It’s a TOP TEN! (Should I be embarrassed that I don’t know any of the other titles? Hmmm.) But hoorah for Alex Ross. He’s on the top ten list. I guess it’s a good one to be reading, eh? I can tell you I’m loving the book. So read it! Really. You can listen to [...]
Archive of entries posted on November 2007
HORRORS!
I appears that Nordstrom is not going to continue with their live pianist thing. (Dan said something about dead pianists … I don’t think Nordstrom is going there, either.) Geez. The world will never be the same. Oh. Wait. I can’t afford most of what Nordstrom has to offer. I’m rarely there. But really, the [...]
MQOD
Guitars are cool. They just are. It’s relatively easy to learn enough to play a Ramones song, and it’s easier to look cool holding one in the bathroom mirror than it is holding an oboe. -Kurt Gottschalk
Can’t We All Just Get Along?
I’ve had my fair share of disagreements with colleagues. Some musicians—just like the rest of the world!—are difficult people. And we are all, it seems, quite sensitive. Go figure. Would I ever talk about who I struggle with, and who I wouldn’t mind seeing go far, far away? Of course not! We are one big, [...]
Master of the Oboe Making World
… at least according to this article. Or maybe he’s not really, since it was an “IF/THEN” kind of thing … IF he is the master, then this other guy is his apprentice. Hmmm. I’ve never heard of Tony Ward, but now I’m quite curious about his oboes. Anyone know about him? (Ben, are you [...]
The Rake’s Progress
I absolutely love “No Word From Tom” and “Quietly Night” from The Rakes Progress. Well … truth be told … I love the entire opera. But Anne Truelove’s opening numbers are just wonderful, and I’m yearning to play this opera again after hearing it last night at San Francisco Opera. Today I’m just doing some [...]
Nigel Kennedy & Aisling Casey
BACH – BWV 1060 I – Allegro II – Largo III – Allegro And yes, she has that bunchy chin I don’t want my students to have. But the thing is, her reeds are not, I’m certain, like our longer scrape reeds. So don’t be saying you can have that bunchy chin! And don’t be [...]
Classical Music?
Okay, okay, “Für Elise” is a “yes” when it comes to classical music. But according to Microsoft “It’s a Small World” is classical as well. Go figure. Found here. How kind of them to use Beethoven or “that other piece that will never leave your head” as a warning, eh? Danger! Danger! Classical music is [...]
Who Says You Can’t Have Oboe Shoes?
Huh? Who says THAT? Not I! So if anyone out there is getting married, Stuart Weitzman Oboe Bridal Shoes can be found and you know you want them. Funny thing, though … as Kelsey pointed out, they don’t look at all like oboes.
BrassBlog
Jason Heath has blogged about a new brass player’s website called Brass Tax. The new blogger has a blog entry about all those folks who say, “I played [name your instrument]” kind of thing, and how one responds to that statement. I’ve gotten that too, at church, in the pit (from folks who hang over [...]
Ouch!
The fire alarm went off in the music building about fifteen minutes ago. The pain of the alarm was excruciating. It was the sort of piercing sound that would get everyone out of the buildings incredibly fast. Unfortunately I also believe it could damage our hearing. And then we got outside and the screeching was [...]
BTW
I am not Catholic, so I don’t have to listen to the pope. Just so you know. Right now, though, I’m listening to Manon Lescaut with Freni, Pavarotti and Croft. Did Puccini listen to the pope? I’m guessing not, but what do I know?
This I Did Not Know
Woodhams had other passions. She loved art, architecture and music. She and her husband started the California Youth Symphony in 1952. Richard Woodhams grew up to be a renowned oboist. “I suppose playing classical music is a kind of historic preservation,” he said. (RTWT) The quote above is about oboist Richard Woodhams’ mother. She was [...]
Well No Wonder!
I don’t really keep up with the Heather Mills/Paul McCartney divorce and all that goes with it, although of course you can hardly miss the news blurbs. But I don’t know them. I don’t feel in any way connected to them even though McCartney is now a “classical” composer. Until now: The 39-year-old former model [...]
You Know You Want It Too!
For some unknown reason I have The Brady Bunch theme song in my head and it won’t go away. I just thought I’d share. ;-)