Neue Zürcher Zeitung, June 6, 2012: Difference between revisions

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<small>Während seines knapp dreistündigen Auftritts zeigte sich Elvis Costello als vielseitiger Entertainer und Sänger. (Bild: NZZ / [[Christian Beutler]])</small>
<small>Während seines knapp dreistündigen Auftritts zeigte sich Elvis Costello als vielseitiger Entertainer und Sänger. (Bild: NZZ / [[Christian Beutler]])</small>
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<center><h3>Fighting in the throat</h3></center>
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A wheel ruled the stage at the Kongresshaus - Elvis Costello's Spectacular Spinning Songbook (the idea comes from the 1980s). While colleagues are wont to compose a repertoire latest songs and greatest hits, presented the 57-year-old singer / songwriter on Monday only this song selection. Women and men in the audience were allowed to spin the wheel. And when it came to a stop again an arrow showed the track the singer and his accompanying trio The Imposters had to play.
'''Breathless'''
First, however, the musicians had come out without the "Spectacular Spinning Songbook" In rapid succession, they first played "Hope You're Happy Now", "[[Heart Of The City]]", "[[Mystery Dance]]," "[[Radio, Radio|Radio Radio]]." The companion clubbed and gagged while the maestro rushed breathlessly through the verses - just as he had carried around these songs for too long in the mind. Costello but probably just needed a first phase of Einsingens to the tapes of his vocal organs were metallized seemingly softer and smoother. The harsh vocals - he was the fascination of the evening, although, or perhaps because he was not always confident and sometimes threatened to suffocate in hoarseness. Costello's voice compete in various impulses and powers: Great grown up with punk and new wave, the Briton is always on the one hand and rowdiness on persiflage poses. Other hand, he has an affinity for jazz phrasing, as well as the authentic emotionality of folk.
Such conflicting forces manifested themselves in the concert-drama. With the song wheel Costello opened casino and vaudeville. Thus, the atmosphere just never suffered from cramped attention, too much respect or sense of art, he completed his 170-minute show nor by the " Hammer of Songs" - a kind of songs Hammer and Bell, as well as the Go-Go Cage where not only a dancer could perform, but also those listeners and listeners who had previously played fate at the wheel. Costello sat down again and again great as greasy and witty emcee's scene. This star shines so by vanity and arrogance, cynicism and nerdy by assiduity; worse: He seems very intelligent and gifted musically. Such mortgage but he hid now live by comedians so much charm and understated that it was a pleasure - although his art was promptly suffer.
'''High culture'''
The fate of the wheel would have it, the menu was dominated by harder songs such as "Turpentine" and "Pump It Up". Costello's vocal sloppiness that might be appropriate here, then got in the way in the freestyle expressive ballads like "She" or "I Want You": The vibrato, the coloratura, the jazzy phrasing that characterize Costello gentler moods, were not validity, so he probably put something almost helpless in an exaggerated echo effects. Even so wanted to be satisfied with wit and lively conversation, he still cared for trips into the high culture. In the ballad of Bänkelgesang "Jimmie Standing In The Rain" as he excelled through virtuosity and thrilling dynamics.
Zurich, Congress House, 4 June.
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Revision as of 07:26, 28 July 2014

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Neue Zürcher Zeitung

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Kämpfe in der Kehle

Konzert

Ueli Bernays

Ein Rad regierte die Bühne des Kongresshauses – Elvis Costellos Spectacular Spinning Songbook (die Idee stammt aus den 1980er Jahren). Während Kollegen neuste Lieder und Greatest Hits zu einem Repertoire zu komponieren pflegen, präsentierte der 57-jährige Singer/Songwriter am Montag lediglich diese Song-Auswahl. Frauen und Männer aus dem Publikum durften dann am Rad drehen. Und wenn es wieder zu stehen kam, zeigte ein Pfeil auf den Titel, den der Sänger und sein Begleittrio The Imposters zu intonieren hatten.

Atemlos

Zuerst allerdings waren die Musiker ohne «Spectacular Spinning Songbook» ausgekommen. In rascher Folge spielten sie zunächst «Hope Your Happy Now», «Heart Of The City», «Mistery Dance», «Radio Radio». Die Begleiter knüppelten und knebelten, während der Maestro atemlos durch die Strophen hetzte – gerade so, als hätte er diese Lieder schon viel zu lange in der Seele herumgetragen. Wahrscheinlich aber brauchte Costello einfach eine erste Phase des Einsingens, damit die Bänder seines metallisiert anmutenden Stimmorgans weicher wurden und geschmeidiger. Der harsche Gesang – er war das Faszinosum des Abends, obwohl oder gerade weil er nicht immer überzeugte und manchmal in Heiserkeit zu ersticken drohte. In Costellos Stimme konkurrieren verschiedene Impulse und Mächte: Gross geworden mit Punk und New Wave, setzt der Brite einerseits immer wieder auf Rotzigkeit und auf persiflierende Posen. Andrerseits hat er eine Affinität zur Jazz-Phrasierung sowie zur authentischen Emotionalität des Folk.

Solche widerstreitenden Kräfte offenbarten sich auch in der Konzert-Dramaturgie. Mit dem Song-Rad machte Costello auf Kasino und Vaudeville. Damit die Atmosphäre nur ja nie unter verkrampfter Aufmerksamkeit, zu viel Respekt oder Kunstsinn litt, ergänzte er seine 170-minütige Show noch durch den «Song-Hammer» – eine Art Lieder-Hau-den-Lukas sowie durch das Go-Go-Cage, wo sich nicht nur eine Tänzerin produzieren durfte, sondern auch jene Zuhörer und Zuhörerinnen, die zuvor am Rad Schicksal gespielt hatten. Costello setzte sich dabei immer wieder grossartig als schmieriger und launiger Conférencier in Szene. Dieser Star glänzt ja durch Eitelkeit und Arroganz, durch Zynismus und nerdige Beflissenheit; schlimmer noch: Er scheint sehr intelligent und musikalisch hochbegabt. Solche Hypothek aber verbarg er live nun durch Komödianten-Charme und so viel Understatement, dass es eine Freude war – obgleich seine Kunst prompt darunter zu leiden hatte.

Hochkultur

Das Schicksal des Rades wollte es, dass das Menu durch härtere, rockige Nummern wie «Turpentine» und «Pump It Up» dominiert wurde. Costellos gesangliche Schludrigkeit, die hier angebracht sein mochte, stand dann der expressiven Kür in Balladen wie «She» oder «I Want You» im Wege: Das Vibrato, die Koloraturen, die jazzige Phrasierung, die Costello in sanfteren Stimmungen charakterisieren, kamen nicht zur Geltung; deshalb wohl setzte er fast etwas hilflos auf übertriebene Echo-Effekte. Schon wollte man sich also mit Witz und munterer Unterhaltung zufriedengeben, da sorgte er doch noch für Ausflüge in die Hochkultur. Im balladesken Bänkelgesang von «Jimmie Standing In The Rain» etwa brillierte er durch Virtuosität und packende Dynamik.

Zürich, Kongresshaus, 4. Juni.

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Neue Zürcher Zeitung, June 6, 2012


Ueli Bernays reviews Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Tuesday, June 4, 2012, Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland.

Images

2012-06-06 Neue Zürcher Zeitung photo.jpg
Während seines knapp dreistündigen Auftritts zeigte sich Elvis Costello als vielseitiger Entertainer und Sänger. (Bild: NZZ / Christian Beutler)

Fighting in the throat

English via Google Translate...

A wheel ruled the stage at the Kongresshaus - Elvis Costello's Spectacular Spinning Songbook (the idea comes from the 1980s). While colleagues are wont to compose a repertoire latest songs and greatest hits, presented the 57-year-old singer / songwriter on Monday only this song selection. Women and men in the audience were allowed to spin the wheel. And when it came to a stop again an arrow showed the track the singer and his accompanying trio The Imposters had to play.

Breathless

First, however, the musicians had come out without the "Spectacular Spinning Songbook" In rapid succession, they first played "Hope You're Happy Now", "Heart Of The City", "Mystery Dance," "Radio Radio." The companion clubbed and gagged while the maestro rushed breathlessly through the verses - just as he had carried around these songs for too long in the mind. Costello but probably just needed a first phase of Einsingens to the tapes of his vocal organs were metallized seemingly softer and smoother. The harsh vocals - he was the fascination of the evening, although, or perhaps because he was not always confident and sometimes threatened to suffocate in hoarseness. Costello's voice compete in various impulses and powers: Great grown up with punk and new wave, the Briton is always on the one hand and rowdiness on persiflage poses. Other hand, he has an affinity for jazz phrasing, as well as the authentic emotionality of folk.

Such conflicting forces manifested themselves in the concert-drama. With the song wheel Costello opened casino and vaudeville. Thus, the atmosphere just never suffered from cramped attention, too much respect or sense of art, he completed his 170-minute show nor by the " Hammer of Songs" - a kind of songs Hammer and Bell, as well as the Go-Go Cage where not only a dancer could perform, but also those listeners and listeners who had previously played fate at the wheel. Costello sat down again and again great as greasy and witty emcee's scene. This star shines so by vanity and arrogance, cynicism and nerdy by assiduity; worse: He seems very intelligent and gifted musically. Such mortgage but he hid now live by comedians so much charm and understated that it was a pleasure - although his art was promptly suffer.

High culture

The fate of the wheel would have it, the menu was dominated by harder songs such as "Turpentine" and "Pump It Up". Costello's vocal sloppiness that might be appropriate here, then got in the way in the freestyle expressive ballads like "She" or "I Want You": The vibrato, the coloratura, the jazzy phrasing that characterize Costello gentler moods, were not validity, so he probably put something almost helpless in an exaggerated echo effects. Even so wanted to be satisfied with wit and lively conversation, he still cared for trips into the high culture. In the ballad of Bänkelgesang "Jimmie Standing In The Rain" as he excelled through virtuosity and thrilling dynamics.

Zurich, Congress House, 4 June.

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