the next academic year for parking at the main campus.

Delaying the parking permit fee increase does not mean that the planned increase was not necessary. An increase will still be required at some point in the future to sustain our parking and transportation programs. A sustainable campus environment is our goal; we do not want to minimize the target of decreasing the number of single occupant vehicles coming to campus. We accomplish this in part through management of our parking fee structure and by funding a wide variety of alternate transportation programs. To continue to move forward with a sustainable campus, parking fees will have to be increased at a future date.

The loss of additional revenue expected from the fee increase may result in some of the alternative transportation measures not occurring as soon as planned. For example, a substantial increase in the subsidy for the Sun Tran bus passes will not occur next year. Additionally, the purchase of larger Cat Tran vehicles and expansion of the Park-N-Ride program will be delayed. While enhancements of programs may not occur, we will not see a decrease in any of our present programs or a diminishment of customer service provided by PTS.

As an auxiliary, PTS receives no state funding. We are reliant upon parking fees to maintain and enhance our operations and programs.

Please direct any questions or comments to PTS at parking@email.arizona.edu or 621-3550.

PBS: THE NEW ARTS CHANNEL (AGAIN)?

posted to Cue Sheet by James Reel

What passes for cultural programming on PBS has been rare and largely low-brow in the past decade-plus, but the network's head promises to do better. Now that Bravo and A&E have abdicated their cultural responsibilities, PBS has a real opportunity to regain its former prominence as a source of arts programming. What remains to be seen: Will there actually be money available for this expensive initiative? And what, exactly, will count as "arts" and "cultural" programming? If it turns out to be essentially what you can get on MTV, but with less fancy production, it will be hard to justify the effort.

MORE POLITICS

posted to Rappaport's Notebook by Robert Rappaport

This week will provide a lot of news about how Arizona is in a horrible fiscal crisis, as the Arizona Legislature begins its 2010 regular session.

State lawmakers are facing the largest deficit by percentage..nearly 42 percent of the budget, which amounts to a little more than $10 billion. That's "billion," with a B.

There promises to be a big debate over where to cut programs and agencies, or raise taxes. Education funding is sure to be a part of whatever plan is discussed and there surely will be opposition to whatever proposals move to the forefront.

Democrats will blame Republicans for the budget mess and Republicans will pin it on Democrats. This year is also an election year, with the entire legislature and the governor's race up for grabs. Remember, incumbent Governor Jan Brewer was never elected to the office. The former Secretary of State ascended to the post when Democrat Janet Napolitano left for her Department of Homeland Security job, a position in which she's taking a lot of criticism for national security failures.

Brewer most likely will blame Democrats and her predecessor for the problems, but Democrats will fire back and say the fiscal mess got worse under the current governor's leadership. Either way, it should be an ugly, drawn-out battle. Considering Brewer will have opposition from both major political parties this election year, don't expect anything to be easy...at least when it comes to the blame game.

I predict whatever happens will not please many people, but it will sure be fun to watch, once you take out of the equation that whatever decisions are made will affect us all.

Weigh in with your comments below.

FLUTIST FLURRY

posted to Cue Sheet by James Reel

Mathieu Dufour, who this season has been serving as principal flutist of both the Chicago Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic, will be giving a mostly French chamber-music recital here in Tucson this Sunday, courtesy of the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music (at the link, scroll down a bit for specifics). It's an interesting time for him to show up here. Dufour got a lot of publicity last week for giving up his L.A. job; an article in a Chicago newspaper reported that Dufour said that musicians in L.A. "have no tradition there -- no tradition of sound and no tradition of working together as a dedicated ensemble." But now he's claiming to the Los Angeles press that he was misquoted, a standard claim when somebody's loose talk gets him in trouble. You can find the latest in the affair here.

NEW THIS MONTH: UA FACULTY RECORDINGS

posted to Cue Sheet by James Reel

A few weeks ago, someone from the UA School of Music dropped off a bag full of CDs featuring members of the music faculty, and they're beginning to pop up on this month's schedule. Keep your ears open for recordings involving bassoonist William Dietz, flutist Brian Luce, pianists Rex Woods and Paula Fan and organist Pamela Decker, among others.