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Category: Music

9 Oct

CLASSIC BRIT AWARD WINNERS

The 2012 Classic BRIT Award winners were announced on 2nd October and Linn is proud to be able to bring you several recordings by the award-winning artists in Studio Master quality.   Firstly a big congratulations to Benjamin Grosvenor, who is having a great fortnight having won a Gramophone Award at the end of September.  His debut album on the Decca label, ‘Chopin, Liszt, Ravel’ saw him crowned winner of the Critics’ Award.  This is a highly prized award as it is voted for by the industry.  Linn’s ‘Mozart Symphonies 38 – 41’ by Sir Charles Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra won this award in 2009.   John Williams enjoyed the rare privilege of winning two awards in one night!  He won the Composer Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award, both well deserved.  John Williams’ Concerto for Violin and Orchestra performed by violinist Emmanuelle Boisvert with sterling support from Leonard Slatkin conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra is out now on Naxos.   The charismatic conductor Vasily Petrenko was named Best Male Artist for the second time, having first won the award in 2010.  He is already a multiple award winner having won the 2011 Gramophone Awards Orchestral Recording of the Year with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic as well as the German Echo Klassik Awards 2012 for Newcomer of the Year and the Gramophone Award for Young Artist of the Year 2007.  His recording of Shostakovich’s Symphonies Nos. 2 & 15 is a compelling performance demonstrating both his characteristic depth and flair.   Best Female Artist went to Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti whose latest album, ‘The Silver Violin’, celebrates the world of 20th century film music.  Highlights include the iconic theme from Schindler’s List and Shostakovich’s Romance from the Gadfly.  This is Nicola’s second BRIT Award having been named Young British Classic Performer in 2008.   MasterCard’s Breakthrough Artist Of The Year was Milos Karadaglic who has wowed the critics with his debut on Decca, ‘Latino’.  Milos’ inspiration moves from the Mediterranean to the sultry sounds and passion of Latin America and his talent is immediately apparent.  

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25 Sep

Do Gold and Platinum Records Really Measure a Musician’s Success?

Do gold and platinum records really measure a musician’s success? In the music world, you often hear phrases like ‘gold record’ or an artist going ‘multi-platinum’ without actually understanding what the phrase even means. For more than half a century record labels and other bodies have been handing out ‘gold’ or ‘platinum’ records to represent sales success for musicians, but what do the labels mean and are they a good way of measuring a musician’s success? The history of gold and platinum records The first gold record was given to Glenn Miller for his song Chattanooga Choo-Choo in 1942 by his record label. As was the tradition in the early years, gold records were usually given by record labels to their artists as an internal celebration of sales, and as such the labeling system was not standardised. An artist could receive a gold record for whatever amount of records sold that their label saw fit. The practice did become standardised however in 1958 when the Recording Industry Association of America (RIIA) started their Gold Award Program. This led the way for the RIIA to become responsible for all music sales certification in the United States, which evolved past gold and into categories like ‘platinum’ and ‘diamond’. The gold records that aren’t gold (or even records) You might think that considering the price of gold and platinum that all these records would be pricey for RIIA. Well fear not, because the records aren’t metal at all. Most nowadays are made from plastic that has been sprayed to look like metal, and they aren’t real records either. If you put them in a player all you’d hear would be a scratch, not the song or album that the award is for. Even new versions that come with ‘golden’ or ‘platinum’ CDs aren’t playable either. Platinum for a million SHIPPED, not sold. A major criticism of the RIIA certifications is that they are based on the number of records shipped to retail outlets and not on how many are actually sold. While the number is a rough indicator of records sold, it can actually be a pretty poor estimate if a label ships out thousands and records and they don’t sell off a music store’s shelves. Theoretically, as long as a label can get stores to buy up stocks of an album based on believed saleability, a record can go gold or platinum without actually selling one copy off the shelves to a real customer. However the usual basemark numbers from the RIIA of 500,000 for gold and 1,000,000 for platinum are based on US numbers. Every country has different benchmarks (adjusting for population and other factors) as ruled by their recording associations. For example, a platinum album in the UK represents 300,000 and in Uruguay just 4,000 albums sold. So do they measure success? In a way certification measures success because stores will not buy the records if they do not think that they can sell them. Records therefore are probably more of an assessment of their sales appeal than of actual sales. However one must admit that incidences of shipping vastly outnumbering sales are few, and therefore certification is a good way of measuring a musician’s success. This is a guest post by Daniel Roberts. Occasional guest blogger on unusual use of gold and full time personal finance. Daniel currently repersents Regal Assets a great resource for gold and platinum investment solutions.

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19 Sep

Alfie Boe – Franz LehÍr: Love was a Dream CD

  Alfie studied at the Royal College of Music, the National Opera Studio and was a member or the Vilar Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, London. He has performed Rodolfo at Glyndebourne, English National Opera and in Baz Luhrmann’s production of La Boheme on Broadway, for which he won a Tony Award. Other operatic roles include Alfredo, Tamino, Don Ottavio, Ferrando, Lysander, The Italian Tenor, the title role in Albert Herring, Caliph in Kismet and Camille du Rosillon inThe Merry Widow at opera houses including ENO, WNO, Glyndebourne, Opera National du Rhin, Strasbourg and La Monnaie, Brussels. It is therefore fitting that he is returning to his operetta heritage by exploring his love of LehÍr for his fourth solo recording. In September 2006 Alfie released his eponymous first album for Classic FM which inspired such comments as, “Alfie Boe is a stunning discovery who could be the best tenor of his generation” (Observer). Then followed two albums with EMI Classics, Onward and La Passione – a collection of Neapolitan songs and arias for which he was nominated for Best Album and Best Male at the 2008 Classical BRIT Awards. Alfie studied at the Royal College of Music, the National Opera Studio and was a member or the Vilar Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, London. He has performed Rodolfo at Glyndebourne, English National Opera and in Baz Luhrmann’s production of La Boheme on Broadway, for which he won a Tony Award. Other operatic roles include Alfredo, Tamino, Don Ottavio, Ferrando, Lysander, The Italian Tenor, the title role in Albert Herring, Caliph in Kismet and Camille du Rosillon inThe Merry Widow at opera houses including ENO, WNO, Glyndebourne, Opera National du Rhin, Strasbourg and La Monnaie, Brussels.

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14 Sep

The Evolution of Music to Benefit the Evolution of Humans

Biomusicology Biomusicology is a new field that studies music from a biological point of view. Biomusicologists believe that music has been around long before humans. Music has been in existence as long as the animals have roamed the world. From birds to whales, many different species of animals use music to communicate with each other. Humans and Music It is believed that humans are hardwired to make music. People in prehistoric times were likely to make whistles or drums out of bones. Later people constructed instrument to play for fun or to be used for ceremonies. Around 2,500 years ago, Pythagoras used math to come up with the musical scale. Then each note was given a letter in order to read and write music. Evolution of Music Music began to transform as the years went on. As music developed, it became more complex. Cultures began to adopt music and develop it to express their traditions. Overtime, the expansion of music caused the expansion of designs of instruments. Religion also had an influence on the development of music. It was being played in churches and monasteries. Later music began to reflect cultural changes throughout the decades. Music changed from the classical era where Beethoven and Bach were popular and expanded to rock and roll where Elvis came into the scene. Emotional Value of Music People enjoy listening to music because of the emotional benefits it offers. Some listen to oldies because it brings back memories. Others enjoy classical because it relaxes them. A few like rock because it pumps them up. Whatever the reason, each person has a reason why they listen to their favorite type of music. Music throughout a Lifetime People are exposed to music at all ages. When they are babies, parents will sing songs or lullabies. Mothers have even started playing music to their children while they are still in the womb. Kids in preschool or kindergarten listen to songs that help them understand math, geography, and even history. People who undergo stress or traumatic events will even go through musical therapy to help recover from health problems like stroke. Music No matter the reason, music is listened to on a daily bases. The rhythms and instruments helps people relax, deal with stress, focus, and feel. Live music and recorded music has benefits for everyone and it will continue to evolve with the people to listen to it. WineStyles The Vintage is the place for live music Houston. Our building is an intimate acoustically controlled venue with over one hundred seats. To ensure quality sound for every concert, we have our own sound system and an amazing sound engineer.

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12 Sep

A Sweet and Melancholy Sound – Listening to Fado Music in Portugal

If you are planning a getaway to the Algarve region of Portugal for your next holiday, why not plan in an evening of listening to the hauntingly beautiful sounds of traditional Fado music? When you are on holiday abroad, you see the sights, taste the food and feel the sunshine on your skin. By going to a Fado performance you can take it one step further and engage your sense of hearing as well. Fado music has a long and fascinating tradition in Portugal and it is incredibly moving and powerful to listen to. Dining at a local restaurant while listening to the traditional sounds of these old fashioned ballads will truly give you an experience of the heart and soul of Portuguese culture. The Story of Fado First of all, what is Fado music and how did it originate? Here is a bit of information about the history of Fado and its significance in Portuguese culture: Origins of Fado This Portuguese musical genre can be traced all the way back to the 1820s and perhaps even earlier. Its history is mostly passed on orally, which is why it is difficult to know exact dates. Some believe that the genre traces its origins back to songs between friends during the Middle Ages, Moorish Ballads or African-Brazilian rhythms. In the mid-19th century, the performers of Fado music were poor working class sailors who danced as they sang, accompanied by a Portuguese guitar and a classical guitar. What the Music Means The songs of Fado tell the tales of life of the poor and also about the people’s relationship with the sea. They are passed down through several generations by parents singing the songs to their children and so this tradition has carried on through the centuries. Most Fado songs often have a distinct tone of melancholy and the feeling of a sense of loss. The Portuguese word for it is “Saudade” which translates as longing. Even if you cannot understand the lyrics, the powerful emotion in the music will reach into your heart and touch you deeply. This type of music is so unique and so important to Portuguese culture, that it has actually been named a UNESCO World Heritage treasure. Listening to Fado in the Algarve Although this type of music originated in Lisbon, Fado has spread throughout Portugal and can be experienced in the Algarve region. You will have many opportunities to listen to live Fado music while staying in the Algarve on your holiday. At the Porches Velho restaurant in the quiet village of Porches you will find yourself within a 210 year old wine cellar, which is the perfect setting in which to feel like you have been transported back in time while listening to the music. At the Real Marina Hotel you will be able to attend Fado performances every Sunday. Another great place to listen to Fado is The Atrium restaurant in Albufeira, which has balcony dining that overlooks the streets of this picturesque city. Also, the town of Portimao hosts the Festival of Fado which gathers together some of the best musicians in the country to perform. Besides these options, you could always just ask the local people in the community if they know of any upcoming Fado performances. If you have a chance to spend an evening listening to Fado during your holiday in the Algarve, be sure to take the opportunity. Listening to this beautiful style of music being performed live is incredibly moving and will be one of the most memorable experiences of your visit to Portugal. During your holiday at Monte da Quinta Suites, be sure to take the opportunity to enjoy some traditional Fado music.

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17 Jul

AVA Media RIP-N-PLAY Audio Server

Overview The new AVA Media RIP-N-PLAY server has been optimized for audio ripping and storage and ready to serve network playback devices such as Linn, Sonos and many other network audio players. streaming to ‘mobile’ devices is simple too! The newly designed, affordable AVA Media RIP-N-PLAY is created from a single piece of aerospace grade aluminium. Precision engineered in their own factory to exacting standards, the AVA Media RIP-N-PLAY will fit perfectly with any high end audio system. Features § Whisper quite operation (<8dBA) § Available in 1TB and 2TB Capacities § Very low power consumption (approx 15W) § Low profile – 332(W) x 185(D) x 54(H)mm § Extremely high quality seamless aluminium chassis § Very simple to use – just insert CD § Lifetime subscription to premium GD3 meta data § Front ‘health status’ indicator § Quick backup to external USB HDD option § Designed, made and supported from UK How it works The AVA Media RIP-N-PLAY is simple to setup just plug in the power and network cables and once the health status is green you are ready you can begin ripping. § Insert your chosen music CD* into the AVA Media RIP-N-PLAY slot loader and all the track information / album art you could wish for is quickly retrieved from our premium metadata providers § The digital uncompressed music files are copied in their highest quality format (FLAC) § The music files are then copied and optionally down converted to a high quality MP3 format ready for portable playback devices or web streaming (original FLAC files are still stored), they can be stored in ALAC too! The copy process takes approximately 4-5 minutes depending on the CD and once completed the disks automatically ejects. Connecting to the server If you want to optimize the server’s settings for example what formats it stores the music in and where then simply access the servers web pages. To connect the server to playback devices vary from product to product but all follow the same guidelines, they will discover the server and you need to point the playback device to the appropriate folder where the music files are that are in a playable format for the particular player you are using. Getting technical All though the AVA Media RIP-N-PLAY server is designed to be simple there is lots of technology behind its simple to use interface, but you don’t have to worry – it’s simplicity itself to use. If you’d like to learn more about the advanced setting – just click Technical Setup Guide The system provides numerous media servers / services § DLNA devices (100’s already in the market – i.e. Xbox, PS3, Linn, Philips, and many more) § SONOS § Roku § iTunes § Samba You can store approximately 3500 CD’s per 1TB. With the 1TB model this means that you could store over 3500 CD albums. Price

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20 Jun

Arcam rCube, the Audiophile I-Pod Dock

  The portable Arcam rCube is powerful enough for a party, but engineered to deliver exceptional clarity at low volume. It has the cutting-edge technology and manufacturing excellence you expect from arcam. You can carry your Arcam rCube with you from room to room – music that follows you wherever you want to go. Hear your favourite radio station in hi-fidelity sound, listen to your music or radio while cooking, lolling in your armchair, or relaxing in the bath in the house, in the office, outside in the garden, even on a picnic. The rCube’s powerful battery eliminates the need for messy wires – it’s as easy a mobile phone to recharge. You can connect the Arcam rCube to an extra audio source via the aux input and output video from files stored on your iPod or iPhone when it is docked.   Features Cube to cube streaming Integral carry handle Charging dock Full remote control Long playing rechargeable battery Multiple steaming (up to 8 cubes) PC streaming (RWave dongle required) iPod streaming (RWand dongle required) Video connection (accessory cable required)  

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15 May

Jarre AeroSystem One

Jarre AeroSystem One delivers a precise and enveloping sound thanks to its powerful box beam and two directional speakers. The ultimately elegant design of the AeroSystem One, perfectly integrates into any interior, with its aesthetic ambition while privileging optimum audio quality, all at a most affordable price: a sound-system that appeals both to design and music-lovers. Compatible with all iPod generations: iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPod Classic Compatible with all iPhone generations: iPhone, iPhone 3G(S), iPhone 4 Multiple input sources with mini-jack 3.5 mm connector: MP3 players Computers CD/DVD players Driven by the continuous regression in the quality of our consuming of music, Jarre Technologies devised AeroSystem One with the aim to retrieve and restore the lost sound that has been so meticulously produced in state-of-the-art recording studios: it is time for home-entertainment to be true to the genesis of the initial emotion created by the musicians in the studio. AeroSystem One is the result of four years research and development by Jean Michel Jarre and his team of sound engineers. Conceptualised in France, this powerful sound-system can accept all digital formats, from MP3, AAC, WMA, etc. AeroSystem One is compatible with all iPod and iPhone models and comes with an integrated USB 2.0 port, as well as a mini-jack port offering the possibility to connect the system to a laptop, a CD / DVD player, smartphones, hard-disk files, as well as a vinyl turn-table. AeroSystem One incorporates an electronic signal circuit, tailor-made to reproduce both the bass line and high notes with optimal precision. AeroSystem One delivers a precise and enveloping sound thanks to its powerful box beam and two directional speakers. The ultimately elegant design of the AeroSystem One, perfectly integrates into any interior, with its aesthetic ambition while privileging optimum audio quality, all at a most affordable price: a sound-system that appeals both to design and music-lovers.

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13 Feb

Share your Music Moments with Linn

Everyone has moments in their life when music makes the difference. It captures the moment perfectly, intensifies our emotions or changes the way we feel. In these moments, music and memory become linked forever, and it becomes impossible to think of one without the other. We’ve created an interactive Music Moments wall to collect these special moments together for everyone to see, listen and add their own. #MusicMoment Check out the new Music Moments wall and explore the stories, photos and videos posted by music lovers everywhere. Add your own favourite Music Moments and tell everyone how music has shaped your finest and most poignant moments. Post your story to the wall and help re-live those times when music makes the difference. You can join in and share your moments with Facebook or Twitter – use the hashtag #MusicMoment to add your moments to the stream and see what music is making the world spin right now. Share your Music Moment It could be your greatest music memory or it could have happened this morning on the way to work. Happiness or heartbreak (and everything in-between), tell us about the music, the emotions it stirs and the memory it evokes. Words by themselves are fine but you can bring your Music Moment to life by adding a picture or movie. If you’ve got an original photograph or film clip, perfect. Or just find something that illustrates the moment perfectly for you. You can add as many moments as you like and share them with the friends that helped inspire them. Add a Music Moment today and share those times when music made the difference for you.

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7 Nov

iPod Docks at Rococo

iPod docks provide so much more than a place to rest your iPod. You can connect to the TV, stereo, computer, speakers and more. Not only can use your iPod dock to play your music from your iPod, it can also be used to charge your device, and with the option of a remote control, your iPod dock can become the epicentre of your music collection. Release your stored digital music from your iPod with a docking station from our range, these are available as stand alone with integral speakers or to plug into your existing hi-fi system. Our range includes docks from brands such as: Arcam, Sonance, NAD, Sony, Denon, Yamaha, Artcoustic and many more.     Click here to view our range.

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