Or sometimes they don’t. I guess they bark less if you play classical music.
Are dogs happy when they bark, or are they upset? Or is it a “both” kind of thing? I don’t have a dog ….
DOGS BARK less when listening to classical music than when there is silence or rock music, an international conference held in Dublin heard yesterday.
I read it here.
Albrecht Mayer is discussing his recording “In Venice”, with a bit of playing as well.
If you listen to classical music for more then 20 minutes I promise your stress level will drop a ton. Try it out!
… but what if you don’t like classical music? Seems to me one’s stress level would then rise.
But what do I know?
Woodwinds of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra were excellent — particularly in the Adagio. For instance, the oboe was so inoffensive in its sound, the man may find himself kicked out of the Oboists’ Guild.
I actually found the whole review a bit on the odd side, but I’m sure this offensive oboist is in error. Anyone else think it a bit … um … different?
And the conductor, a young 21, “looks about 12″. Well. Okay.
I read it here.
Found over at the OC (Opera Chic):
The Hamilton City Council has deemed its latest scheme to reduce alcohol-related crime in the CBD as a resounding success.Nightclubs are playing classical music like Mozart and Andy Williams around closing time as a way of dispersing the crowds.
Inner city streets have also been closed as a way of preventing cars hitting pedestrians.
Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock says the behaviour has improved greatly since the trial started.
Yes, indeed. Sometimes I’m yearning for a little classical music and I think to myself, “Mozart or Andy Williams? Mozart or Andy Williams? Mozart or Andy Williams??” It’s a tough call and I never know who will win.
As announced at the RDG Woodwinds site, Robert D. Gilbert died on August 2.
Mr. Gilbert is responsible for my owning a lovely Rigoutaut English horn. In my freshman year of college my very horrendous EH was stolen from my dorm room and Mr. Gilbert sent me a Rigotaut saying he had the perfect instrument for me. I’ve had it ever since. And I love it.
Here is an RDG interview, with Nora Post.
He found the browser and went to ArkivMusic.com. “I love this. Isn’t this great? Couldn’t you just sit and do this all day? I’m looking for ‘Ultimate Chopin.’ What could be more worthy than that? Ah! The complete collection of Rachmaninoff. Complete recordings!” His face darkened and a little swearing ensued. “This is Dutoit with the Montreal! What is the problem? You lying . . . ! Ultimate collection. Well, we don’t see Ashkenazy.” This went on for a while then a phone rang. “Can’t you see I’m listening to Chopin?” he said, in a put-on accent. “I can’t be bothered with this. . . .”
And who is this, you ask?
Hmm. Alex Baldwin. Who’da thunk it? :-)
I read it here.
It’s two artists for every one athlete according to this article:
For every Olympic athlete performing in Beijing, there will be two artists.As the Olympians of 200 nations aim for glory over the next two weeks, China has invited some 20,000 artists from more than 80 countries to put on 300 shows as part of the summer’s festivities, according to the Ministry of Culture.
Heading the bill are the so-called Divas in Beijing –opera sopranos Renee Fleming, Sumi Jo and Angela Gheorghiu, who will sing at the new National Center for the Performing Arts, the egg- shaped theater built in time for the games. The Royal Danish Ballet will indulge in some Scottish dancing. The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra will team up with a Beijing children’s choir to blast out a medley of old favorites for world peace.
“This would be a chance for China to assert its cultural might,” said Beijing-based Guan Yi, who owns one of China’s biggest collections of contemporary art.
I have never had a visitor from China, if my site meter is correct.
I read it here.
When in doubt in Brahms, keep the tone going. You’re up against all those string players who don’t like you.
-John Mack
I made this promise to do it three years ago and I thought I’d be dead in three years and it’s never gonna happen so I said, ‘OK.’ Then, I didn’t die and the time came and so I started work on this opera on Tuesday.
-Woody Allen
Sure. I really believe you, Mr. Allen.
I read it here.
I’d post the comic here, but I see it has a copyright on it. So in order to see it, go here.
Made ME smile, anyway.
One thing about this particular Don G I just played (not to go on and on) … it was nice to play the entire opera for a change. Very rarely do i get to play an opera with absolutely no cuts. The group I’m in makes cuts, in order to keep the operas under three hours. I’ve been told it’s because of the orchestra’s contract. I really hope that’s not the case. Sigh.
Anyway, I’m always bothered by cuts, even while I complain about lengthy productions. (Please keep in mind that I just love to complain. Long. Short. I’m gonna complain!) Whenever I see a cut I wonder what a composer might think. Maybe, “So what? You think this particular part of my work isn’t as good or important as the rest?!”
Who knows? Maybe composers are used to this sort of thing.
I wonder if composers working now think about length. (I’m guessing many think about orchestration to keep things “cheaper” for companies. I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt it!) Do they make sure they keep things under three hours so more groups will perform them without any cuts?
Yay for Merola doing the entire Mozart opera!
When you finish and the pianist finishes after you, you have to look arty. Look up at the lights.
-John Mack
I read this here. What is especially fun about this article is reading some names that are now quite successful in the oboe world:
Although the camp imposes no specific entrance requirements, the level of performance was generally high — astonishingly so among some younger players. Scott Hostetler, 18, of Kokomo, Ind., flashed through a Barret study, leaving Mr. Mack, for once, with almost nothing to say. Katherine Needleman, 16, of Ellicott City, Md., gave gorgeous, flowing accounts of the solos from Brahms’s First Symphony. And Frank Rosenwein, 16, of Evanston, Ill., spun out a movement from the Hindemith Sonata with a knowing sentiment that belied his years.
Where are they now?
Not bad. :-)
I thought, after opera yesterday, I’d have no energy for painting our bedroom. And I’m not sure just how much energy I had today … but I painted. We are nearly not green. (The walls, that is. I do try to be “green” when it comes to environmental issues, although I guess paint isn’t the best thing to be doing.) I have to do all the edging, but I rolled the walls, and it’s so nice to see this lovely color on the walls! I suppose I should have started with all the edging, but that I knew I didn’t have energy to do. (My hands hurt quite a lot when using a brush.)
I also need to do the ceiling in a lighter white, and yes, I should have done that before walls. But again, not enough energy for that task. Still, I hope to get the room completed and put back together by Friday. I’m fairly sure it should be no problem. (Of course we’ll see how my hands feel tomorrow!)
So this is what happens when I finish up with performance. I guess I need to do something slightly creative! Go figure.
The story drives the opera, but it’s all about music onstage. Stewart and I worked together, discussing the story, breaking it down structurally. By the time I wrote the libretto, it was clear that only what is absolutely essential gives power; too many words would dilute it. I’d say, “I want to include this notion of guilt or anger.” He’d say, “I’ll have this in the music.” We cut out everything that could be done by the music.
Dan and I will get to see and hear the opera when San Francisco opera premieres it this coming season. I’ve read a lot of Amy Tan’s work. (As a side note, my father was her English teacher when she was in middle school, and had even saved at least one poem she wrote from then and showed it to us some years ago.) I’m just sure I’ve read The Bonesetter’s Daughter, but I think I should reread it, as my memory isn’t the best sometimes.
Ms. Tan goes on to say:
If people respond enthusiastically, I’ll be grateful. But even terrible reviews cannot diminish its success for me personally. It will hurt, but I won’t regret doing what’s been so fulfilling.
I do hope it’s a success. I’m always very excited about new operas.
You can read the whole article here and click here for the SF Opera link.
I’m normally the sort who likes to be alone. I’m sitting here on my couch right now, alone. I will paint our bedroom alone. I do a lot of things on my own. (And I’m happily married, just so you know!)
Driving to Merola was not done alone. I rarely carpool, since my usual jobs are about 7 minutes away. But San Francisco is another story … it’s an hour away or so. So I carpooled.
This was one of the best gigs when it comes to carpool folks. I was with two other women and, at least for me, it was just a gas to be with them. So thanks B and L! (I don’t give full names because some people prefer not to see their names on my silly little blog.) It was a BLAST! :-)
I’m home … we are finished with Don G. Today felt so much better. It was cooler in the hall, so I wasn’t dying from the heat, and I felt that the intonation was much better.
I loved hearing these young and talented singers. This group of Merola Folk were wonderful. Maybe someday we’ll see and hear some of them singing with the Big Guys. Time will tell. Here are some names I’ll be watching out for:
Now to dinner, whatever that might be!
(Why do I always want to spell “Air” like “Aire”? Hmmm.)
TERRY GROSS: I happen to know you play bassoon.
RAINN WILSON: Yeah, I do.
TERRY GROSS: Which is great, it’s a great instrument, a lot of people don’t even know what it sounds like.
RAINN WILSON: Sounds a little like this [makes bassoon sound]….I think.
TERRY GROSS: It’s a hard instrument to play.
RAINN WILSON: It’s very hard, it’s a double reed. It’s also a ‘girl repellent.’
TERRY GROSS: [laughs uproariously]
RAINN WILSON: So all you aspiring bassoonists out there, thrown down the bassoon and pick up the electric guitar.
Scott Hostetler has won the audition for the orchestra’s English horn chair and will continue to play oboe with the orchestra as well. His new appointment takes effect immediately. … Burl Lane has announced his retirement after 43 years as a member of the bassoon section. He presently serves as the orchestra’s contrabassoonist and saxophonist.
I read it here. I’m assuming this means that the position he held before, listed third in the same orchestra — see the Chicago Symphony oboe roster — will be open now. Dominoes never end.
This YouTube video works for me. There’s just something fun about a double reed ensemble.
Guess some folks aren’t happy about the interpretation they might hear at the last concert of the Proms. Norrington nixed vibrato.
Norrington refuses to soften his views. ‘Here come the ouches and squirms, the fuss and hubbub,’ he said. ‘I was expecting it, I’m throwing a hand grenade at musicians who simply have to accept they must transform their way of playing if they are to play as composers intended.’ He added: ‘Vibrato can be amazingly destructive to an orchestral expression. It is acoustic central heating.’
I guess I’m somewhere in the middle. I don’t nix vibrato entirely, but I think there are times when it’s not necessary. An entire work with not a stitch of it? Hmmm. Not too sure about that one.
I cannot sign off without a reactionary gripe: the casual dress of the orchestra. The men wore black trousers and black open-necked shirts. The traditional attire for leading orchestras has always been full evening dress - white tie. Perhaps this is too much to expect of them; nevertheless, they could, at least, wear dinner jackets and black tie. The way they dress down now is too egalitarian.
Here are just a couple of articles some might want to read. Or not. You choose.
Donald Runnicles, “I’m exactly where I want to be”
Zubin Mehta, “We bring together the joy, we generate the euphoria.”
Update … one more
Douglas Sanford leaves his post (Not quite as big a name as the other two.)
Update: Yes, I really did type “FrutePrayer” first. Sigh. That’s how tired I am. It is now corrected.
FlutePrayerwrites about a cell phone talker. Sitting in the front row of her outdoor concert. Check it out! Then she includes the video I’ve posted below.
Indeed, that’s what we’d ALL like to do when someone talks on a cell phone at a concert.
And yes, I’ve even seen this happen at indoor concerts. I don’t understand why anyone would leave a cell phone on at a concert. My assumption is that people attending a concert have come to listen to the concert, not carry on a conversation with someone not there. Maybe I’m just an idiot, though.
