Symphony X

Tallahassee Symphony

2004-05-03T09:18:00.000-04:00

Season closer.

Rossini in Tallahassee

2004-03-28T08:07:00.000-05:00

Review of Le Comte Ory.

Good News

2004-03-01T07:28:00.000-05:00

Rebirth of a festival.

Bach Online

2004-02-26T09:50:00.000-05:00

Bach Archives to go online.

And a review of Thomas Ades new opera.

2004-02-23T12:45:00.000-05:00

News Item on an up and coming conductor.

Scarborough Trio

2004-02-23T12:43:00.000-05:00

Write up in their home town paper.

Interesting combination of instruments.

Music as therapy

2004-02-23T12:42:00.000-05:00

Playing music helps cancer victims.

Performance is life.

Barrow on Zander

2004-02-23T12:39:00.000-05:00

This entry on the leading vector of Mahleria.

Concert Halls on the Arts Journal

2004-02-22T20:00:00.000-05:00

Russell at the increasingly indespensible Art's Journal Blog collective

Yes, I'll be back to regular updates.

Size Matters

2004-02-20T06:31:00.000-05:00

Size Matters I
Size Matters II
Size Matters III
Size Matters IV

Every so often, a blogger puts forward a great series - something that needs to be remembered beyond the momentary flood of reactions and links and rants. This series, by Drew McManus, is one of them. He takes case studies of smaller orchestras - and searches for patterns, answers. It is here that much of our music making life exists, and which, if we are to have a musical life - effort must be put forward.

Of course, support in terms of money and activity is crucial, but so too is understanding. This kind of careful examination is all too infrequent, on or off the web.

Classical Meetup

2004-02-08T13:31:00.000-05:00

Now at 380 members - venue voting opens on the 10th.

Concert going, etc.

2004-02-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

My review of the Philharmonia Quartett Berlin.

An article from Andante calling for more active listening.

Please feel free to use the comments space here to post about concerts or operas you have attended recently.

2004-02-01T08:46:00.000-05:00

Kremer leaves valuable violin on train

2004-01-23T08:06:00.000-05:00

Interview with Elliott Carter.

We have 8 more days to get venue votes

2004-01-19T15:59:00.000-05:00

With 360 members, the Classical meetup has been growing steadily by word of mouth. But to make things happen means venue voting and it means getting more people signed up.

Classical Meetup on February 3rd means conversation and building a network to help classical music. Already writers and critics have taken notice of what is being done, and are following it with interest. But to make it into a story means that people need to take matters in their own hands and build a local meetup. For everytime you've wondered what can be done to help classical music - this is part of that. Create participation that bonds people together for the music.

Musical Weekend in Tallahassee

2004-01-19T08:31:00.000-05:00

Symphony concert and double bass recital.

Classical Meetup Report

2004-01-18T21:29:00.000-05:00

The Classical Meetup for February is on the 3rd at 7pm local time.

Currently some 40 cities are taking venue votes - up from 37 last month. While no cith has enough venue votes to hold a meetup yet,New York, Chicago, Santa Monica CA, Washington DC and Dallas all have 3. There are 6 days left to get to 5 venue votes in a city.

Last month Boston and Santa Barbara CA held classical meetups.

The following cities could have Classical Meetups this month, if enough classical music patrons are willing to make it happen:

Albany, NY
Ann Arbor, MI
Atlanta, GA
Auckland, New Zealand
Baltimore, MD
Boston, MA
Charlotte, NC
Chicago, IL
Columbus, OH
Dallas-Plano, TX
Glasgow, Scotland
Greensboro, NC
Hollywood-East LA, CA
Indianapolis, IN
Iowa City, IA
Manchester, England
Melbourne, Australia
New York City
Orange County, CA
Pasadena, CA
Perth, Australia
Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Rochester, NY
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria, CA
Santa Clara County, CA
Santa Monica, CA
Seattle, WA
Singapore, SG
St. Pete-Clearwater, FL
Toronto, ON
Tucson, AZ
Washington, DC

2004-01-18T10:36:00.000-05:00

Cleveland Orchestra's all Beethoven Program

2004-01-17T23:25:00.000-05:00

More Lugansky news, sent by email list.

Dear Friends,

=============================================

1. A recent telephone interview with the Russian pianist Nikolai
Lugansky may be accessed here:
http://www.iclassics.com/iclassics/feature.jsp?featureId=1061

===============================================

2. A translated review of Nikolai Lugansky's most recent recital
(10th January 2004) may be found here:

http://lugansky.homestead.com/files/Paris_1_04.htm

================================================

3. Here is the complete listing of encores performed at Nikolai
Lugansky's most recent recital :

Rachmaninov: Daisies Op. 38 No. 3
Rachmaninov: Moment Musical Op. 16 No. 2
Mendelssohn-Rachmaninov : Scherzo from a Midsummer Night's Dream
Tchaikovsky-Rachmaninov: Lullaby Op. 16 No. 1

================================================

4. To hear Nikolai Lugansky's most recent recital* over the web, go
to ...
http://web2.radio-france.fr/chaines/france-musiques/direct/

...at 09:07 Paris time on 18th January 2004, and click on "Ecouter
le direct".

*It is not yet known whether the encores will be broadcast.

=====================================================

2004-01-16T17:13:00.000-05:00

Will work for Peanuts.

2004-01-16T17:11:00.000-05:00

OK, it rambles a bit, but it is still a good read on Sibelius Symphony No.1

2004-01-15T23:36:00.000-05:00

NY TImes does a Schumann on disc round up.

2004-01-15T23:29:00.000-05:00

New Classical Music forum

Have not visited yet, but will do so.

2004-01-14T08:33:00.000-05:00

Luzern Sinfonie Orchester gets new director - John Axelrod.

Aggressively bright and aggressively stlish, the Ahn Trio makes an appearance in Zanesville OH

Cincinnati Symphony to hold workshop and dinner performance.

Cleveland Symphony Orchestra in Akron. Program was Lutoslawski Symphony Number 4, thouigh one would think that the work sounds like San Saens from the critics non-description of it.

Pittsburgh Symphony travels to Rome toplay for the Pope.

2004-01-13T22:19:00.000-05:00

Venue voting opens for classical meetup

Date is February 3rd, the place, where ever we can get 5 classical music fans.

2004-01-12T10:33:00.000-05:00

Final week for this exhibition at the New York Public
Library. More information is online at
http://www2.nypl.org/home/research/calendar/exhib/hssl/hsslexhibdesc.cfm?id=195

Depression-era Prints and Photographs from the WPA and FSA

Dates: 10/17/03 - 1/17/04
Location: Print and Stokes Galleries (Third Floor), Humanities and Social
Sciences Library, 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788
Hours: Tues, Wed: 11 to 7:30; Thurs-Sat: 10 to 6

The Great Depression of the 1930s affected the life of every American, including writers, musicians, actors, and artists, and in 1935 a portion of the funding for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was designated for
the aid of these unemployed professionals. This unprecedented largesse from the federal government employed over 250 artists, with 80 in the New York workshop alone. The artists, including Mabel Dwight, Louis Lozowick, Nan Lurie, and Raphael Soyer, were given a place to work and a salary, leaving them free to create, unfettered by financial concerns. In return, the artists created 20 to 25 copies of each print, which were then distributed
to schools, libraries, museums, and other institutions around the country. In 1943, as the program ended and the New York workshop was closed, approximately 1,200 prints were deposited with the Print Collection of The
New York Public Library. This exhibition is drawn exclusively from that 1943allocation, and celebrates that unique relationship between the government and the arts.

meetup

2004-01-12T09:55:00.000-05:00

The next Classical meetup is February 3rd.

Classical Meetup hits 343 members. May not sound like much but it means that we are hitting the point where meetups will flower around the country. What can you do?

Sign up, of course.
Send out an email to your friends who like classical music asking them to sign up.
Check yourself off as a host.
Put a link to the classical meetup on your page - or use one of their frames to have a sign up search.
Become a classical angel - take responsibility for a meetup happenning locally - put it on your blog or website. Leave a comment here and we can add it to the blog roll.
Write to your local newspaper, invite the classical music critics to become involved.
Poster for the classical meetup at record stores and other places where classical music fans can be found.

If we want the music to be ours, we have to make it ours.

2004-01-12T07:51:00.000-05:00

Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montreal Wednesday 25th of February. By the way, adding Goldberg magazine to the blogroll. High end production glossy on early music.

Sandiego Union-Tribune urges people to "Think Dangerous Liaisons without the down sides".

Akron Beacon Journal reviews the second concert by the new Akron Symphony orchestra series of ensembles Important in more ways than one - we should be leveraging our orchestras to do other concerts.

Lafayette, Lousiana Gives a thumbs up to "Hit it Maestro" an interactive children's book.

Comic music, looney tunes.

2004-01-12T07:48:00.000-05:00

Lisa Pollak on a chimapnzee's art being hung.

She says it raises questions of creativity. I say it raises questions about whether art is in danger of becoming as ridiculous as reading entrails: looking for patterns where none exist. It's not that chimps can't make patterns they like - after all, human beings invented the paints, paper and the rest the chimp is using. It's the question of whether there is "meaning" beneath them, whether it is worth looking at them as anything beyond the patterns. Artists doodle, that we can teach chimpanzees and even art directors to doodle too is interesting, in abstract and scientifiic way.

The artist here isn't the chimp, it is whoever went through the trouble of teaching the chimp to paint.

2004-01-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

338 people have signed up for the Classical Music Meetup. Historically speaking this means there should be 3 to 5 meetups which actually happen in February.

2004-01-10T14:04:00.000-05:00

Cross fertilization of education in Louisiana.

Music and memories in Belfast

Pioneering Software Engineer infuses cash into Seattle Arts scene.

Richard Power's novel in paperback.

Homecoming to a choir competition.

2004-01-09T12:26:00.000-05:00

Profile on French Horn player Richard King, principal of the Cleveland Orchestra.

2004-01-09T12:11:00.000-05:00

Robert Page, chorous director, to retire after 25 years.

Classical Music listings for the Twin Cities MN

2004-01-09T12:08:00.000-05:00

Veteran classical radio executive sees bleak future for classical radio.

2004-01-09T12:03:00.000-05:00

Redlands Symphony

January 17th, 8:15pm Memorial Chapel at the University of Redlands campus at 1200 E. Colton Ave. in Redlands. (909) 335-5202.

The performance, conducted by Maestro Jon Robertson, will begin with "Roman Carnival Overture" by Hector Berlioz, followed by Dvorak's "Concerto for Violoncello" featuring Framil. After an intermission, the program will end with "Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor."

2004-01-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

Portland Times gets it wrong about art.

Chris Heard on "Artists and the Red Planet."

MUSICAL JOURNEYS – THE SYMPHONY: Melissa Falkner explores development of genre from Baroque to Contemporary; Legacy Foundation for the Arts. 7 p.m. Jan. 12, Johnson County Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th, Overland Park KS. (913-526-5501)

Short Bio piece on poet William Meredith

2004-01-07T15:47:00.000-05:00

There is a routing problem that is preventing some people from accessing http://symphony-x.com. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

2004-01-07T15:42:00.000-05:00

Norman Lebrecht on the classical recording industry.

2004-01-07T12:23:00.000-05:00

Toronto Star piece on an all-Schoenberg concert. A bit schizophrenic - parts talk about the music, but a great deal talk about how "conservatives" love to hate Schoenberg. Perception not Reception! Talk about what is in the music, and the people who want it can come. Loading an article on how conservatives hate a composer, and then with quotes about his "supreme greatness" compresses down to "the conservatives are stupid". Insulting the audience is a losing proposition.

I know insulting writers is also a marginal proposition, but it isn't that they are bad writers, it is that they have been taught to write in a way which is bad for the music.

2004-01-07T01:53:00.000-05:00

Blog with a Skryabinesque agenda of a multi-media symphony.

Classic Radio?

2004-01-06T15:57:00.000-05:00

Drew McManus asks:

Here’s another idea out of left field: how about an orchestra “owning” a classical music radio station? There’s been much discussion over the past two years about the viability of classical music radio stations in general and recently, fellow blogger Greg Sandow had this to say about the future of public radio stations:

“Public stations should be very small (low-powered, too, I'd assume), broadcasting classical music with very tiny staffs. That's an honorable position, one that, as far as I can see, is consistent with reality. I wish other people arguing these points would face the facts this clearly.”

In my opinion, I think that’s right on the ball. This is just another situation where a true partnership can become a wonderful symbiotic relationship. The small staff required to run a classical radio station as suggested by Greg could be easily combined with the existing orchestra administration structure.

Another question - what would it take to get all of the recorded but unissued performances out there? Several pop bands and rock bands have done well allowing bootlegging - what about classical orchestras getting mp3 highlights from their vaults. Artificial scarcity of this music isn't working.

2004-01-06T13:02:00.000-05:00

Pianist transcribes "Radiohead" Songs

2004-01-06T12:04:00.000-05:00

Platt dies

Independent (UK) interviews Gallant

Gelding on New York Times "Arts Briefing":

DENVER: NAMING AN OPERA HOUSE She's known as Denver's first lady of opera, and yesterday evening Eleanor Newman Caulkins, known to family and friends as Ellie, got a surprise. The 2,400-seat lyric opera house, to open in the fall of 2005 when renovations of the Newton Auditorium in Denver are completed, will be named the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The announcement was made when Mayor John W. Hickenlooper and other dignitaries joined Mrs. Caulkins, her husband, George, and members of the Caulkins family to announce that they had pledged $7 million toward the opera house and other public spaces being constructed inside the auditorium. Mrs. Caulkins has been a leading member of the board of Opera Colorado since its inception more than 20 years ago, has been chairwoman, has occasionally performed as a member of the company's chorus and holds the title of Opera Colorado's Lifetime Honorary Chair. Mrs. Caulkins is also a member of the board of the Metropolitan Opera Association in New York. Besides the opera house, the completed auditorium will house the 300-seat Studio Theater, a Founder's Room with a stage for small performances and rehearsal and meeting rooms

An excellent bit of historical background on Peter Grimes - but please - more about the music next time!

Because:

Large sections of the work are articulated by straightforward strophic or refrain forms, underpinned by unchanging harmonies or repeat patterns; while a high string line, some clarinet arpeggios and a few menacing brass chords are all it takes to evoke the expanses of the North Sea. This instinct for leaving pauses in the information, spaces between the notes, in which the sonorous, verbal and visual implications of the material can, as it were, collect, interact and vibrate in the mind of the perceiver, is perhaps the key to Britten's genius as a musical dramatist and setter of words

Is wonderfully done!

2004-01-06T10:29:00.000-05:00

Long Greg Sandow post on "atonality". Lots of grist for comments there, so have at it.

Tomorrow's meetup

2004-01-05T22:27:00.000-05:00

Boston and Santa Barbara are on for tomorrow, but unfortunately both the Santa Monica - which had 3 RSVPs and the Orange County Meetup - which had 4 - were cancelled. Which means that next month they are almost certain to make it.

2004-01-05T16:46:00.000-05:00

Consumer group sues over bit slavery.

2004-01-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

Mother plays classical music to help her premature triplets survive.

I Musici in Korea

Wynne Delacoma lets her hair down a bit in talking about WFMT-FM's Bill McGlaughlin in his series Exploring Music

She puts the best in the last 'graf:

"Exploring Music'' will run for 39 weeks this season, with each week's five one-hour programs devoted to a single theme or an individual composer. The idea is to delve deeper than usual into myriad facets of classical music.

"We were talking about doing a single theme per week,'' said McGlaughlin about his initial conversations with Robinson, "which gives you room to have the kind of depth you don't usually get in radio. One thing we thought we might do is play the same piece twice; nobody ever does that. You could play something and then develop a whole idea and come back and see how it sounded after that.

"I thought it was a really good way to get at composers. If you spend five hours with a composer, you can really investigate his or her influences. You can play not only the most popular works but also things that are never heard. I proposed doing one of those a month.''

Robinson is receiving enthusiastic e-mail about the series, and he hopes to continue it next season. The amount of research that McGlaughlin and his producer Noel Morris do for each weeklong segment is enormous, but hundreds of composers and topics still remain on his to-do list.

"I knew Bill in passing for years,'' said Robinson. "The sense of excitement and passion [he brings to the show], along with his deep knowledge and respect for the music, is unique.''

Consider writing your classical station to pick up this series.

2004-01-05T09:28:00.000-05:00

Puff piece for new cello concerto. Typical of everything that is wrong with current classical music writing: lots of bio, lots of gush about the composer and his teachers, lots of political plugs of what the critic likes, very little on the music - unless you know the composers the reviewer is talking about.

And people wonder why people don't "get into" classical music. Note to Thomas May: the idea is to bring people in, not keep people out.

Meanwhile Page lists his Washington DC area concerts he is looking forward to, and shares his thoughts on the concert scene in the District.

2004-01-05T03:46:00.000-05:00

CSO to debut new work based on Wallace Stevens poem.

Stevens may well become the poet of the mid 20th century who challenges composers to find forms to convey his verse in music.

2004-01-04T15:08:00.000-05:00

Classical Meetup at 328 members.

This is close to that break out point where meetups start flowering, but it takes people willing to become classical angels and make their local meetup happen. It you have a classical meetup link on your website and you are willing to take charge - drop a comment here and we can blog roll it and tell everyone to check by your site.

2004-01-03T08:47:00.000-05:00

RC Campbell passes along a link to a Kissin interview.

Well worth reading.

2004-01-03T05:28:00.000-05:00

When Eagleton is throwing in the towel, then you know the post-modern left is dead.

The post-modern right should take a bit longer, but not a great deal longer.

2004-01-02T23:14:00.000-05:00

Kisselgoff on Balanchine.

George and Sir Freddy were the two greats of that generation in classical dance, and their works still stand as a challenge to the human spirit and flesh.

Classical Meetups For January

2004-01-02T13:21:00.000-05:00

Classical Meetups for January 6th, at 7pm local time.

1. Santa Barbara is confirmed for:
Morninglory Music, 1014 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

See you there!

2. Boston is confirmed for:
Starbucks Coffee, 36 JFK St, Cambridge, MA

See you there!

3. Santa Monica-West LA Needs 2 more people to RSVP for:

Borders Books & Music, 1360 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA info map
on Tuesday, January 6 @ 7:00PM

Join and meetup!

4. Orange County CA needs 5 people to RSVP for:
The Harp Inn, 130 E. 17th Street., Costa Mesa, CA

If you venue voted, remember to RSVP so that others know you are coming. If you haven't joined yet, then you can join now and RSVP. If you are from a nearby city, you can RSVP for just this month to one of these meetups.

2004-01-02T00:19:00.000-05:00

Beyond Brilliance has an extremely good coverage of liveability issues - both positive and negative. I'm adding it to my daily read cycle, and others should consider it as well.

2004-01-01T13:39:00.000-05:00

Kung tzu: at the dawn of humanism.

2004-01-01T12:11:00.000-05:00

Chamber Orchestra of Miami in Danger:

Miami Herald Report.

I will see if we can get more details, and it brings to mind an article I've been meaning to write anyway...

2003-12-31T01:50:00.000-05:00

By way of Alan Brandt's blog - Louisville's Symphony Orchestra making attempts at outreach.

For those who haven't stopped by there yet - Drew McManus is taking this exact issue - how patrons and orchestras can interact to drive music forward in his blog. Drew is not a starry eyed idealist, but instead, an experienced arts administrator and artist who has demonstrated consistent success in bring in support and talent.

Classical Meetups for January

2003-12-31T01:27:00.000-05:00

Boston has 5 confirmed RSVPs:

Starbucks Coffee, 36 Jfk St, Cambridge, MA
on Tuesday, January 6 @ 7:00PM

Orange County, Santa Barbara and Santa Monica all have 5 venue votes and now need RSVPs to have meetups.

Remember - you can sign up and RSVP even if you did not vote for a venue.

Remember - you can switch cities to go to a near by meetup, so if you are near a meetup that might happen, log in, switch locations by clicking on This link and selecting the city you want to attend the meetup for. It won't change other meetups you have, and you can choose "for this month only".

See you there on January 6th at 7pm local time.

2003-12-31T01:07:00.000-05:00

A touching post on opera at ionarts - and, also the blog has an extensive list of classical music links.

2003-12-29T23:42:00.000-05:00

Last day to venue vote for the classical meetup venue for January. Remember that venue voting just means that you want the chance for a meetup to happen, not that you are going to attend. Boston and Chicago each need one more venue vote - Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Orange County all have 5 or more and will be sending out RSVPS.

Other cities that are close are Dallas-Plano, New York City, Rochester NY and Washington DC. Vancouver and Singapore have gotten venue votes, so they might happen if a few dedicated people take the plunge today.

If you haven't signed up for the Classical Meetup, then do it! If you have signed up, and haven't venue voted yet - today is the day to get around to it.

See you on January 6th at the meetup.

2003-12-29T19:25:00.000-05:00

Cheryl Campbell notes Leos Janácek's 150th is in 2004.

Now if only someone will translate Volek into English, we would have a better grasp of the ideas behind his music.

2003-12-29T13:22:00.000-05:00

An article on viola jokes. Generally well done, but it should be plays 3rd fiddle...

2003-12-29T00:15:00.000-05:00

Science News on Styleometry

2003-12-28T14:44:00.000-05:00

Lugansky recital, available on the web.

Dear Friends,

The following recital will be broadcast by France Musiques
(radio and web) at 20:03 (Paris time) on 29 December 2003.

Programme:

MOZART: Sonata in F major K.533

CHOPIN: Ballade n°3 op.47

CHOPIN: Ballade n°4 op.52

RACHMANINOV: 5 pieces, op. 3
(Elegie, Prelude, Melodie, Polichinelle & Serenade)

RACHMANINOV: Etudes-tableaux op.33

Nikolai Lugansky, piano

For links to the France Musiques webstream,
a world clock, and a chat room, please feel
free to visit The Virtual Reality Concert Hall:
http://Lugansky.homestead.com/VCH.html

Valour

2003-12-28T11:20:00.000-05:00

Robert Campbell's list of those who we lost in classical music in 2003.

2003-12-28T08:40:00.000-05:00

Wynne Delacoma writes about the classical music scene in Chicago at the end of the year. Although the economic news was not particularly good, there were a number of artistic highlights for the year.

2003-12-27T23:02:00.000-05:00

Geoffery Morris in the Telegraph writes:

Nor is there any single authorised way of playing, say, a Beethoven symphony or a Tchaikovsky concerto. In concerts of mainstream music, we are looking for an interpreter for whom the black dots in the score spark a performance that is faithful to the composer's idiom but also brings to it something fresh to deepen our awareness and make the experience of the music exceptional.

2003-12-27T22:58:00.000-05:00

Edmonton Journal on the classical music scene there.

Where there is life, there is music.

2003-12-27T22:56:00.000-05:00

Walter Cronkite, classical enthusiast.

2003-12-27T21:47:00.000-05:00

Andante Interview with Leonhardt. "Go to the source."

Exactly. Invariably. Precisely.

If you read one thing today on music or ideas - make it this.

Digital Radio

2003-12-27T10:45:00.000-05:00

Digital Radio begins break out.

This has two effects, one is that digital radio is far superior in quality to even FM - it also further segments the market, a process which began with the flight of upscale listeners to FM long ago, and continued with moving to cable. Broadcast news is now reaches only a sliver of the population. On one hand, the old powers that unify are dead or dying, on the otherhand the new ones are not yet born. In the interval people will seek stop gaps - the rise of mega-churches is an example - while the culture as a whole finds new points of common ground.

In the meantime, I can say that the classical music offerings on both are very conservative, but quite nice. Now if someone would combine the receiver with an mp3 player, so that the equivalent of the old scratch tape could be made, we would have something. Would probably be deemed illegal under DCMA. Pity.

2003-12-26T19:36:00.000-05:00

Hector Berlioz site - a great deal of material.

"The Company"

2003-12-26T14:42:00.000-05:00

On my must see list the smooth interchange of public to private in an Altman film is like the toss and play of piano and forte in a symphony.

Two Cities on the bubble

2003-12-26T12:32:00.000-05:00

Boston and Chicago are both one person short in venue voting for the January meetup. Two people could make ahuge difference by joining classical.meetup.com in these cities and venue voting. If you are in near by "city" - consider moving to the larger meetup: Aurora, or South Boston, or the other places which are close enough for a short drive to begin making classical meetups happen in these two very musical cities.

2003-12-26T12:27:00.000-05:00

An interesting footnote war between noted economists. Nordhaus' footnotes tell more about the cultural difference between neo-classical economists and their view of stabilizing forces, versus a neo-Keynesian school of institution creation - e.g. Stiglitz.

The controversy - Why Did the '90's happen and why did they stop? - is simpler to answer than people really want to think about. The US economy lives by selling paper to buy oil. Through the late 1970's and 1980's there was a massive restructuring of the economy towards finding ways of producing GDP without using oil - hence, a rapid acceleration in dollars of GDP per BTU. The 1990's represented the pinnacle of these incentives in the economy. Naturally, because there was suddenly a great deal more ability to create wealth than old asset based money could measure - new, non-asset based currencies - id est stock options and more speculative stock investments - were created. And eventually there was the inevitable overproduction, fraud as people who could cashed out, and then a collapse. John Law's South Sea Bubble all over again.

Cultural issue? Whenever someone says "a new era" has begun. Chances are they are right. Chances are that a new money system will be required to control it.

Chances are, you will pay the bill for this process.

2003-12-25T21:22:00.000-05:00

Ellen Dana Nagler's The Dolphin has both a post calling for meetup - but she has also made an absolutely smashing flyer - which I will get a link to as soon as possible..

Historians of the Present

2003-12-25T10:12:00.000-05:00

Paramalt bankruptcy might not seem like a "cultural" issue. But it is. Many of my political friends seem to believe that the problems in integrity and good sense in business that have caused scandal in the US are specific to our nation. From this theory comes the idea that removing a particular Chief Executive will change everything, and that therefore whatever must be done to remove him is reasonable.

Instead, and this is the cultural part, there are forces that are acting across the Western World, deep architectural forces. It is the role of music to allow us to feel the architecture of situations. Music does not lead us to specific partisan results as well without a tremendous amount of prompting, but it does give us the sense of space and time, which, if only we are to use it, points the way to a larger view of matters political, social and economic. We can become historians of the present, with the kind of benefit that others get only from hindsight.

2003-12-24T14:39:00.000-05:00

Three cities - all in California, have gotten enough venue votes: Santa Monica, Santa Barbara and Orange County. If you live near one of these meetups, why not change your city for this month - using the link that says "Other Cities" and join with other classical music patrons and supporters.

Chicago is close, with, 3 venue votes. Surely the city that has Barenboim can also have a meetup.

2003-12-24T13:43:00.000-05:00

NY Times on Merry Wives of Windsor.

2003-12-23T16:39:00.000-05:00

Andante.com's music file of the day is Bloch's Violin Concerto with Szigeti playing and Mendelberg conducting - 1939, on the eve of darkness comes this music.

Requires realplayer.

2003-12-23T16:09:00.000-05:00

It takes more than practice to get to Carnegie Hall. Sac'to State's Wind Ensemble needs 100,000 dollars to perform at a gala.

2003-12-23T14:08:00.000-05:00

Article, in the Times, on how "Cold Mountain", the movie, used original notation for the music.

2003-12-23T14:07:00.000-05:00

Currin, a 41 year old painter with a rising reputation changes Dealers.

An unusual move, since dealers are like patrons - with a deep investment in the success of an artist.

2003-12-23T03:41:00.000-05:00

Sandow on music criticism:

Nick
Hornby's Songbook
is the most satisfying book on music I've read in a long time. Hornby has an
advantage, of course, over most music writers, because he's a real writer, the
kind non-music people read, and in fact a novelist (though it's not really relevant
here, two of his books have been made into familiar movies, High
Fidelity and About a Boy).
Hornby has an easy way with words—the right ones—that I envy; my students in
the music criticism class I'm teaching this fall at Juilliard
just loved his stuff:

2003-12-23T03:36:00.000-05:00

John R Pierce gives us a link to the Guardian's 2003 round up.

2003-12-23T03:23:00.000-05:00

Rex Masterson doing his Spike Jones sensibility based programming again. For those who fret that that "hip" and "classical music" only are printed in the same sentence with the words "joint replacement" - this will bring a smile to your face.

2003-12-22T14:38:00.000-05:00

Classical Alamanac at Musicclassical.com

Classical Meetup Report

2003-12-22T10:03:00.000-05:00

33 Cities are taking venue votes, up from 24 this time last month!

Classical meetup needs your help!

The following cites have 5 venue votes and will be sending out RSVPs

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria, CA
Orange County, CA

The following cites are close and could have a meetup with your help:

Chicago, IL
Santa Monica, CA
Albany, NY
Boston, MA
Dallas-Plano, TX
New York City
San Diego, CA
Washington, DC
Vancouver, BC

The following cities are taking venue votes and need a classical angel to make them happen:

Baltimore, MD
Orlando, FL
Rochester, NY
San Francisco, CA
Glasgow, Scotland
Columbus, OH
Indianapolis, IN
Hollywood-East LA, CA
Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Seattle, WA
Tucson, AZ
Santa Clara County, CA
Ann Arbor, MI
St. Pete-Clearwater, FL
Toronto, ON
Melbourne, Australia
Singapore, SG
Manchester, England
Perth, Australia
Auckland, New Zealand
Canberra, Australia

2003-12-21T13:28:00.000-05:00

ACD on Cooke's I Saw The World End

Thoughts Wagnerites?

2003-12-21T10:06:00.000-05:00

PaidContent.org notes that classical.com has ended its consumer service.

2003-12-21T09:48:00.000-05:00

Concerto Net a large reviewer collective, with reviews in French and English, some quite good, and covering a wide range of cities. Lovely simple site design.

2003-12-20T16:06:00.000-05:00

Mark Harden's essay on Whistler and recent exhibitions

"In the Nocturnes, Whistler used new techniques of composition and execution. He utilized Lecoq's method of composing from memory. This system involved memorizing the primary forms of a scene and then transposing them to the canvas without visually returning to the actual motif. The technique results in a much simplified composition. Whistler accentuated this simplified vision by executing the work rapidly with thinned oil paint. Using his specially prepared "sauce", he was able to bring the entire canvas to a level of finish in a single session. Similar to watercolor, the resulting effect is one of fluid spontaneity, as can be seen in "Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Old Battersea Bridge". Whistler's debt to Japanese art, specifically Hiroshige, is apparent in the almost abstract span of the bridge. Interestingly, the bridge itself is unpainted, Whistler announcing its form by simply leaving exposed the dark ground of the canvas. The contrast between the boisterous business on the river in "Wapping" and the placid river of this work reflects the great change in style that Whistler had struggled to perfect. Yet he never abandoned realism. Finding it impossible to reconcile his style of simplified composition with the bustle of river commerce, Whistler chose to represent the river in the quiet of night. This enabled him to again achieve a harmony of style and subject matter. "

2003-12-20T13:55:00.000-05:00

AC Douglas on Bach on the Piano.

Worthwhile summary on the mechanics of playing.

His musical post archives are here... With this article on the state of concert going being particularly important.

2003-12-19T23:39:00.000-05:00

Matthew Rye reviews Mahler: Symphony No 5 by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Bernstein

I will mention here my personal decision not to listen to recordings by those who are dead, with the exceptions of those who were born less than 50 years ago. I give a one month grace period where I look back, and then to let the sound pass away. Solti's leaving us caused me to put aside the Ring I had listened to for years. It isn't for everyone, but for me, I need to hear the fingers of the living generation.

2003-12-19T22:49:00.000-05:00

Times of India reports on a new concert hall.

And on the dark side When the market for music fails... from Business Standard.

2003-12-18T15:11:00.000-05:00

Figurines found that are 30,000 years old.

Along with the flutes that were found some time ago, it becomes clear that art has been with man though the long wandering millenia before agriculture, before settlements, and before the accoutrements of civilization were solidified. In such a life as they lead, every ounce that has to be carried is precious, and that some of them were spared for art, tells us that art is a necessity, even if we do not understand exactly how.

2003-12-18T15:04:00.000-05:00

Drew McManus searches for creative ways out of the economic bind of classical music - suggesting we look at applying modern business models to orchestras.

Certainly a start for some serious thinking about how to make this enterprise work.

2003-12-18T14:06:00.000-05:00

Roll of Blogs in breaking new pop acts.

2003-12-18T13:16:00.000-05:00

Alex Ross on Tolkien's Ring and Wagner's. Nothing new here, but it is nice to have someone reminding us.

The books tell a fantastic story in a familiar style, but the movies transcend the apparent limitations of their medium in the same way that Wagner transcended the limitations of opera. They revive the art of Romantic wonder; they manufacture the sublime. I hope that at least a small fraction of the huge worldwide audiences for these films will one day be tempted into Wagner’s world, which offers something else again. For Tolkien, myth is a window on an ideal world, both brighter and blacker than our own. For Wagner, it is a magnifying mirror for the average, desperate modern soul.