If History Is Written By The Victors, Wagner Must Have Won

“[F]or today’s composers and conductors, Mendelssohn comes a long way down the list. How did this genius composer come to be synonymous with the worst aspects of 19th-century music – its conservatism, nostalgia, sentimentality and superficiality?” Blame Wagner — again. “The tragedy is that Wagner’s critique has become – minus most of the racism – the default position when it comes to Mendelssohn.”

Are The Tories Gaining Cred With Britain’s Artists?

“The Conservative party was once a cultural void associated only with the likes of Bill Wyman and Jim Davidson but since becoming leader, [David] Cameron has enlisted the help of glamorous creative types.” Now, reports say, “Tracey Emin, once a virulent critic of Thatcherism, is close to entering Cameron’s big tent. … Is this Cameron’s Cool Britannia moment?”

Son: Tolkien Fans May Be Chilly Toward His Narrative Poem

“The reclusive son of JRR Tolkien has broken his silence to admit fears that fans of his father’s work may be ‘put off’ by the verse form of his latest posthumous publication. Responding via fax to a series of questions about The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, published for the first time today, Christopher Tolkien expressed the hope that it would show a different side to the author of the much-loved classic The Lord of the Rings.”

Billy Elliot Hauls In The Tony Award Nominations

“‘Billy Elliot’ racked up a whopping 15 noms for the 2009 Tony Awards, with the smaller-scale tuner perceived as its major competition, ‘Next to Normal,’ coming in at 11 nods. Among plays, the UK imports of revivals ‘Mary Stuart’ and ‘The Norman Conquests’ were neck and neck with seven noms each, while starry new offering ‘God of Carnage’ picked up six nods.”

Amazon To Unveil Bigger Kindle For Textbooks, Periodicals

“Amazon.comInc. on Wednesday plans to unveil a new version of its Kindle e-book reader with a larger screen and other features designed to appeal to periodical and academic textbook publishers, according to people familiar with the matter. … [New York] Times Co. Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. is expected to share the stage with Amazon Chief Executive Jeffrey Bezos at the event….”

At The Met, Americana Steps Into The Spotlight

The renovation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing signals a different approach to Americana. “Now [its pavilion], with 30 percent more room for displaying work, is filled with some 60 monumental marbles, bronzes, mosaics, stained-glass windows and architectural elements, many placed so that visitors will be able to examine them at close range. Before, the sculptures were decorative; now they’re the focus….”

Our Moral Judgment: More Malleable Than We Might Think

“[S]ocial psychologists have begun to study what they call the holier-than-thou effect. They have long known that people tend to be overly optimistic about their own abilities and fortunes — to overestimate their standing in class, their discipline, their sincerity. But this self-inflating bias may be even stronger when it comes to moral judgment … and new research is helping to clarify when such feelings of superiority are helpful and when they are self-defeating.”

A Glimmer Of Hope For Salander Gallery Creditors

“Bank of America’s First Republic unit agreed to share proceeds from the sale of art with other creditors of the bankrupt Salander-O’Reilly Galleries LLC,” whose owner “has been charged with grand larceny, securities fraud, falsifying business records, forgery and perjury.” The agreement “increases the chances that the roughly 400 unsecured creditors of the gallery … will get something back.”

De Montebello: Astor Promised Met A Painting Sold By Son

“Philippe de Montebello, former chief of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, testified yesterday that late philanthropist Brooke Astor promised to give the museum a painting by American Impressionist Childe Hassam.” De Montebello was testifying “as a prosecution witness in the trial of Astor’s son Anthony Marshall,” who “told his mother that she was running out of money to get her to sell the Hassam work, according to the prosecution.”