# reading train (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 1 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover reading train. Page: Feed: --- ## [This is not goodbye](https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/this-is-not-goodbye/) _2025-10-22 · Tim Rutherford-Johnson · The Rambler_ When I started The Rambler back in 2003, blogs were a relatively new phenomenon. They weren t yet commercialised, they weren t homogenised, they had a Wild West feel to them. I came to them slightly naively, searching for commentary on the Iraq War, which was then just beginning its ghastly unfolding. Most of what I read Continue reading This is not goodbye ## [The Sound of Place: Leo Chadburn, Sleep in the Shadow of the Alternator](https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/the-sound-of-place-leo-chadburn-sleep-in-the-shadow-of-the-alternator/) _2025-10-15 · Tim Rutherford-Johnson · The Rambler_ Voice, body, language, place: these have long been the central preoccupations – basic materials, really – of Leo Chadburn’s work, from his early releases as his avant-pop alter-ego Simon Bookish (‘Portrait of the Artist as a Fountain’) to the stream of recent releases every year or two on his own Library of Nothing Records label: The Continue reading The Sound of Place: Leo Chadburn, Sleep in the… ## [Sarah Dacey’s Night Songs: Reviving Women’s Voices](https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2025/10/08/sarah-daceys-night-songs-reviving-womens-voices/) _2025-10-08 · Tim Rutherford-Johnson · The Rambler_ I was meant to be at the Southbank Centre on Sunday for the London Sinfonietta s deconstruction and performance of Boulez s marvellous explosante-fixe On-stage conversations, leather seats and Boulezian orchestration at its most refined. Full luxury new music and all that. Unfortunately, a family football injury scuppered my afternoon and sent the rest of the Continue reading Sarah Dacey s Night… ## [Liza Lim’s String Creatures](https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2025/10/01/liza-lims-string-creatures/) _2025-10-01 · Tim Rutherford-Johnson · The Rambler_ It was lovely to attend last night the launch of Liza Lim s new disc for NMC records (and of Zoë Martlew s forthcoming debut, Album Z). I ve reviewed String Creatures for an upcoming issue of Nutida musik in Sweden, so those who are really keen can read my initial thoughts on the album there. But last Continue reading Liza Lim s String Creatures ## [CD review: Jeremias Schwarzer: New Recorder Concertos](https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2025/03/30/cd-review-jeremias-schwarzer-new-recorder-concertos/) _2025-03-30 · Tim Rutherford-Johnson · The Rambler_ New Focus Recordings, fcr430 Recorder concerti are pretty rare beasts in contemporary music, so plaudits first of all to the German recorder player Jeremias Schwarzer for finding not only four, but four such and contrasting ones. (All four, it transpires, were written in collaboration with the performer.) The principal challenge with combining recorder and orchestra, Continue reading CD review:… ## [Delayed memorial: Chas Smith](https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2024/09/17/delayed-memorial-chas-smith/) _2024-09-17 · Tim Rutherford-Johnson · The Rambler_ Researching another piece of writing, I discovered today with great sadness that the American composer and instrument builder Chas Smith died earlier this year, on 13 May. I can t say that I knew a huge amount about Smith s life before today – although he found success in Hollywood, particularly through his work on Dune, he Continue reading Delayed memorial: Chas Smith ## [Train home review: Rolf Hind: Sky in a Small Cage](https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2024/09/10/train-home-review-rolf-hind-sky-in-a-small-cage/) _2024-09-10 · Tim Rutherford-Johnson · The Rambler_ First of all, I loved it. This being the end of a busy and challenging summer, I came to Hind s opera with little foreknowledge. Beyond knowing most of the players involved, and some of Hind s music (although not so much recently), I also came with few expectations. Often that s a problem if you re trying to Continue reading Train home review: Rolf Hind: Sky in a Small Cage