It’s no surprise, but it still sets back the cause of democracy. Continue reading America Versus the Supremos’ Appalling Ruling on Corporate Megabucks in Political Campaigns
Barenbiom Burnishes Boulez, But Burlesques Bernstein, Butchers Beethoven
My review of the last of three Vienna Philharmonic concerts at Carnegie Hall is live at classicalsource.com.
Scandal in Audiophile Land
Audioholics busts high-end audiovisual manufacturer Lexicon for re-chassis-ing a $495 Oppo blu-ray player and selling it for $3500. (Via Gizmodo.)
Greg Palast Asks a Troubling Question
Consider this:
How did Haiti end up so economically weakened, with infrastructure, from hospitals to water systems, busted or non-existent – there are two fire stations in the entire nation – and infrastructure so frail that the nation was simply waiting for “nature” to finish it off?
And that’s not the only question he has. Read the entire article (title may be NSFW) here.
Crossposted to APJ.
One Model for Local Music Presentation
Go read Phillip Lutz’s Sunday New York Times article on the goings on in New London, Connecticut.
It can’t happen soon enough
Check out Lloyd Grove’s latest piece at The Daily Beast, “Is [Roger] Ailes Finished at Fox?” It follows on the heels of Grove’s Saturday column and this Sunday New York Times profile of Ailes. One factor that Grove neglects to mention in his newest piece is Ailes’s latest project, the laughable failure that is FOX Business Channel. Bank on this: within two months of Ailes being out the door at NewsCorp, you’ll see at least two of FOX News Channel’s “marquee” names quickly expunged from a cable outlet that will get serious about actual journalism agreeing to an amicable parting from the cable outlet, perhaps even joining Ailes at his next Media Mordor.
Monday Morning Laugh: Saint Peter Meets a Musician
Via Gerald-Kocher-via-Richard-Schneider:
A doctor dies and just before the gates of heaven he meets the gatekeeper St. Peter. St Peter asks…
Continue reading Monday Morning Laugh: Saint Peter Meets a Musician
Papa Pierre
Half a century ago, classical musicians – including then-fireband of the avant garde Pierre Boulez – would have immediately associated that nickname with one of the greatest maestros of all time, Pierre Monteux. The Sunday New York Times profiles Boulez, now one of classical music’s most respected mentors and esenior statesmen.
Music headlines: Good news, bad news
Gramophone and The New York Times report that Russian-born American pianist Kirill Gerstein has won the quadrenially-granted $300,000 Gilmore Artist Award. I’ve been mightily impressed by his debut CD recording for OehmsClassics, and hopefully this award will bring the name of this mightily worthy pianist to a broader audience.
The Boston Globe and AP are reporting that conductor Seizi Ozawa has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer — the same disease that claimed ny dad’s life — and has cancelled all of his scheduled appearances for the next six months to undergo treatment. Esophageal cancer is tough and persistent, but judging from the news reports it was caught early, a factor that is likely to greatly improve Maestro Ozawa’s prognosis.
Spelunking for Well-digitized Vinyl
If you have not yet stumbled upon Grumpy’s Classics Cave, you are depriving yourself of some extremely rare aural treats. Yes, a bit of time is required to download Grumpy’s lossless .flac files, but your patience will be well rewarded. His latest offering from the cave is an exceptional vintage recording of lute music by John Dowland played with pre-historically-informed, almost neo-Romantic passion by Mildred Clary.