Diane's Blog - Music

Sunday Evening

nospam@example.com (Diane C.) — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 21:03:03 -0700

For lovers of solo classical piano music... Click the links and Enjoy!

Scarlatti Sonata K 141   Martha Argerich

Scriabin Etude Opus 8 No. 12   Vladimir Horowitz

Rachmaninoff Opus 3 No 2 in C# Minor   Emil Gilels

Tip: Hit the back arrow on the browser when each video is finished.

Just Plain Sad

nospam@example.com (Diane C.) — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 18:35:03 -0700

Now where are all the culture warriors when you need them? They wasted all their vitriol on the Da Vinci Code and are now holidaying in Branson. Because of web serendipity, I came upon this article "Another Record Crash" and a sad crash it is. But the crash is not stocks or cars, it's music.

AOL-Time Warner has dumped its classical music department. And with it go the independent labels that hunters of unusual music and bargain records love. In the 90s, Warner bought up the Europe independent labels Erato, Teldec, Harmonia Mundi and others. It seems the runaway success of the Three Tenors records made them think classical music might make a good investment. However even though the classical music section has been successful, AOL-Time Warner seems to think it is time to spin off all but the most profitable pieces of their business.

So now there are only three major labels recording classical music. I have fond memories of going through the bargain classical record bins in the Gramophone and Peaches record stores. And this was in Oklahoma in the 70s & the 80s.

Update: Well there is good news and bad news. The good news is that Warner says"Nah we are not shutting down classical music, we are just rolling the department over to Rhino Records. Rhino Records...now isn't that the record company that used to reissue novelty records and Rock-n-Roll B sides and other pop music oddities. The treasure trove for 70's radio personality Dr. Demento.

The bad news is Warner bought Rhino in the 90s and all the odd stuff is gone. Now it is just rock-n-roll nostalgia for the PBS crowd. I used to listen to Dr. Demento Sunday nights...I was living in small town Oklahoma...and loved all the odd ball stuff.

This deserves a cry-ie face.

Sing-along with Einstein

nospam@example.com (Diane C.) — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 10:13:34 -0800

What's the best way to remember information? A catchy tune. I'll bet you still can't get the Oscar Mayer song out of your head or the Gilligans' Island theme song...30 years running.

From the Daily Transcript...A link to the songs of Science Groove ...

Can't remember basic biochemistry... then listen to the song Glucose.

More Science Music:

Do you remember children's records? Jef Pozkanser saved his old science records and recorded them to cd and then to mp3 format. Listen to these fifties science songs at Singing Science Records

The Haverford college physics department has a database of science songs. Listen to The First and Second Law, the most famous physics song and my favorite chemistry song, The Element Song by Tom Lehrer.

Blogging Mozart

nospam@example.com (Diane C.) — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 13:24:09 -0800

Because of Mozart's 250th birthday yesterday, Mozart is having his fame in blog-land. Over at Technorati, the name Mozart has been on the top 15 search list for blogs since yesterday. This won't last long though, but it is marvelous to see the name Mozart instead of some non-talented celebrity hack as is the norm on Technorati.

I celebrated the day by listening to the "Amadeus" soundtrack and several of my other Mozart LP's. My favorite Mozart piece is the "Trio in E-flat Major for Piano, Clarinet, and Viola" K498. You won't find this piece on the usual Mozart greatest hits compilations. You can hear the trio by clicking here.

Happy 250th Birthday

nospam@example.com (Diane C.) — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 20:21:06 -0800

From a letter to Archduke Ferdinand from his mother the Empress Maria Theresa concerning the employment of a certain musician:

You ask my opinion about taking the young Salzburg musician into your service.I do not know where you can place him, since I feel you do not require a composer, or other useless people. But if it would give you pleasure, I have no wish to prevent you. What I say here is only meant to persuade you not to load yourself down with people who are useless and to urge you not to give such people the right to represent themselves as being in your service. It gives one's service a bad name when such types run about like beggars;besides he has a large family.

Happy Birthday Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!

Celebrate the day by reading these articles in Arts and Letters Daily.