He was known as Moondog, and his place in the vast New York cultural scene was a unique one. “He dressed in a Viking costume… He was articulate and friendly. He was blind, but refused to talk about his condition as a handicap. Perhaps most surprising of all was that this eerie and unusual figure was a classical composer in the tonal western tradition who followed all the rules of counterpoint and harmony.”
Tag: 01.05.08
Rattle In The Age Of Contentment
Simon Rattle is on tour with Europe’s Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and seems to be having the time of his life. “You have to understand that I normally conduct an orchestra of teenagers. With the Berlin Philharmonic I’m a grizzly old grandfather. This is like an old rock group that’s been together for ages.”
The Fiddling Chevalier
“One of the most fascinating figures of the 18th century was the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a composer, violinist, fencing champion and military hero whose fame spanned continents. That he was black, born in 1745 to a white planter and his slave mistress in Guadeloupe, not only shaped his life in France but has fed a growing interest in him today.”
Simple Beauty, Begging Plenty Of Questions
A famous Velazquez nude depicting the Goddess of Love has had one of the more fascinating histories among paintings of the period. And we still know relatively little about it – was it a late work, or one from the artist’s middle period? And who is the Venus in the painting supposed to be?
Knowing When To Bow Out
For aging musicians, the decision to retire, if it ever comes, usually comes as a result of the ravages of age. “The performer, unlike the creator, is as much athlete as artist, and thus is slave to the flesh.” But when an artist doesn’t know enough to exit the spotlight, it makes for an uncomfortable situation for audience, critic, and performer alike.
Welcome To The Age Of The Cultural Omnivore
An Oxford University study says that the notion of a cultural elite made up of upper class individuals is no longer relevant to modern culture. “‘Univores,’ ‘Omnivores,’ ‘Paucivores’ and ‘Inactives’ are the new categories we can all find ourselves in.”
Audiophile Label Embraces Computer Playback
“Reference Recordings, the Bay Area-based audiophile label founded by John T. “Tam” Henderson in 1976, has adopted a unique approach to computer and music server playback.” Rejecting existing high-end audio CDs, the company will begin marketing a new kind of disc that it says mimics its master audio files nearly perfectly.