Tell Me Why!

04. June 2013 · 2 comments · Categories: Ramble

I just received an email that began with this:

To Patricia Mitchell,

I’m a huge fan of the Oboe in Sight blog and wanted to pass on something new that could be a nice fit for your music section.

Of course it’s someone who is asking me to do something for them, but I didn’t bother to read any more about what they are selling. If they don’t give me a specific reason why they are a “huge fan” I’m just not buying it. Really … these things are just so hysterical. Sometimes they write that and then whatever it is they are selling has absolutely nothing to do with music at all. (I think this one did, but I still need more evidence that they actually mean what they write.)

And “music section”?! Um … this is an oboe blog. What part is the “music section” anyway?

So hey … if you want me to do something for you like advertise, please know that I don’t do that. I rarely accept books folk want me to read either. I used to, but I found that 1) many were horrible and I don’t do reviews of things I can’t stand and 2) I read too darn slowly! I sometimes take CDs or downloads, but only rarely and again I will only comment on what I like, not on what I don’t like. As long as I’m in the performing biz I just don’t want to go into the negative.

Just wait until I retire … I’ll just have at it!

No. Not really. I just don’t like posting stuff like that.

Now back to the Cliburn. Is anyone else watching and listening? They announce the finalists in a few hours! The final semi-finalist is playing as I type.

TQOD

04. June 2013 · 2 comments · Categories: TQOD

Oops … a little late today!

Guitar is a fab intsrument for busking, looking like a rock star and picking up chicks. Better than oboe, anyway.

For Your Listening Enjoyment

04. June 2013 · 2 comments · Categories: Videos

(And put up on Facebook by the group that did the concert even while this particular work has no singers so I assume sharing is legal. If not you can bet I’ll remove it.)

TENET is one of New York’s preeminent vocal ensembles. Under artistic director Jolle Greenleaf, TENET is winning acclaim for its innovative programming, virtuosic singing and command of repertoire that spans the Middle Ages to the present. TENET features distinguished soloists who shine in one-voice-to-a-part singing and as joined voices in small ensembles.

This I Hadn’t Heard Before

04. June 2013 · Comments Off on This I Hadn’t Heard Before · Categories: Read Online

One of the world’s leading concert pianists angrily exited a performance on Monday evening saying YouTube was “destroying music” after he caught a member of the audience filming him on a mobile phone.

Krystian Zimerman, from Poland, was distracted by the concertgoer while in the middle of playing Karol Szymanowksi’s Variations on a Polish Theme in B Minor at the Ruhr piano festival in Essen.

Still playing, he raised his gaze towards the audience member, who was sitting in a balcony seat above him, and said: “Would you please stop that?”

But while Zimerman, 56, resumed playing the work he had clearly lost his concentration, and left the stage shortly afterwards, evidently agitated.

On returning, he told the audience that he had lost many recording projects and contracts because music managers had told him: “We’re sorry, that has already been on YouTube.” “The destruction of music because of YouTube is enormous,” he added.

RTWT

I find the taking of videos rude and it’s definitely against the rules, but I’d not heard before that recording projects and contracts are being lost. How sad if that’s true.

I’m trying very hard to only post videos from YouTube that I am sure are okay to post. I won’t post something from a live concert that was shot by a concert goer. I won’t post anything that was recorded via TV either. I used to, not realizing that that might also be illegal.

Someone was shooting photos from the balcony of Sunday’s concert. I kept seeing a red light from the phone’s camera. It was quite distracting. I guess people just won’t ever get it or respect the rules. It’s annoying.