It’s soon to be a new year, and I’m going to make it the best one I can. Motto: Get things done.
One of my goals for 2011 is to blog each day, so with the new WordPress effort, PostADay, I’ll get in the practice of writing every day, while working through WordPress tutorials.
The themes for these entries will include information on classical music, where appropriate.
I enjoy jazz a lot, and “Sketches of Spain” is a favorite CD that I have by Miles Davis. The album was first recorded in 1960.
I first discovered this music at the library a few years ago, and I checked it out so often that I eventually dropped not-so-subtle hints to receive it as a birthday or Christmas gift. My aunt complied, and every once in a while, I just have to listen. My aunt really enjoys it now, too. Last year I listened to it a lot while exercising, and that’s where she picked it up. She says a lot of the music I listen to during exercise time is too calming, but sometimes it works.
On the November 9th episode of “Composer’s Datebook,” I learned about the Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo, whose 1940 “Concerto de Aranjuez” is a big part of Davis’ recording. It was originally written for classical guitar, and it is very pretty. It makes you feel like you are actually in Spain. I also never knew that Rodrigo became blind at age three from diptheria, and composed all his works on a braille typewriter. He died in 1999 at the age of 97. Maybe I can find a biography of him at some point.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of Rodrigo and Davis. The latter is owned by Sony Music Entertainment, and clicking on the album cover will redirect you to the YouTube site to listen.
I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I was reading a friend’s blog today and came across a lovely performance of “The Wexford Carol” by Alison Krauss and Yo-Yo Ma. I am very familiar with the melody, but not the words. It’s so beautiful! I hope you like it.
The Nutcracker Never Gets Old!
I’m listening to the St. Petersburg Orchestra perform The Nutcracker on the Classical Music Discoveries podcast. I saw it performed live at Lisner Auditorium when I was in high school, and I have my own recording of it, which I have been known to play in July. I never get tired of “Waltz of the Flowers,” The Grandparents’ Dance,” “Trepak,” and the others.
A friend sent me the following item tonight. I thought it was great, and so I’m sharing.
In Washington DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the DC Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
This week we are very proud to present to our listeners the Southwest Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, conducted by Gary Caldwell, as they perform selections from Handel’s Messiah.
I enjoy listening to Handel’s Messiah every Christmas, and I wanted to write down a list of titles being performed in the show.
I love hearing the Hallelujah Chorus. Tradition says Queen Elizabeth I was so moved by it that she stood up through its performance. Everyone else in the audience followed suit. Today’s audiences still keep it up.
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Here’s more information on the GRACE blog. Also enjoy the main GRACE website.
Today, Thursday, December 9, 2010: Joshua Bell is 43 today! I hope he found an enjoyable way to mark the occasion.
I have his Voice of the Violin CD, and his version of The Four Seasons so far. The Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields joins him on that one. You can’t go wrong with either artist.
I have never seen Joshua Bell in concert–something I would still love to do. Strathmore and the Kennedy Center are so close, and yet so far away, even though I’ve been to both places many times over the years. The tickets sell out so quickly! Classical WETA rebroadcasts his concerts sometimes, and I do keep up with PBS’s Great Performances, just in case he is on. Fritz Kriesler is his favorite composer, so I’ll have to research Kriesler more. Bell recorded Kriesler’s material in 1996.
I recently read parts of Gene Weingarten’s book, The Fiddler on the Subway. Wisely, this essay written for The Washington Post Magazine in April 2007 was last in the book. In it, Joshua Bell pretended to be a street violinist at L’Enfant Plaza Metro. The question was whether anyone would recognize him or his playing. (I don’t think anyone did.) Bell doesn’t like to be remembered only for that, but it must have been a fun thing to do. If I had been there, it would have been fun to listen for a while, and maybe to ask for his autograph if I had seen his face, which was obscured by a baseball cap.
After rereading this essay, I was reminded of all the street musicians I’ve met or enjoyed over the years. There was the flute player at Farragut West every morning when I first started working. I tried to give him something as often as I could. He was always cheerful and never failed to say, “Good morning.” The Andean music ensemble was also very good. I bought one of their tapes once. At Metro Center, a man with an eye patch played a really cool, bouncy, bluesy harmonica (along with singing) every evening. Every once in a while, the guy who liked to play keyboards at the main Metro Center entrance would say hi. Every Christmas he would wear a Santa hat. Sadly, I read where he passed away of pneumonia a few years ago, but I can still see his face. And there were more than a few great guitar players at various places.
I hope the church still has these free events. I’d love to go back sometime. There’s no need to be in the area now. The church is situated between two large buildings. In the spring and summer I kept an eye out for the roses in their garden. It is a nice little island within Washington, D.C. My only unhappy memory was trying to get there for a Washington Bach Consort performance, and the ramps were blocked. I should have fought harder for people to move their cars, but it doesn’t matter now.
And because it’s getting to be Christmas, here’s Joshua playing Ave Maria, backed by the St. Luke’s Orchestra. It’s from December 31, 2007. Enjoy!