Tuesday, February 11th
How about something different?
Clara Iannotta (1983-), Limun (2011); International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), live, New York, 2016
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: violin
2020
Wednesday, January 29th
what’s new
Max Richter (1966-, compositions, piano, keyboard) with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (Clarice Jensen, cello & artistic director; Ben Russell, violin; Laura Lutzke, violin; Isabel Hagen, viola; Claire Bryant, cello), “On the Nature of Daylight,” “Vladimir’s Blues,” “Infra 5,” live, Washington, D.C., 1/22/20
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
I’m very interested in the idea of a piece of music being a place to think.
—Max Richter
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random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
2020
Monday, January 13th
Why not start the week with something small, mournful, beautiful?
Komitas (AKA Soghomon Soghomonian, 1869-1935), Krunk (The Crane); Sergey Khachatryan (1985-, violin), live, France (Toulouse), 2015
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
2020
Tuesday, January 7th
what’s new
Balún, “Vaivén”, “La Nueva Ciudad”, “El Espanto,” “Punto De Encuentro,” live, Washington, D.C., 12/20/19
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
2019
Tuesday, December 24th
never enough
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor; Shunske Sato (violin), live, Netherlands (Haarlem), published 10/24/19
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lagniappe
radio
One of my favorite musical events begins today: the annual Bachfest on WKCR (Columbia University); all Bach, all the time, until midnight New Year’s Eve.
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random sights
other day, Chicago (Monadnock Building)
2019
Monday, December 23rd
Why not begin the week with something that will take you somewhere you haven’t been before?
Philippe Manoury (1952-), Melencolia (third string quartet), 2012; Arditti Quartet
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
2019
Saturday, December 21st
never enough
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), String Quartet No. 13, excerpt (Mvt. V, Cavatina), 1826; Guarneri Quartet
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
During a fraught 17-day stay in the hospital because of post-surgical infections 10 years ago, Beethoven’s Cavatina furnished the only moments during which I was released from suffering.
—Susan Gubar, “When Music Is the Best Medicine,” New York Times, 9/26/19
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random sights
yesterday, Chicago
2019
Thursday, December 19th
never enough
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor; Shunske Sato (violin), live, Netherlands (Haarlem), published 12/5/19
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
2019
Thursday, December 12th
never enough
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Violin Partita No. 3 in E major; Shunske Sato (violin), live, Netherlands (Haarlem), published 11/28/19
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday morning, Oak Park, Ill.
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reading table
Listen,
how your heart beats inside me.—Wislawa Szymborska (1923-2012, MCOTD Hall of Fame), from “Could Have,” translated from Polish by Stanislav Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh
2019
Monday, December 9th
sounds to get lost in
Jessica Pavone String Ensemble (JP, viola, composition; Joanna Matrey, viola; Erica Dicker, violin; Angela Morris, violin), “Hurtle and Flow,” published 9/4/19
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday morning, I-80 rest stop, Iowa (near Grinnell)
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reading table
big rainbig mooncicada in the pine—Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), translated from Japanese by David G. Lanoue
music clip of the day 