From the category archives:
I remember when Frederic Rzewski came to visit us at Harvard in the composition seminar. I remember when Musica Electronica Viva came and performed at UW Madison. “The People United…” is emblazoned into my brain. I have the LP and he played it for us in the seminar. He reminded me that one shouldn’t ask [...]
{ 0 comments }
Clarinet Rhapsody for clarinet and orchestra (1979) mp3
Music: Roger Bourland
Performers: Gunther Schuller conducts Collage (Sanders Theater)
Publisher: Associated Music Publishers
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This piece was commissioned by my old classmate, John Strickler, who at this time was a doctoral student in conducting at USC and wanted a contemporary work for his final [...]
{ 0 comments }
Nat King Cole 10-Year-Old Billy Preston
{ 1 comment }
With the subtitle of “The Most Bizarre Musical Number Ever Filmed” it got my attention. It’s really worth watching cuz it’s so bizarre! It just keeps going, getting stranger and stranger! Try to stick it out till the end.
I’ll have whatever SHE’S having.
{ 1 comment }
With economy being so bad, we all need to smile every once in a while. Here’s a Soviet baritone singing something, I’m not quite sure what: it’s either Yai Yai Yai Yai Yaaaaii, or Yo yo yo yo or Oh oh oh oh ohhhh. See how happy it makes him?
Walter Rimler just sent in this amazing find. The music from Schoenberg’s 4th quartet seems peculiar–hardly back up music, but a cool bit of archival history for 20th century music fans. Listen to the eulogy Schoenberg gives to Gershwin at the end. Touching. Mr Rimler also has a new book on Gershwin I must read.
[kml_flashembed [...]
{ 0 comments }
Maestro Sahar sent in a video response to the Gershwin performance a few days back. It’s really an entertaining mash-up between Schoenberg piano music and Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm.”
[kml_flashembed publishmethod="static" fversion="8.0.0" movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/16UmQ3tS82M" width="500" height="375" targetclass="flashmovie"]
{ 1 comment }
Leonid just sent in this terrific performance of Tuvan throat singing. I had never heard this style of singing rhythmicized; I’m used to the Tibetan low droning technique and the Russian octavists in early 20th century Russian Orthodox choral literature. I realize that my brain isn’t used to making the melodic connections between the resonant [...]
{ 0 comments }
Susan brought to my attention a recent BBC article letting us know about a resurgence in interest in mugham music from Azerbaijan. After listening to a fair amount of it on YouTube — What a wonderful world we live in! — I found this performance. It’s a very different musical language from the one we [...]
{ 2 comments }
Amazing to find this clip of George Gershwin actually playing. Funny edits here, but still worth watching.
{ 3 comments }