Holiday Wishes

 

Ⓒmusicnintheelevator.com

 

Wishing everyone a wonderful Holiday Season.  

 Looking forward to 2021!

 

 

 

Earth, Wind & Fire - September (Official Video)

I remember...

Earth, Wind & Fire Biography

https://www.earthwindandfire.com/history/biography/

“With” vs. “Following”: A Question of Accompanist Equality

 

Recalling a telephone conversation with my Attorney/WWII Veteran/Maternal Uncle... The rapid “machine gun” fire of his authoritative voice peppering me with questions regarding the definition of an “Accompanist”, as though I was on the witness stand being grilled in Superior Court. Of course,while attempting to explain my viewpoint during his interrogation, my anger flared as my eyes flashed in righteous indignation. However, having been taught to “honour and respect one’s elders”, I found myself adjusting my attitude, slowly retracting my proverbial fangs, and meekly responding, as I simultaneously purged my ire by crunching down on Almonds!

In retrospect, my Maternal Uncle may not have been incorrect in his questioning what an Accompanist is. The issue lies not in the proper definition per se, but rather in how an Accompanist defines his or herself... One who has the training, capacity, and flexibility to meet the demands of a Soloist harmoniously.

Hence, performing “with” a Soloist can be used to describe the function, and utility of an Accompanist; as opposed to “following” the lead of the Soloist during a performance.

College music curricula offer opportunities to both Piano and Piano Accompaniment students to both play and perform “with” any Instrument /Voice during lessons, in Chamber music class or during Mini recitals. Then, of course, there are the “It’s an emergency, I need you” calls which offer little to no remuneration, much less enough time to rehearse... The result? A lot of practical experience, and character building!

Okay, so by now you can probably tell that I’ve been through the gamut in the world of “Been there, done that” - including being fired. Happily, I moved forward successfully all the while taking and incorporating these character building moments in stride.

 All this to say, there is unfortunately no panacea for finding the “with” in one’s musical life. Sometimes, it’s a straight forward “gig” where everyone’s role is clearly defined. Other times, it can appear to be a literal game of musical “accompanist” chairs. because some never find the equal footing demonstrated in performing “with” the Soloist, but are relegated to “following” status due to misconceptions or the erroneous assumption that Accompanists are not as well-trained, or gifted enough musically as everyone else. Finally, there are those who must adhere to Management requests to keep the peace, or keep the job.

My ultimate wish is that a performance be comprised “with” that which one needs from both Soloist and Accompanist - a collaborative harmony reached between professionals, whereby the moments musical created together are glorious and live on for future generations to share and enjoy.

Photo:  Elevator - Musical Instrument Museum, Brussels via Wikimedia Commons

 | Daderot / Public Domain

ERSO Season Opening Concert with New Chief Conductor Olari Elts

Estonian Foreign Ministry / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Estonian National Symphony Orchestra’s (ERSO) 94th

Season Opening Concert with New chief conductor and artistic director Olari Elts - takes place on Friday 11 September.  

This concert will kick off the ERSO’s  2020/2021 Season.

 More information about ERSO, their concert schedule, tickets, and erso.tv, can be found on their website.

____________________________________

Meanwhile, Watch this ERSO Concert, streamed live in July.  Enjoy!

ERSO live:  Tantsuōhtu / Dance Night (alates 12:22)

(Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, YouTube; July1, 2020

Met Stars Virtual Concert Series Begins July 18

Met Stars Live in Concert

(Press Release, The Metropolitan Opera; July 11, 2020)

https://www.metopera.org/about/press-releases/met-stars-live-in-concert/

Live - How it Works

(How it Works, www.metopera.org)

https://www.metopera.org/user-information/met-stars-live-in-concert/how-it-works/

Met Opera On Demand

(On Demand,www.metopera.org)

https://www.metopera.org/season/on-demand/

Photo:  Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center via Wikimedia Commons | Lydia Liu / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

R. I. P.: “The cellist Lynn Harrell has died”

Rest In Peace

The cellist Lynn Harrell has died: 

Born January 30, 1943; died April 27, 2020

(Gramophone, gramophone.co.uk; April 28, 2020)

The Papal Concert Kol Nidrei for cello & orchestra Op.47 HD.wmv

(Lynn Harrell, Youtube; Dec 5, 2009)

Ellen Fullman on the Long String Instrument

      




A Composer and Her (Very) Long String Instrument
(Kerry O’Brien, The New York Times; May 1, 2020)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/01/arts/music/ellen-fullman.html

TexasTravelTexture (excerpt)
(Ellen Fullman, Vimeo; April 24, 2020)

The 2020/21 season of the Berliner Philharmoniker: Live Concert on May 1, 2020

Live orchestral concerts to begin again - Berlin Phil schedules first post - lockdown performance for this Friday

(Kyle Macdonald, Classic FM; April 27, 2020)

https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/coronavirus/berlin-phil-live-performance-resumes/

Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall - Live Streams

https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/live

Tour Electric Mastering's Vintage Stereo Cutting System With Sean Davies

The Vinyl?  It’s Pricey.  The Sound?  Otherworldly.

(Ben Sisario, The New York Times; April 28, 2020)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/28/arts/music/electric-recording-co-vinyl.html

———————————————————————————————

The Electric Recording Company

(theelectricrecordingco info, Youtube; November 9, 2012)

Electric Recording Co. Pt. 2 - Sleeve letter press process

(theelectricrecordingco Info, Youtube; November9, 2012)

"The Sounds of Worship"

©2020 Tierce de Picardie / Music in the “Elevator”

 

“The Sounds of Worship”

     As a very young college student, the Chairman of the Music Department (whom I later discovered was both an Organist and Choir Master), invited me to take an Organist position for a congregation in Scottsdale, AZ. Years later while studying Pipe Organ privately, I realized there is nomenclature which properly explained sounds emanating by air flow through each pipe. Indeed, “Diapason 8’” was not the sound of “a cloth diaper swishing around in a diaper pail”. 😊

  

     When contemplating appropriate terms to describe those who are Organists, Choir Directors, Musicians, Soloists, and/or Choir Members, the nomenclature encompassing all in the myriad sounds of Congregational worship are as varied as the pipes in the Pipe Organ ranks...

     Therefore, not to exclude anyone - including the worshippers - this year’s 2020 tierce de Picardie Award goes to those participating in any musical capacity, often nameless, who willingly contribute to the Sounds of Worship in our beloved Communities.

Photo: via Wikimedia Commons - Pipe Organ Metropolitan Museum of Art / CCO 

Meet The 2020 Polar Music Prize Winners

  

Meet The Following 2020 Polar Prize Winners:

Opera Singer Anna Netrebko and Songwriter Dianne Warren

Anna Netrebko - Polar Music Prize 2020 Official Announcement

(Polar Music Prize, YouTube; February 10, 2020)

Dianne Warren - Polar Music Prize 2020 Official Announcement

(Polar Music Prize, YouTube; February 10, 2020)

Present and Former Laureates

Polar Music Prize - The Laureates 

https://www.polarmusicprize.org/the-laureates/

     Update

Polar Music Prize Ceremony and Banquet Postponed To 2021
https://www.polarmusicprize.org/polar-music-prize-ceremony-and-banquet-postponed-to-2021/

‘Deaf’ genius Beethoven was able to hear his final symphony after all

Image:  Ludwig von Beethoven by Friedrich August von Kloeber (1793 - 1864)

‘Deaf’ genius Beethoven was able to hear his final symphony after all: The one thing everyone knows – or thinks they know – about Ludwig van Beethoven is that he composed some of music’s greatest masterpieces while completely deaf.

(feedimo.com; February 3, 2020)

Video

Beethoven 9th Symphony-Movement IV- “Ode to Joy”

(FolsomGreatMusic, YouTube; September 2, 2012)