The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music news: Can a violin help devastated Japan recover from earthquakes and tsunami? Conductor Riccardo Muti and pianist Emanuel Ax receive major honors. A composer dies. And a controversial music biographer dies.

By Jacob Stockinger

This Saturday brings another mish-mash of news with both the living and the dead as well as the honored.

ITEM: The world’s most expensive Stradivarius violin (below is another Strad, a painting of the violin maker and the precious label) will be put up for auction and is expected to get $10 million – all of which will go to the relief fund for victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami:

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/10m-strad-to-be-auctioned-for-japan-tsunami-fund

ITEM: Computer music pioneer Max Mathews (below top) and the voice of Hal 9000 (below bottom) in the film “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Max Mathews, has died at 84:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/arts/music/max-mathews-father-of-computer-music-dies-at-84.html?ref=music

ITEM: Classical music biographer Joan Peyser, whose study of Leonard Bernstein raised some hackles, has died at 80:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/arts/music/joan-peyser-bernstein-and-gershwin-biographer-dies-at-80.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

ITEM: Some honor recently reduced the chatty pianist Emanuel Ax to silence. What was it?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-with-emanuel-ax-review.html

ITEM: Chicago Symphony maestro Riccardo Muti’s run of good luck since his recovery from illness and return to the CSO podium continues with a major prize:

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/5184856-421/csos-riccardo-muti-wins-asturias-prize-for-the-arts.html