Not trying to be arrogant here, but who listens to this?

[computer-audiophile]

Thanks, I didn't know that (though I'm not terribly surprised).

I'm not so quick to adopt bad, dishonourable opinions just because someone has said so. It would be good to know other sources that prove this. When I read the biography I mentioned, I found no evidence of this.

 

[Room314]

I don't know how well documented all this is, and I'm not a historian of architecture, but this paper seems to make a quite convincing case that the pavilion was largely Xenakis's work.

I'm not so quick to adopt bad, dishonourable opinions just because someone has said so. It would be good to know other sources that prove this. When I read the biography I mentioned, I found no evidence of this.

 

[computer-audiophile]

As luck would have it, I will be hearing these two musicians perform this piece by Xenakis live in concert tonight.

 

[computer-audiophile]

seems to make a quite convincing case that the pavilion was largely Xenakis's work.

Thank you, there is no doubt about that. Incidentally, it's not unusual for renowned architectural firms not to always name the subordinates on a project. Perhaps that's not a good habit.

 

[Multicore]

I'm not so quick to adopt bad, dishonourable opinions just because someone has said so. It would be good to know other sources that prove this. When I read the biography I mentioned, I found no evidence of this.

Last year I read Exploding the Myths of Modern Architecture by Malcolm Millais. Le Corbusier is at the center of that history of course and Chapter 6 is about him. I had already gotten the unofficial truth about Le Corbusier so it didn't surprise me but unfortunately I don't recall where I got that from. Millais account is very interesting and, like the rest of his book, very well illustrated and good fun. The chapter cites several books about Le Corbusier as sources so perhaps these can be useful to you. If you like I can try to pick some of those out for you.

However, Millais book is wholeheartedly polemical against the standard acceptance of the triumph of modern architecture and its geniuses. I welcome that and enjoyed the book although I don't agree with everything.

 

[Multicore]

Thank you, there is no doubt about that. Incidentally, it's not unusual for renowned architectural firms not to always name the subordinates on a project. Perhaps that's not a good habit.

I understood this incident led to the falling out of X and LC.

 

[computer-audiophile]

LC RIP.

 

[computer-audiophile]

Sol & Pat

Patricia Kopatchinskaja - album - 2021 - 23 Songs

www.deezer.com

I'm glad that I got up the energy to go to this concert. Well, we'd bought the tickets long beforehand and my wife loves Sol Gabetta.

The two of them really played at a world-class level, unplugged, which I found a bit strange in this large concert hall. We sat right at the front, very close and so it was ok for us. Those in the back rows certainly couldn't hear all the subtleties. We weren't allowed to take any photos during the concert, but my new smartphone has an annoyingly bad camera anyway. Sol & Pat play remarkably cheerfully, the most difficult passages seem child's play to them. One of my favourite parts was at the end: Zoltan Kodaly, Duo for Violin and violoncello op. 7, which is a favourite piece of mine anyway.

 

[computer-audiophile]

Because I wasn't allowed to take photos, the service department of the concert hall emailed me some professional photos and texts about this concert evening afterwards. I think it's very good how they do it to bring back memories.

 

[computer-audiophile]

The anticipation is building for another spectacular event:

Happy New Ear - hellerau

www.hellerau.org

 

[computer-audiophile]

Dear music friends, audiophiles and Pragmatic Antiaudiophiles™

I've written a lot in this thread now. It's quiet and calm here, which is actually a good thing. There are other music threads where people link to YouTube videos in quick succession, post screenshots of their player software or album cover images copied from the internet. There's rarely anything like own thought out original-content behind it, apart from signalling what you think is great and maybe getting a few likes from like-minded people.

This has been better in this thread before, thoughtful responses and criticism have come here and some people have offered their views on contemporary classical composition or shared their experiences - thank you! I think it would be nice if this could continue.


Just my 2ct of today

 

[computer-audiophile]

Just another music anecdote:

Photo of Maria Callas is linked from NZZ Newspaper

Last week we celebrated the 100th birthday of Maria Callas in the private circle of the friends and members of 'Ars Augusta', which is located in our neighborhood. We went there mainly for the enchanting voice of our dear friend Eleni Triada Ioannidou, a professional opera singer. Like Callas, she is of Greek descent.

Own photo.

She sang a few heartbreaking songs. And again, it was the kind of goosebump moments that lift you out of your everyday life. We talked about Callas' biography, watched YouTube videos showing her and reminisced. Everyone had something to tell. It was also about the future of opera, which seems to be in crisis.

The moderator was another old friend of ours who founded a philosophical café in our city, where we sometimes go to discuss and listen to lectures of real Philosophers which have studied this discipline.

 

[Albertine]

It is interesting to read your comments around the crisis in opera.

In the UK, opera is probably in its deepest ever crisis, following recent funding cuts. English National Opera is on the brink of a strike in protest.

We've also seen damaging funding cuts for long established (and highly successful) orchestras. The BBC tried to close the BBC Singers last year but have been forced into a temporary u-turn following a public outcry.

Everywhere it seems that the arts are under attack, seen as 'elitist' and unworthy of support.

It is a depressing situation.

 

[Deleted member 21114]

signalling what you think is great and maybe getting a few likes from like-minded people.

Or they want to spread a little happiness by sharing the songs that bring them happiness? I think you might be projecting here!

 

[ahofer]

I’m of two minds about this. I’m not sure the public should fund things it doesn’t care for (as much as I like it). On the other hand, so many of the things I like here in NY are now privately funded it makes things a bit lopsided. Central Park only has greenery because 75% of the Central Park Conservancy budget comes from socially important charitable giving. The same goes for the large museums and orchestras, the Downtown Alliance, etc. It’s a sort of substitute for a progressive tax, except that NYC already has some of the highest taxes in the country (in addition to federal 37%, 10% state, 3% local, for a 50% burden on wealthier residents). At some point, it stops working and topples over, as it nearly did in the 1970s.

I suppose one of the interesting things about living in NYC is that it seems impossible, logistically. The most popular mayors have focused on that - water, sewers, subway, safer streets, not loftier things.

Just so happens that one of my favorite on-line writers has tackled the logistics of NYC recently- https://unherd.com/2024/01/why-american-cities-are-squalid/

 

[Deleted member 21114]

The poor artist getting a free rehearsal space today is tomorrow's Broadway playwright pulling in tourists from around the world. Plus, a city's tax base will evaporate if the culture that drew the smart people there in the first place disappears. Not funding the arts is the sign of a culture in decline financially and, er, culturally.

 

[Albertine]

I see public arts funding as an investment as well as being worthwhile in its own terms. It certainly attracts tourism, but there's also a value in getting classical music to new audiences. One of the frustrations with the latest cuts in the UK is that they hit organisations with a strong record of music education and outreach. Also, the sums involved are relatively modest compared to other public spending.

 

[BenjaminB]

public arts funding [as an investment as well] as being worthwhile in its own terms

public arts, in general, is one of the pillars of a common society. art is a human necessity. Nothing one should put a price on - although we all do .

 

[ahofer]

public arts, in general, is one of the pillars of a common society. art is a human necessity. Nothing one should put a price on - although we all do .

The question is, though, with all the competing needs of government, should it be provided from the private sector as it increasingly is in NYC? My own philosophy is that government should do fewer things but perhaps try to be better at them. We are in the midst of a crisis of institutions, and that seems like the best way out.

 

[Albertine]

One big advantage of public funding over private philanthropy is greater accountability. Ultimately, the money can come from either source, but I'd rather have my democratic say in how and where it's spent. Interesting to hear about the direction of travel in NYC though.