“The idea that it is possible not only to pass, but to excel, in the mainstream of secondary musical education seems as ridiculous as the idea that one might be able to pass English GCSE without ever learning to read and write. But in so far as the roots of western musical notation lie in its role as an heuristic device for practicing musicians – theorists of music at the time used numbers and ratios to express musical intervals – it is also possible to conceive that in contexts where this is no longer a practical advantage, the learning of musical notation may have become unnecessary.”
Tag: 08.09.08
What Ails Critics
“Unfortunately, many critics have made themselves redundant for three reasons: incessant “quote-whoring”, or providing copy ready-made for promotion, thus cheapening their role; boosting unworthy local material; and failing to relate to commercial or broad audiences. All this is not to say critics should write for kids. But critics may need to broaden their reach by writing with young people in mind rather than writing at them.”
The Downside Of Happiness
“What would happen if we all finally found happiness? Imagine if life’s little flaws – the way the car grumbles on the motorway, the fact that Tuscany is becoming too touristy – stopped nagging away at us, and we realised that things are fine just as they are? There are two good reasons to appreciate emotions other than happiness. The first is that few of us are likely to live our lives in bliss.”
Hollywood Movie Lots Are Quiet These Days
“Cost-cutting obviously is a big part of it. Since producers and directors come in to pitch their individual projects one-by-one, why spend all that money on overhead and development funds? But there’s another issue that’s still more provocative: The entrenched bureaucracies at the studios clearly feel they can provide the impetus to create and market their movies and don’t need all those expensive outsiders.”
Netrebko Cancels Met Dates For Pregnancy Leave
Soprano Anna Netrebko is extending her pregnancy leave and has withdrawn from performances of Puccini’s “La Boheme” at the Metropolitan Opera in December and January. Netrebko, 36, announced in February that she and her fiance, Uruguayan baritone Erwin Schrott, were expecting, and the Met said Friday she is due to give birth next month.
Search Is On For New Director For Canada’s National Gallery
“The largest hurdle could be money. The job’s salary range was raised in April to between $164,800 and $193,900, but that range still pales in comparison to the earnings of several of those who run similar organizations.”
A Plan To Save The CBC Radio Orchestra
Canadian broadcaster CBC has said it is cutting the Vancouver-based orchestra. “The idea is at least to provide the orchestra with the funds to keep going for an interim period. The longer-term goal. would be to reconstitute the orchestra as “some kind of a joint venture with the CBC, or a total spinoff that would be supported by private and public funds.”
A “Great Short Stories” Anthology Sparks Controversy
“When The Penguin Book of Canadian Short Stories, edited by Jane Urquhart, came out last fall, it was greeted with the generally deferential reviews expected of such an exercise in cultural authority. Almost a year later, this 700-page tome has become the flashpoint for one of the sharpest literary debates this country has ever seen.”
The King Of Tall Buildings
“Like many architects, Adrian Smith — who collaborates with his partner Gordon Gill on all of the firm’s designs — is fond of saying that he wants to make buildings responsive to their context. That can be a problem in the emirates: most of the time, he concedes, there is no context, at least in the form of surrounding buildings, to respond to. As a result he has turned to a larger context.”
The Business Of Music – Huge Growth (Just Not In A Traditional Way)
“To understand what is happening in the industry you need to acknowledge the difference between the record industry (in decline) and the music industry (continually growing). In the 21st century, compact discs are much less in demand, but interest is growing in tickets for live music, merchandise, licensing in films and advertising and content provision in new media, alongside a technology-driven explosion in media.”