“The emotions evoked by the deaths of used pianos are powerful, and they came flooding in response to a recent article in The New York Times about their frequent disposal and the reasons for it. But when it comes to keeping old pianos alive, owners find that their feelings collide with the reality of expensive repairs and inexpensive, easily available brand-new replacements. Still, a few options exist.”
Tag: 08.07.12
Marguerite Piazza, Opera Singer And ’50s Pop Chanteuse, Dead At 86
‘Well before marketing executives came up with the term ‘crossover artist,’ Miss Piazza became a pop phenomenon via the opera stage. She moved easily from the Metropolitan Opera to Broadway to television variety shows.”
Fifty Shades Of Grey Is Now Britain’s Bestselling Book Of All Time
“The erotic novel has sold in excess of 5.3m copies in print and ebook – more than The Highway Code or Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.”
We Knew This Would Happen: Fifty Shades Of Grey – The Classical Album
“The soundtrack includes the Tallis Scholars’ version of Spem in Alium featured in the first book, along with 14 other classics namedropped in the series, including the ‘Flower Duet’ from Lakmé, Pachelbel’s Canon in D and the aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations.”
So What Would Be Good Music To Tie Up Your Lover By?
David Patrick Stearns: “Spem in alium certainly wouldn’t be appropriate. Even for those who can get past the possibly blasphemous sex-and-God nexus of the situation, the piece is only 12 minutes long. How can you get anything done in that short a time? Mahler symphonies are long and provide a good sound shield … but their anguish may be contagious. You don’t want anybody having an existential crisis until after orgasm.”
Composer Marvin Hamlisch, 68
“[He] was one of the most ubiquitous show-business personalities of his generation. … Besides A Chorus Line – one of the most enduring stage musicals of all time – Mr. Hamlisch’s movie portfolio included the inspired revival of Scott Joplin’s jaunty ragtime music for The Sting, the sweepingly romantic theme for The Way We Were and the sensuous ballad ‘Nobody Does It Better’ for the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. He also wrote music for two early Woody Allen comedies and the score for the Holocaust drama Sophie’s Choice.”
Marvin Hamlisch, So Professional That One Might Overlook Him
“So why is Mr. Hamlisch, who died on Monday at 68, routinely overlooked when people are invited to name the greatest Broadway composers? One reason may be that he embodied a kind of ultimate professionalism. Personal self-expression wasn’t at the top of his agenda. Solving problems and doing solid work were more important.”
Vatican Rejects Diplomat Because He Penned Book With Gay Sex Scene
“The Vatican has been accused of rejecting Bulgaria’s new choice of ambassador to the Holy See because he wrote a novel containing a gay sex scene.”
Was Robert Hughes The Greatest Art Critic Of Our Time?
“If he was right, God help us all, for the conquest of art by money and the proliferation of celebrity artists that he condemned continues to multiply. The art world of today might be mistaken for an apocalyptic vision dredged from his darkest satirical imaginings.”
Sirius Satellite Radio Grows To Record Number Of Subscribers
“The company, led by CEO Mel Karmazin, grew its user base by 622,000, ending June with a company record of 22.9 million subscribers. It had added 452,000 in the year-ago period.”