Archive for the ‘Music & Art’ Category
A Musical Extravaganza
St. Matthew's UMC church, where Isaac is music director, celebrated its 50th anniversary this weekend. Among the many splendid events, Isaac organized a gala musical evening this past Saturday. The program included gem after gem: Isaac playing a festive and rambunctious fanfare by Charles Ore on the organ; St. Matthew's handbell choir played 3 selections, […]
In: All, Music & Art, Personal Notebook
A Small Opera
Every year Isaac plans and runs the Good Friday service where he is music director (St. Matthew's UMC, in Bowie, MD). I always attend because it will certainly feature a significant musical presentation. Occasionally I perform, more frequently I listen. Tonight's special offering was a 20-minute, two-person opera with choir called "Saturday 29 AD", by […]
In: All, Music & Art, Personal Notebook
"The Third Man" and Artistic Inevitability
Recently I watched, not for the first time, the film "The Third Man", directed by Carol Reed and starring Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton. It's an extraordinary film and one of the few that seems to stand up to my repeated viewing. This time I thought to watch it because I wanted to study some […]
In: All, Music & Art, Reflections, Writing
I ♥ Bariolage
I was very happy today to be reminded of the word "Bariolage", which refers to a technique of playing a stringed instrument in which a changing note played on one string is quickly alternated with an unchanging note played on another string; the unchanging note frequently is an open string. It's commonly heard in Baroque […]
In: All, Explaining Things, Music & Art
Martha Graham Dances "Appalachian Spring"
"Appalachian Spring", the ballet by Martha Graham with music by Aaron Copeland, premiered at the Library of Congress in 1944. As Jennifer McDonald says in this short blog entry, it "became an instant treasure". She also helpfully reminds me that it is a great thing to see Martha Graham's dance and hear Aaron Copeland's music, […]
Adams on Cage
I don’t agree with those who consider Cage the most important composer after Stravinsky. I think much of his later work is fundamentally, even tediously, didactic. A work like ‘4′33″’ is a demonstration, a lesson in how to listen, so to speak. But to equate its artistic value, as some have, with a work like […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Music & Art
Beard of the Week LXC: Good Company
This week's beard belongs to Stephen Sondheim (b 1930, on the right), joined here by George Furth (1932–2008, on the left). They're here to provide an excuse for me to write a bit about our musical-theater troupe's recent production of "Company", a musical with book written by Furth, music and lyrics written by Sondheim. The […]
In: All, Beard of the Week, Music & Art, Personal Notebook
Boxes of the Mind
I just finished watching (h/t Jeff Li) the documentary film "Stanley Kubrick's Boxes", made by Jon Ronson for Channel 4 [UK] and released in 2008. I was captivated by it. Anyone who has ever been privileged to direct a film also knows that, although it can be like trying to write War and Peace in […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Music & Art
Chandler on Speed Limits
A few nights ago Isaac and I had a treat and watched the film "Double Indemnity" again–our second time, although Isaac claims not to remember the first. I remembered liking it but I'd forgotten just how good I thought it was. You'll recall that this is Billy Wilder's trend-setting film noir, starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred […]
In: All, Music & Art, Such Language!, Writing
We Actually Stage Our Staged Shows
Today and yesterday I've listened to the announcers on my local radio station interviewing one or another conductor whose group is presenting a "concert version" of a Broadway show. "Oklahoma!" was one, "Follies" was the other. They explain that their productions are "fully staged", but done without sets and costumes. Oh, and without most of […]
In: All, Feeling Peevish, Music & Art
Beard of the Week LXXXVI: Fall of the Roman Empire
it's been awhile, far too long really, but I'm back with more beards of interest, at least to me. This week's handsome granite-colored beard belongs to British actor Anthony Quayle (1918–1989). I saw him a few night ago, looking as he does in this photograph, when we spent a snowed-in evening watching the film "The […]
In: All, Beard of the Week, Music & Art
Friday Soirée IX: New Year's Supper
Okay, it clearly isn't a Friday night, but it also isn't the evening of New Year's Day when I was thinking about this program, either. I'm sure our imaginations can handle it. Hors d'Oeuvres — Astro-Weenie Christmas Tree If there's a concept that could use re-introducing for 2010, I think it's smart. That's smart as […]
In: All, Food Stuff, Friday Soirée, Music & Art
Friday Soirée IX: Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve at our house is traditionally a very quiet time, because Isaac works all night directing and playing four different musical programs for 3 Christmas-Eve services (plus one interlude). I typically stay at home and cook and read until it's time to go to friend's house for a little midnight supper. Tonight then, to […]
In: All, Friday Soirée, Music & Art
Friday Soirée VIII: Ghosts in the Snow
As I sit down to write this the snow has begun. We don't know when it will stop, of course, nor how much we might get, but forecasters seem to delight in adding up the biggest numbers they can credibly find: 18 inches? 20 inches? 26 inches? Whatever, it seems likely that this snowfall will […]
In: All, Friday Soirée, Music & Art
The Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2009
Way back in July 2006 I wrote ("National Portrait Gallery I") about a spontaneous visit Isaac & I made to the National Portrait Gallery (here in Washington, DC) where we happened upon an exhibition of 100 or so finalists from the 2005 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. (The competition home page.) The winners and finalists of […]
In: All, Music & Art, Personal Notebook
Radio Netherlands & Me
As I've mentioned before (there's no reason for you to remember it), Wednesday nights on our local classical radio station (WBJC, Baltimore), at 11pm, is the time when we enjoy listening to Live at the Concertgebouw, featuring the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra but also bring us chamber-music and solo-performance programs at times. The program is a […]
In: All, Music & Art, Personal Notebook
Friday Soirée VII: More Light Comedy
I enjoyed the humor so much last week that I thought we'd have a bit more tonight, not just because I had so many leftovers. Besides, the tone tonight is a wee bit different, although I'd be hard-pressed to say just how. P.Q.D. Bach: Iphigenia in Brooklyn (Cantata, S. 53162) If there is someone reading […]
In: All, Friday Soirée, Music & Art
Friday Soirée VI: Something Lighter
Tonight I decided I needed a bit of levity, so humor (and "humour") is the theme. We have two very special guests to spend some time with: Anna Russell and Sir David Attenborough. Anna Russell Analyzes Wagner's Ring (Part 1) I expect I first found Anna Russell in my college days, thanks to friend and […]
In: All, Friday Soirée, Laughing Matters, Music & Art, Notes to Richard
Friday Soirée V: Elizabethan Excitement
Today it was rainy and gray around here and for some reason that's put me in an Elizabethan mood for tonight's program. However, it may not be the weather since I'm frequently in the mood for Elizabethan music: music from around 1600, particularly the English Virginalists, always delights me. How fortunate we are to have […]
In: All, Friday Soirée, Music & Art
Friday Soirée IV: Eureka!
With tonight's program we're out for some thrilling exoticism and discovery — in an intimate setting: harpsichord music by one of my favorite Baroque guys and stimulating conversation with a great scientist and thinker. Soler: Sonata in F-Sharp Major Padre Antonio Soler (1729–1783) was a Catalan composer who studied music from the time he was […]
In: All, Eureka!, Friday Soirée, It's Only Rocket Science, Music & Art