Boulez erased most of his early compositions, but this one was preserved at the Paul Sacher Foundation. “After reviewing that score, ‘Prélude, Toccata et Scherzo,’ the Dutch pianist Ralph van Raat persuaded Boulez’s heirs and the Sacher Foundation to allow a belated premiere at the Philharmonie de Paris last September.” – The New York Times
Category: music
Concert Films Are Big Again, But Why?
Follow the money: “The resurgence of interest in concert films has been fuelled – in part – by streaming services’ need for content without the financial burden of drama.” The stars like the control they have over their images, too. – The Guardian (UK)
The Sudden Dominance Of International Pop Music
Sometimes, as with 2012’s monster hit “Gangnam Style” and all of the K-pop since, “all it takes is one song to introduce a new culture to the mainstream, paving the way for other acts or similar musical styles.” – CBC
The Man In Charge Of The Music Of The Ring
Philippe Jordan, 44, has 15 hours of Wagner’s Ring Cycle to get through – and try to shine through – at the Met. How does he do it? The man who has been in charge of Opéra National de Paris, and who is about to assume the reins as music director of the Vienna State Opera, actually considers it something of a break. – The New York Times
Alexa! Play HAPPY Music! (And Why That’s A Challenge)
Using your smart speaker to play music is the top use for them. But making music choices useful has been a challenge. “Using voice to sift through and access music may be a relatively new idea, but it’s brought with it an immense technological challenge that streaming companies, record labels and machine-learning start-ups are all reckoning with. Proper use of this new interface and underlying metadata can mean the difference between sinking and staying afloat on the smart speaker medium.” – BBC
Notre Dame’s Organ Survived. Hear The Last Recording Before The Fire
Organist organist Olivier Latry made the recording in January. This week he posted an update on the instrument on Facebook: “Despite all the damage in the Cathedral, the organ miraculously escaped the flames, as well as the water supposed to extinguish them. It is very dusty, but will continue to enjoy us as soon as the building will be restored. When? No one knows yet.” – CBC
Baltimore Symphony Gets $3.2 Million From Maryland Legislature
“[The move is] a potentially crucial step toward resolving a contentious labor dispute” — the musicians have been playing without a contract since January — “and allowing the organization to remain a year-round ensemble.” – The Baltimore Sun
We Can Bring Peace, Afghanistan’s First All-Female Orchestra Tells Taliban
Says Negin Khpelwak, the 22-year-old leader of the Zohra Orchestra, “We can bring freedom, peace and honor to Afghanistan. Women can’t go back to the dark days — they can break our instruments, they can ban the music, but they never take it from our hearts.” – Bloomberg
London’s Royal Opera Loses Appeal Over Damage To Violist’s Hearing
Christopher Goldscheider sued the London opera house, claiming damages for acoustic shock – a condition with symptoms including tinnitus, hyperacusis and dizziness – after being exposed to noise levels exceeding 130 decibels during a Walkure rehearsal in 2012. – BBC
Here’s What America’s Biggest Orchestras Looked Like Online In The Early Days Of The Web
It was back in the late 1990s and the idea of being online was new. Hence explanations of how the web and websites worked… – Classical Dark Arts