http://www.sequenza21.com The Contemporary Classical Music Community Thu, 08 May 2008 02:48:35 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en James Combs, composer... Ah, where to start?... I met James years ago, in our formerly-shared hometown of Seattle. Truly a "regular-Joe" in person, giving little hint of the ornate wheels spinning underneath. An anecdote on James' blog seems a perfect illustration of the man and the work: A Minimalist Experience A boring ... http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/796 Ralph van Raat’s wonderul Naxos recording of The People United Will Never Be Defeated! (Naxos 8559360) has been getting some great press lately but (you know how cranky you folks are) some people have complained that the CD didn't contain the timings for the variations.   Take heart, gentle listener, all is revealed here. http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/795 My dear late best friend Danny Cariaga, classical music critic extraordinaire of the Los Angeles Times, once observed that people went to Wagner’s operas when they were new because they had more time. But now, with the onslaught of e-mails, IMs, cells with text messaging, to say nothing of ... http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/794 Curious item by Daniel J. Wakin buried deep in the bowels of Saturday's New York Times, the jist of which appears to be the fact that absolutely nobody is upset because Bang on a Can has programmed  Karlheinz Stockhausen's “Stimmung” as the culminating piece of a 12-hour marathon ending early on the ... http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/793 ...Who needs an aerobic DVD? The clip title is roughly "Maraca Driven Crazy", but I don't think that's the only thing coming unhinged here. Though this was posted around a year ago, I can't help feeling that somewhere in Italy they're still running through this phrase, over and over... (The ... http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/792 Speaking of Rzewski (and aren't we always), he'll be at Zankel Hall on Thursday night when the Opus 21 Ensemble presents an all-Fred birthday bash, highlighted by the world premiere of Natural Things, a major new work written specifically for Opus 21, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall, the Gilmore International Keyboard ... http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/789 I saw him play three times--twice with Herman and once at some dreary little club downtown whose name I've forgotten in front of an audience of me, a friend and the bartender.  It didn't seem to bother him much; he played like he was in front of a full house at Carnegie Hall.  Giuffre ... http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/788 Frank has details. http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/787 Sequenza21 blogger Charles Griffin is having the World Premiere of his Concerto for Chamber Orchestra on May 3 by the Westchester Chamber Orchestra.  The concert is scheduled to begin at 8 pm  at Christopher J. Murphy Auditorium in the Murphy Science Building, corner of Summit and North Avenues, on the campus ... http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/786 [youtube]ZViZUoJwH-w[/youtube] Not really a religious piece but makes even a good atheist like me tear up.   The Protecting Veil is Tavener's masterpiece but as short pieces go, this one is special.  Who has recommendations for other Orthodox Easter listening? http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php/785