Half a century ago, film composers had prestige — in the credits and in the creative process. Not anymore. “One major Hollywood filmmaker recently showed up at a composer’s studio to preview the music…, listened for a few seconds and declared, ‘Hate it! What else ya got?'”
Tag: 12.07.09
Can Music Improve The Results Of Surgery?
“Surgeons have long listened to music while they work…. They say it helps them relax and concentrate. But now [Claudius] Conrad, an accomplished pianist and a senior surgical resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, is scientifically testing how music affects surgeons, their patients, and even relatives in the waiting room.”
With Gold-Leaf Fresco, Richard Wright Wins Turner Prize
“By their very nature, his works – which cannot be transported, bought or sold, and which always have a temporary life – exist outside the art market. ‘The most important thing is that the paintings are painted over,’ he has said.”
Music Industry Looks To TV For Success
“For years, labels and publishers avoided too-complicated TV pacts. But at a time when both sectors are looking for new sources of profits — and with radio on the wane and musicvids a rarity on MTV and VH1 — TV is serving as an extension of labels’ marketing departments.”
Has South Africa Lost Its Musical Edge?
There is an identity crisis. Before liberation, songs appealed to a definite we, united in a struggle against them. But in South Africa now everyone is we, united in a “rainbow nation”.
Monk Finale Sets Cable Drama Ratings Record
“The Friday series finale of the USA Network comedy-drama drew about 9.4 million viewers, 3.2 million of them in the adults 18-49 demographic. That represents the largest audience and demo turnout to date, not only for the show and for a USA scripted series but also for a drama series on basic cable.”
Sales Rebound At Art Basel Miami
“Bouncing back from last year’s weak showing, nearly 75 percent of galleries at Art Basel Miami Beach said sales revenue grew at least 15 percent over 2008, according to a Miami Herald survey. More than a third reported a sales hike of more than 30 percent at the country’s largest contemporary art show.”
Scientists Solve Stradivari Secret
“After years picking apart scraps of varnish taken from Stradivarius instruments, scientists have ruled out any secret ingredient as the key to the fiddles’ superb timbre. They reveal that Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) applied two simple products in his workshop in northern Italy: oil and pine resin.”
New Music Site Beats iTunes?
The site “shows music fans where they can get the cheapest downloads from a number of music sites and allows them to click through to buy those songs. The iTunes store, the market leader in online music sales, is crowded out by cheaper rivals such as Tesco and we7 and fails to appear as offering the lowest price on any one of the current top 40 albums.”
The Cory Doctorow Way
“Sharing your work product for other people’s review and improvement is the soul of the enlightenment. It’s the difference between alchemy and science.”