Mysteries Abysmal

Hollow weenie

When I was a kid, one event that traumatized me to no end was the bogus rumor that a ghost had been caught on camera during the filming of Three Men and a Baby. I don't think I slept soundly for five years. I remember lying in bed trying my best not to let the image pop into my head. "Think of Cecil Fielder," I'd tell myself.  "Alan Trammell turning a double play -- Alan Trammell turning a double play." Yet those little strategies never really worked. It's amusing to think it wasn't Freddy that kept me awake, or Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers. Or even the Wicked Witch. No, it was a cardboard cutout of Ted f*&%$ Danson. 

Happy Halloween

Lovin' on Bresson

He [the priest] did not seem to hear me. But a few moments later, he laid his hands on mine while his eyes entreated me to draw closer to him. He then said, very distinctly, if extremely slowly, these exact words: "What does it matter? All is grace." -- Diary of a Country Priest (1950)

Can u crunk to it?

Here's the kind of dialogue one gets for broadcasting classical music on a predominantly hip-hop radio station.  Listeners can either call in or IM us for requests or other inquiries, and I'm thinking this guy abused that privilege. 

staba868 (4:41:14 PM): yo dawwg

staba868 (4:41:19 PM): what show is this?

RadioDePaul (4:49:55 PM): cyber classical

staba868 (4:54:32 PM): ohh shit

staba868 (4:54:41 PM): like classical rap yo?

staba868 (4:54:49 PM): hip hop?

staba868 (4:56:47 PM): ello/?

staba868 (4:56:48 PM): u ther

RadioDePaul (4:57:06 PM): no, classical music

staba868 (4:57:46 PM): whats that?

RadioDePaul (4:58:27 PM): it is what it is

staba868 (4:58:49 PM): how old r u?

staba868 (4:59:26 PM): i thought only ppl 60 + listen to classical?

staba868 (4:59:46 PM): is this still the depaul college station?

RadioDePaul (5:00:33 PM): yup

staba868 (5:02:09 PM): are u college age or professor age?

RadioDePaul (5:03:38 PM): believe it or not, but there are actually some young people who are curious about this music

staba868 (5:04:23 PM): daamn

staba868 (5:05:15 PM): so its like

staba868 (5:05:19 PM): violins and stuff

staba868 (5:05:20 PM): or jazz?

RadioDePaul (5:05:38 PM): actually, anything notated

staba868 (5:05:52 PM): i dont know what that means

RadioDePaul (5:05:45 PM): that is written down for performers to play

staba868 (5:05:57 PM): r u in the music school?

RadioDePaul (5:06:05 PM): no

RadioDePaul (5:06:24 PM): do you not like the idea of classical music on a college radio station?

staba868 (5:06:34 PM): im just confused yo

RadioDePaul (5:06:56 PM): don't be...just listen and hopefully you'll find something you'll like

staba868 (5:07:03 PM): k

staba868 (5:07:06 PM): can u crunk to it?

RadioDePaul (5:07:24 PM): sure

staba868 (5:08:20 PM): u got any betoven or pavoraty?

RadioDePaul (5:08:50 PM): we just got done playing Beethoven!  Piano Sonata in C, op. 3, no.2

staba868 (5:09:41 PM): damn

staba868 (5:09:55 PM): dat be from like 1932?

RadioDePaul (5:10:21 PM): the recording was just from a few years ago

staba868 (5:11:02 PM): hes still alive?

staba868 (5:11:07 PM): ddaamn yo!

RadioDePaul (5:11:58 PM): LvB never dies

staba868 (5:12:30 PM): nuh uh

staba868 (5:12:39 PM): r u in a gang?

staba868 (5:12:50 PM): the LvBs crew

RadioDePaul (5:12:59 PM): nope...haha

RadioDePaul (5:14:51 PM): hey, we gotta get back on the air.  nice chatting with you

staba868 (5:14:54 PM): DEPAUL RULEZ

staba868 (5:15:01 PM): latr dawh

staba868 (5:15:02 PM): g

Grace Kelley

Margaret Kelley, the NEA's program assistant, provided thankless support during our 11 day stay in New York. Bravo to her!  She also keeps a beautiful blog that posts way more photos and insight into the 'tute than I have given y'all so far. As is the case with good-looks and intelligence, I was naturally a little shy around her.  Then I opened up a bit, and I now feel lucky to have met her.  As she noted in her journal after observing a homeless preacherman on the subway, I can say we all want to similarly make the journey "from crack to Christ!"

Ives on the barge

The 2007 NEA Institute for classical and opera critics is now over.  Now that I have time to blog again, where do I begin as I reflect?  I'm not so sure because these past 11 days have changed me in many ways (oooh ahhh).  So, arbitrarily, I'll start backwards with our farewell night of festivities that featured our own private recital from pianist/blogger Jeremy Denk. We shuttled down to BargeMusik in Brooklyn, a tiny vessle that rocks back and forth on the waves of the East River with an interior that smells of old rags.  Yeah we all had bouts of queasiness, but the lil' boat is so unlike any other performance space that we can forget about it. Thanks to SMB's request, Jeremy performed Charles Ives' Concord Sonata with astonishing virtuosity and delicacy. My recordings have never made me care about this music and it wasn't until hearing it live that makes me now want more of it.  It didn't hurt either that Denk is very visual when he plays, and this fact brought many of us in even closer.  The end of the "Emerson" movement is still quietly ringing in my ears. 

Jeremy then joined us for dinner in Brooklyn Heights. After several hours, I noticed a recurring reference popping up in his speech.  So if anyone wants the key to his busy mind, I have two words for you:  Lost Illusions.  ....Much more to come on the NEA. 

NEA installment 2

Much more substance to come later (I literally don't have any free time to blog), but here are some photos from our day at Carnegie Hall. 

Me with Portland, OR critic Stephen Marc Beaudoin in front of Patelson's sheet music house. I learned what a double-sharp was here 8 years ago.   

Waiting outside Carnegie Hall for our VIP-like tour. 

Historian Joseph Horowitz (all black) sets the record straight in Central Park. He, coincidentally, was my first interview at the Sun-Times.

 

Lincoln Center, through the lens of a crummy camera. 

The greatest schnoz ever: Frederic Chopin. 

Update: Another photo appearance on Rich Copley's excellent blog. 

The subway, she is a porno

NEA/Columbia: Entry #1.  I came a day early to mill around New York on Saturday, but this proved to be a lousy idea.  My one night stay at the Hotel Riverside Studios were the scariest 12 hours I've spent in NYC; all of gotham's seedy stereotypes seemed to surface within minutes of checking in.  Without recalling into depth the painful details again, they are briefly as follows: a roaming pervert whispering outside my door, cockroaches literally at every turn, and a shower stall with no window coverings inviting in the rest of 71st street.  All for the lovely price of $220/night!  Yet when Sunday arrived and the Institute formally began, everything fell into place. My fellow Fellows come from 17 states and many of them are bloggin' it. Let me give a cyber shout-out to the renaissance SMB from Portland and Rich Copley of Lexington, KY.  High profile critics Justin Davidson, Steve Smith, and Alex Ross all came and spoke with us Monday on the classical music beat; Ross moreso on his recent book. Tuesay it's Terry Teachout and Jeremy Denk.  Then the opera on consecutive nights at the New York City Opera and the Met; pressroom passes will be provided.  This is only scratching the surface and I haven't even mentioned that we're eating in high style: I had duck breast at a French restaurant last night, and then it's 4-star Indian tomorrow.  Thank you John Q. Taxpayer. 

Occasions

Gerry and I celebrate our 50th show tomorrow on Cyber Classical; that's 150 hours of on-air recklessness floating somewhere out there in space.  So please tune in from the link over on the right hand side of this page.  The following morning I'm off to New York for 12 days. I plan to document my NEA experiences daily should time permit.  Honestly though I'm not thinking it will, but I will be posting photos periodically.  Next blog entry: 10/13, live from the upper west side. 

CD, or currently discouraged

Classical Debacle Chicago Sun-Times, October 7, 2007.  When Tower and Virgin Records closed up shop in the last year, I lost a community that had nourished my curiosities about music.  For a city its size, I'm disheartened at how slim the pickins are here in Chicago. I see J & R in NYC is still around, which is where I bought my first stack of classical discs; why can't Chicago support one too?  Thanks to knowledgeable, slightly nerdy, always obsessed retail clerks, many people's exploration into music began with their influence.  I salute the few and brave souls that remain, notably Chris Miller of Chicago Digital.  No matter how cool and convenient the iTune can be, online browsing rather sucks. 

Milwaukee

10/05/07

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, matinee concert. 

Liszt Concerto #1, pianist Markus Groh.  Con. Andreas Delfs