Category: music

Richard Brody: “Though he didn’t have the most immediately recognizable or ravishing sound at the keyboard, he succeeded in revising, by way of scholarly passion, the very basis for pianistic sound and beauty — and, for that matter, the physical relationship of pianists to their instruments.” – The New Yorker

The orchestra names Chad Smith new chief executive of the orchestra, succeeding Simon Woods. “In a sign of how awkward the upheaval has been, and how quickly the change of leadership was put into place, Mr. Smith declined to be interviewed, which is rare for the incoming chief executive of a major orchestra.” – The New York Times

Interest in sound therapy has soared in tandem with renewed global curiosity about cosmic energy and spirituality. Case in point, sales of “healing crystals” have doubled in the previous three years. – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The violinist was playing the slow movement of the Beethoven concerto with the Cincinnati Symphony when she saw a woman recording with an iPhone in the front row. “With the phone such a few feet from her face, Mutter stopped the performance and asked the woman to stop. Instead of stopping, the woman attempted to engage Mutter in a conversation. The audience was stunned.” (For Janelle Gelfand’s eyewitness report and review of the concert, click here.) – Cincinnati Enquirer

In time, Wenner, who founded the Rock Hall with the record executive Ahmet Ertegun, became more associated with the institution than any other figure — becoming its top negotiator in the industry, as well as the person blamed, fairly or unfairly, for its shortcomings. – The New York Times

It’s been literally half a century since the show began trying to teach little kids not only the alphabet song but also how the alphabet corresponds with letters in their lives. Now Sesame Street” has a library’s worth of pop song parodies about the alphabet, with A and C songs (as in “C is for Cookie”) among the most popular. And they’ve done dozens of original versions of the whole ABCs too. But just how do you reinvent a tune that’s as elemental as language? And how do you do it, over and over again, for a half-century?” – The New York Times

Mary Wilson says that those who weren’t there don’t quite understand that Motown “really was like walking into a Disneyland. All these creative people. People say: ‘Motown, it was this big building,’ but I always say no, Motown was always a collaboration between the people, with Berry (Gordy) at the head.” – The Guardian (UK)

“Researchers … found that the orchestra and Cleveland Institute of Music, where many orchestra members teach, together contributed $172.1 million to the regional economy. … Activities at Severance Hall and Blossom Music Center during the 2017-18 season created 1,292 jobs and a total payroll of $60.8 million.” – The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)