Monday, February 20th

by musicclipoftheday

Yesterday, in Chicago, at the Art Institute, I heard this woman play the violin. She played for well over an hour, by herself, without intermission. She performed seven pieces: the earliest, by Pierre Boulez (Anthèmes 1), was composed in 1992; the latest, by Steve Lehman (En Soi), this year. When a performer surrenders to the music wholeheartedly, she invites you, the listener, to do the same. And I did, gratefully.

Miranda Cuckson, violin

Ralph Shapey (1921-2002), Etchings (1945; excerpt), 2009


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Playing and talking, 2015