Robert Schumann‘s piano music never made much of an impression on me when I was in high school or college; it wasn’t until I began to delve into the music of Johannes Brahms as a student and listener that I began to work my way back to the music of his mentor and take a careful listen.
Comeback Kid
You could use a little bit of inspiration, and Vivien Schweitzer’s profile of violinist Augustin Hadelich in tomorrow’s NY Times will provide an excellent source. My sources tell me that his debut CD from Avie is impressive indeed, and once I snag up a copy I’ll put my two cents in…
Light blogging for the next week or so…
… and apologies for the sparseness of posts through March. Lots coming, including some top tens and mystery tracks, plus the two disc audiophile formats you must hear to believe.
James Levine indisposed (again), setting off scramble at MET and BSO
James Barron has the details at the NY Times. Maestro Levine’s continuing struggle against multiple illnesses has many of his fans worried, but if there is any good news to come out of this it is that Italian conductor Fabio Luisi, who recently quit as director of the Staatskapelle Dresden, will be leading Tosca and Lulu at the MET. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: he’s one of the most exciting maestros in Europe, and I’d wager that he’d make a hugely favorable impression as a music director on this side of the Atlantic.
Orchestras Become Record Labels…
… and the Internet becomes a virtual concert hall. Daniel Wakin has the story and the links.
Apologies for the dearth of posts in the last two weeks; back up to speed soon.
America’s Most Underrated Pianist?
The Boston Globe profiles pianist Russell Sherman. Go read. While you’re at it, get the recent DVD on Avie.
Political Wonky Goodness Is Just a Click Away…
… now that C-SPAN has put its entire, massive archive of video online. Here are five must-see clips as picked by Salon.com‘s resident Beltway junkie Steve Kornacki.
As if the Georg Ratzinger scandal wasn’t enough…
AP reports: “Two former members of the famed Vienna Boys’ Choir say they were sexually abused by their supervisors, a top Austrian newspaper reported Thursday.” Full story here.
The Alleged Sins of Georg Ratzinger
News stories concerning alleged abuse of children by Catholic clergymen have become almost routine, but this one is also sending ripples throughout the world of classical music: the Pope’s brother, Georg Ratzinger — who served for three decades as choral director of “the much-heralded Regensburger Domspatzen, a thousand-year-old male choir and boarding school” — was involved in a conspiracy to cover up allegations of clergy sex abuse. The Independent UK has the full story.
Jurowski / LPO @ Avery Fisher
Two helpings of Shostakovich: ultraconcentrated instant Dmitri and an outsize assault that infuriated Soviet authorities. My full review at Classical Source.