The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music news: A recovered Riccardo Muti is back in form. Composer Lee Hoiby dies. YouTube Symphony concert sets a record. Violinist Hilary Hahn cancels Japan dates to help Japan. Lost Chopin letters go on display. Hear the NHK Symphony in Faure.
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By Jacob Stockinger
Today brings mish-mash of news items.
But let’s start with another chapter — a happier chapter after many sad ones — in an on-going saga:
ITEM: Chicago Symphony Orchestra maestro Riccardo Muti has recovered, is back in the Windy City and is eager to again mount the podium:
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/MUS-MUTI_4783989/MUS-MUTI_4783989/
ITEM: Recovered letters by Chopin (below) go on display:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12846506
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14941372,00.html
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/frederic-chopin-letters-on-display-in-warsaw/
ITEM: Here’s yet another reason to like violinist Hilary Hahn (below).
Since they can’t play, as scheduled, in Japan – violinist Hilary Hahn and pianist Valentina Lisitsa – who played a fabulous recital at the Wisconsin Union Theater in February – and others are playing benefit concerts for Japan:
http://www.sequenza21.com/2011/03/hilary-plays-for-japan/
ITEM: The YouTube Symphony 2011 set a record of 33 million viewers and listeners for streaming the on-line event. Get which country, where classical music is so pooh-poohed as in decline, led the pack?
ITEM: Lyrical opera and song composer Lee Hoiby (below), born and educated in Madison, dies at 85:
HERE IS ANOTHER BONUS AUDIO/VIDEO CLIP OF THE NHK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF TOKYO TO HONOR THE STRUGGLE OF JAPAN GOING ON RIGHT NOW. THIS TIME IT IS SOMETHING REASSURING AND QUIET, LIKE THE BEAUTIFUL JAPANESE LANDSCAPE BEFORE THE DEVASTATION:
