“It’s an annual rite to comment on the increasing weirdness of the Academy Awards, which have seen a lot of upsets in recent years. Neither the Golden Globes nor the Director’s Guild are the reliable Oscar bellwethers of old. But this year seems even stranger than usual.”
Blog
Uniquely Yours – 10 Pieces Of Unique Music
There are some works of art that are unique – they can’t be repeated or recreated by others, writes Tim Page, who offers a list of “unique” music. “If there is any tie that binds, it is their un-repeatability. It is impossible to imagine a sequel to any of them; they create new forms, live out their lives and then break their own molds. (The same cannot be said of some of the most hallowed masterpieces – Shakespeare’s plays, Bach’s choral music, Mozart’s symphonies, Chaplin’s comedies – all of which fit gloriously into one continuum or another.) Indeed, it has been argued that the very uniqueness of some of the works on this list is a sign of sterility, that the avenues of expression they seemed to open have usually proven to be cul-de-sacs. Still, if you want these particular goods, there’s only one place to get them.”
Music As Cross-Dimensional Experience
At Joe’s Pub at Manhattan’s Public Theatre, the music lineup crosses an astonishing range of genres, geographies and sensibilities. And it draws audiences, too. “Audiences are much more adventurous than a lot of people give them credit for. People are listening to music from all over the world: from American pop, funk and techno to Asian and European hybrids of the same. This has been happening for 50 years, but lately it has accelerated.”
Punk Therapy
“Musicians from a few different punk-related genres are exploring therapy rock: the up-and-coming “emo” genre, which features hyperdramatic, almost mawkish rock delving deeply into personal upheaval; rap-metal, an aggressive hybrid that has lately turned more introspective; and pop-punk, a slick version of punk that’s deceptively up-tempo and not generally noted for its profundity.”
Framed (Lucratively)
It wasn’t too long ago that old picture frames were regarded as junk with little or no value. “Today the same frames that dealers once gave away sell for $10,000 to $35,000. (The record for a single sale is $947,000, for a 17th-century amber frame auctioned at Sotheby’s in 1991.) Eli Wilner & Company has grown to 17 employees and does roughly $3 million a year in business. His collection has expanded to 3,000 frames, mostly 19th-century, but some dating back to the 1600’s.”
Opera From The Streets
A London opera company that uses professionals and homeless people for its productions is gaining notice. “Matthew Peacock first had the idea of a company that mixed homeless people with professional performers three years ago, when he was an assistant editor of the London-based magazine Opera Now. A former singer with a social conscience, he had begun to do voluntary work for a London night shelter and found that it was taking over his life. ‘Some of the people there were what you’d expect – difficult, drunken, drugged. But others weren’t. They were ordinary guys just like me, except they’d had a stroke of bad luck and couldn’t cope.”
That Balanchine Ballerina At 45
Kyra Nichols on dancing for Balanchine: “You’d do what he taught you, but you’d let your personality come out. Also he’d give you a role, and you were expected to go into the studio and work by yourself. It was the best thing for me. It would give you time to think of how you could do it within the restrictions of the choreography.”
Paris Review’s New Editor
When George Plimpton died last fall, many feared that the Paris Review, which Plimpton founded and edited, might not survive. But “now, after two months of soul-searching and rallying-round, The Paris Reviewintends to name a new editor next week. She is Brigid Hughes, the current managing editor.”
US Music Sales Hold Steady In 2003
Reversing a trend in recent years, sales of recorded music in the US held steady in 2003. “Figures released by Nielsen SoundScan show annual sales falling just 0.8 per cent from 2002, spurred in part by several hit albums that made their debut in the fourth quarter.”
Germany’s Fragmented Art Scene
Most countries have a cultural center, where the major business of art is conducted. “Germany, however, has several centers. From north to south, these are Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne and Munich. This situation has disadvantages, since there is no “scene“ in which everything culminates. However, the decentralized country also has its advantages, because its auction locations live with and from their respective clienteles and their mentality, which is also reflected in their art purchases. Similarly, the international public, which focuses its attention on art auctions in Germany, (still) follows these paths.”