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Here's a first for me re: movies. I went and saw Wolf Creek tonight and have come to a rare conclusion: what does one say when a well crafted, realistic movie fails to provide any value? There's a prog rock analogy in there somewhere.
A young woman came into the music store today in the market for Liszt's Trois Etudes de Concert. While I rang her out, I flipped through the crisp Henle edition and asked her which one she was going to play. Her eyes brightened and she pointed to the first of the three: Il lamento. She went on, "I heard it when some friends of mine got married last year. Some guy played it at they's wedding. It was incredible. I hadda learn that song, and don't care how long it takes me."
More of that, I'd say.
David Thomas, principal clarinetist for the Columbus Symphony has stumbled his way onto my website. His weblog, Buzzing Reed, is a visually pleasing and well written log of his experiences as a professional performer. Maybe he can offer me some clr recommendations besides the Brahms quintet Op. 115: a piece that didn't leave my disc player for all of October. Plus, Mr. Thomas knows Lynch, so I'll permanently link him here. Check him out.
I will not be by a computer nor will I be posting for a couple days. It's Christmas, it's time to catch up with family, and wireless is hard to come by in rural Iowa. Happy holidays!
Or one of them.
Someone has brought to my attention this DVD release of six short films by David Lynch. The genius who created Straight Story and Mulholland Drive is now available in shorter mediums, covering a span of 32 years. I'm quite excited, because everything about David Lynch and his work is so bloody wonderful.
...bloggers have been filling out this meme. My turn.
Four jobs you've had in your life: The classical music guy at Borders in the now gone WTC, Dairy Queen sodajerk, Movie Theatre box officer, Sheet music seller.
Four movies you could watch over and over: Last scene in Radio Days, Little Noises, This Boy's Life, The Shining
Four places you've lived: New York City, London, Blacksburg, Va, Chicago
Four places you've been on vacation: Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Edinburgh
Four websites you visit daily: Ross , Hawkeye message boards, ACD , porn
Four of your favorite foods: Chef Boyardee Pizza, Roti soaked with any Indian, pierogies , gyoza
Four places you'd rather be: Maharishi Iowa , Exeter Street Bakery, New York, Los Angeles,
It's been about two weeks since a grisly murder happened in the Lansing area. A recently awarded doctoral student in chemical engineering was found decapitated in his car; the killer(s) nor any known motives have been released to the public. My friend Dave used to occasionally hang out with him, which makes it hit a little closer to home. This gruesome act has made this very grey and cold industrial town seem even more gloomy, and I didn't think that was possible.
Three years ago I overheard a conversation while rummaging through some cd bins at Barnes & Noble. Two middle aged working class white men were talking music by the checkout counter, and I couldn't have been more than eight feet from their presence. One guy was considerably taller and huskier than the other fellow; he reminded me of an unkempt, goateed (and straight) Rock Hudson. One of their voices grew more coloful, and I drew closer. The taller man started: "Hey Dan, you've heard this, right?" He raised Billy Joel's River of Dreams album into the air in view for his friend.
"No, actually I haven't."
The big man, then, without hesitation, tossed it onto the counter near the registers. "What are you doing?" said the shorter man.
"It's yours," he shot back, "I'm buying it for you. You need to have this record."
"Oh, that's alright man, you don't need to do that" said the small man.
"Well, it's got the Lullaby on it. Lotta pain. Wrote it during the breakup with Christie." Then he turned toward the cashier and said "Hey, can you play this on the loudspeaker? I want my friend to hear something."
"I'm sorry, I can't do that."
"That's okay. Just ring us up. Yep, throw that one on my bill, too"
My temporary holiday job at the music store has allowed me to observe the sheet music that is frequently selling right now. Michael Bublé is this year's Josh Groban. The Wicked soundtrack is still popular with the flamboyants. That contemporary Christmas record, Mary Did You Know, has been this Winter season's most popular holiday request. Other hot sellers include: Coldplay's catalogue, the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack (still), Gretchen Wilson, and the TransSiberian Orchestra's adaptation of Carol of the Bells; or was it Mannheim Steamroller? I hope these trends are only local. (photo above: my sallow hands find a g-minor, a favorite of Jim Brickman's.)
Nigel Crawthorne wrote a book on composers' sex lives last year. There has been remarkably little information about the book that I can find; I can't imagine why. Vivaldi evidently bangsed in triads, while Liszt went Def Leppard on his female admirers. If anyone knows of any other juiciness, feel free to post in the comment section. Elsewhere, I've been watching with admiration the the recent release on DVD of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. $30 for 39 shows; Hitch really mastered the art of 24 minutes. Via M.C-, Miss Gulf Coast has mysteriously managed to make Chopin's b minor SHAIRZO sound like Boulez. Listen here. Oh yes, and finally, I 4-pointed Fall semester. In celebration, I'll try and finish hermetic movie month. 3 to go, but my last few have been duds. Reader recommendations welcome.
