With the season finale of Le Salon de Musiques along at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion’s chamber-music friendly fifth floor on Sunday, artistic director and pianist Each Others Way Tabi No Tochuu Francois Chouchan programmed two masterpieces on the two-piano genre: Mozart’s Sonata in D Major and Rachmaninoff’s Suite No. 1 (“Fantaisie-tableaux”). Chouchan himself decided on joining Steven Vanhauwaert since the partner of the duo, but when children emergency summoned him returning to Paris, he chose Mark Robson to exchange him. Robson, a founding person in Piano Spheres, happens to be in Liszt mode, using a free recital of song transcriptions scheduled for June 5 in the New york County Museum of Art. And Vanhauwaert, a normal guest performer for that Jacaranda series, recently released a remarkable disc including functions by Schubert, Schumann and Liszt. Still, it absolutely was remarkable that whenever only four rehearsals, Vanhauwaert and Robson could give such exuberant and sensitive accounts of both scores. Mozart’s robust, inventive Sonata became a great vehicle for these superb pianists, whose resonant ensemble playing sounded just like a mini-orchestra. They conveyed a galloping energy inside work’s outer movements. For some reason, one piano involved one yard longer compared to other, so inside a spirit of equality, Vanhauwaert took the bigger Steinway within the Mozart, switching with Robson for that Rachmaninoff. “Size matters,” as Vanhauwaert quipped in a lively champagne-fueled post-concert discussion, a signature event at Le Salon, plus a Patina-catered sandwich and dessert buffet. The pianists gave an uninhibited, richly sonorous reading of Rachmaninoff’s enjoyably florid neo-Romantic early Suite. In the Byronic Adagio, “A Nights Love,” Robson about the first (larger) piano led a Liszt-sized love duet that rose to a triple forte climax. And in the operatic Largo di molto “Tears,” the duo conveyed a new man’s concept of romantic despair. The performance was capped off by their joyously pealing bell effects inside the "Russian Easter" finale. Since its tentative begin in October, Le Salon de Musiques is continuing to grow in stature. I've sampled two previous offerings, both excellent. But Sunday's piano-duo recital really was buzzing. A German consul was there. The crowd Q&A was lively and intelligent, kids were within the audience -- some attending their first classical music performance -- and the young scholar chosen to introduce the background music, Julius Reder Carlson, was focused and insightful. He involved to protect his dissertation for any PhD immediately at UCLA, and told me "this was sound practice." I also overheard several budding musicians asking Vanhauwaert and Robson questions such as "How can you communicate to one another across two concert grands as long as you're performing?" Le Salon just announced its second season of monthly concerts. It looks like the series has come into its own.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Lady Gaga ditched the music and switched to the media on Monday
LONDON (Reuters) – Flamboyant pop star Lady Gaga ditched the music and switched to the media on Monday with a stint as a guest editor at the London headquarters of the global free newspaper network Metro.
Widely regarded as the world's biggest pop star, the 25-year-old New Yorker has also been busy promoting her second full-length studio album "Born This Way" which is available in stores from May 23.
Gaga arrived at Metro's offices wearing pink hair in a beehive style, black high heels, fishnet stockings and a black brassiere-like top.
"I'm sorry if my business attire is a little different" she joked as she shook hands with staff.
Gaga took charge of the morning editorial meeting, offering her opinion on a range of topics from bullying to the Japan earthquake to who her heroes are.
She immediately set out her vision for the paper in her role as guest editor for the day, touching on themes she has already mentioned as part of her mission as an entertainer.
"I feel so privileged I get to make music every day," she told staff. "If you have revolutionary potential you have a moral obligation to make the world a better place."
Her new record is the follow-up to her 2008 debut album "The Fame," which went on to sell more than 12 million copies and topped the charts. An extended play release "The Fame Monster" came out the following year.
Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, has a huge and famously devoted fanbase around the world whom she calls her "little monsters."
In turn she refers to herself as "Mother Monster" whose every public appearance is a piece of performance art and outlandish fashion statement rolled into one, turning her into a cultural phenomenon as much as a musician.
"I really appreciate the opportunity and it's a wonderful chance for me to show the world that little monsters are not just a fan thing, but exist outside the music world altogether," Gaga said of her editing activities at Metro.
Gaga's more notorious outfits to date have included a raw meat dress she wore to the MTV Video Music Awards last year and her arrival at the Grammy Awards in February encased in a giant egg.
"I'm half living my life between reality and fantasy at all times," the "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" singer recently told the Guardian newspaper. "It's best not to ask questions and just enjoy."
It is not all just about enjoyment, however, and music writers and commentators who have interviewed the singer note a messianic dimension to her ambition which appears to go beyond merely selling records.
Her own online biography concludes: "And, now, I'm just trying to change the world one sequin at a time," albeit with "a wink in her eye."
It is not all plain sailing for the multi-Grammy Award winner, however.
The huge impact of The Fame means the pressure is on for Born This Way to match that commercial and critical success.
Religious groups accuse her of blasphemy, there was dissent in the ranks of her legions of fans over the cover art to Born This Way and she has reacted angrily to suggestions that the first single from the new record was copied from Madonna's 1989 hit "Express Yourself."
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
“#jetsgo” - Curren$y Above is the video for the new...
“#jetsgo” - Curren$y
Above is the video for the new Curren$y joint (get it?) #jetsgo. The video and song are stellar and prove to me why this dude has become one of my favorite rappers over the past year. Hard working, consistent and the man does it all while being completely stoned out of his mind at all times. I’m excited for his new record Weekend at Burnies as well as the next installment of Pilot Talk. Jet life.
