Ya Gotta Laugh

03. January 2008 · 2 comments · Categories: Links, Listen, Other People's Words, Ramble, Videos, Watch

i play the oboe and i think i might be able to play this but not as well as these guys because ive only been playin 5 months tops

YouTube comments are often hysterical. This person was writing in response to this glorious music. I usually don’t read the comments. But sometimes something like this catches my eye and I just have to laugh.

But … the video itself … well … you just have to hear it. How I would love to play Bach again! (But I’m not sure I’d want to deal with this particular work; what the oboes have to do is pretty darn difficult.) From the same poster you can hear and see the d’amore solo—well, okay, there’s a voice there too, go figure. I haven’t played d’amore in more than 20 years. I played the B Minor Mass so long ago (probably before I had children!) and it was one of the few concerts that I was completely satisfied with (when it comes to my own playing). The Maestro even played the recording for me and I was still happy. Of course that was then and this is now. Who knows what I’d think these days, and I have no access to a recording. Ah well. I’ll hang on to the positive memory. Sometimes that’s better, eh?

Having Fun

03. January 2008 · Comments Off on Having Fun · Categories: Links, Listen, Poetry, Videos

Because I can …

Ah, look at all the lonely oboes.
Ah, look at all the lonely oboes.

Poor little oboes sitting around in their cases not playing a note
What is their hope?
Waiting and wishing, thinking the players just might get to work on a reed
That’s what they need

All the lonely oboes
They sit alone and wait
All the lonely oboes
No reeds appear their fate.

Sing along with this. 😉

Sorry. Just couldn’t resist. Or at least I didn’t resist. Or I don’t care. Or something like that.

More on the Met

03. January 2008 · 4 comments · Categories: Links, Ramble

Successful as these HD broadcasts are, they raise some questions. Will newcomers to the form who attend these screenings be inspired to go to the opera house and hear the real thing, that is, to hear wondrous operatic voices in a natural acoustic? After experiencing “Hansel and Gretel” so intimately that you could see Ms. Coote’s teeth coated with rich chocolate fudge cake, will seeing the same production from the Family Circle at the Met just make everything seem too flat and far away?

I think Tommasini asks a valid question.

While at Hansel and Gretel I noticed how we could even see Gretel’s fillings at one point, and seeing the mother spit out food was even a little too much for me when seen close up. There were things I loved about seeing opera on the big screen, and things I felt were not quite as good as being there. I wonder if they’ll ever do a study to see how many movie goers transfer into opera goers.

I know I won’t become a Metropolitan Opera subscriber. Flying to NYC to see operas isn’t going to happen any time soon.

Well … duh …

03. January 2008 · Comments Off on Well … duh … · Categories: Links, Ramble

I have a tendency these days to skim when I read. Bad idea. But typical me. (I’ve actually done this forever.) I’m continuing to read Alex Ross’s book, The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, and I’m happy to say no skimming is going on; it’s taking me ages to read it, of course.

But … having skimmed the Metropolitan Opera page about the HD simulcasts I didn’t notice the encores of each one. Duh. So thanks, Lisa, for pointing that out! I just might be able to go to some of these Sunday performances at noon if I don’t have work. (It does mean going to the early church service, but once I get my act together I’m sure I can wake up before 8:45. Yes. Really. I got out of bed today at 8:45. I’m a sloth.)