“The Berlin Philharmonic is unquestionably a magnificent organism … but the idea that its chief conductor is the Pope of classical music is a relic of the Karajan cult. … Not the least of the challenges that classical music faces is the increasingly unworkable celebrity-maestro model – a twentieth-century mutation.”
Category: music
Last Of The Rock Stars (And What Does That Mean, Anyway?)
“What defines a rock star in 2015? We could very well be at the point where genre transcends the very term. Do rappers count as rock stars? Kanye West and Jay-Z have a rock swagger, to some, as do both Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Most modern country acts like you would see at RodeoHouston are more about sparkly jeans than starched Wranglers, trying to strike a rock pose all their own. That’s something rock purists shudder to think about.”
Juilliard String Quartet’s New Cellist Is An African-American Woman
Joel Krosnick is retiring at the end of next season after 42 years with the group. His successor is Astrid Schween, who performed for 20 years with the Lark Quartet.
‘Why Is The Timpani Player Smelling His Drums?’ And Seven Other Awesome Questions From Newcomers In The Audience
“What is obvious to musicians and regular classical music connoisseurs is definitely not obvious to others,” writes Chattanooga Symphony concertmaster Holly Mulcahy. “Over the past couple years I’ve collected some really awesome questions from audience members that offer a fresh and unique perception or perspective. Here are some that caught my attention.”
Why The Berlin Philharmonic Is Having Difficulty Picking A New Music Director
“The fact that they’re dampening down expectations of a quick re-election suggests this is more than a tussle of wills over a few preferred candidates. It points to a profound disagreement over fundamentals. The classical music world is changing, and that makes the business of finding a new leader for the BPO challenging, in a new and troubling way.”
A New Business Model For Music Royalties That Makes Sense?
Initially, Josh Collum didn’t get much income from Rumblefish — a few hundred dollars here and there. Then, a couple of years ago, something changed. He started seeing real money — tens of thousands of dollar a quarter. “So I called,” he says. “And I’m like, ‘What’s happening? Why the jump?'”
Brooklyn’s Hipster Mecca Gets A Classical Music Venue
“A long-discussed plan to turn a disused sawdust factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn into a venue for classical and contemporary music appears to be now taking shape. Organizers of the 13,000-square-foot space on Friday announced plans to open this October with a program of ‘genre-spanning music at accessible ticket prices.’ The venue is to be called National Sawdust, and will host, among other performances, three concerts of the New York Philharmonic’s Contact! series.”
Scandal Rocks New Orleans Shiney New Jazz Market
“With its inaugural public concert in late April, during Jazz Fest’s opening weekend, Mayfield’s Jazz Market joined Manhattan’s Jazz at Lincoln Center and San Francisco’s SFJazz in the ranks of urban arts center buildings dedicated to jazz. The architecture is similar to SFJazz in appearance, right down to the lettering on its nameplate.”
How “We Shall Overcome” Became An Iconic Song (The Man Responsible For It Just Died)
“We Shall Overcome” is a staple for civil-rights protests—and for that matter, for any kind of social-justice movement. The Library of Congress calls it “the most powerful song of the 20th century.” So it was a surprise to learn that not only is the identity of the person who made it into that anthem known, but he died only on May 2.
Berlin Philharmonic Deadlocked On Choice of New Chief Conductor
“Members of the Berlin Philharmonic abandoned a vote on a new chief conductor after more than 11 hours of discussion when they were unable to agree a successor to Sir Simon Rattle when he finishes his contract in three years’ time.”