34 - Wednesday, October 21, 1992 ~ North Shore News Wagner’s wor! Zubin Mehta navigates composer’s middle ground Wagner Orchestral Music, Sony CD #SK 45749, New York Philharmonic, ' Westminster Choir, Zubin Mehtz conductor. Selections: Overture and Venusberg Music (Tannhauser), Prelude to Act | (Parsifal), The Magic of Good Friday (Par- sifal), Overture (Rienzi). Ross MacDonald CLASSICAL MUSIC OMETHING IS rot- ten in the state of Deutschland. There seems to be a movement afoot to separate Wagner from his vocal music. Undoubtedly a cartel has been formed among the major labels of late to produce numerous orchestral Wagnerian anthologies, and this new release is yet ‘another example. it differs from many others, however, in featuring some in- strumental segments that are more thoughtful, less rousing than the usual Der Ring des Nibelungen excerpts that have become so common. Of course, not all Wagner an- thologies concentrate on The King, but they do tend to acknowledge it with at feast a short ride alongside Brunnhilde or some reflective moments at Siegfried’s grave. Here, instead, we are given four ‘lengthy excerpts from operas that are not quite as popular as The Ring yet‘familiar to Wagner and opera fans nonetheless. . This recording witli, no doubt, be an appreciated addition to their - collections. ‘ From page 32 Photography. Show juxtaposes Muybridge’s pioneering 19th Cer- tury photographic studies of animal and human movement with a broad array of modern and contemporary American photography. Oct. 24-Dec. 13. Curator’s talk and reception: Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. Gallery hours: Wed.-Sun. from 12-5 p.m.; Thurs to9p.m. North Vancouver City Halil Gallery: Work by Gathie Falk, Bill Reid, Joe Fafard, Jack Shadbolt, Robert Bateman and Gordon Smith on display as part of Kids Trust Fund. To Nov.18. Nerth Vancouver District Hall Gallery: !nez Taylor uses oi! on canvas to depict the 12 provincial flowers. To Nov. 18. Flours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ~ All Public Places shows sponsored by the North Van- couver Community Arts Coun- cil. Harrison Gallery: Showing by gallery artists, including Kitf Holland and Daniel Izzard. Humberston Edwards Fine Art Gallery: Stafford D. Plant. Recent paintings. To Oct. 28. A greater aspect of this re- cording, however, is its potential to broaden Wagner's exposures to casual classical music fans who have had fittle chance or inclina- * tion to get beyond The Ring. The music here is quite ifferent in many aspects, particularly when considered 'n the context so com- pactly outlined in the liner notes by Edward Downes. Mehta is extremely even-handed with the music so that we don’t get those annoying dynamic surges so characteristic of many other Wagnerian interpretations. Which is not to say that any of Wagner's emotional expression is lost, just that Mehta has avoided the bane of apartment dwellers everywhere who must make surges themselves toward the stereo every 15 minutes to turn the volume knob either up, because they can’t hear everything, or down because all the neighbors can. Avoiding this problem, however, can be largely attributed to Wagner's -- not Mehta’s — con- straint. Each selection is a sophisticated, thoughtful and subtly provocative orchestral carpet of motifs suitable to both concentrated scrutiny and casual listening. Of course, most recordings are subject to both at some point or other, but many that are ideal for the latter can’t bear up to the former — and vice-vérsa. Neither is it necessary to be fa- miliar with the operas irom which the musics are extracted in order to appreciate their merits. However, a downside lies in the fact that, save for the somewhat rousing finish to the Rienzi, this overall evenness between selec- tions tends to let interest wane over the CD’s 65 minutes. As might be expected from Sony, the sound quality is first rate, especially considering that the Parsital and Rienzi segments were recorded live. Producer Steven Epstein and engineer Kevin Boutote have both Elsewhere BAU-X%: Gordan Smith. To Oct. 24, 3045 Granville St., Vancouver. Graham Milne Photo Lab and Gallery: Another Place, Another Time. David Klez. Cibachrome images from three photographic journeys around the world. To Nov. 7, 3381 Cambie St. Catriona Jeffries Fine Art Gallery: Brent Boechler. Western Journal, Charcoal and graphite drawings explore landscapes and , cultural matifs of the west. To Oct. 31. fohn Ramsay Contemporary Art: Jane Coulthard Adams, North Vancouver painter exhibits color- ful still lifes and landscapes. To Oct. 31, 1065 Cambie St., Van- couver, : Petley Jones Gallery: Michael Kluckner. Watercolors. Kluckner’s latest work —- landscape and ur- ban images — reflects the beauty af the Lower Mainland. Many of the work displayed will appear in Kluckner’s forthcoming book, Candles in the Wind. 2245 Gran- ue St. To Oct. 2 Exposure Gallery: Blue Series. ection of colored photographic wones by Vancouver photographer Hilary Haseltine. To Oct. 31. 651 Beatty St., Van- couver, q "Free Free Crab" Prepared 4 differen 4 different ways RarRorh Kagan, performed at least as well as Mehta and the New York Philharmonic to deliver an all- around excellent package that contains no surprises in the’execu- tion. Which makes the decision whether to buy this recording —- as is so often the case — prob- lematic. . (tis an excellent production, and the selections have great potential to attract new converts to Wagner's World. But the absence of those oh-so-Wagnerian ex- tremes might disappoint those who look forward to that kind of stimulation. Others, however, might just as well do without. Choose any 4 dishes on our LUNCH or DINNER menu and receive a FREE CRAB! Bim, DAILY” Peking Duck. HK Mh = Ae Rag, $26.95 49° _3 courses Fine Arts Centre Building Fund increases through generous contribution | Latest conuibutors to Coquitlam's rapidly-growing Fine Arts Centre Building Fund are Milan Nich left, President of Progressive Construction and Vice-President, Land Development, Olga lic were joined by Noordin Sayani, President of Sayan Investments Ltd. and owner.of Burnaby’s ne‘ Executive Inn, in presenting Coquitlam Mayor Lou Sekora, right. with a combined $110,000 donatio to the building fund. Mr. Sayani was instrumental in arranging the presentation, contributing’ $60, 600, of the total. The Coquitlam Builders’ Trust, established in 1990 by lower mainland builders active i Coquitlam, now stands at at just over r $2 million i in cash and pledges. , HEAVY DUTY COMPUTERIZED. SEWING MACHINES Recommended & praised by Home Economists everywhere 100% SWEDISH QUALITY RATED #1 IN THE INDUSTRY FEATURES INCLUDE: PRISMA SERIES Choose from Bs) > Models Vv Up to 10 styles of buttonholes ¥ Full memory capability v Exclusive sewing advisor v Exclusive info-display ¥ Exclusive program display ¥ Jam-proof, non-oiling v 20 year warranty MON.-SAT. 9:30-6:00 p.m. WESTVIEW SHOPPING CENTRE