In case you haven’t seen the Marimba Ponies, this is a thoroughly entertaining performance by young Japanese musicians ranging from age 4 to age 12 of Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance.” I think the 4-year old is the cymbal player, and what a player s/he is!
Snuggle up next to the radio for today’s story.
In case you need help in understanding the underlying thrust behind “Bareback Mountain” this recording will go down in history as one of the great educational documents for understanding homosexuals. Introduce this to your children only if you think they are receptive. Memorize this recording if you […]
From top left to bottom right, Pound, Schiller, Merrill, and Williams
The Ives Quartet (formerly known as The Stanford Quartet) will premiere my first string quartet, “Four Poets” in their concert series around the bay area in May 2006.
I felt good about waiting until I’m my age (53) to be writing this piece. It […]
I was disappointed with best score and best song at last night’s Academy Awards Ceremony. OK, there was slim pickings in the best song category, but what an embarassment to hear that Three 6 Mafia’s song, “It’s Hard out there for a Pimp” was the best song. Oh pullleeaaase! Dumb melody, dumb words, no harmony, […]
Twice a year we take our two Italian Greyhounds to get their teeth cleaned – I know it sounds precious, but these dogs are famous for having their teeth rot out of their head, so our breeder insists on it. (Do YOU brush your dogs’ teeth every day? You’re supposed to!)
Tia Resleure: photo © 2006 […]
I confess to having watched the great American TV show, American Idol, only a few times. I’ve seen more excerpts of Simon’s blistering critiques than the actual shows. What I am baffled by is why the hell anyone cares what these three judges think? It seems that they consistently find the same type of singer […]
I mentioned James Horner’s score for The New World a few weeks back. I’ve lived with his soundtrack for a while and had a few revelations.
The director used more non-Horner than Horner. The Wagner was a brilliant choice, the Mozart less so. He should have tossed it and had Horner compose more. Horner made a […]
[This just in from conductor, organist, Thomas Neenan who premiered my
“Night Train” last year with his St Matthews Chamber Orchestra]
The Eastman School is justifiably proud of the 17th century (meantone) Italian Organ they have procured for their collection, restored and put into a beautiful new hall. But this excerpt from Toccata Settima by Michelangelo Rossi […]
As a composer I have had different kinds of “heroes” at different times in my life. As a young rock musician, I became obsessed with different songwriter/performers at different times in my life. I have been obsessed with the Chad Mitchell Trio, Peter Paul and Mary, the Kingston Trio, the Beatles, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, […]
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This year (2005-6) I received a UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award. This is a video of the ceremonies that were held last fall.
My partner, Daniel Shiplacoff, insisted that I post this video for the benefit of my family who couldn’t be there. And my Rufus pals can see old Berlioz in action, or kind of… […]
I am someone who loves audio books, especially when I drive, or commute. The traffic doesn’t bother me because I’m hearing a story. I dare imagine that most people do like to hear stories. In that wager, I’ve made a category called “The old radio” where I will put interesting stories or readings by various […]
April Winchell has a treasure trove of found objects. Ok, they’re not, she has a whole repository of peculiar and wonderful songs. Here is one of some dude named Shooby Taylor who, in April’s words: “showed up at a studio one day with a bunch of LPs, and proceeded to record himself scatting over them […]
“Peach Trees” and “Memphis Skyline” were on the agenda for today.
“Peach Tree in Bloom” by Vincent Van Gogh
We started with “Peach Trees” and I confessed I didn’t understand it. Fortunately, one of the class is from Manhattan and his explanation helped with putting the song into context. Bryant Park is a place where people […]
The newly discovered 10th planet, UB313, turns out to be larger than Pluto! [Astronomers and astrologers: you’ve got a lot of updating to do…]
Image source: NATURE
And in case you have not been giving Pluto its fair shake, our formerly most distant planet has two moons and some unique rings (that look more like a milk […]
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