s.' ARTS The Michigan Daily Records Thursday, January 27, 1983 Page 7 Dan Fogelberg-'Greatest Hits' (Epic) Since most of Dan Fogelberg's popular success has developed over the past two or three years, it isn't sur- prising that his latest release, Greatest Hits, is heavily weighted with tunes from his most recent albums. Four of the ten songs on this collection are culled from his last album, The In- nocent Age, and following a recent record industry trend, two of these "greatest hits" are previously unreleased recordings. Of the new songs, the better is easily "Missing You," with its smooth-rolling rock melody and a tastily arranged percussion base. Layered on top is a careful blend of synthesizer, strings and guitar, and of course, Fogelberg's heartfelt vocals. It's Top-40 stuff, but of the highest caliber. Although Greatest Hits doesn't present much of a retrospective of Fogelberg's career, it does give a fair cross-section of his stylistic range. Fogelberg shows some kick with "Missing You," and on the album it is b immediately preceeded by the ex- crutiatingly mellow "Longer" (1979). Only one tune represents Fogelberg's output pre-1978, but the choice is a good one. "Part of the Plan" (1974) is a lively Joe Walsh-produced cut from the LP Souvenirs. And Greatest Hits in- cludes what may be Fogelberg's best piece of recording, the eloquent "Same Old Lang Syne" (1980). Dan Fogelberg has a reputation for producing intelligent, well-crafted tunes. Although as a compilation it's far from perfect, Greatest Hits is a pleasant collection of his single releases. -Michael Baadtke Preston Reed-'Pointing Up' (Flying Fish) Pianist Van Cliburn hates Tschaikowsky's First Piano Concerto; Roy Clark despises "Dueling Banjos"; and Preston Reed can't stand half of the songs on his latest album. All three men are virtuosos in their own right; all three have a musical specialty for which they are at least somewhat revered; and all three are undoubtedly sick to death of what is expected of them. While Preston Reed lacks the recognition of the two former exam- ples, he nevertheless deserves equal praise for his skill as an acoustic guitar player. The most striking thing about. his second album, Pointing Up, is its ability to convey Reed's incredible ver- satility of skill and sentiment. His techinical skills are very nearly flawless and he coaxes an incredible range of emotion from his instrument. This musical sensitivity is exhibited in "Cane Bay," a hauntingly beautiful piece that makes the listener long for the words behind the music. Half of the songs on this album possess this emotional content, produced through complex chord arrangements and rhythmic ar- ticulation. The other half, however, is more like what we expect from a young, exuberant, fun-loving guitar player, Preston Reed is a victim. He has been victimized by all those foot stom- pin' (note the 'postrophe) rip roarin' folk fans who feed on up-beat, inevitably happy, always one- dimensional folk songs. Nothing again- st this group really, except that they all too often eclipse other capabilities of the folk idiom. It is hard to believe that a musicial of Reed's skill and sen- sitivity would willingly include on this album a song with the implied emotional content of "Fun With Wally". Beaver Cleaver, Reed is not. The trouble essentially is that specialization for a folk musician is not that practical. Not enough people are listening to folk music these days and so the artist is forced to try to please many diverse tastes. This album does manage to please just about everyone with its mixture of jazz, blues, and country-influenced tunes, but it doesn't succeed at satisfying any one in- dividual. The effect of just about any song on the album is quelled by the song following it. The intensity of his more thoughtful tunes is encroached upon by the rowdy ones. The unifying force of the album lies solely in Reed's in- credible finger-picking skills. What he has done is to give us an album of his greatest hits without first giving us the preceding albums. Poin- ting Up is not an experience, it is an exhibition. Exhibitionism is fun for a little while but it always leaves you wanting the real thing. -Jim Boyd Maurice Ravel-'Bolero' 'Daphnis et Chloe' 'Alborada del gracioso' (Angel) Ho hum, you say; another Bolero record. Dudley Moore strikes again, this time with Riccardo Muti conduc- ting the Philadelphia Orchestra in a digital recording. You've heard a hun- dred times or more, and it's just the same thing playing over and over again; the theme is fine and the idea is interesting, and Muti plays it safe and strong, but there are so many Boleros. And Boleros like sex with Bo Derek, is bound to get routinized some time, if you play it enough. On the other hand, if it takes a Bolero to bring out great Ravel works like Daphnis et Chloe (Suite No. 2) on the flip side, I don't mind at all. Begun in 1909, the work is what the French Com- poser called "a choreographic sym- phony," and the dancing quality is evident in each of the three par- ts-Lever du jour, Pantomine, and Danse generale-commissioned by the Russian ballet master, Serge de Diaghilev. At its best, Ravel material possesses an almost dreamlike quality, with wild arpeggios and chromatic scales run- ning along the score with abandon. Almost like Debussy, except with more passion and verve. Ravel punctuates his work, as in the Alborada, with sharp snare rolls and gutsy brass. His is a modern temperament with flights of pastoral calm and sudden deter- mination. Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra do an admirable job of both Daphnia and Alborada; the calms are just delicate enough and the brass is brash. In the right mood it's like having a river of music coming out of the speakers-stillness and rapids sweeping and swirling around you. It's refreshing enough to make even Bolero a thumping treat once again -Ben Ticho Battlefield Band-'The Story So Far . . . '(Flying Fish) The Battlefield Band has been an item on the folk circuit for over ten years, though only more recently has their exposure branched beyond their native Scotland to North American listeners. During this time they released six albums on various European labels, none of which were readily available in this country. Flying Fish Records has recently released a collection of greatest hits as it were; the best recor- dings from past albums of the Bat- tlefield Band's history. The Story So Far...is a well balanced mixture of in- strumentals, ballads and original songs, all in the authentic (they are, af- ter all, native) Scottish tradition. The Album demonstrates both in- strumental experimentation and the band's wide exploration of Scottish music. Most outstanding is the diver- sity of the fourteen selections on the album. There is a decent rendition of Robert Burns' autobiographical "Rantin' Rovin' Robin" and a Gaelic melody "Ge Do Theid Mi Do M'Leadbaidh" (you pronounce it). Translated as "Though I go to bed, little does sleep come," this is a beautiful instrumental played on the unlikely combination of pedal organ, fiddle, whistles and guitar with lullabye-like grace. Finally, there are the characteristic jigs and bagpipe numbers, some of which are less palatable than others, depending on what your bag is-Nor- thumbrian, Highland or traditional Scottish bagpipes. The present Battlefield Band consists of Brian McNeill, Alan Reid, Duncan MacGillivray, and Ged Foley, though many talented musicians who have passed through the band are featured on "The Story So Far..." The album has taken ten years of music, not to mention a vast turnover of musicians, and produced a gem of a collection. Just beware of one thing: the unex- pected pronunciations of seemingly in- nocent words. The record is authen- tically Scottish. A bonnie relic, aye. -Jennifer Gamson 'Streetcar' By Sherry Gordon T ENNESSEE WILLIAM'S classic play, A Street- car Named Desire, comes to life tonight and all weekend on the intimate stage of Saline High School Auditorium. Former University student Joshua Peck directs the Saline Area Players in the well-known Southern drama which he calls, "not an intellectual exercise, (but) a damned entertaining work." An ever-popular play and movie (starring Marlon Brando and Vivian Leigh), Streetcar follows a vin- tage Williams' storyline. Stanley and Stella Kowalski are Southern newlyweds visited by Stella's sister, Blanche. From the moment of her entrance, Blan- che, a self-styled Antebellum princess, provokes much tension in the Kowlaski household. Her scenes drives into town with Stan are masterpieces of sexual energy and con- frontation.. Peck professes to appreciate the ironies and sub- tleties of. Williams' world. "Tennessee Williams is incredibly cynical, yet he shows a faint breath of op- timism that works its way in every direction in A Streetcar Named Desire," he said. "Stella and Stanley Kowalski are newlyweds who cannot afford the luxuries of life, but they manage to hold onto Williams' breath of optimism." Peck brings a diversity of experience to his role as director. As a University student, he held the position of drama critic and opinion page editor at the Michigan Daily. Peck now writes freelance articles for the Ann Arbor News and other publications, thus extending his experience in theater criticism, which he calls "my favorite type of writing." Arriving at the University in 1975 Peck acted in many local theatrical productions including As You Like It.He spent five years at the University and con- tinued his lifelong interest in acting through various performances including Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof in 1981. Peck considers his role as the director of Streetcar one of vital importance. "Good directing gets talent produced," he said. "Directors have a role to lead an intelligent dialogue with other theatergoers. I'm definitely trying to do something worthwhile, because Williams did." Beyond his own responsibilities, however, Peck hopes to make his audiences dQ some thinking as well. "I'd like to share the experience of this play with the audience; I want them to determine their own overall implications," he said. Thus, director Peck keeps the play open: "I don't want to limit their own experiences.' Baroque music to be By Todd Levin Y OU ARE strongly urged to take an hour off on this Thursday evening and listen to what might be two of the finest performers in the country. Many people who read preview articles for renaissance and baroque music such as this turn the page because of lack of interest. Don't do it. This concert not only has good music played by top-notch performers, but is a benefit for the Nuclear Weapons Freeze. It will take place at the First Methodist Church as the corner of Huron and State streets. Performance time will be 8:30, and tickets are only $2.00 for students and $4.00 for all others. Keyboardist Edward Parmentier is an assistant professor at the School of Music and also a member of the Early 'Music Ensemble as well as president of the Academy of Early Music. This summer he will spend three months performing in Europe. I have had the opportunity to hear Parmentier play and he is amazing. The other artist to be featured, violinist Sarah Summer, graduated from Harvard where she studied com- position. Sumner has performed with many chamber groups and orchestras performed including the Smithsonian Chamber Players and Ars Musica. The music represented will include one solo piece for each performer and two duo pieces. Composers included are Bach, Teleman, Foqueray and Mon- donville. Whether you want to expose yourself to some new music, benefit the Nuclear Weapons Freeze, or just take a break from studying, spend an hour at the First Methodist Church Thursday evening and support two of Ann Arbor's finest classical musicians. Subscribe to The Michigan Daily 764-0558 'Y' Summer Camps THE ANN ARBOR "Y" IS NOW ACCEPT- ING APPLICATIONS FOR STAFF POSITIONS AT THE FOLLOWING CAMPS: CAMP AL-GON-QUIAN: a resident camp for boys and girls located on Burt Lake in northern lower Michigan. Camp dates are June 25 to August 6. Senior staff positions, ages 18 and above are available in the fol- lowing areas: horseback riding, sailing, can- oeing, arts and crafts, archery, nature, woodworking, riflery, land sports, swim- ming, water skiing, and camp nurse. Salary plus room and board. CAMP BIRKETT: a day camp for boys and' Looking for a chance to move in the fast lane? controls of anything from a Cobra to a Harrier to the I