I just finished a big fat biography on J.S. Bach. I like his music, but one of my primary reasons for reading it was to gain an understanding of why he’s so sanctified as far as how he’s perceived and recalled in the cultural consciousness. He earned his money primarily from composing music for ChristianContinue reading “Bach’s spotless image”
Category Archives: music
Opera
A sparkling operatic voice emanating from the 7-Eleven — strong soprano notes. A woman passing, stunned, looked around her as if someone called her name, or like something she lost long ago was suddenly within walking distance.
On a cold note
Nonfiction stories dealing with surviving harsh rural winters appeal to me — a peculiar penchant. I also have an affinity for the music of Russian composers, eg. Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Mussorgsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich. A parallel? Chopin, too, is a favorite, and he’s from Poland — right up there, along with Schumann, a German.
Best books and music
These were the top three books and musical discoveries for me this year. They’re alphabetized and not in order of preference. BOOKS Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer – Inspiring essays on preserving our ecosystem and restoring nature, written from the perspective of Native American tradition and spirituality. Essays One by Lydia Davis – AContinue reading “Best books and music”
Some notes
Schubert’s notes softly coexist. Variations like an energy field. Potentiality, then sonata eighth notes. Piano — universal life field. Bionetwork notes. I am a C major w/ tendencies of D minor. Do C major and D minor exist beyond the piano or any other instrument. If a note rang out in the forest and noContinue reading “Some notes”
Classical likes
For those who enjoy a good dose of baroque music, I’d like to recommend Gabrielli & Scarlatti: Complete Cello Works, by Guadalupe López-Íñiguez. It is quite exquisite… If you’re into supporting women classical musicians like I am, then also check out the following: J.S. Bach: French Suites — Chopin: Mazurkas, by Alexandra Sostmann A ChopinContinue reading “Classical likes”
The clever reference in ‘Show Me’
It’s so cool that Chrissie Hynde repeatedly refers to love as “the word” in the Pretenders’ ’80s-era song Show Me. It seems a suave intracultural reference to the 1965 song The Word by the Beatles. That song, of course, was referring to love, as well. Also, a beautiful and poetic line in the Pretenders’ song:Continue reading “The clever reference in ‘Show Me’”
