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

computer-audiophile

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I'm also pretty skeptical of the harp as a solo instrument, but do try to hear the Ginastera Harp Concerto:

That's how I feel in general.Thanks - I'll listen to your examples on YouTube later.

However, I have heard the Japanese koto harp more often and also enjoyed playing it solo.
The photo is from an earlier house concert in our old flat.

Itsuko-hasegawa-400.jpg
 

computer-audiophile

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He [REM: Ken Ueno] was our band's singer.
Obviously, Ken Ueno has had a successful professional career in the USA. I read his biography once. I have not yet become aware of him in Germany.

Tomorrow we actually want to go to a live concert in Dresden, where we have reserved seats. Unfortunately, the weather is not so spring-like and my wife and I had colds and might not be quite fit yet.

There will be chamber music works performed by ensemble courage, as well as a moderated talk with the Italian composer Francesca Verunelli.
 

computer-audiophile

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One of my old heroes among the contemporary composers has now also died: Ryuichi Sakamoto

That brings up memories to me. I first heard the following album with Alva Noto and the Ensemble Modern in the cellar vaults of the Künstlerhaus Schloß Plüschow when my wife and I had a month-long study stay there, played aloud via ALTEC A7 then.

Today I played it again in his honour and listened to it sadly together with my wife.

R.I.P.


 
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ahofer

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Last night I was at "What Makes it Great", and Rob Kapilow pointed out this bit of proto-serialism in Mozart #40 (take a bath, take a bath, in the bathtub):


Apologies for the dumb video effects.
 

computer-audiophile

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Last night I was at "What Makes it Great", and Rob Kapilow pointed out this bit of proto-serialism in Mozart #40
Interesting, I have not yet considered the topic on this analytic music-theoretical level. That's probably more something for musicians. I pay attention to other things.
 

ahofer

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Interesting, I have not yet considered the topic on this analytic music-theoretical level. That's probably more something for musicians. I pay attention to other things.
Far from damping any visceral effect, I find it enriches my listening. YMMV.
 

thecheapseats

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Last night I was at "What Makes it Great", and Rob Kapilow pointed out this bit of proto-serialism in Mozart #40...
a valid argument regarding those who 'might' have been in possession of a time machine along the way - certainly one was 'wolfie' - no doubt he was simply throwing a 'future preview' at the audience over those eight measures (including the pickup)... it was no accident, despite the accidentals... )
 

Multicore

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@Multicore

I had a look at the website of the Goethe-Institut in Boston. It all looks very nice, the building, the street and of course the programme - quite wonderful! It's nice that there are institutions like this that connect people.


Thinking of US cultural institutes in Germany, the DAI in Heidelberg comes to mind, the city where I was born and lived and worked for years. It was called "Amerika Haus" for short.


I first really became aware of it when Christo wrapped it in 1969. I was 19 at the time and began to develop a strong interest in modern art. The "intermedia 69" festival attracted over 5,000 art lovers to the city from 16 to 18 May 1969. "Fluxus" was en vogue as a counter-movement to the establishment, in this case a sculpture exhibition planned by the Kunstverein Heidelberg and Klaus Staeck. It was an exhibition that totally shook me up. In my photo you can see Christo's work and my original catalogue of the 1969 art exhibition, which I kept. I later showed it to Klaus Staeck, the initiator at the time, at a meeting in 2009 and he signed the catalogue.

View attachment 265993
 

Multicore

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@Multicore

I had a look at the website of the Goethe-Institut in Boston. It all looks very nice, the building, the street and of course the programme - quite wonderful! It's nice that there are institutions like this that connect people.


Thinking of US cultural institutes in Germany, the DAI in Heidelberg comes to mind, the city where I was born and lived and worked for years. It was called "Amerika Haus" for short.


I first really became aware of it when Christo wrapped it in 1969. I was 19 at the time and began to develop a strong interest in modern art. The "intermedia 69" festival attracted over 5,000 art lovers to the city from 16 to 18 May 1969. "Fluxus" was en vogue as a counter-movement to the establishment, in this case a sculpture exhibition planned by the Kunstverein Heidelberg and Klaus Staeck. It was an exhibition that totally shook me up. In my photo you can see Christo's work and my original catalogue of the 1969 art exhibition, which I kept. I later showed it to Klaus Staeck, the initiator at the time, at a meeting in 2009 and he signed the catalogue.

View attachment 265993
There are a lot of Christo-inspured art installations in and around Boston at the moment.

IMG_20230410_095925.jpg
 

computer-audiophile

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For the German-speaking reader interested in the state of affairs concerning so-called 'Neue Musik' (complex contemporary concert music), the following issue of Lettre International is recommended. There is an in-depth article analysing the loss of importance of this genre.

"ROLAND ZAG

AUS DER TIEFE​

Vom Schicksal der Neuen Musik im deutschsprachigen Raum"

Lettre_Titel_140_800px_web.jpg.webp
 

computer-audiophile

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The validity of works is broken. It goes without saying that the community wants to see its agreements confirmed, and as effortlessly as possible.
 

computer-audiophile

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I have the impression that it is not only "Neue Musik" (complex contemporary concert music) that is increasingly in crisis and only appeals to small and elitist circles. My impression is that the small theatres that play modern works are not doing much better. Although I still find enough good venues and don't have to worry about that, I think many younger musicians and theatre players have to reorient themselves.

In March we saw two plays.
Yasmina Reza's global success "'Art'" in Potsdam

"Kairos" - based on the novel by Jenny Erpenbeck in Cottbus
These are two authors from whom we have also read the novels in question.

kunst.jpg


kairos.jpg
 

theREALdotnet

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Music transitioning from structure to texture – I found that to be an interesting way of putting it.

Björk interviewing modern composers such as Arvo Pärt:


 

computer-audiophile

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Music transitioning from structure to texture – I found that to be an interesting way of putting it.

Björk interviewing modern composers such as Arvo Pärt:


Thanks, I'll be happy to take a look at the video later. I'm still a bit tired right now.

Yesterday I had a full day of concerts in Dresden. In the morning I met the Canadian composer Annesley Black with some wonderful pieces and in the evening there was a great concert with the Ensemble Modern, who played minimal music by Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians. Maybe I'll write something about it later and show pictures. It was just fantastic.
 

computer-audiophile

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A somewhat strange interview with a somewhat strange Björk. :)
It seems to me that as an interviewer she can't talk about experimental music in a very differentiated way.
I don't usually like her music or performance style in particular, but I respect her of course as an exceptional artist. Anyway, it was interesting to see the linked interview.

The conductor Kent Nagano found especially her voice fascinating. He wrote lately in his book: "On a flight to San Francisco, I discovered a video of the Icelandic singer Björk - and knew: This is what the voice of Pierrot Lunaire sounds like. Together we performed Schönberg."
 
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theREALdotnet

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The conductor Kent Nagano found especially her voice fascinating. He wrote lately in his book: "On a flight to San Francisco, I discovered a video of the Icelandic singer Björk - and knew: This is what the voice of Pierrot Lunaire sounds like. Together we performed Schönberg."

Yes, sadly they didn’t record it. I heard a short and very poor quality bootleg recording once.
 
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