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$20 for a seat in the tweeting section of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Ticket includes a world premiere of Matt Haimovitz playing the Philip Glass Cello Concerto No. 2 "Naqoyqatsi."
best of today's listening:
Alex Ross gives a shout out to the recent (and excellent) Drew Baker album:
I've also been listening heavily to New Focus's Drew Baker record, with Marilyn Nonken — the piano as granite outcrop....
Drew Baker on his National Anthem:
The tone of National Anthem is intended to reflect a general sense of loss and confusion that emanates from the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. These events have revealed, among other things, the deeply unsettling effects of blind patriotism. As a result, I chose to create a work that "resets" our national anthem, adapting it to appropriately portray the aforementioned sense of loss as opposed to a fanciful and idealized self image
best of today's listening:
After yesterday's meh, things are picking up today, musically anyway...
Here's a YouTube of Christopher D. Lewis playing the Philip Glass Concerto for Harpsichord & Orchestra with Nicole Paiement conducting. I think the unusual timbre, for Glass music anyway, is refreshing.
The composer on the commission:
I found the invitation intriguing for several reasons. For one, I have always been an admirer of the literature for harpsichord, had studied some of the music from the Baroque period quite thoroughly, and have played a bit of that music myself. Secondly, I knew that the modern day harpsichord was capable of a fuller, more robust sound than was available in "period" instruments and might make a handsome partner to a modern chamber orchestra.
best of today's listening:
Guitar for Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I didn't hear much music today I particulary liked. And the John Luther Adams work isn't even my favorite from the album. Nice guitar photo, though...
A new Philip Glass remix recording is coming out in June. Artists include Beck, Amon Tobin, and Memory Tapes.
Similar projects for Glass, Steve Reich, and Meredith Monk are all variable in quality.
My favorite remix tracks of American composers:
best of today's listening:
After listening to the Hunger Games soundtrack, I found my way to Music with Changing Parts. I scoff at people who listen to classical music to relax, but this was a nice transition after Taylor Swift, Arcade Fire, Neko Case, Maroon 5 etc. Well, at least the first half hour. We'll see if I make it to the hour mark...
best of today's listening:
I've seen Vertigo half-a-dozen times but didn't really remember the title sequence, let alone that it might be canonical. Art of the Title:
And just as it would be difficult to find an American unfamiliar with these works, so too would it be difficult to find a moviegoer unfamiliar with the title sequence to Vertigo. Credit Bernard Herrmann’s haunting score or Bass’ odd synthesis of sensual Kim Novak closeups and spirographic imagery, but it’s likely an alchemy of the three that makes the Vertigo titles an enduring classic.
This piece is every bit as good as Nixon in China and probably surpasses it in emotional impact due to the more visceral nature of the material.
Nixon in China is more musically appealing but may in fact have less emotional impact. Hmm...
