Synaphaï: Gene Gaudette's Blog

An example of crass commercialism for which I blame myself — and it makes a great gift.

Does listening to Mozart make you a genius? Lest anyone forget, here is an example of a decade-plus-old product for which I take near-full responsibility.

Courtesy of the gang over at bigthink.com, Oliver Sacks has a detailed answer:

I'm listening to a recording of Das Lied von der Erde that has been much awaited among Mahlerphiles: the concert recording of June 14, 1968 with Fritz Wunderlich, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and the Vienna Symphony conducted by Josef Krips. Back when I was with Andante there had been talk about attempting to release the recording; alas, those plans did not come to pass. The good news is that it's finally been given an "official" release by Deutsche Grammophon. To say the extrovert, characterful performance transcends the boxy sonority (that sounds to these ears to have come from a true "taped off the Telefunken receiver" aircheck and not from a broadcast or archival master) is an understatement – the singing is stunning, and what a treat to hear Krips get such evocative playing from the Vienna Symphony. It's the most edifying and satisfying vocal release I've heard so far this year. Highly recommended.

"Countdown with Keith Olbermann" is back on the air after its host walked out on MSNBC a little more than five months ago. The most notable difference is that Olbermann is letting his political hair down in the program's Current TV incarnation, revealing himself as far more liberal than he was on MSNBC. In a Special Comment following a segment with contributor Michael Moore, Olbermann laid out the underlying principle of "Countdown":

Tozzi was a much-beloved Metropolitan Opera basso and, from 1991 to 2006, a professor at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. And you might not have known he was born George John Tozzi in Chicago. Margalit Fox fills in more at the NY Times, and Anastasia Tsioulcas reports for NPR.

A few weeks ago at a Steinway Hall press event, Yongmei Hu gave a small audience a tantalizing taste of the program she'll be playing at her sold-out Alice Tully Hall debut this Sunday. Earlier this week…

Daniel Wakin has the juicy details at the NY Times. The truth is that the "Great International Orchestra Swindle" is not a terribly well-kept secret – and arguably one of the biggest scandals – in the American classical music business.

It's also worth noting that on more than one occasion I've seen fine local free-lancers padding out the ranks of a couple of legitimate "name" Russian orchestras performing in New York City. It might be a worthwhile topic for a follow-up article by Wakin, who has become a "must-read" music journalist.