Found Bassoon!

15. December 2008 · Comments Off on Found Bassoon! · Categories: Stolen Instrument

A wayward wind instrument worth tens of thousands of dollars has been returned to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa after being found for sale on eBay.

A member of the NAC orchestra spotted the 1955 German-made Heckel contrabassoon on the online auction site and contacted police, said an Ottawa police news release Friday.

The instrument is worth between $60,000 and $100,000, and went missing between August and Oct. 17.

Police contacted the Montreal pawn shop that was selling the instrument, which was turned over to police.

Police said they believe the shop obtained the instrument from someone else, and no charges will be laid.

I love reading about found instruments. I’m trying to figure out, though, why the “went missing dates” are so spread … “between August and October 17”? Wow.

I read it here.

Oh Really?

15. December 2008 · Comments Off on Oh Really? · Categories: Links, Opera

Before each performance of Puccini’s “La Boheme” at the San Francisco Opera house this fall, company director David Gockley stepped through the curtain and delivered a grim message to the audience.

Gockley told them he wanted to “address all of your concerns about how the San Francisco Opera is affected by the tumultuous state of the economy.” Opera fans could expect “fewer and less elaborate productions,” he announced.

Well, we attended a performance and I’m wondering if I’m crazy, my hearing is even worse than I feared, or if he missed a performance. Because I sure don’t remember this speech. Hmmm. Maybe he knows how much I hate before concert speeches and was catering to me? I’m sure that could happen. Or not.

I read the above quote here, along with more.

Read Online

15. December 2008 · Comments Off on Read Online · Categories: MTT, Read Online

MTT attracts tourist dollars, especially for his festivals. He is the education conductor, who has used his SF Symphony resources to make important television and fabulous radio programs about classical music.

The question, though, is not how much MTT is worth but how many millions might it cost San Francisco to once more promote itself as a sophisticate city if a Philistine supervisor actually has his way?

And how about those Yankees? Left-hander C.C. Sabathia just signed a seven-year contract for 100 times MTT’s $1.6 million. Now, that’s real money. It even includes a million bucks in pocket change.

— Mark Swed

Found here.

(Disclaimer: I don’t necessarily agree with quotes placed here. Don’t necessarily disagree either. You figure it out!)

Sixteenth Day Of Advent

15. December 2008 · Comments Off on Sixteenth Day Of Advent · Categories: Christmas, Videos, Watch

Magnificant, J. S. Bach, Esurientes

Oh Dear

15. December 2008 · Comments Off on Oh Dear · Categories: Ramble

My Personality
Neuroticism
51
Extraversion
2
Openness To Experience
32
Agreeableness
7
Conscientiousness
62

You rarely get angry and it takes a lot to make you angry, however you feel tense, jittery, and nervous and often feel like something dangerous is about to happen. You may be afraid of specific situations or be just generally fearful. You tend to feel overwhelmed by, and therefore actively avoid, large crowds. You often need privacy and time for yourself. You tend not to express your emotions openly and are sometimes not even aware of your own feelings. You dislike confrontations and are perfectly willing to compromise or to deny your own needs in order to get along with others, however you do not particularly like helping other people. Requests for help feel like an imposition on your time. You are well-organized and like to live according to routines and schedules. Often you will keep lists and make plans.
Take the Personality Tests now or view the full personality report.

I’m not sure I like who I am, but man this is pretty darn true.

Sigh.

And yes, I know I shouldn’t take this test as gospel truth. But my personality says I will. 😉

Shopping Music

15. December 2008 · Comments Off on Shopping Music · Categories: Links, Ramble

Whether it’s dogs barking “Jingle Bells” or Hannah Montana Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, this piped in music is the auditory equivalent of trees and tinsel. Consumer research has shown that music, when it isn’t torture, indeed has a significant effect on buying behavior. In a 1999 study, the experimental psychologist Adrian North and his colleagues from the University of Leicester played either German or French classical music in the background at a wine shop. Sales of French and German wines increased when the music from their respective countries was playing.

Weird. I wonder if the wine buyers knew they were listening to a certain country’s music. When I was shopping at Gap the other day they were playing some sort of rock and it didn’t make me want to buy any clothes that looked “rockish”. But whatever.

You can read the whole article here.

Me? I hate music at shopping centers because it isn’t my choice. And I hate it because it’s far too loud. I still say they should just hand out wireless headphones to those who want to listen to music, and the rest of us can shop in silence. I’d stay at stores longer. They might get more of my money. Or not.

BQOD

15. December 2008 · Comments Off on BQOD · Categories: BQOD

Contemporary classical music is in a very similar situation to “classical” men’s clothing. It doesn’t resonate with today’s audience or to use Barenboim’s phrase it lacks immediacy.

I read it here.