“Over the last four years the Silk Road Project has brought traditional music from distant countries and cultures — from countries along the old trade route between Italy and China — to Western audiences, performed by masters of ancient arts, instruments, and vocal techniques and by a floating ensemble of freelance virtuosos on Western instruments.” Now, a new series of workshops aims to “take the project to the next level by bringing a new generation of performers and composers into the process.”
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An Artists’ Haven In The Midst of A Man-Made Hell
The little town of Terezin, in the Czech Republic, is known throughout Eastern Europe by the strangest of descriptions: “best of the Nazi hells: a ghetto with a swing band, a concentration camp with shoe stores and cafes… At a time when Jews were banned from going to school, Terezin became their university: 2,430 lectures took place, on such topics as the Jews of Babylon, the theory of relativity, Alexander the Great and German humor.” For many, Terezin was merely a waystation on the horrible road to Auschwitz, and yet, its denizens have had an outsized impact on Jewish art and culture in the region.
Barnes Debate: Long On Passion, Short On Evidence
The battle over the Barnes Foundation’s proposed move to Philadelphia has become so fraught with emotion that it almost resembles a religious war. Both sides are asking the judge in the case to allow a deviation from Albert Barnes’s stated intentions for his collection, but “ironclad facts were hard to come by in four days of hearings” this week, despite the judge’s order several months ago that ironclad facts were exactly what he expected both sides to provide more of.
Is There A Middle Ground?
A third voice has entered the Barnes debate, and despite the efforts of some powerful Philadelphia interests to silence him, a Lower Merion official may find a sympathetic ear in the judge hearing the case. The new proposal: to construct a 700-foot access road to allow the Barnes to sidestep local ordinances limiting the number of visitors to its current location.
A Critical Darling, But For How Long?
Most critics agree that HBO has raised the bar for quality television in recent years, and a slew of awards back up the theory. But how did a pay-TV network created to show commercial-free movies become the official breeding ground for groundbreaking original shows? And more importantly, how long can its place at the top of the heap last, given the industry’s notorious habit of copycatting?
Downloading Music Without Context
Is digital music distribution threatening the complex history of jazz? That might be overstating it a bit, but it is a fact that the new generation of digital downloads, portable MP3 players, and track-by-track purchasing habits is creating a musical universe nearly devoid of context, which could be seen as antithetical to complex forms such as jazz and classical music. “Millions of young listeners are buying music that is sold without liner notes, correct recording dates and session information. Even the musicians’ names are often removed from their performances… The information that has been removed from jazz albums can still be replaced. But consumers probably will have to demand it first.”
Come For The Buzz, But Stay For The Quality
San Jose’s beautiful new California Theatre has been generating plenty of excitement in Silicon Valley and beyond. But a full house is dependant on much more than buzz, and for the California to be a success in the long run, it will be necessary for it to mount consistently high-quality presentations. That’s asking a lot of a city which recently saw its symphony replaced with a decidedly part-time ensemble, and which features an opera company which is still just beginning to come into its own.
By Writers, For Writers
Literary journals, long a staple of university presses, seem to be enjoying a renaissance in Pittsburgh, courtesy of online publishing innovations and an influx of new writers willing to take risks. The city currently has no fewer than five new journals attempting to build a sizable readership, despite the fact that such publications traditionally bleed money. “The world of publishing is becoming so competitively commercial that there’s no room for the serious writer. And the reason journals and small literary presses are beginning to survive is that there are more and more writers.”
Artists Rallying Where Governments Fear To Tread
The ongoing genocide in Sudan has gotten precious little attention from some Western governments, and even less from North American media outlets. In response to what they see as an outrageous abdication of national responsibility, a group of musicians and actors is mounting simultaneous live shows in six Canadian cities, featuring “live music and a mock debate of the UN Security Council using the actual minutes from recent UN meetings on Darfur.”
Watching The Music (Finally)
Classical music has never really found a home in the world of home video. Aside from a brief flirtation with the laser disc (the bulky, expensive, LP-sized predecessor to the DVD), there has been almost no way to enjoy both the sights and sounds of a classical performance other than to actually attend one. But with the advent of the DVD, and advances in video transfer technology, the classical market is rapidly growing. “Sales [of classical DVDs] regularly hit 5,000 units, the standard break-even figure for classical CDs, and go as high as 40,000 worldwide.” What’s the attraction? Here’s a hint: “Even the most expensive DVD operas cost less than sound-only, full-price CD sets.”