The Well-Tempered Ear
Pianist John O’Conor plays the sublimely beautiful Impromptu in G-Flat Major by Franz Schubert
1 Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear loves Franz Schubert, who wrote supremely beautiful music. And one of his most sublime pieces comes from his first set of Impromptus for solo piano, the one in G-Flat Major, D. 899, No. 3.
This beautiful music was superbly performed here in 2018 by the Irish pianist John O’Conor (below), who specializes in the composers of the Classical era — especially Beethoven, Schubert and Mozart. He also has revived the music of the Irish Romantic composer John Field and appeared in Madison with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
Here is the introduction from the Salon Piano Series at Farley’s House of Pianos, which booked, hosted and recorded the live solo recital performance (below) on May 12, 2018.
“During these uncertain times, we appreciate remembering time spent together enjoying music.
“Please take a break from your day to see and hear John O’Conor perform Franz Schubert’s Impromptu in G-flat, D. 899, No. 3, in the YouTube video at the bottom that was recorded live at Farley’s House of Pianos as part of the Salon Piano Series on May 12, 2018.
“To see how the 1908 Chickering concert grand played by John O’Conor was restored, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5RJWeve6R8
“Over the years, you have supported Salon Piano Series with your attendance, individual sponsorships and donations (you can link to https://salonpianoseries.org/donate).
“We look forward to bringing you world-class musical performances in our unique salon setting again soon.
Sincerely,
Salon Piano Series
Tags: #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CapTimes, #ChickeringPiano, #CityofMadison, #ClassicalComposers, #Classicalera, #CoronavirusPandemic, #COVID-19, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #Farley'sHouseofPianos, #FranzSchubert, #IntimateSetting, #IrishComposer, #JacobStockinger, #JohnField, #LiveConcert, #LiveMusic, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #MadisonWisconsin, #PianoSonata, #RecordedMusic, #RomanticComposer, #RomanticEra, #RomanticMusic, #SalonPIanoSeries, #TheEar, #WisconsinChamberMusic, #WolfgangAmadeusMozart, #YouTubevideo, appreciate, Arts, attendance, audience, beauitful, Beethoven, blog, Book, break, Chickering, class, Classical, Classical era, Classical music, come, composer, Concert, concerto, coronavirus, day, Deutsch, donation, era, Facebook, Facebook post, Facebook posting, Farley's House of Pianos, field, forward, Franz Schubert, hear, help, host, impromptu, individual, intimate, introduction, Ireland, Irish, Irish composer, Jacob Stockinger, John Field, like, link, live concert, live music, look, Love, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Mozart, Music, Orchestra, pandemic, performance, performer, Pianist, Piano, Piano sonata, play, post, posting, recital, record, recorded music, remember, revival, revive, Romantic, Romantic era, Romantic music, salon, Salon Piano Series, Schubert, see, setting, share, solo, Sonata, specialize, spend, sponsorships, sublime, superb, supreme, symphony, tag, take, The Ear, times, together, United States, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, world, world-class, YouTube
The Metropolitan Opera has canceled the rest of this season and announced the following season of Live in HD. How will the cancellation affect concert seasons here and elsewhere?
1 Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
Unfortunately, it seems like The Ear’s prediction on Monday is coming true.
Given the coronavirus spikes and complications of vaccine production, testing, distribution and administration, The Ear said, it looks like live concerts are likely to be canceled for the rest of this season and perhaps even for the fall of 2021.
Here is that post:
Then yesterday the Metropolitan Opera (below) in New York City announced exactly that: It is going to cancel the whole season, and not just the fall productions, as originally planned. (You can hear general manager Peter Gelb discuss the plans for this season and the next season in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Given that the Met is the largest performing arts organization in the United States, it promises to be a Big Domino with a lot of influence and side effects.
Here is the Met story, with more quotes, details and information, from The New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/23/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-cancels-coronavirus.html
Perhaps to provide some reassurance and attenuate the negative news of the decision to cancel, the Met also announced its Live in HD season for the 2021-22 season, which is based on live productions.
Here it is on the website Opera Wire: https://operawire.com/met-opera-2021-22-season-here-is-all-the-information-for-this-seasons-live-in-hd-performances/
And if you want to know what the Met (below, from the stage) is planning to offer instead, here is a link to the Met’s own website: https://www.metopera.org.
What do you think will be the local effects of the Met decision to cancel the entire season?
Will other musical organizations follow suit, cancel the entire new season of in-person events and go safely online with virtual events?
The Ear wants to hear.
Tags: #BadNews, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BrendaRae, #ChoralMusic, #ClassicalMusician, #ConcertSeason, #CoronavirusPandemic, #COVID-19, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FlorentineOpera, #FrescoOperaTheatre, #GaetanoDonizetti, #GeneralManager, #GiacomoPuccini, #GiuseppeVerdi, #HomeWebsite, #JacobStockinger, #JulesMassenet, #LiveConcerts, #LiveinHD, #LiveMusic, #LyricOperaofChicago, #MadisonOpera, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MetropolitanOpera, #MetropolitanOperaLiveinHD, #MinnesotaOpera, #MusicalOrganization, #NewMusic, #NewYorkCity, #NewYorkTimes, #NicholasCarter, #OperaMusic, #OperaWire, #PerformingArts, #PeterGelb, #PublicHealth, #RichardStrauss, #SarahRuhl, #SeasonSubscriber, #SideEffects, #TerenceBlanchard, #TheEar, #TheMet, #TheUS, #UnitedStates, #UniversityOpera, #VirtualConcert, #VocalMusic, #WisconsinChamberOrchestra, #YannickNezet-Seguin, #YouTubevideo, 2020-21, 2021-22, administration, African American, announce, announcement, Arts, attenuate, audience, bad news, big, black, blog, Brenda Rae, cancel, cancellation, choral concert, choral music, Classical music, classicalmusic, come, composer, Concert, concert season, conductor, coronavirus, decision, detail, digital, discuss, distribution, domino, Donizetti, Facebook, fall, Florentine Opera, forward, Fresco Opera Theatre, Gaetano Donizetti, general manager, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Hamlet, HD, home website, in person, influence, information, instead, Jacob Stockinger, like, link, live, live concerts, Live in HD, live music, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Madison, Madison Opera, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Massenet, Metropolitan Opera, Metropolitan Opera Live in HD, Minnesota Opera, Music, musical, musical organizations, negatie, New Music, New York City, New York Times, news, Nicholas Carter, offer, online, opera, Opera Wire, Orchestra, organization, origial, Overture Center, pandemic, performer, Performing arts, Peter Gelb, plan, planned, post, posting, predict, prediction, premiere, production, Public health, Puccini, quotes, reader, reassurance, recital, Richard Strauss, safe, safely, Sarah Ruhl, Season, share, side effects, sing, singer, Singing, spike, Spring, stars, story, Strauss, subscriber, symphony, tag, Terence Blanchard, test, testing, The Ear, the Met, think, true, Turandot, unfortunate, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University Opera, US, Verdi, virtual, vocal music, Website, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, yesterday, you, YouTube
Classical music: The coronavirus pandemic sparks a surge in piano sales
1 Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
Have you or someone in your family used the COVID-19 lockdown and staying at home to practice, play or learn the piano?
You’re not alone.
A year ago, stories in the media tracked how pianos were quickly becoming a thing of the past in American homes. People were giving pianos away for free and for the cost of moving.
But then the coronavirus pandemic arrived, along with lockdowns, online learning and sheltering at home.
National news media discovered some unexpected good news, especially since public concerts have been canceled: The pandemic has brought a renewed interest in playing the piano at home – and in buying them.
The Ear wanted to find out if that same trend holds true in Madison.
“It does,” says Tim Farley, who — with his wife Renee — owns and operates Farley’s House of Pianos on the far west side near West Towne Mall. (The top photo from the store is from the Better Business Bureau. The two owners are seen below bottom in a photo from Isthmus newspaper).
“It’s weird,” he adds. “We had to close. When we re-opened, we cut back on hours and staff. Like many others, we figured there would be an end to business for a while.”
But just the opposite happened.
“Our sales are up about 34 percent compared to a year ago,” Farley adds. “We’re happy how things are going.”
Most of the sales increase has been in digital pianos, Farley says, although a lot of excellent acoustic pianos have also been sold, including a Hamburg Steinway.
Part of what accounts for the increase, he speculates, is that teachers inspire students to want better instruments.
Farley’s sells new and restored pianos (below), and also has an extensive teaching program, with online lessons during the pandemic. (For isolation practicing ideas and advice, see the YouTube video at the bottom.)
The Ear wonders if the same trend is happening in Europe and especially Asia — particularly China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan — where so many great young pianists are coming from and winning international competitions.
For more about the national picture in the U.S., including background history, information about prices, increases in online sales and the demographics of buyers, you should read this oustanding story by music critic Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim in The New York Times:
Here is a link: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/arts/music/piano-sales-coronavirus.html
Have you bought a piano or another instrument during the pandemic?
Are you using the down time to return to practicing and playing a piano or another instrument?
What would you like to say about making music during the pandemic?
Has making music helped you weather this odd period of time?
The Ear wants to hear.
Tags: #AsianPianist, #BetterBusinessBureau, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #ChineseMusicians, #ChinesePianist, #CityofMadison, #CorinnadaFonseca-Wollheim, #CoronavirusPandemic, #COVID-19, #CutBack, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #Farley'sHouseofPianos, #GiveAway, #GoodNews, #HamburgSteinway, #InstrumentalMusic, #IsthmusNewspaper, #JacobStockinger, #MadisonWisconsin, #MakingMusic, #MusicEducation, #PianoLessons, #PianoMusic, #PluckedInstruments, #ReneeFarley, #Self-Isolation, #shelter-at-home, #SouthKorea, #SouthKorean, #Stayathome, #TheEar, #TheNewYorkTImes, #TheU.S., #TimFarley, #WestSide, #WestTowneMall, #YouTubevideo, account, acoustic, adult learners, advice, ago, alone, America, American, another, Arts, Asia, background, better, Better Business Bureau, blog, bought, Business, buy, buyer, buying, cancel, canceled, China, Chinese, Classical music, close, come, compare, Competition, Concert, Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, coronavirus, cost, cut back, demographics, digital, digital piano, discover, down, Europe, excellent, explain, Facebook, Family, Farley's House of Pianos, forward, free, give, give away, going, good news, great, Hamburg Steinway, happy', hear, History, Home, hours, idea, ideas, increase, inspire, instrument, instruments, interest, international, isolation, Isthmus, it, Jacob Stockinger, Japan, Japanese, Korean, learning, lessons, like, link, lockdown, Madison, make, making music, mall, media'track, moving, Music, Music education, national, New York City, news, Newspaper, odd, online, open, operate, outstanding, own, pandemic, part, past, People, percent, period, photo, Pianist, Piano, piano lessons, piano music, Picture, play, post, posting, practice, practicing, program, public, quality, re-open, Renee Farley, renewed, restored, sales, share, someone, South Korea, South Korean, speculate, staff\, stay at home, Steinway, stories, story, students, tag, Taiwan, teachers, teaching, The Ear, The New York Times, thing, things, Tim Farley, time, track, transportation, true, unexpected, United States, weather, weird, west side, West Towne Mall, what, win, Wisconsin, year, you, young, YouTube
Recent Comments
The Well-Tempered Ear 