Classical Music & Opera Forums

Conductor Edward Downes and his wife have died at an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090714/ap_ ... _downes_14

eddobbins2 wrote:Hello All!


J'écouterai seulement la musique française aujourd'hui. Happy Bastille Day! Amicalement, Ed

Et le meme choses a vous aussi, mon cher ami.

Bastille Day already? Time to bring out an old favourite, recorded 20 years ago today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QQ2k3UpHwQ&feature=related

Downes was a fine conductor; may he and his wife rest in peace.

An article on premature applause. I could hug the author.

http://www.timeout.com/london/connect/music/blog/55/why-over-enthusiastic-clapping-ruins-a-concert

kashania wrote:An article on premature applause. I could hug the author.

http://www.timeout.com/london/connect/music/blog/55/why-over-enthusiastic-clapping-ruins-a-concert

Thanks for that link, Kashania. A great piece. I've posted the link to it on S&F.

ACD

The brief radio conversation isn't bad, either.

kashania wrote:An article on premature applause. I could hug the author.

http://www.timeout.com/london/connect/music/blog/55/why-over-enthusiastic-clapping-ruins-a-concert

The only problem with that article is that he is preaching to the choir. That loud-clapping clod is never going to be reading it and will go on with his obnoxious ways ad nauseam.
Of course,it does give us who agree with the article a chance to have a feeling of camaraderie with like-minded readers.

While we are on the article about premature applause, somebody please enlighten the author regarding the correct use of "demure" (adjective) and "demur" (verb).

jessica wrote:While we are on the article about premature applause, somebody please enlighten the author regarding the correct use of "demure" (adjective) and "demur" (verb).

Jess:

Something really strange happened today. I was coming out of the Metro at Pentagon City to get to the mall and in the walkway before the entrance a violinist was playing the Meditation from Thais, which stopped me in my tracks. While the playing was not good (to say the least), hearing the Meditation in the subway made me feel so happy I naturally gave her money. Of all things to be playing, that piece just really floored me. Maybe there is a ray of hope out there for some culture.

And speaking of culture, is it true that WQXR is being sold to WNYC??? If so, a real tragedy.

Actually, that article was printed in a mass-circulation venue, Time Out London (the weekly events guide to London), so there's a chance it will educate someone who needs it.

As for WQXR: the terms of the sale are that it must remain a full-time classical music station; we shall see...

I thought it was illegal to play the Méditation outside a concert hall or opera house, without the presence of a potted palm.

calvert wrote:I thought it was illegal to play the Méditation outside a concert hall or opera house, without the presence of a potted palm.

Maybe she got permission from the Potted Palm Estate.

I believe that Joshua Bell also played the Meditation, among other works, in his DC Metro busking experiment. I think he made less money than the lesser fiddler Sheila graced with a donation!

pczipott wrote:Actually, that article was printed in a mass-circulation venue, Time Out London (the weekly events guide to London), so there's a chance it will educate someone who needs it.

As for WQXR: the terms of the sale are that it must remain a full-time classical music station; we shall see...

Yes, it will remain a classical music station, at roughly about 1/10th the wattage, and buried somewhere at the end of the dial.

That said, I haven't listened to WQXR in years: the sound is terrible, (esp. the MET broadcasts), and the NY Philh. sounds better online through my headphones directly from their website than the broadcasts ever did. The rest of the time QXR fills up with easy listening classical (I prefer longer works). Gone are the days when we had three very fine classical music stations here in NYC (anybody remember WNCN?) that played major works and featured recitals as well as full-length opera and symphonic concerts from various cities (Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Hilversun Radio (Holland), etc.).

Thankfully, digital media have supplanted FM Radio, both in sound quality and on demand features. The MET's TV broadcasts recently are a good example of very fine programming, even if their sound quality is not yet up to par. There are two Music Choice channels on cable that offer a good variety of programming commercial free.

I, for one, lament WQXR's passing from the scene, but I won't miss it much.

Maestrob- Calvert

I have to agree with your take on WQXR. Except for the live performances and a few programs such as David Dubol's, I tuned out awhile back. When I'm home, there are non- commercial stations from all over the world on the internet which do much better. Also, I don't know about you, but I find the announcers, especially Midge Woosley and Cleo Dolpheres terribly cloying & unctuous so I hit mute after the last note. Yeah, I remember WNCN and ,especially, Bill Watson's Music Through the Night, from my college years in the late 60's. Great stuff!