passings
Krzysztof Penderecki, composer, conductor, November 23, 1933-March 29, 2020
Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima (1960), Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Krzysztof Urbański, cond.), live, Helsinki, 2015
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
like nobody else
How about time-traveling to 1961 Paris?
Blossom Dearie (1924-2009, vocals, piano), “C’est le Printemps” (“It Might as Well Be Spring,” R. Rodgers, O. Hammerstein II; adaptation, J. Sablon), “Plus je t’embrasse” (“Heart of My Heart,” B. Ryan; adaptation, Max François), live, Paris, 1961
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lagniappe
art beat: other day, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Isa Genzken (1948-), Rose II (2007)
*****
reading table
The youth walks up to the white horse, to put its halter on
and the horse looks at him in silence.
They are so silent they are in another world.—D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), “The White Horse”
sounds of New York
Reverend Gary Davis (1896-1972), “Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” live
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)
*****
reading table
Clear skies ring with the honk of wild geese
On deserted hills, leaves whirl in the wind
Twilight on a smoky village road
Carrying an empty begging bowl and walking home alone—Ryōkan (1758-1831), translated from classical Chinese by Ryūichi Abé and Peter Haskel
alone
Mat Maneri (1969-, viola), “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” (trad.), live, Paris, 2020
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
A leaf, one of the last, parts from a maple branch:
it is spinning in the transparent air of October, falls
on a heap of others, stops, fades. No one
admired its entrancing struggle with the wind,
followed its flight, no one will distinguish it now
as it lies among the other leaves, no one saw what I did. I am
the only one.—Bronisław Maj (1953-), “A Leaf,” translated from Polish by Czesław Miłosz and Robert Hass
sounds of Nashville
Marty Stuart (1958-, vocals, mandolin, guitar), Vince Gill (1957-, vocals, guitar), Brad Paisley (1972-, vocals, guitar), live, Nashville (Grand Ole Opry), 3/21/20
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, outside Chicago (Prairie Path, Bellwood)
*****
reading table
That’s being lonely. Lying here. Head and feet not knowing where they’ve come to.
—Eimear McBride (1976-), A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing
sounds of Buenos Aires
Juana Molina (1961-, compositions, vocals, guitar), live (studio), Seattle, 2017
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
A cicada shell;
it sang itself
utterly away.—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), translated from Japanese by Robert Hass
MCOTD Hall of Fame
Morton Feldman (1927-1986, MCOTD Hall of Fame), Rothko Chapel (1971); Markus Creed (cond.), SWR Vokalensemble (Vocal Ensemble), et al., live, Germany (Cathedral of Speyer, Schwetzinger), 2017
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lagniappe
art beat: other day, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Henri Matisse (1869-1954), The Red Studio (1911), detail
*****
reading table
Coolness—
the sound of the bell
as it leaves the bell.—Yosa Buson (1716-1784), translated from Japanese by Robert Hass
three takes
“Spring Is Here” (R. Rogers, L. Hart), 1938
Audra McDonald (1970-), live
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Frank Sinatra (1915-1998), 1958
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Bill Evans Trio (BE, 1929-1980, piano; Scott LaFaro, 1936-1961, bass; Paul Motian, 1931-2011, drums), 1959
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
streaming
NPR Music: “A List of Live Virtual Concerts to Watch During the Coronavirus Shutdown.”
like nobody else
His sound-world seems just right for these strange times—beautiful and solemn in equal measure.
Arvo Pärt (1935-), Tallinn Chamber Orchestra (Tõnu Kaljuste, cond.), live (Fratres, 1:30-; Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten, 13:49-; Adam’s Lament, 22:10-; Salve Regina, 45:40-; Te Deum, 59:30-), Germany (Hamburg), 2/18/20*
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
*ECM Records founder/producer Manfred Eicher (1943-), who has long championed Pärt’s music, joins the others onstage at the end.
back to church
“What I Am,” Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, Chester, S.C., 2003
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
streaming
From jazz pianist Fred Hersch:
Mini Concert Every Day
I hope everybody is safe and healthy and will remain that way. This is an unprecedented challenge to everyone on the planet and we all need resilience and resourcefulness going forward.
Starting this Sunday, every day at 1pm EST
I will do a live mini concert of piano music from my home.You can see and hear the concert here:
https://www.facebook.com/fredherschmusic
Wishing you all strength and much love,
Fred
music clip of the day 