Archive for January, 2008

Throwin’ it all away

Monday, January 7th, 2008

I find it alternately terrifying and comforting that the whole physical planet, along with the complete works of Shakespeare and Mozart, will someday be burned up by the sun and gone forever. It served its purpose for this planet over this period of time, and now, BLAM! gone in a flash. There is no guarantee [...]

Why teach counterpoint?

Sunday, January 6th, 2008

I am beginning to think about teaching a course on counterpoint in the spring quarter. Our undergraduates are required to take two quarters of it, the first being traditional modal and tonal counterpoint (roughly Renaissance and Baroque counterpoint, for non-musicians, think Palestrina and Bach), and the second quarter was a kind of counterpoint after that [...]

Appreciating our elders

Friday, January 4th, 2008

As I get older and realize how much I’ve lived through already — at the ripe old age of 55 — I realize and appreciate how much my elders have lived through. I think of my parents who were born in the late 1920s: they have lived through the 1930s, the 1940s, and the 1950s, [...]

Sondheim teaches “Not Getting Married”

Friday, January 4th, 2008

Daniel found this great video that features Stephen Sondheim teaching some well meaning young singers from Guildhall School one of our favorite songs, “(Not) getting married” from COMPANY. This is a fun clip to see Sondheim’s coaching on the song.
This performance may leave you wanting to hear a better performance. Here’s one by Carol Burnett. [...]

ManSound: Spain (C. Corea)

Thursday, January 3rd, 2008

[While I visit with my parents in Phoenix, I will continue my little vacation and pass off today's post to my dear friend and colleague Juliana Gondek.]
Watch the whole video - it just keeps getting better and better (7 min). These guys are from the Ukraine. If you like the sound, there are [...]