The pipe organ is not generally thought of as a sexy instrument. After all, organs are huge, bulky, loud, impractical, and completely unportable – precisely the opposite of the 21st-century definition of alluring. The fact that most of them reside in churches probably doesn’t help the image, either. But 100 years ago, the pipe organ was the very height of musical cool, and audiences flocked to hear their awesome power. Department stores installed massive organs as a sign of prestige, and the wealthy even had organs in their homes and on their yachts. Radio, TV, and recorded music may have been the biggest enemies of the organ, but some see a comeback in the offing.
Tag: 07.27.03
When Is A Memoir Not A Memoir?
With the increased interest in personal memoirs of ordinary people, the market has become saturated with autobiographies that read like novels, astounding tales of people overcoming terrible childhoods and debilitating diseases to become happy, productive adults. But is anyone fact-checking these tales of personal heroism? A recently released memoir by James Frey has a number of reviewers questioning whether many of the events he describes could have actually occurred. Frey hasn’t bothered to defend himself too heavily, either: “I wrote what was true to me and true to the experience,” he said recently. “If people want to pick the facts apart, they can.”
And You Think It’s Hard To Run An American Museum?
For 42 years, Irina Antonova has been at the forefront of the Russian art scene. The director of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts has fought battles with the old Soviet Politburo, and with today’s opportunistic Russian politicians. “Antonova, 81, has combined elite connections, political smarts, love of art, courage and boundless energy to protect and promote [the Pushkin’s] collection… But now, this and other Russian museums are reaching out to the world, and the most extensive Pushkin exhibit ever to tour the United States — a selection of 75 French masterpieces — opens today at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.”
Minnesota Fringe Can Make Or Break A Career
For ten days each summer, Minneapolis plays host to the largest Fringe Festival in the U.S. During this year’s fest, “783 performances of 162 dance, theater and spoken-word shows will take place at 20 theaters, cafes and art spaces around town.” To the festival’s devoted spectators, it’s a giant party, but to the actors, directors, and writers involved, it’s a crucial chance to catch the eye of the city’s theatre elite, and thereby ensure employment for the other 355 days of the year.