Santa Arrives!

Went to Market Mall for Santa photos today.  They had a special with a Briar Bear, A Tim Horton's $2 card and a pack of gum for the first 200 kids.  We were there 40 minutes early and had to wait about an hour.  The Blackberry Playbook kept the kids busy during the wait.  They also had this curling set for kids to play.

Ivan Moravec, Brahms Piano Concerti

This set of Brahms Piano Concerti with Ivan Moravec arrived yesterday from Presto Classical (it's also available from Amazon.ca).  Unfortunately, I was charged GST and PST and a big service charge by Canada Post.  Now, many years ago, I heard Moravec play Opus 15 with the Calgary Philharmonic.  It was around 1984-1985 when I was a high school student.  In a live performance, the balance between piano and orchestra is quite unlike that in recordings.  I don't recall it as particularly powerful playing, but it was a long time ago.  Last year, the family heard Angela Cheng play this concerto with the Saskatoon Symphony.  She gave it quite a bit of weight indeed.  The performance was tarnished by some out of tune horn playing though.  This particular set from Moravec received a Penguin Guide Rosette (some reviews here).  I concur!

Blackberry Playbook

We bought a Blackberry Playbook today.  Grandpa wants to buy one for his grand kids.  We got the 32 Gig one for $333 taxes included at The Source.  Tried to get one at BestBuy yesterday, but the service was pretty crappy.  Won't go there anytime soon.  There was a glitch in the startup (couldn't type in the Blackberry ID at the startup).  So, we went to The Source at The Centre Mall to ask.  One of the guys there simply shut it down and let it reboot.  I had to sit outside there store and have the OS update itself for about an hour.  It works fine now.  I'm really happy that the Blackberry is MADE IN TAIWAN.  Unlike the iPad which is made in China by a Taiwanese company (traitors!).

Now, I'm rooting for RIM as I HATE APPLE.  They are super cocky and Apple and Steve Jobs just enrich themselves.  Mike Lazaridis helped to create the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo to enhance Canada's research profile.  I hope they can get the Android stuff to work on the Playbook, but given that Android is a favorite hacking target now, maybe it's good there's a delay. QNX is rock solid, so it would be a shame if it was tarnished by Android hack jobs.

Stephen Kovacevich Favorite Beethoven Sonatas

I had purchased this from Presto Classical a while ago.  I've not listened to the Hammerklavier sonata for a while so I finally opened this 2 CD set on Halloween.  What amazing pianism indeed.  I was thinking of buying his complete set of Beethoven piano sonatas, but it was kind of expensive.  The tempi are very brisk, but it's not rushed at all.  I've never heard the Hammerklavier played so fast (honoring Beethoven's manuscript markings).  I wish Kovacevich was better known - he's really an underrated pianist.  I have his 2nd recording of Schubert's D960 on order and his 2nd recordings of the Brahms Concerti.  I had previously written about his earlier Hyperion record of D 960.