Category: AJBlogs

The exact date is uncertain, but we know who was with Hubbard in this L.A. all-star band. They play “Ride With The Wind.” – Doug Ramsey

Two recent theater pieces take a hard look at one of the cultural rootstocks of the United States. – David Patrick Stearns

I’ll let my comments speak for themselves but will leave you with this reflection — “A good society contains many different artists doing many different things. A bad society coerces artists because it knows that they can reveal all kinds of truths.” — from Iris Murdoch which was on my mind when I wrote my remarks. – Diane Ragsdale

Milton Moore, who has been reviewing music, classical and otherwise, since the ‘70s, today starts in this space a more-or-less monthly column about contemporary and “alternative” classical music. First up: the music of Valentin Silvestrov. – Scott Timberg

Continuing from my last post, with what should be in a book on the past few decades’ history of American orchestras … One main focus of the book would of course have to be orchestra finances. Along with the long-term decline in ticket sales, which of course affects the bottom line. – Greg Sandow

We see them early on in the heavy-hearted revival at London’s Young Vic. Willy lumbers in with two cases. One, a smart, wooden box, presumably packed with sample goods. The other, a battered and scratched suitcase, must carry his personal stuff. – David Jays

The humble McDonald’s cheeseburger — the plain one, not the Big Mac — as madeleine. – Terry Teachout

There should be a book about all the changes orchestras went through in the last few decades. I’ll be doing posts on some of the things I think should be in this book, often things that aren’t revealed publicly. Here, to start, are a couple of examples. – Greg Sandow

Camp: Notes on Fashion begins promisingly with a deep dive into the early history of camp, including the derivation of that designation as an aesthetic category (first known usage: Molière). But its sprawling, diffuse finale embodies the “camp” worldview at its worst, as it devolves into a parody of a museum exhibition. – Lee Rosenbaum

We have been meaning to call to your attention to an instance in which – unlike, say, the trade talks between the US and China – international cooperation works beautifully. – Doug Ramsey