Duncan McTier – Live In Vienna
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: C- Concert: B-
It is
great when you can become heavily identified with one of the great string
instruments and that is what has happened for musician Duncan McTier. Working at it all his life, an award in 1982
established himself as one of the best double bass soloists in the world. This new Live
In Vienna DVD captures a short (43 minutes) but solid concert taped
February 17th, 2005 with the following five pieces:
1)
Spring Song
2)
Melodie (Romanza Patetica)
3)
Vocalise
4)
Sonata Kontrabass & Klavier
5)
Apr S Un R Ve
Joined by
Rebecca Woodcock on piano, these are very good performances and not the usual
boring Classical genre because not all Classical is necessarily good and many
more play that kind of music with a slowness and passive attitude that has
given the genre a bad name. Here, McTier
plays the music with a heart, soul and intent that keeps this art alive and
when you finish watching, you see why he is getting all the accolades he had been.
The case
says this is a standard ratio DVD (1.33 x 1) but is actually anamorphically
enhanced 1.78 X 1 video that has detail, depth and even slight color issues,
but is watchable just the same. The Dolby
Digital 2.0 is simple stereo, but recorded nicely enough, though hard to tell
if the original recording is at an audiophile level. Extras include text on McTier and his music
releases and interview with McTier about music and his work that is also too
short. McTier’s got a good disc here and
he should go all out on the next one.
- Nicholas Sheffo
