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Immortal beloved
Robert Everett-Green
This article was published more than 20 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.
The biography of Claude Vivier can almost be read from the titles of his compositions. Lonely Child was written by an orphan; the opera Kopernikus, by a man who believed that the way to get to the truth of life was to look at it from previously untried angles.
There is even an epitaph of sorts. A piece called Do you believe in the immortality of the soul? was lying unfinished on Vivier's desk when he was found in his Paris apartment in 1983, strangled and stabbed by a young man the openly gay composer had picked up the night before.
That senseless conclusion to a troubled and radiant life has inevitably coloured Vivier's posthumous image, even while his artistic reputation grows. He is now perhaps the most prominent Canadian composer on the world scene. His works were a centrepiece of last year's Holland Festival, and have been recorded for Philips by the leading Dutch conductor Reinbert de Leeuw. A new Canadian-French co-production of Kopernikus, his "ritual opera of death," visited festivals in Strasbourg and Huddersfield, England, last fall, and has now arrived in Vivier's hometown of Montreal for two performances at Place des Arts starting tonight.
Vivier is hot because, almost 20 years after his death at the age of 34, his music still feels fresh and original. He was a pioneering explorer in the search for a new simplicity. For Vivier, that did not mean resorting to the clichés of the past, or the pop idioms of the present. He saw simplicity as the hidden continent upon which we build our busy dreams of control over life, and even death.
"Childlike" is the word most often used to describe the music. And yet the means of its composition are often highly sophisticated. Vivier, who studied musical system-building with Karlheinz Stockhausen, sometimes calculated pitches from the frequencies of notes in the bass or melody. But technical manipulations never intrude upon the appearance of the work as a glittering, sensual object of primitive force and beauty.
In Vivier's universe, the conscious mind is the guardian of the structured disorder of grownup life. So it's not surprising that his preferred method was to dart around this gatekeeper, and leap over the fence into the subconscious.
In a report after the premiere of Kopernikus in 1979, critic Daniel Moisan wrote that Vivier's music aimed to "hypnotize the spectator, to literally captivate him, without providing any insight as to its meaning."
The interior voyage taken by the heroine Agni is not just to be observed, but in some way replicated, without pointers that would constrain and falsify the act. Listening to Kopernikus involves listening to oneself.
"There is no actual story," Vivier wrote of the opera, "but rather a series of scenes which carry Agni along towards total purification and the attainment of a state of pure spirit."
These scenes take place in no particular setting, using languages mainly of Vivier's own invention. One singer is associated more or less constantly with Agni, but the other six have floating identities. Through them, figures like Mozart, Lewis Carroll and Copernicus himself appear, more as thoughts or recollections than as characters.
Single melodic lines predominate, sometimes running parallel like the marks left on rocks by retreating glaciers. Vivier was fascinated by Asian music, and treated each note and gong stroke like a resonant, symbolic event.
The surviving scores for the opera, still unpublished, are "a mess," said Tom Sokoloski, whose Toronto-based company Autumn Leaf Performance assembled the new production. Pascal Rophé, the French music director recruited for the project, had to make his own performing edition.
There are almost no stage directions in the score, which has left much to the imagination of everyone who has done the opera. The original production featured elaborate costumes and headgear, and clad the seven instrumentalists in white robes. A Vancouver New Music production in 1990 included a dancer, and a painter who painted the sets while the work was performed. For Autumn Leaf's production, French director Stanislas Nordey chose to situate the work "in a space rather than a scene, through which dreamlike costumes play in the changing light."
The production was first seen last summer at the Banff Centre for the Arts, which took a vital co-production role in the early stages. For Banff, the venture was entirely in line with its role, developed over the past decade and more, as an international incubation centre for new-music theatre and opera.
For Sokoloski, Vivier's spiritual journey was a ticket out of a constrained situation in Toronto, where the market for new opera is limited and the supply is growing. Tapestry New Opera Works (producer of the current premiere run of Chan Ka Nin's Iron Road), Queen of Puddings (producer of James Rolfe's successful Beatrice Chancey) and the Canadian Opera Company are all chasing the same or similar audiences.
"The local market is saturated," said Sokoloski. "The question was whether we could come up with a product that could compete on the international market."
Sokoloski's project attracted interest in Europe, where earlier productions of Kopernikus had been seen at festivals in England and France during the eighties. A conversation three years ago with Opéra de Montréal's outgoing director Bernard Uzan brought him another Canadian partner.
Most of the seven singers are Canadian, including cabaret diva Patricia O'Callaghan. The largely French creative team brought French government support, and suits Sokoloski's belief that it's important for Canadians to experience an outside view of Vivier's work.
"For the French, Vivier is a great composer, but he's not their composer," he said. "For them, Kopernikus is just another piece."
The production had to be portable enough to fit into one standard container, and cheap enough to be desirable as a one-stop purchase for European festivals. The $75,000 (U.S.) price tag, per show, was ultimately too low to cover Sokoloski's costs, but it helped close the deal in Strasbourg, where Kopernikus played the Musica Festival last September, and at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in November. Opéra de Montréal chipped in an extra $20,000 as its contribution to the production's development. By the end of the Toronto run in June, Sokoloski expects to break even.
With a clutch of favourable reviews already in hand, Sokoloski is planning a three-year strategy to strengthen his European links. His only problem: finding another Vivier.
Kopernikus plays the Place des Art's Théâtre Maisonneuve in Montreal tonight and Saturday, and Toronto's MacMillan Theatre June 21-23.
Follow Robert Everett-Green on Twitter: @RobertEG_Opens in a new window


Agile guru Ken Schwaber states that"[Scrum] is so insignificant I some times wonder exactly what the big deal is!" When the inventor of this procedure (even though he won't take that title stating he only pulled together a number of current thoughts ) says this you have surely got to wonder what kind of whole group of training companies pay inside their 1000 and"Scrum learn" certification classes! There was really a good threat in presuming that instruction alone leaves you a specialist in a field. Courses such as Prince2 Professional and Scrum grasp simply educate the idea; yet to judiciously apply it requires decades of practical experience over a range of jobs instead encouraged by training Scrum Master.
My advice would be to save your training resources and see a book, see a video or get on line and utilize the plethora of free Agile resources. One of the ideal instruction tools I have found is that a YouTube movie called Scrum in Under 10 moments.
When you have known the basic notions of Scrum the hard labour starts. Schwaber likens it to chess. Learning about the rules of this game is easy, but applying them can be exceedingly troublesome indeed. The issues posed by any one match can be clearly one of the practically infinite permutation of possibilities for infinite complexity. That's the reason why I consistently baulk at the thought of becoming a"grasp" in Scrum right after having a two-day path. Think about calling some one who'd taken 10 moments to understand the basic principles of chess a Grand Master and pitting them from Garry Kasparov!
To position Scrum as a succession of regulations and processes is getting off from the very essence of the method. Scrum isn't assumed to function as described as a prescribed set of measures that you can turn to at any given time out tell you exactly what to do . Its invention was in response to this many prescriptive methodologies that arose at the 80's and 90's. The most Agile ethos is always to byproduct merchandise development teams and also to get them to consider them.
, results-orientated way. Also at any position over time it's very clear wherever we are for better or for worse. In endeavors operating to traditional notions it can be too simple to obfuscate the specific situation behind a barrage of power-points, types and processes and present many unwanted delays.
At the future part for the series of posts I shall look in the desktop to Scrum and a few of the crucial topics to the process like transparency, and releasing something which will be"completed" and cross-functional groups. If you are using or thinking about utilizing the Scrum strategy or some other of these Agile ideas – remember to don't hesitate to comment below. I would also want to consider any responses from individuals rather than it!
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07 Dec Do I need to make a Will?
It is important to make a list of the assets which you own, bank accounts held in your name and life assurance policies which may pay a lump sum in the event of your death. It is helpful when making your Will that you have a comprehensive list of all of the assets which you own and wish to leave to your loved ones.
When making your will it is prudent to appoint at least two executors to carry out your wishes under the Will. An executor doesn't have to have any particular qualification or expertise. More often than not an executor is a family member or close personal friend. A minimum number of one executor is required although it is always best to appoint two.
If you have children under 18 years of age it is important that you appoint guardians to look after the children in the unlikely event that at the date of your death your spouse has died before you and your children are still under 18 years of age. It is prudent to have two guardians appointed where possible. It is certainly advisable to speak to your guardians in advance of their appointment to ensure that they are aware of what is involved and that they agreeable to taking on the task of minding your children in the event of the death of you and your spouse. A guardian would normally take care of the children until they reach 18 years of age or leave full-time education, if later. As well as appointing guardians in your will where you have children under the age of 18 years of age it is also important to appoint Trustees. The Trustees function is to mind the assets which are being gifted to the children under 18 years of age until they reach the age of majority. Whilst the children are under 18 years of age it would be normal for the Will to provide for the trustees to manage the children's financial affairs. This can be dealt with in the provisions of the Will.
Once you have made your Will it is important that it is stored in a safe location and that the executors of the Will, the individuals that have been appointed to carry out your wishes under the Will, are aware of its location. It would be normal that the Will would be safely deposited at your solicitors office or bank. Copies can be provided to you. Nobody else is entitled to see your Will or be made aware of the provisions in the Will until such time as your death has occurred. It is important to bear in mind that you can change the terms of your Will at any time.
Should you require any advice or assistance in the preparation of your Will please feel free to contact Risteard Crimmins of Crimmins Howard Solicitors who will be happy to provide you with guidance.


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3 plots of land are available in a rapidly developing area in Ukwa West.
Has access road, and there is frequent electricity supply in the area.
These plots are good for both residential and commercial projects.
Contact me fast: offer won't be available forever.


AlpTransfer has the honor to offer comfortable private business transfer, especially for our precious guests who value comfort and best quality service.
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The fact that AlpTransfer was gained high reputation in the Swiss market during long-serving years in the private transfer filed, whether the airport, business or point to point transfers. All that by combining expertise, flexibility, comfort and reliability in order to provide the best possible service with the highest standards.
Our top business transfers allow you not to waste your time on lengthy procedures of border posts and other ceremonial functions on arriving in the country. We are glad to present you the Swiss business transfer services in the airports of Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva and other major cities.
The private business transfer is exclusively for you or your group to attend your meeting just on time. Get there before the rest effortless, by sitting back and enjoying your private transfer service.
An expert driver will be waiting for you to greet you with a welcome nameplate in order to give you the smoothest ride in a comfortable vehicle without any delay. Our all drivers are friendly and aware of the local information to help you in the best way.
After finishing your meeting, our formally dressed driver will transport you to the hotel or any other required drop-off point.
AlpTransfer became within the first ranks in Switzerland by its provided excellent car services upon request throughout Switzerland as well as in neighboring countries. These stretched to include Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy and France.
AlpTransfer will give you the best of Switzerland by its private transfers with the most affordable prices and modern vehicles. Thus, do not waste your time and book one of our private shuttle transfers with first-class cars. We have Mercedes Benz E Class, Mercedes Benz S Class, Mercedes Benz V Class, Mercedes Benz Vito and many more, in order to ensure your smooth ride and your family's safety in this luxurious country.
Our large vehicle collection is suitable for every occasion you want to make in style as well as with very competitive prices.
Therefore, just book your private business transfer quickly via our simple online booking portal and it will be confirmed within less than 24 hours only with AlpTransfer professional staff. Furthermore, also easiest ways are included to make your payment through.
Make your decision now and let AlpTransfer take care of the rest. We guarantee you a private transfer only for you, a first-class and reliable service with maximum satisfaction to your chosen destination.
For further inquiries please, do not hesitate to contact us and our team will be happy to answer all your questions.


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Vanilla Islands – Les Iles Vanille
Discover six island nations in the Indian Ocean.
Anantara King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament Announced
February 24, 2017 france
Bangkok (Thailand) – February 23, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Anantara Hotels and Resorts has announced the dates for the 2017 King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament. This year's event will be held by the banks of Bangkok's mighty Chao Phraya River from March 9th – 12th and promises to have a full range of fun elephant festivities for the whole family.
Now in its fifteenth year, the tournament has become one of the biggest charitable events in Southeast Asia with over US$1.3 million (BHT 46 million) raised and donated to projects that better the lives of Thailand's wild and domesticated elephant population, these include: the world's first Thai Elephant Assisted Autistic Therapy Project; positive reinforcement elephant training workshops; mahout community development initiatives, and wild elephant conservation.
A total of 30 unemployed former street elephants will take part in this year's festival during which they will be given full veterinary checks and care, much needed food and drink and essential vitamin supplements for the duration of the event.
The welfare of the elephants that participate in the King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament is of paramount importance, with strict rules ensuring that the pachyderms are well cared for at all times. By imposing a "no micro-chip, no game" rule, Anantara guarantees that all participating elephants have been domestically bred and not captured from the wild or smuggled in from neighbouring countries.
The King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament recently awarded a silver medal for Sports CSR Initiative of the Year at the Asia 2016 SPIA Sports Industry Awards. Organised by Sport360° and MMC Sportz, in partnership with the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Sports Authority of Thailand, the awards applauds sports industry leaders that demonstrate a balance between business, community and environment.
The 2017 event will have 10 teams encompassing over 40 players, including Thai celebrities, supermodels, professional horse polo players and New Zealand All-Blacks rugby players. The four day festival will have something for everyone including an impressive Opening Parade, Children's Educational Day, Ladies Day known as The 'Bangkok Ascot' and fun elephant related activities.
Anantara has long been associated with elephant conservation efforts with the formation of The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, which has performed over 40 rescues of elephants off the streets of Thailand, as well as bringing the hugely successful Elephant Parade to Bangkok.
About Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas
Anantara is a luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, connecting them to genuine places, people and stories through personal experiences, and providing heartfelt hospitality in the world's most exciting destinations. The collection of distinct, thoughtfully designed luxury hotels and resorts provides a window through which to journey into invigorating new territory, curating personal travel experiences.
From cosmopolitan cities to desert sands to lush islands, Anantara connects travellers to the indigenous, grounds them in authentic luxury, and hosts them with passionate expertise. The portfolio currently boasts over 35 stunning properties located in Thailand, the Maldives, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zambia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman, with a pipeline of future properties across Asia, the Indian Ocean, Middle East and Africa.
For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, please visit www.anantara.com.
Enquiries:
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JOHN DENNISON
Harbour light. He is the business,
sole entry in the daily competition,
making an optimist's breakfast, a right mess
of, a clean breast of, a vision
of plucked courage going down, and up
we come, buoyant. He bobs in self-belief,
looks for the ladder, the heavy return trip.
Brightnesses teem, school in the water beneath
the wharf: life is in its element
regardless, things being what they are,
not longing and flap in a feathered suit.
O birdman, birdman, you keep on falling harder,
keep lifting up your head; let it tug,
that sense you're on the verge of something big.
Photo by Robert Cross
John Dennison was born in Sydney in 1978. His first collection of poems, Otherwise (Carcanet/Auckland University Press) was published in 2015. The book was long-listed for the 2016 New Zealand Book Awards, and short-listed for the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry Prize for First Full Collection. Dennison is also the author of Seamus Heaney and the Adequacy of Poetry (Oxford University Press, 2015). In 2016 he was awarded the Louis Johnson New Writer's Bursary by Creative New Zealand. He lives with his family in Wellington, where he is a university chaplain.
Dennison comments: 'A flight of serious whimsy, this poem. I got musing on the Birdman wharf-jumping competitions, and the not-quite biographical persona took off from there. It's the first in a sequence of seven sonnets which follow the birdman through his fall and rise.Poem source details>
Links
John's Auckland University Press author page
Interview with Paula Green on Poetry Shelf
Interview with Jennifer Williams for the Scottish Poetry Library podcast
John's poem 'Psalm' featured as The Guardian's 'Poem of the week'
John's poems on the Poet Laureate's blog


We know the the speed of light/c is the same to all observers. But i cant grasp something.
Observer is moving at $0.5c$ in relation to us. He doenst have any point of referece and everything around him is black.
Can he find out he is moving at $0,5c$ in relation to someone?
What gurantee our whole universe isnt moving at $0,5c$ in relation to another far away observer?
Will he assume/is he right to say he is at $0c$? Can particles that dont interact to the universe, in their perpective, say they're at rest?
I can never be guranteed or assume myself to be at $0c$/rest, since there's a possibility someone far away can see me at $0,5c$?
1) Can he find out he is moving at 0,5c in relation to someone?
Of course he can find out he is moving 0.5c in relation to someone. When you are in your car, do you have any difficulty determining that you're moving at 50mph in relation to a nearby pedestrian? This is in priniciple no harder at .5c than it is at 50mph.
2) What gurantee our whole universe isnt moving at 0,5c in relation to another far away observer?
The guarantee is that there is no such faraway observer. If he's an observer, he's part of our universe.
3a) Will he assume/is he right to say he is at 0c0c?
I can't figure out who "he" is, but any non-accelerating observer is moving at 0c relative to himself, and is entitled to say so.
3b) Can particles that dont interact to the universe, in their perpective, say they're at rest?
All particles interact with the universe, because they are part of the universe.
Final unnumbered question: I can never be guranteed or assume myself to be at 0c/rest, since there's a possibility someone far away can see me at 0,5c?
You are at 0c relative to yourself and .5c relative to someone else. There's no contradiction here. All speeds are relative, and it makes no sense to ask what your speed is until you specify relative to what. Different specifications will then give different answers.
Look into the principle of relativity. The laws of physics are the same in all inertial reference frames. So if the person moving with respect to us at constant 0.5c does any experiments on their spaceship (or wherever they are), their results will be the same as our experiments. There's no "absolute rest"; they can claim they're motionless, just as much as we can, since any experiments they do will give equivalent results to any we do.
1) Yes, but in his frame he's at rest.
Hopefully I was of some help, but you should try to study a bit more physics to clarify some concepts. Maybe start out with classical mechanics, or at least Galilean relativity. Then try to tackle special relativity.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged speed-of-light inertial-frames observers or ask your own question.
Would time freeze if you could travel at the speed of light?
What is my acceleration in my own frame?
Does infalling matter ever cross the event horizon?
What is the apparent time of a clock moving x-wise at 0.5c for an observer moving -x-wise at 0.5c?
Why do two moving inertial frames of reference atribute the same velocity to each other?


"100 People" is a world-wide project aimed at 'statistically and visually bringing the local with the global".
We're a generation of consumers. We live to buy and buy to live. And every year the situation is becoming more daunting and gloomy like a vicious circle - you have to work harder to earn more money-for what?-to spend more and more and end up working harder again. Rat race, isn't it?
No one will ever see a paradise parrot fly across the sky again. Paradise parrots are extinct. Extinction is forever. Since 1788, when the first European settlers came to Australia, thirty species of mammals and birds and about 100 species of plants have become extinct.
Clean means healthy: True or False?
There is a Russian proverb translated as "clean means healthy" or "cleanliness is next to godliness" However, nowadays it's not the case and clean doesn't always mean healthy.
Since energetic crisis 1973 the problems of ecology and non-renewable energy resources have been getting more and more urgent. Tons of articles and scientific publications have been devoted to environmental degradation in the context of the increasing economic production.
Driving a car is the most air polluting act an average citizen commits. Air pollution is not a good idea for a variety of reasons, large and small. The right ideas for remediation of environmental degradations involve unselfish and compassionate behavior, a scarce commodity. The right ideas involve long-term planning, conservation and a deep commitment to preserving the natural world. Without a healthy natural environment, there will be few or no healthy humans.
I think there is no need to reiterate all the problems we have with air pollution, garbage recycling and other environmental issues nowadays. This is obvious that all of them are caused by human beings, i.e. by us - you and me. So when I decided to write an article my purpose was to find some easy solutions for everyday life that could help reduce harmful impact of our activities on environment. This is what I came out with.
Do we need natural energy?
For many centuries people have been using energy of minerals, but there isn't infinite quantity of these. That's why problem of finding other energy sources appeared.
Water pollution... We've heard this phrase a lot of times, almost everybody knows that it's a highly important ecological problem of the modern world.


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The Lowdown
First Impressions / Setting up
Price: US$1899 / £1649 / €1778
Denon DJ Prime 4 Standalone All-In-One System Review
Club/Festival DJing denon dj Prime 4 Pro
Production Gear
Last updated 22 October, 2021
Denon DJ's Prime 4 is a groundbreaking all-in-one standalone DJ system that lets you spin with up to four decks. It is a remarkably mature, hugely powerful, immensely exciting, and great value-for-money DJ system. It has a beautiful, smooth and responsive touchscreen, plenty of controls that digital DJs have grown to love, and the ability to access various storage media including USB and a massive 1TB SATA hard drive. It's light years ahead of any other standalone DJ system out there, and its feature set even smashes pro club systems that are triple its price point. Your move, Pioneer DJ.
Denon DJ Prime 4 Standalone All-In-One System
Product type: Standalone DJ System
Launched: January 2019
Power: External
Size: 728.47 x 496.82 x 103.63 mm
On paper, the Denon DJ Prime 4 is the most powerful standalone DJ system ever made – no laptop required! DJing from USB, SD or SATA hard drive, you get four full channels of digital audio, a big touchscreen that's smooth and responsive, and pretty much all the performance features you find on the best DJ software.
Hardware, it seems, is finally catching up with the "software plus controller" method of DJing that has been the most fun way to do this for a decade now. And it's Denon DJ, not the current stalwart of the DJ booth Pioneer DJ, currently leading the way.
Read this next: Full Prime 2 vs Prime 4 Comparison
So do DJs need to take their laptops into the DJ booth at all now? Have we come full circle, back to the days where DJs simply turn up with their music and a pair of headphones and play on the gear that's there – but this time, with all the features of software finally available to them? Does the Prime 4 mark the beginning of the end for laptop DJing?
Well let's hold that thought right there, get stuck into our full review (now we've had a week or so to play with a unit), and I'll return to answer these questions at the end. Hopefully by then you'll have a much better idea as to whether this US$1699 unit is the right next step for you in your own DJing.
This thing is absolutely gorgeous out of the box. It is not as wide as you might think, but a bit deeper than expected. It is finished in metal, and feels solid and professional. As well as the unit, there is a power cable (no separate transformer, which is nice; the transformer is built in to the unit), a special USB cable (more on this below), and a quick start guide.
The screen is the first thing we noticed. It's glass-topped, and certainly doesn't feel like a weak spot, even when it's propped up to one of the available angles using the clip-out wire stand; however, it does stick out of the back of the unit when folded flat, and would be vulnerable to knocks in transit. The screen does, however, come with a neat, high-quality fitted cover/case to protect it.
Nonetheless, a decent flight case or fitted bag would be advisable, not only because of the screen, but because the unit is just a little bit too big to pop under your arm and walk with comfortably.
The top panel of the unit is metal, with various finishes differentiating the mixer, decks and the panels of controls above the decks.
Setting up involves going to Denon DJ's website, making an account if you don't already have one, and downloading the software to be able to prepare your music. Once you've prepared a set in the software (see below) and exported some music to a USB or SD card, you turn the unit on, and plug your SD card or USB drive into the unit. Add your powered speakers and a pair of headphones, and you're good to go.
Note that the unit will also accept up to a 1TB SATA hard drive, which you can fit into a port on its underside. That means you could easily keep your entire music collection on the Prime 4. So if you wanted to do this, you'd add a drive of your choice, and manage that drive from your laptop, using a special type of USB cable that is provided in the box.
Hang on, isn't this meant to be a "no laptop required" DJ unit, you may ask? Well yes, but to get files to play on it, you're going to need to use a computer for downloading, and so it also makes sense to use that same computer to do some track preparation too – and that's where Engine Prime comes in.
It's a library management app, and if you've used Rekordbox in this mode with Pioneer gear, you'll know the score: You can import your tracks, sort them into crates and playlists, add artwork, alter info like artist and title, analyse for musical key, add cue points and loops, even practise mixes in a rudimentary way.
When you're done, you can export the tracks plus all that info to your removable media, ready to plug in to the Prime 4 unit.
This is not a review of the software, but in short: It's OK, but not as good as Rekordbox – it misses dynamic playlists that populate according to your choice of rules ("all my house tunes from 1988 to 1992", for instance) and there are none of Rekordbox's powerful tagging features, either. Denon DJ is investing heavily in software development so hopefully some of these features are coming.
One thing the company has included, though, is compatibility with other DJ software: You can export your Rekordbox and Traktor libraries and point Engine Prime at them and it will import much of the info they carry, and integration is even tighter with Serato, with your Serato crates plus all other info such as cues visible read-only as an option right there in the file tree. This is unheard of in DJ software, and a great boost for people coming to this system from the other systems.
Exporting tracks to SD dragged on our system. If you have a big library, you may want to leave some time while you wait for that to happen. It took 10 minutes to do 150 tracks in our test. We didn't have time to run tests with other USB drives and cards, so this isn't definitive.
The mixer is four-channel and has full standalone capability, meaning you can plug in four external sources and switch them in place of the digital channels. Each channel has three-band EQ and gain ("level") plus individual nine-bar VU monitoring, in Denon DJ's colour scheme of green, white and blue (blue being "too loud"), plus a nine-band master dual VU.
The channels can be switched to work with the crossfader on either side, and each also has a Cue button, that lights up to match the colour chosen for each digital deck – something that also shows in various other places including the LED ring around the jogwheels.
The headphones get a cue/master and a volume control too, and – rejoice – the split cue button has made it across from the X1800 mixer, making DJing without a monitor speaker a cinch.
At the top of the mixer section are buttons to switch in either of the two main effects engines per channel – and speaking of effects, each channel gets not only the expected one-knob Filter, but also Echo, Wash and Noise effects, collectively called the "Sweep FX". By the way, all the effects work on external inputs as well as the digital channels.
Finally, there is a library scroll knob top centre of the mixer with colour-coded load buttons for each deck, and back/forward buttons for navigating the screen.
The decks are identical to each other, save that on the left deck you get buttons to switch between digital decks 1 and 3, and on the right deck, between digital decks 2 and 4.
At the centre of each deck is the jogwheel, which itself has a screen at the centre that displays track artwork or your choice of logo (you just drop a PNG into the root of the drive you're DJing from). The jog screens also display loop length as needed, as a clear large white number. There is also the aforementioned LED ring, in a colour that identifies the deck (by default blue for decks 1 and 2, and green for decks 3 and 4).
The jogs measure 5″ across at the top and 6″ across at the bottom. They're high-quality and just the right weight, although we feel that on a controller this big, they could have been an inch bigger. Immediately above them are the Slip and Vinyl buttons, the latter determining whether the top surface of the jogs nudge like the jog edges, or exhibits "scratch" behaviour.
The pitch controls are long throw, smooth, and accurate, with key lock and key sync on a button above (yes, this unit has key sync, unlike the SC5000 pro units as it happens), and Denon DJ's much-loved Pitch Bend buttons below. Holding Shift and pressing the pitch buttons alters the pitch range.
Top-left of the jogs are standard loop controls – a rotary encoder to half/double loop length with push for on/off, plus manual loop in/out buttons. This particular knob is in the same shiny metal look of the library scroll knob – we like these controls, but some people feel they look cheap. Beneath these is a censor/reverse button (the latter activated with Shift).
Bottom left of the decks are track skip buttons to navigate quickly through a playlist or jump to the start of the current song; Beat Jump buttons that jump forward or back respecting the position in the current phrase (the length of which is set on the loop encoder) and that also let you search or "scrub" through a track when Shift is held; and also hard plastic cue and play/pause buttons, that are super responsive. The sync button is down here, too.
Finally, bottom right of the jogs are the beatgrid controls, that let you edit beatgrids on the fly, although you can only shift the grid and double or half the BPM; there is no way of correcting an incorrect BPM apart from that, and no "tap" button for manually adding a BPM.
Directly underneath the jogwheels are the eight fully lit rubberised performance pads. They have:
Hot cue – the hot cues work exactly as with all DJ systems, and can be coloured and named if you like
Loop – these are saved loops, you can set via the loop encoder or using the pads for start/stop/reloop
Autoloop – These are preset loop lengths, spread across the pads, accessible by pressing Loop twice
Roll – Basically Autoloop plus slip
Slicer / Slicer Loop – as all implementations of this type, slicing either an ongoing section or a loop of the track up into triggerable sections, that will play respecting the beats so as to stay in time with the mix
A notable omission is any type of sampler on the pads or indeed anywhere on the unit. Also, the parameter buttons to the bottom left of the pads can be used with the pads, for instance to alter the range of the loop lengths on Loop mode, but it's not always clear what you've altered as sometimes there's nowhere on any of the displays that shows you what you've done with these buttons.
Mic channels
Top-left are two mic channels – mics are one of Denon DJ's strong points, reflecting the brand's mobile/event DJ pedigree. Here you get two fully featured channels, independent of the four music channels, with on/off, level, two and three-band EQ, and an Echo effect, that you can switch on and off per channel.
Main, zone and booth outputs
One unique feature of the Prime 4 is its independent zone output. This is again aimed squarely at mobile DJs, and lets the DJ programme completely different music somewhere other than the "main room". It's situated at the extreme top right of the Prime 4, next to the master volume control, and above the booth control (booth has volume and two-band EQ, by the way). The zone section has an on/off button and a level plus two-band EQ.
The idea is that you start a track playing on Deck 4 from a playlist, hit the on button, and Deck 4 will now play the tracks from that playlist in sequence via the zone output, which can be wired to the second room. Meanwhile, the other three channels of the mixer remain available to you to DJ the main room from. You can also switch channel 4 to external and play a smartphone or similar through the fourth channel to the zone if you wish.
The effects engines – two of them – are above the decks, and comprise 14 effects that can be cycled through via the leftmost of the four rotary encoders, each of which has a button or buttons underneath it for further control. The rightmost knob is wet/dry, and the other two control various parameters, a neat staple being the Frequency knob, that decides how much of the inputted source or sources' frequency range takes the chosen effect.
A great part about the effects are the tiny monochrome screens above each knob, telling you the effect chosen (lefthand knob), the amount of the parameter selected, in the form of a bar (the rest), plus additionally the LFO length expressed in beats (the far-right one).
Note: In the accompanying video we go through the effects at length, demoing how they sound.
Inputs, outputs and other controls
Your SD cards (one slot) or USB drives (two slots) are plugged into the unit top-right, and in the case of the USBs, that means they stick out (ie they are not recessed at the front, like on the standalone SC5000 players).
Speaking of the front of the unit, that's where you'll find the line/digital switches for the mixer, as well as fader start on/off switches and the crossfader contour knob.
Round the back of the unit are two additional USB sockets (one of which can also charge devices plugged into it); another USB for use when managing any installed SATA drive; the Link Ethernet-style socket for controlling visuals via Resolume or SoundSwitch; and the gamut of inputs/outputs: master out, zone out and booth out balanced XLRs; master out unbalanced RCAs; and four RCA inputs for line (two switchable to phono). There are two omni mic sockets too, taking 1/4″ jack inputs as well as XLRs.
A nice touch is a stereo/mono switch for the master outs: Not all sound systems are in stereo, and often even with ones that are, you'd prefer your output to be in mono. It's a good-to-have option.
Unlike the previous MCX8000 unit, the Prime 4 of course has a big central screen (that unit had two smaller ones). It's a big improvement.
The screen has two main modes: Library and waveforms. Even in waveform view, the current playlist remains in the middle of the screen. The waveforms scroll vertically.
Underneath each waveform are readouts showing current BPM, sync status, and time elapsed/left (tap to toggle) for each deck, and the active decks have their full waveforms displayed horizontally across the top.
In Library mode the screen is given over to your music lists. Down the left-hand side are collection/crates, playlists, preparation window, and search icons. Tapping "search" brings up a Qwerty keyboard for live filtered search, and you can select search parameters including which metadata fields to include or leave out. There are pre-determined filters such as BPM and key, which can be refined further (for instance, you can filter for the same or compatible keys, and choose your tolerance for BPM results, eg -/+ 2BPM, -/+ 4BPM etc.).
Swiping tunes either adds them to the prepare list (they disappear from that list when you play them, a bit like pulling a tune half-way out in a record crate of old), or loads them immediately (you get a choice of the four decks onscreen to tap), depending on the direction of swipe.
A small "edit" button lets you highlight tracks, single or multiple, and add them to playlists and crates by dragging and dropping them.
A final but important use for the screens is to control the two settings/options-type menus, to choose between input sources, and to record your sets: A long hold on the hardware "view" button (also used to toggle between library and waveform views) brings up the options here.
Recording is easy, and happens to your choice of plugged-in media; and for settings, think just about everything under the sun: Mic attenuation EQ crossovers, and kill preferences, filter resonance and type, screen brightness, even your choice of colours for the jogwheels (I pimped our review unit into Digital DJ Tips colours , which you can see in the video). You can also update the firmware and various other housekeeping functions here.
Note that some of these settings can come across from your Engine Prime software via USB/SD, and be returned to it, as per how you set it up.
So having looked in detail at what's on the unit… what is it like to DJ with?
In short – it feels like DJing with a laptop and DJ software, and a really good controller. That is praise indeed for a standalone unit. DJing is like driving a car – you want the unit to get out of your way and let you do your thing. It does – and it does so with most of the bells and whistles of software DJing there, present and fully available.
It is smooth and responsive; even when you introduce music to it just as a bunch of files, it very quickly analyses those files to show waveforms, work out musical key and BPM, add beatgrids, and so on. This makes DJing feel intuitive and fun. Denon DJ says that if you plug in a Pioneer DJ Rekordbox USB it'll play pretty much instantly from it too – amazing.
The jogs are great to use, although Steve Canueto, our scratch tutor, felt they were just a tiny bit laggy when scratching – he thinks it could be that they need firmer pressure than some to trigger, but couldn't quite put his finger on it (sorry for the pun). That said he rated them "very good". Sensitivity adjustment for the jogs would be an improvement, though.
We felt the loop roll and other beat-tied functions were forgiving, ie they make you sound good when using them! We liked the way the saved loops work, which is a bit different to most DJ software.
We loved the frequency range on the effects engines – you could, for instance, put a phaser only on the hi-hats of a house track while leaving the rest "clean" – very Sasha-esque.
The touchscreen's angle can be adjusted to suit several viewing angles. Note that the top of the screen protrudes when you've got it laid flat – best to carry this around in a bag or case.
The Beat Jump works a bit differently to, say, the same feature in Traktor; it'll jump back as expected, but if you jump forward, it waits till the playing tracks reaches the point you've jumped to before reactivating the loop. We'd like to see an option in the settings to choose whether this is the behaviour, or whether the playhead jumps forward with you when you hit the forward button on Beat Jump.
The key lock is very, very good – up there with the best. It doesn't introduce excessive artefacts, and overall is massively usable. Creative DJs will have a lot of fun with this, and with the key sync, which of course utilises the same algorithms. That said, we'd like to see true "next track" recommendations based on key and BPM tolerances – it's already half-way there, but would be good to see a dynamic playlist of such choices upfront on the screen.
We felt the pads were excellent. We feared they might just feel a little bit small, but in fact they were a joy to play on – finger drummers need not fear a thing here. You can also disable the pads entirely if you wish – a smart move for DJs who never use them and may fear hitting them by accident.
Things that could be improved
One thing we did miss was being able to alter track metadata on the fly – particularly, to alter the star ratings (we tend to use these for "energy level") by tapping the screen.
You can switch from "two deck mode" to "four deck mode" to make things simpler, which is great, but there are no "parallel waveforms" in a horizontal mode – a big omission, but one Denon DJ says it is currently putting right for a forthcoming firmware upgrade.
The way Denon DJ handles the library database is confusing, and to us, unnecessarily complex. There is a master collection containing crates if you wish, and then there are playlists, which can contain playlist folders. Meanwhile, and over on your laptop, there is also your computer's file system to contend with. I think they need to simplify this: Maybe just make crates user-sortable, and do away with playlists (or similar).
So is the onboard screen good enough to replace a laptop screen?
Right, to put your mind at ease from the off: It is. It's cool. It's big, bright, and smoooooth. It's a touchscreen of course, and has gesture control too (the main use being pinching the waveforms for the decks for zoom – you can't "throw" the waveforms for a touchscreen spinback effect, unfortunately).
You know when you go to a website that's been designed for mobile devices first and foremost, but you go there on your laptop? You know how nice sites like that that are well designed feel on a bigger screen, with their fonts big and smooth, and everything simple and clear? That's kind of how the Prime 4's screen feels in use. The fonts are rounded, and large; and the graphics run super smoothly. It just feels like… well, like an iPad basically. Which of course is a good thing.
The ability to position it at your chosen angle is great, and overall – top marks. Search is fine, gestures are fine – a few tweaks to usability and features as mentioned elsewhere would make it perfect, but we think most users will love it and take to it pretty much immediately. Sure, there's a learning curve – but while it does feel a little steep every now and then, it isn't very long.
So how does it compare to the competition? There really isn't any, because nobody else has a four-channel standalone DJ system. Let's look at some other systems/controllers etc you may want to consider alongside this one though:
Denon DJ's MCX8000 – The Prime 4 is much more powerful, despite the MCX8000 being in itself a great unit. MCX8000 loses on screens and being only two-channel standalone, plus it's much more limited in what it can do with those two channels
Pioneer DJ XDJ-RX2 / XDJ-RR – These are also only two channel. They work well, but have fewer features and are underpowered compared to this
2 x Denon DJ SC5000s + X1800 mixer – Costs an awful lot more, more professional feel and the mixer is better featured, but value for money is with the Prime 4, which also has certain features (like key sync) that at the time of writing, the SC5000s don't
Pioneer DJ DDJ-1000 – Great software controller, but of course, needs your laptop to go with you to DJ, unlike the MCX8000. Arguably better jogwheels than the MCX8000 (certainly more "industry standard"), and a simpler layout. But it's like comparing oranges and apples, as the comparison would be with any DJ controller
However, with all this talk of power, there are downsides. There's no video: Although it can control visuals via the Link port, you'll need to add Resolume for visuals or Sound Switch for lights, and it's not the same thing as DJing with music MP4s.
(It's worth pointing out that in the near future the Prime 4 will work with Serato DJ as a DJ controller, which does add another dimension to the unit, because of course then you'll have video available to you.)
I think the "two FX engine" thing is a bit old school: The way Pioneer does the effects in its mixers and now the DDJ-1000 controller (and the way Denon DJ does them in its X1800 mixer) would have been better for this unit I feel – yes it's a bit less powerful, but it's more intuitive and becoming standard.
There is more: Some may bemoan the lack of a sampler; others will feel the jogs are too small; others still may say it needs more powerful music management, especially if a DJ wishes to keep all of his or her music on the unit on a SATA drive and try and stay away from the laptop as much as possible.
Overall, in this area, there is a learning curve – possibly inevitable when you ditch a powerful operating system and decade-old DJ software and try and do it all standalone.
Is this the end for laptop DJing?
But back to our original question: Do DJs need to take their laptops into the DJ booth at all now? Have we come full circle, back to the days where DJs simply turn up with their music and a pair of headphones and play on the gear that's there, but with all the features of software finally available to them? Does the Prime 4 mark the beginning of the end for laptop DJing?
In short, yes.
This is a remarkably mature, hugely powerful, immensely exciting, and great value-for-money DJ system. It costs the same as Pioneer DJ's XDJ-RX2. No contest there at all. You couldn't even buy ONE Pioneer CDJ-2000NX2 player for the price of this, and it wipes the floor with TWO of them AND a mid-range Pioneer DJ mixer to booth.
Ah, Pioneer. Pioneer DJ is the elephant in the room here. Because brilliant though Denon DJ's gear is, it ISN'T Pioneer. And many Pioneer users are saying, "This is great, but Pioneer will come back with something, I'll wait for that." We know – we field this sentiment a lot on our site and socials.
When you're fighting a hugely dominant competitor, you need something special, and a good run up. Well, Denon DJ has something special, that is without doubt. How long a run up the company gets depends on what Pioneer DJ does next, and how long it takes them. The thing is, with every day that this unit is on sale, it is winning fans.
For mobile DJs, home DJs, party DJs, controllerists, even some types of touring DJs, this system is currently very hard to ignore as a next purchase. It's that good.
Indeed, it may actually help Denon DJ's SC5000 and X1800 units get a foothold in club DJ booths, as people who start DJing on this unit reach the point where they are ready to play in clubs, and get the clout to specify Denon gear when they do.
Overall, the next few years are shaping up to be very interesting in DJing, as the Prime 4 has just set a new standard. If you're wavering, stop wavering and buy it.


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NHS SOS
How the NHS Was Betrayed - and How We Can Save It
By Raymond Tallis and Jacky Davis
LIST PRICE: AU$ 11.99
An exposé of the back-door deals and negligence that threaten to destroy the NHS – and a 10-step manifesto for saving it
The Coalition Government passed into law an unprecedented assault on the NHS. Doctors, unions, the media, even politicians who claimed to be stalwart defenders failed to protect it. Now the effect of those devastating reforms are beginning to be felt by patients – but we can still save our country's most valued institution if we take lessons from this terrible betrayal and act on them.
Contributors to this eye-opening dissection include Dr Jacky Davis, Oliver Huitson, Dr John Lister, Stewart Player, Prof. Allyson Pollock, David Price, Prof. Raymond Tallis, Dr Charled West and Dr David Wrigley.
Proceeds from the profits of this book will go to Keep Our NHS Public (www.keepournhspublic.com).
Acclaimed author of Hippocratic Oaths Dr Raymond Tallis was for many years Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Salford. He frequently contributes to The Times and The Guardian.
Jacky Davis
Dr Jacky Davis is a consultant radiologist at Whittington Hospital London and member of the British Medical Association council. She is also co-founder of Keep Our NHS Public.
Publisher: Oneworld Publications (July 1, 2013)
'Important and very timely… has the most extensive and specific 'What You Can Do' section I've ever seen… an essential weapon for activists'
– Peace News
'Essential reading… These public intellectuals with expert knowledge spell out the systemic weakening by successive Conservative and New Labour governments, culminating in the coalition's demolition of its very foundations. They are very, very angry; we should be as well – and, what's more, protesting.'
– Times Higher Education Supplement, Books of the Year
'When you turn round and notice that the NHS as you have known it no longer exists – its principles rewritten, its ownerships and services alienated – you might wonder exactly who did exactly what to this much-admired institution. NHS SOS presents the lethargy, dishonesty and corruption without which this executive coup would not have come about. It is a cogent, sobering and necessary read.'
– Julian Barnes
'Across society, there is a realisation that the National Health Service is one of our greatest social achievements and that to keep it is an enormous political challenge. This book is a weapon in that struggle.'
– Ken Loach
'Buy this book… act.'
– Observer
'It is in NHS SOS that one finds the soul of a healthcare system that the public is not prepared to see destroyed.'
– Prospect
'Courageous and persuasive… This book should be read by all those who love the NHS and wish to try at this late hour to protect it.'
– The Lancet
Book Cover Image (jpg): NHS SOS


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October in Texas: Weather and Event Guide
Justine Harrington
Justine Harrington is a TripSavvy writer based in Austin, Texas, where she covers topics spanning travel, food & drink, lifestyle, culture, social advocacy, and the outdoors.
Jacqueline Nix / Getty Images
October is an ideal time to visit the Lone Star State. After a long, agonizingly hot summer, the weather has (finally!) started to cool off, the air has turned crisp, and vibrant fall colors abound, particularly in the state parks in the northeastern corner of the state. Throughout the month, there are several fall festivals, sporting events, music, and cultural festivals, and other seasonal celebrations taking part. Thanks to the relatively cooler temperatures, you won't have to worry about walking around in sweat-drenched clothing—unlike the late spring and summer months, October in Texas is mild and pleasant, for the most part. However, it can still be a tad steamy in the early part of the month.
TripSavvy / Nusha Ashjaee
Texas Weather in October
Texas is a vast, sprawling state that encompasses several different geographic regions, and weather patterns. Here are the average high and low temperatures, grouped by region:
North Central Texas
Average High: 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius)
Average Low: 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius)
Expect six to 10 days rainy days per month, on average. By October, hot days are uncommon, but that doesn't mean they don't happen—especially during the first week of the month.
If you're visiting Texas in October, you're best off packing layers, especially if you'll be doing outdoorsy activities during your travels. Do pack a few pairs of shorts and at least one pair of pants in case it gets chilly in the evenings. Bring a light jacket and sweater to wear at night, and don't forget to pack comfy walking shoes. It's also a good idea to pack a rain jacket or umbrella and water-resistant shoes, as October gets its fair share of rain.
October Events in Texas
Fall events in Texas run the gamut from autumn-themed celebrations (scarecrows, pumpkins) to acclaimed music festivals to food- and drink-centric festivities:
The State Fair. Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the State Fair—expect deep-fried everything, football, concerts, and more than 70 rides for fairgoers to enjoy, including the iconic Texas Star Ferris Wheel and the 1914 Dentzel Carousel.
The Texas Rose Festival. The Rose Festival in Tyler is a sight to behold, with over 38,000 rose bushes of 600 varieties on display.
Austin City Limits Music Festival. Austin's most famous music festival takes place over two weekends in October, and the lineup is always reliably excellent.
Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg. Soak up Texas' rich German heritage at Oktoberfest in quaint Fredericksburg, on historic MarketPlatz, where you can choose from over 50 varieties of domestic, German, and Texan beer to pair with German food favorites like Kraut dogs and bratwurst.
Cotton Harvest Festival. Celebrating the production of cotton in Moody, the Cotton Harvest Festival is chock-full of unique craft vendors and family-friendly activities.
Autumn at the Arboretum. With over 90,000 pumpkins and gourds on display, Dallas' Autumn at the Arboretum is a true autumnal extravaganza.
Scarecrow Festival. The Scarecrow Festival in Chappell Hill is easily one of Texas' most beloved fall festivals. The fest features over 200 vendors, live entertainment and music, delicious country-style food, and yes, plenty of scarecrows.
Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival. For the culinary fiends out there, the Food & Wine Festival in Fredericksburg is a full-course celebration of Texan food, wine, beer, music, and more.
Latin Roots Music & Food Fest. Experience and share in all things Latino culture at this exciting downtown San Antonio celebration.
Festival of Pumpkins. The most popular pumpkin festival in the state, the Festival of Pumpkins in Paris, is a Halloween must-do.
Book accommodations well in advance.
To see the best fall foliage that Texas has to offer, plan to visit state parks in the northeastern part of the state, like Daingerfield, Atlanta, and Lake Bob Sandlin, or head for Athens in East Texas. The cypress trees at Guadalupe River State Park are also rather majestic during this time of year.
Camping is a must-do in October in Texas. Check out one of the state's many lovely state parks, or head west to Big Bend National Park—regardless of where you do it, this is one of the best times of the year to hike and camp under the stars.
November in Texas: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
April in New York: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
November in Dallas and Fort Worth: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
December in Puerto Rico: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
September in Germany: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
October in Paris: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
October in New Orleans: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
October in Florida: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
10 Best Things to Do in the Southeast This Fall
Paris in January: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
October in Amsterdam: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
October Events and Festivals in Texas
December in Venice, Italy: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
October in Portugal: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
October in London: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See
November in Barcelona: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See


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Les Délices & Quire Cleveland in Charpentier Noëls (Dec. 23)
January 2, 2019 by Timothy Robson
by Timothy Robson
In what must have been among the most alluring Christmas music concerts of this season, period instrument ensemble Les Délices (Debra Nagy, director) and Quire Cleveland (Jay White, director) teamed up to present French Baroque music for Christmas, highlighted by the Messe de Minuit ("Midnight Mass") by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704).
Guest conductor Eric Milnes led the ensembles from the keyboard of a small chamber organ. I heard the concert in its third performance on Sunday, December 23, at Our Lady of Peace Church in Cleveland. The church was packed, but its many stone surfaces made for an appropriately reverberant acoustic, even with a full house.
Charpentier's Messe de Minuit incorporates tunes from popular French Christmas songs of the day ("Noëls") into his setting of the five movements of the Ordinary of the Mass. In the 17th and 18th century, almost everyone in France knew these Noëls and would have recognized them even as Charpentier wove them into the musical texture. (As an organist, I've played many settings of the Noëls, so I'm familiar with the tunes and recognized them dressed up in Charpentier's brilliant garb. But even those unfamiliar with the tunes could still delight in Charpentier's music.) The moods of the five movements were varied, but tended toward joyous, sometimes even jaunty. There were striking moments of text-setting. For example, in the Nicene Creed, Charpentier repeats the words "Et Homo factus est" ("And was made man") three times — the heart of the concept of Incarnation.
The performance was all at a very high level. Quire Cleveland's diction (using Latin pronunciation as it would have been sung in France in the 17th century) and intonation were pristine. Les Délices's playing was likewise stylish in its phrasing and tasteful ornamentation. The blend between ensembles was impeccable. It was hard to believe that these two groups don't perform together regularly, such was their unity of style and performance.
The concert opened with Michel Corrette's Noëls sur les instruments. Corrette (1707-1795) was a generation later than Charpentier, yet their style was similar, with lavish variations on the Christmas tunes and fluent ornamentation. Each of the settings had its own character: joyful, dance-like, a lullaby, a pastorale with a bass drone like a bagpipe. Les Délices captured the spirit of each setting, and oboists Debra Nagy and Kathryn Montoya showed their versatility in also playing recorders of several sizes.
Charpentier's Dialogus inter angelos et Pastores ("Dialogue between the angels and shepherds") separated the various Noël settings. The Dialogue, sung in Latin in two distinct sections, is a hybrid between a dramatic cantata and a motet. The first part with text from Psalm 12 is prophecy; the second part is the familiar Gospel of Luke nativity story. The music is elaborate and challenging, clearly composed to highlight the talents of the professional singers and instrumentalists employed by Charpentier at Saint-Louis, his church post in Paris.
The performance of this rarity was very fine in all regards, but special mention must go to tenor Nathan Dougherty and baritone Daniel Fridley. Dougherty sang a now-obsolete voice part found in French Baroque music, the hautcontre, a very high tenor who sings not in falsetto, but in true head voice to stratospheric heights. Here, the hautcontre served as the narrator, providing continuity among the various arias and choruses. Fridley brought a special lyric dignity to Consolare filia Sion ("Be comforted, daughter of Sion").
Former Quire Cleveland director Ross Duffin contributed three unaccompanied settings of Noëls. Jay White led the performances while also singing with the ensemble. The arrangements were clearly modern and highly imaginative, but maintained the overall French Baroque tone of the songs. Une jeune pucelle tells the story of the Angel Gabriel's appearance to Mary, ending with the Virgin's great song of praise, "My soul magnifies the Lord." Tous les bourgeois de Châtre is in a jaunty triple meter, portraying the citizens of Châtres and Montlhéry dancing and drinking in celebration of the angels appearing to the shepherds and their flocks. The end describes a young boy from Nevers who sang a thousand lovely airs combined with Alleluias to Joseph and Mary. Voici le jour solennel depicts the Magi's interactions with Herod on their way to pay homage at Jesus's crib. Duffin's arrangements are worthy of more performances beyond those of Quire Cleveland, although the lengthy French texts might be intimidating to many choral groups.
If there could be any quibble at all with this concert, it was its generous length, over ninety minutes with no intermission. In a church filled with more 600 listeners, an intermission would have been difficult to manage. But having to sit for that long was far outweighed by the brilliant music-making of Les Délices and Quire Cleveland. We can hope that the success of this venture will encourage future collaboration.
Photos by Roberta Senatore from Quire's Facebook page.
Published on ClevelandClassical.com January 2, 2019.
Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Daniel Fridley, Debra Nagy, Eric Milnes, Jay White, Kathryn Montoya, Les Delices, Nathan Dougherty, Quire Cleveland, Ross Duffin
About Timothy Robson
Timothy Robson is Associate Director for Academic Engagement Services in the Kelvin Smith Library at Case Western Reserve University. In addition to being a regular contributor to ClevelandClassical, Robson is the regular Cleveland correspondent for Bachtrack.com, the London-based classical music site. Robson was Director of Music at Euclid Avenue Congregational Church in Cleveland for 27 years. Since then he has become an in-demand substitute organist in many churches in Northeast Ohio. He has performed many recitals in the area, including most recently at Church of the Covenant and Fairmount Presbyterian Church. He has made a specialty of performing music from our time and has played world premieres of several works written especially for him. Robson holds degrees in music and library science from Drake University and Case Western Reserve University.


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Action: Leave overwinter stubbles
Read our guidance on Key messages before continuing
The three studies from the UK (one replicated) that report population-level changes found positive effects of over-winter stubble provision, but all investigated multiple interventions at once.
Eight studies from the UK, including a systematic review, found that at least some species or groups of farmland birds were positively associated with over-winter stubbles, or were found on stubbles. Three studies investigated multiple interventions without separating the effects of each. Two studies reported that seed-eating birds in particular were more abundant on stubbles.
One of the eight studies found that no more positive responses to stubbles were found than would be expected by chance. A replicated, randomised and controlled study from the UK found that 22 of 23 species did not preferentially use stubbles compared to cover crops. A replicated study from the UK found that the area of stubble in a site was negatively related to grey partridge Perdix perdix brood size.
Five studies from the UK, four replicated, found that stubble management affected use by birds. Some species or groups were more common on cut stubbles, some on uncut and some showed preferences for barley over wheat. One study found that only Eurasian skylarks Alauda arvensis were more common on stubbles under agri-environment schemes, and only on highly prescriptive schemes. One study found that all seed-eating species were more abundant on stubbles under agri-environment schemes in one of two regions studied.
Background information and definitions
A 2008 literature review and analysis of the Environmental Stewardship programme, particularly Entry Level Stewardship in the UK (Vickery et al. 2008), suggested that, for Eurasian skylarks Alauda arvensis, approximately 0.1 km² of stubble/km2 would be needed to prevent population declines. The authors also suggest that having these patches over 1 km apart would maximise winter use.
Vickery, J., Chamberlain, D., Evans, A., Ewing, S., Boatman, N., Pietravalle, S., Norris, K. & Butler, S. (2008) Predicting the impact of future agricultural change and uptake of Entry Level Stewardship on farmland birds. British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford.
Supporting evidence from individual studies
A 2000 literature review (Aebischer et al. 2000) found that the UK population of cirl buntings Emberiza cirlus increased from between 118 and 132 pairs in 1989 to 453 pairs in 1998 following a series of schemes designed to provide overwinter stubbles, grass margins, and beneficially managed hedges and set-aside areas. Abundance on fields under the specific agri-environment schemes increased by 70%, compared with a 2% increase elsewhere.
A replicated study in the winters of 1997-8 and 1998-9 on 122 stubble fields on 32 farms in central England (Moorcroft et al. 2002) found 13 bird species using stubble fields. Four species (Eurasian linnet Carduelis cannabina, Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensis, reed bunting E. schoeniclus and corn bunting Miliaria calandria) were found more frequently on intensively-farmed barley stubbles than intensive or organic wheat, whilst woodpigeons Columba palumbus were found most frequently on organic wheat.
A replicated, randomised study from November 2003 to March 2004 in 205 cereal stubble fields under a range of management intensities in arable farmland in south Devon, UK (Defra 2004), found that barley stubbles following low-input herbicide were more beneficial for cirl buntings Emberiza cirlus than wheat or conventionally managed stubbles. Higher population sizes were also associated with the number of breeding bunting territories the previous season, and with small field size. The effect of small field size may be because cirl buntings prefer to forage near hedgerows and because smaller fields are less intensively managed. The authors argue for strategic spatial targeting of stubble prescriptions. Overall, barley fields were generally preferred by seed-eating species. Low-input barley stubbles had significantly higher seed abundance and broad-leaved weed cover (approximately four times greater). Fields where stubbles were grazed over winter had significantly lower densities of seed-eating birds in general. The authors point out that seed-eating species' preference for barley stubbles was independent from the positive correlation with broad-leaved weed density and should be taken into account when planning prescriptions.
A replicated, randomised, controlled study from November-February in 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 in 20 arable farms in eastern Scotland (Parish & Sotherton 2004) found that, of 23 species recorded, only skylarks Alauda arvensis were significantly denser in fields with stubble left over winter than fields with wild bird cover crops or conventional crops. Stubble fields were those in which cereal and oilseed rape stubbles were left over winter. Between 6.2 and 28.3 ha were sampled on each farm annually. This study is discussed in more detail in 'Plant wild bird cover crops' and 'Provide set-aside areas'.
A replicated controlled study in winter 2003-2004 on 20 wheat fields from 12 lowland farms in central England (Butler et al. 2005) found that seed-eating songbirds and invertebrate-feeding birds were more abundant on stubble fields cut to 6 cm, whereas skylark Alauda arvensis and partridge Perdix perdix were more abundant on fields with uncut stubble, approximately 14 cm tall (fields were visited six times each for a total of 120 visits. Seed-eaters: 343 individuals were seen on approximately 25 visits to cut fields vs. 89 individuals on 15 visits to control fields; invertebrate-eaters: 623 birds on 17 visits vs. 34 on five visits; skylarks: 557 on 50 visits vs. 814 on 80 visits; partridges: five on two visits vs. 235 on 27 visits). Crows and pigeons showed no response to stubble cutting. Each field was split so that half was cut to approximately 6 cm tall, with the other half left as a control.
A replicated study in 1999 and 2003 on 256 arable and pastoral fields across 84 farms in East Anglia and the West Midlands, England (Stevens & Bradbury 2006), found that only two of 12 farmland bird species analysed were positively associated with the provision of overwinter stubble, set-aside areas (see 'Provide or retain set-aside areas in farmland') or wildlife seed mixtures (see 'Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture'). These were Eurasian skylarks Alauda arvensis (a field-nesting species) and Eurasian linnets Carduelis cannabina (a boundary-nesting species). The study did not distinguish between set-aside, wildlife seed mixtures or overwinter stubble, classing all as interventions to provide seeds for farmland birds. This study describes several other interventions, discussed in the relevant sections.
A small randomised site comparison study in winter 2004-5 in central England (Whittingham et al. 2006) found that seed-eating songbirds and invertebrate-feeding birds were found at higher density on sections of fields where stubble had been cut short (642 seed-eaters and 1,207 invertebrate-feeders recorded on cut stubble plots vs. 364 and 415 on cut stubble). Eurasian skylarks Alavda arvenis, partridges, pigeons Columba spp., and meadow pipits Anthus pratensis were at higher densities in areas of uncut stubble (241 skylarks, 100 partridges, 37 pigeons and 81 meadow pipits on uncut plots vs. 27, 7, 12 and 9 on cut plots). In addition, skylarks and invertebrate feeders were found at higher densities on scarified (i.e. lightly tilled) sections of fields than control (unscarified) sections (339 skylarks and 1371 invertebrate feeders on scarified plots vs. 241 and 251 on controls). The stubble on one half of each field was cut in the winter of 2004-2005 before the fields were surveyed between December 2004 and March 2005.
A 2007 systematic review identified five papers investigating the effect of overwinter stubble provision on farmland bird densities in the UK (Roberts & Pullins 2007). There were significantly higher densities of farmland birds in winter on fields with stubbles than on conventionally managed fields. In particular, there were greater densities of seed-eating songbirds and crows on fields with stubbles than on control fields. The meta-analysis included experiments conducted between 1992 and 2002 from three controlled trials, before-and-after study, and one site comparison study.
A 2009 literature review of agri-environment schemes in England (Natural England 2009) found that there was a 146% increase in cirl bunting Emberiza cirlus territory density on land under a Countryside Stewardship Scheme 'special project', which (amongst other interventions) increased the amount of weedy overwinter stubbles in the target area between 1992 and 2003. In addition, the national population increased from 319 to nearly 700 pairs over the same period. Generally, the review found high densities of seed-eating songbirds and Eurasian skylarks Alauda arvensis on stubbles and wild bird seed or cover mix (see 'Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture'), compared to other land uses, and a survey in the winter of 2007-8 found the highest densities of skylarks on stubble fields, compared with other agri-environment schemes options. This review also examines several other interventions, discussed in the relevant sections.
A replicated site comparison of 2,046 1 km squares of agricultural land across England in 2005 and 2008 (Davey et al. 2010) found that four of eight regions of England had at least two farmland birds that showed positive responses to wild bird cover (see 'Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture') and overwinter stubble fields. Across all 15 species thought to benefit from these interventions, only one region (the North West) showed significantly more positive responses than would be expected by chance. Some species responded positively in some regions and negatively in others. This study is also discussed in 'Pay farmers to cover the costs of conservation measures', 'Manage ditches to benefit wildlife' and 'Manage hedges to benefit wildlife'.
A large 2010 site comparison study of the same 2,046 1 km² plots of lowland farmland in England as in (Davey et al. 2010), Davey et al. (2010) found that three years after the 2005 introduction of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and Entry Level Stewardship schemes, there was no consistent association between the provision of stubbles and farmland bird numbers. Grey partridge Perdix perdix and tree sparrow Passer montanus were the only two species that showed more positive population change (population increases or smaller decreases relative to other plots) from 2005 to 2008 in the 9 km² and 25 km² areas immediately surrounding plots planted with stubble than in the area surrounding plots without stubbles. The effect of stubbles was small, however, with tree sparrow numbers increasing by 0.05 at the 9 km² scale for each 0.07 km² of stubble and by 0.07 at the 25 km scale for each 0.14 km² of stubble. The 2,046 1 km² lowland plots were surveyed in both 2005 and 2008 and classified as arable, pastoral or mixed farmland. Eighty-four percent of plots included some area managed according to the Entry Level Stewardship or Countryside Stewardship Scheme. In both survey years, two surveys were conducted along a 2 km pre-selected transect route through each 1 km² square.
A replicated site comparison study on 1,031 agricultural sites across England in 2004-2008 (Ewald et al. 2010) found that the ratio of young to old grey partridges Perdix perdix on sites was positively related to the proportion of sites left as overwinter stubble. However, when stubbles were used in conjunction with other interventions, the results were mixed. In conjunction with small field sizes and reduced chemical inputs, stubbles were weakly positively correlated with year-on-year changes in partridge density but negatively related to brood size. In conjunction with undersowing spring cereals, stubbles were negatively associated with year on year changes (2006-2007) and overwinter survival (2004-2005, 2005-2006 and generally). This study describes the effects of several other interventions, discussed in the relevant sections.
A replicated site comparison study of 75 fields in East Anglia and the West Midlands (Field et al. 2010) found no difference in the number of seed-eating birds or Eurasian skylarks Alauda arvensis on Environmental Stewardship stubbles and non-Environmental Stewardship stubbles. There was also no significant difference in the number of seed-eating birds on stubbles managed under the Higher Level Stewardship (18.0 birds/ha) than in fields managed under the Entry Level Stewardship (8.5 birds/ha). Skylarks, however, were found to be more numerous on Higher Level Stewardship fields (9.3 birds/ha) than ELS fields (1.2 birds/ha). Entry Level Stewardship stubbles prohibited post-harvest herbicide and cultivation until mid-February; Higher Level Stewardship stubbles had the basic Entry Level Stewardship requirements plus reduced herbicide use. Non-ES stubbles were rotational stubbles without restrictions on herbicide or cultivation practices. Seed-eating birds were surveyed on two visits to each site between 1 November 2007 and 29 February 2008.
A replicated site comparison study on farms in two English regions (Field et al. 2010) found more seed-eating farmland songbirds on overwinter stubbles managed under Entry Level Stewardship than on non-stewardship stubbles in the West Midlands (average 6 birds/ha on Entry Level Stewardship compared with 2.5 bird/ha on conventionally managed stubble). This difference was not significant for farms in East Anglia (3.5 birds/ha on Entry Level Stewardship stubble compared with 0.7 birds/ha on conventionally managed stubble fields). Overwinter stubble fields in stewardship schemes have restrictions on herbicide use and cultivation times. The survey was carried out in winter 2007-2008 on 27 farms with Higher Level Stewardship, 13 farms with Entry Level Stewardship and 14 with no environmental stewardship, in East Anglia or the West Midlands. The group of birds analysed included tree sparrow Passer montanus and corn bunting Emberiza calandra, but not grey partridge Perdix perdix. More of these birds used overwinter stubbles on Higher Level Stewardship farms than on Entry Level Stewardship farms. There were 5 birds/ha compared to 2 birds/ha on average, on stubble fields in Higher Level Stewardship and Entry Level Stewardship farms respectively.
Referenced papers
Aebischer N.J., Green R.E. & Evans A.D. (2000) From science to recovery: four case studies of how research has been translated into conservation action in the UK. Pages 140-150 in: J.A. Vickery, P.V. Grice, A.D. Evans & N.J. Aebischer (eds.) The Ecology and Conservation of Lowland Farmland Birds. British Ornithologists' Union, Tring.
Moorcroft D., Whittingham M.J., Bradbury R.B. & Wilson J.D. (2002) The selection of stubble fields by wintering granivorous birds reflects vegetation cover and food abundance. Journal of Applied Ecology, 39, 535-547
N. (0) Comparative quality of winter food sources for cirl bunting delivered through countryside stewardship special project and cs arable options.
Parish D.M.B. & Sotherton N.W. (2004) Game crops and threatened farmland songbirds in Scotland: a step towards halting population declines?: Capsule During winter songbirds were far more abundant in game cover crops than conventional agricultural habitats. Bird Study, 51, 107-107
Butler S.J., Bradbury R.B. & Whittingham M.J. (2005) Stubble height affects the use of stubble fields by farmland birds. Journal of Applied Ecology, 42, 469-476
Stevens D.K. & Bradbury R.B. (2006) Effects of the Arable Stewardship Pilot Scheme on breeding birds at field and farm-scales. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 112, 283-290
Whittingham M.J., Devereux C.L., Evans A.D. & Bradbury R.B. (2006) Altering perceived predation risk and food availability: management prescriptions to benefit farmland birds on stubble fields. Journal of Applied Ecology, 43, 640-650
Roberts P.D. & Pullin A.S. (2007) The effectiveness of land-based schemes (incl. agri-environment) at conserving farmland bird densities within the U.K. Systematic Review No. 11. Collaboration for Environmental Evidence / Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation, Birmingham, UK,
Natural England (2009) Agri-environment schemes in England 2009 A review of results and effectiveness. Natural England report.
Davey C.M., Vickery J.A., Boatman N.D., Chamberlain D.E., Parry H.R. & Siriwardena G.M. (2010) Assessing the impact of Entry Level Stewardship on lowland farmland birds in England. Ibis, 152, 459-474
Ewald J.A., Aebischer N.J., Richardson S.M., Grice P.V. & Cooke A.I. (2010) The effect of agri-environment schemes on grey partridges at the farm level in England. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 138, 55-63
Field R.H., Morris A.J., Grice P.V. & Cooke A. (2010) The provision of winter bird food by the English Environmental Stewardship scheme. Ibis, 153, 14-26
Field R.H., Morris A.J., Grice P.V. & Cooke A.I. (2010) Evaluating the English Higher Level Stewardship scheme for farmland birds. Aspects of Applied Biology, 100, 59-68
Please cite as:
Williams, D.R., Child, M.F., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Walsh, J.C., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2018) Bird Conservation. Pages 95-244 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, N. Ockendon, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2018. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.
Overall Effectiveness Category: Likely to be beneficial
Effectiveness: 40%
Certainty: 60%
Harms: 0%
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An assessment by independent experts of the effectiveness of this action based on the summarized evidence (0% = not effective, 100% = highly effective). This score is based on the direction and size of the effects reported in each study. Actions with high scores typically have large, desirable effects on the target species/habitat in each study. There is some variation between actions, e.g. 100% effectiveness in adding underpasses under roads for bat conservation will likely have different impacts to 100% effectiveness in restoring marsh habitat. The effectiveness score does not consider the quantity or quality of studies; a single, poorly designed study could generate a high effectiveness score. The effectiveness score is combined with the certainty and harms scores to determine the overall effectiveness category (for more details see https://www.conservationevidence.com/content/page/79).
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An assessment by independent experts of the certainty of the evidence for this action based on the summarized evidence (0% = no evidence, 100% = high quality evidence). How certain can we be that the effectiveness score applies to all targets of the intervention (e.g. all birds for an action in the bird synopsis)? This score is based on the number, quality and coverage (species, habitats, geographical locations) of studies. Actions with high scores are supported by lots of well-designed studies with a broad coverage relative to the scope of the intervention. However, the definition of "lots" and "well-designed" will vary between interventions and synopses depending on the breadth of the subject. The certainty score is combined with the effectiveness and harms scores to determine the overall effectiveness category (for more details see https://www.conservationevidence.com/content/page/79).
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