Saturday, October 6th
My kind of “genius.”
Vijay Gupta, violinist, educator, social-justice advocate, 2018 MacArthur Fellow, talking and playing
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
Filled with music, we’re free of all else.
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: musical thoughts
2018
Thursday, May 24th
3n
day three
Anton Webern (1883-1945), String Trio, Op. 20 (1927)
Goeyvaerts String Trio, live
Part 1
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Part 2
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
Difficult? Life is difficult. Not music.
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random sights
other night, Oak Park, Ill.
2018
Thursday, April 12th
basement jukebox
Syl Johnson, “Take Me to the River” (Al Green, Mabon “Teenie” Hodges, writers; Willie Mitchell, producer), 1975
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
I am waiting, patiently, for the United States Postal Service to issue a Forever stamp honoring Willie Mitchell. Nobody—nobody—has produced better records.
2018
Wednesday, March 28th
“The Past” (composition for film, accordion, soprano saxophone/electronics), Molly Jones (composition, soprano saxophone, electronics), Borey Shinn (accordion), Irvine, Calif., 2016
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
In the future multimedia performances will be so common that the term “multimedia” will fall out of use.
*****
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
2017
Saturday, December 16th
3n
Hear In Now (Mazz Swift, violin; Tomeka Reid, cello; Silvia Bolognesi, bass), “Requiem for Charlie Haden” (S. Bolognesi), live, Italy (Basilica di San Silvestro, Trieste), 2015
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
Which is more important: what we listen to—or how?
*****
random sights
this morning, Oak Park, Ill.
2017
Monday, October 2nd
Skip James (1902-1969), “Devil Got My Woman,” 1931
Sometimes I think this song defines the limits of what is humanly possible. Sometimes I think it exceeds them.
—Michael Robbins, Equipment for Living: On Poetry and Pop Music (2017)
2017
Monday, August 21st
more
Anna Thorvaldsdottir (1977-), In the Light of Air (2013/2014); International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), live, New York, 2014
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
Suppose that, for the rest of your listening life, you had two options. One: You could only listen to things you’d never heard before. Two: You could never listen to anything new. Which would you choose?
2017
Thursday, June 1st
more
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Clarinet Quintet in A major; Hagen Quartet with Sabine Meyer (clarinet), live
1st movt.
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2nd movt.
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3rd movt.
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4th movt.
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
Mozart was a kind of idol to me—this rapturous singing . . . that’s always on the edge of sadness and melancholy and disappointment and heartbreak, but always ready for an outburst of the most delicious music.
—Saul Bellow (1915-2005)
(Taking a break—back in a while.)
2017
Wednesday, May 31st
two takes
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Piano Sonata No. 13 in B-flat major
Friedrich Gulda (1930-2000), live
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Vladimir Horowitz (1903-1989), live
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
Whenever life begins to crush me, I know I can rely on Bandol, garlic, and Mozart.
—Jim Harrison (1937-2016), A Really Big Lunch (2017)
2017
Tuesday, May 30th
more
Anna Clyne (1980-), Within Her Arms (2008-2009)
Metropolis Ensemble (Andrew Cyr, cond.), live, New York, 2010
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langiappe
musical thoughts
Never underestimate the power of music: the right sounds, heard at the right time, can change your life.
