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Salon Bulletin Board of Miscellany (2)Join LibraryThing to post. This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
Going to the Miscellany thread, I saw that it was two years old and over 350 messages long, so I am taking the liberty of starting the second one. I just received An Everlasting Meal and I am quite excited about it. It is not a cookbook, but a book for people who like to cook. In a series of essays Tamar Adler talks about how to make wonderful food without really thinking about it too hard. Anyone who likes to look around the kitchen and pantry to figure out what can be thrown together for a GOOD meal will love this. There are a few recipes, but that is not the point of it. I cannot wait to go home and through a bunch of stuff in a pot. 2A_musingJan 9, 2012, 5:14pm 
Looks good. We stopped buying cookbooks around 10 years ago when we completely overran all available space for them. I want to buy cookbooks again.
You just need to get the new house with space for the cookbooks and the goat!
At the risk of gushing, it is a beautiful book. She writes well, and each chapter starts with a quotation like this one at the beginning of the chapter entitled "How to Build a Ship":
If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood, and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 4urania1Jan 9, 2012, 6:01pm
Lisa,
A fabulous quotation. I am putting it in my chapbook.
Forgot to get back to this until I thought of the thread for another reason. The book has lots of great quotations scattered through the chapter headings and the text. If you like to read about cooking, this is a wonderful book. I even went so far as to post a short review--although I have not reviewed a book in ages--because I enjoyed it so much.
On the other thought: Someone tell me how a captain of a mega-cruise ship decides to deviate from the set course and then manages to run aground in charted waters. 6RickHarschEdited: Jan 16, 2012, 4:46pm
Lisa, I called our best maritime expert today--he's been running simulations. It turns out the worst of it was that after grounding he would have been better off not dropping anchor and re-grounding, for there was space enough and time to manouver. The word is that some crew member from Giglio had had time off revoked suddenly and the captain allowed a 'close run' for his sake. The captain was probably not at the helm and my guess he said 300 meters from shore and the feller at the wheel got them considerably closer.
Interesting about the dropping anchor since the reports here are suggesting that that was a good thing to do. They said that he was trying to get closer to shore! I at first thought he was trying to kedge, although how one would do that with something that big, I have no idea.
We will probably never hear the resolution of this here in the states since the incident is momentarily interesting to the press, but the "why and wherefore" is not. If you learn anything, try to remember to let me know. 8Sandydog1Edited: Jan 16, 2012, 8:10pm
Ah, it seems that I have to kedge almost every morning...
there were also reports, since suppressed, of a white whale in the vicinity... 10Sandydog1Edited: Jan 16, 2012, 8:26pm
Physeter carnivalphagica Ya know, this is drfting dangerously close to another topc/thread, but I really enjoyed Nathaniel Philbrick's book on this subject, Murr. He wrote about how the all the portly guys survived weeks without food. Ah, there are advantages to having a physique like mine!
Despite claims that no sperm whales traveled in the Mediterranean, Ishmael knew better.
My wife booked with that tour company, the same tour, for the first week in March. She's scrambling now to get her money back.
Good heavens Pietro! They would have to prove to me that their captains have more brains.
Well, yeah. If you recall, the missus dodged an earthquake, twice, when she sailed around the straits, from Buenos Aires to Santiago, and last year the cruise line (a different one than this one that ran aground) cancelled a stop in Morocco, because of an uprising. Now it's an incompetent captain on an Italian cruise line; no offense.
The captain seems to me to have been more than competent, but in making a foolish concession to a friend, allowing a closer pass by the island, they grounded and he went into captain mode, deciding to turn and kedge(?), anyway, to make a manouver that is not easy but had the best chance as far as he knew, to be successful--and then: he went to pieces. It's stunning to read the transcripts with the coast guard, and really horrible to see a man crack as he did.
We'll have to wait some time before we can compare his response to Lord Jim's.
Lisa, I'll speak with my friend again and see what's new.
Rick, you are right--probably a good captain who made a foolish choice or did not pay attention for a short time. Obviously not on the same scale, and, fortunately have managed to have only little bad things happen, but any somewhat scary boating incidents in which I have been involved have been as a result of some sort of momentary lapse of judgment or attention. Those things are always warnings which cause greater vigilance going forward. This captain will not be able to use the lesson. 17citygirlJan 18, 2012, 10:30am
Captain claims he "tripped" and fell off the boat. Love it. He should run for US President.
Brillant stop motion picture
The work it took !
Fantastic. Incidentally, I once arranged all the books in the living room by spine color. It was lovely, until I wanted a specific book. Learn from my mistakes!
As I watched it I could not help thinking about how much work was involved in making that. And it looks like a lovely bookstore, too.
I believe my son views me as his anagnostes - I'd better head home from work now and serve the young master!
RDGWYGRL, More context for post 20 please.
More context? Hmmm, well, I took all the books down from the shelves and arranged them by spine color. The blue shading into green shelf was particularly fetching. And then I needed a book that I knew had a yellow cover. Heretically, the spine turned out to be red, and not discovered until I had pulled all the books out and arranged them as Nature intended. Alphabetically, divided by subject.
It is perhaps best for me to not follow through on those Really Good Ideas that come to me late at night, especially on returning from a great evening out or after a long, slow evening in.
Guys, my books are arranged alphabetically, and it is a huge problem involving constant cramming of books into spaces too small for them, or shifting the last book on the shelf onto the next shelf and then the last two books on that shelf onto the next shelf, with many tumbling stacks and torn cuticles and related ailments. I just made the big surrender of starting an oversize shelf. Further suggestions toward the amelioration of this situation are appreciated.
(My CDs, when I had CDs, were arranged chronologically, and that was boss.)
I have lots of book shelves which I have organized with the "good looking" fiction of all types on the top shelves alphabetically by author. Then I have "not-so-good looking, but not ugly books" that could be considered classic literature on the next shelves alphabetically by author. Then I have the foreign language books kind of shoved together, and the mysteries kind of shoved together with a few fantasies thrown in. I have the non-fiction on some other shelves by topic and author. I have the miscellaneous fiction that is ugly and not ugly all on the lower shelves alphabetically by author. Then I have the piles on the floor in the bedroom and another small bookshelf near the bedroom that is not organized at all.
When I buy new books--which only happens every couple of days or so--it is hell to try to figure out where to put them so I just stick them on the shelves laying down in front of the other books. This is the reason I love LT. At least I know what I have even if I am not sure where it is.
Sorry MM, I know this is no help, but I feel better now.
I've recently organized my books chronologically and I'm still trying to decide if I like them that way.
Recently, I let them arrange themselves, and I've come to like it. Until, that is, I am trying to find something. But being so engaged usually leads me to rediscover some other thing, and in this way, even if I don't find the original object of my search, I leave off contented.
>32 Yeah, Peter, that was my old way. Maybe I should let them all tumble back to that point. 34baswoodFeb 11, 2012, 7:29pm
Many of my books are stored in the attic and its way too cold to go anywhere near them at the moment.
Teresa, chronologically how? By date of publishing? By date of acquisition?
Lisa, I ordered them by date written or published. Was interesting to do.
That does sound interesting. I wonder if that can be done on LT to see what age my books are? I certainly am not going to take them all down to look at them :-).
>28 RGWG, you crack me up. lol
Much complimented by our recent naming here, but I think it's come time to hand the reins over to Rick and Arjun!
Yes, Rick, how about Monday?
The Folio society has added a color icon to their new catalogue. It is the color of the slipcases and it is presented in the same way as how the color of cars are described : steel blue, sunshine red, field green etc. I wonder why they do that. Once in your library, the color of the slipcase cannot be seen !
I don't know, Mac. Reading some of the posts in the folio devotees forum it seems like some devotees are very picky.
rdgwygrl, I would have been among the various yellows 45PoriusEdited: Feb 14, 2012, 9:11pm
My thoughts too PK.
PITY PARTY ON CHOCO'S THREAD. ALL INVITED. BRING TISSUES. 48sibyxEdited: Mar 5, 2012, 11:58am
This seems like the right thread, maybe, to post that I wish wish wish I could be participating in just about every one of the Group Reads -- Gormenghast, Songlines (which looks like it is on a break?), Arjun -- my spousal unit has a Kindle but he hasn't been using it and I'm trying to get him to charge it up as I am more than eager to read Rick's book, but the S.U. is being sort of pokey about it, (it's my-un, possibly a 'sharing' issue.....) and I am trying not to be pushy. I think there are some reads further down the road I can join. I'd love to reread the Ovid, it's been a long time, and a couple of the other books on the list.
Back to add a comment about the slate piece - subject of perennial fascination this - people always trying to rewrite nasty children's books to make them 'nicer'. The original Grimm Fairy tales are something else. Serious mayhem, maiming, etc. - the Andersen's are all much sweeter.
49sibyxMar 5, 2012, 12:01pm
This seems like the right thread, maybe, to post that I wish wish wish I could be participating in just about every one of the Group Reads -- Gormenghast, Songlines (which looks like it is on a break?), Arjun -- my spousal unit has a Kindle but he hasn't been using it and I'm trying to get him to charge it up as I am more than eager to read Rick's book, but the S.U. is being sort of pokey about it, (it's my-un, possibly a 'sharing' issue.....) and I am trying not to be pushy. I think there are some reads further down the road I can join. I'd love to reread the Ovid, it's been a long time, and a couple of the other books on the list.
Back to add a comment about the slate piece - subject of perennial fascination this - people always trying to rewrite nasty children's books to make them 'nicer'. The original Grimm Fairy tales are something else. Serious mayhem, maiming, etc. - the Andersen's are all much sweeter.
The simple directness of this offering does seem like it might have been terrifying - my daughter is razor sharp and we offer no consolations either...... but at the same time I've never thought that the characters 'die' when you close the book - I'm more of the Ffordian bent that once invented, you are part of the 'verse.
50: I really liked Dominic as a youngster. Actually I've never read anything else by him, but these reviews make me want to. 49: I hope you will be participating in some of our group reads. Your notes on Infinite Jest are really fun to read! 52sibyxMar 5, 2012, 1:05pm
'not for anyone who is unsure about dentists' Selzer water up nose!
Dr. Soto was one of our all-time FAVORITES and we still sometimes talk with our mouths glued shut!
Thank you anna, I wish I had a few fellow travelers, but I seem to have ended up pretty much on my own..... nothing new in that. 53DanMatEdited: Mar 5, 2012, 1:12pm
Apparently William Steig is too difficult for today's younger generation...or maybe too difficult for their parents. Anyway, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble left quite an impression on me. Funny enough Shrek is his creation (some really great illustrations in there)...he's always been a top notch illustrator. The pictures in this one are very good: http://www.amazon.com/Caleb-Kate-William-Steig/dp/0374410380/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&...
I could use a measely $4 million, right about now...
In a place where coughing draws looks that could kill, that is amazing! 59sibyxMar 10, 2012, 8:11am
When I went to the orchestra in Phila. we would carefully UNWRAP our cough drops ahead of time......
and be careful not to hit one's teeth when one puts a cough drop into one's mouth 61sibyxMar 10, 2012, 8:15am
or, god forbid, make slurping sounds!
It seems the conductor gave them a look that could kill, anyway. Personally, this incident makes me happy.
It's not a particularly rational happiness, murr. But I often wish I could visit concerts from past days when if you liked a movement from a new symphony you'd yell out until the composer/conductor played it again. And there was rabble in the aisles. And if you didn't like the music you'd have a fist fight. Something about the everlasting politeness of symphony audiences these days raises my hackles, it seems to confirm the idea that classical music is static and dead.
But like I say, it's not rational, because if all that really happened these days, I'd be incredibly annoyed for not being able to hear the music. And also because this particular fist fight was only about the reserved seating, which is disappointing. But better than nothing, just for once. 66MeredyMar 11, 2012, 8:34pm
I wish I could count on the same sepulchral decorum at the opera. I swear some of the patrons must think they're in their living rooms watching TV. Some people discuss the performance--or worse, the plot--while it's going on, and they're not even bothering to whisper. Some people hum along. I thought I had cultivated some pretty good dagger looks of my own, but they don't seem to impress anybody.
One woman right behind me unwrapped her cough drop before the performance began and then crinkled the cellophane for half of the first act, ignoring all my meaningful glances, until I finally turned around and said out loud, "Please stop!"
I should add that I owe these opinions to Alex Ross, for those who have read Listen to This. I wouldn't want to be accused of stealing his IP, it's just that I share his views on the subject.
Actually Meredy, I was most annoyed at a young couple who giggled their way through La Traviata at one of the few times I have ever been to the opera. They were laughing at the actual opera. I should have been happy about it according to my post above. But I wasn't.
Meredy, visit Lyric. Such behavior would probably result in the entire section suffocating the offending patron.
CM, I have never attended any musical performance in Italy. I wonder if Muti can count on absolute silence there? It would be so un-Italian!
You have done some reading on this--is the silence a recent development? Is it restricted to English speaking countries?
I can't remember much of the detail, LC. I'm pretty sure the premier of The Rite of Spring was the last time there was any significant rabble in a symphony audience. The hushed quiet became the demanded norm around the time of Liszt, I believe, though I think it began earlier than that. Around the dawn of the Romantic era, when the performer became the hero, and the composer an Artist. Before that, music was just another craft not unlike blacksmithing, and thus a thing that an ordinary person was entitled to criticise and not hold in hushed awe.
As for English speaking countries, good point, but I don't know. Some of the salonistas who reside in non-English speaking countries may know? I'm pretty sure Vienna and Paris would have begun the Great Silence, and the English speakers followed suit. But as for Taiwan, Slovenia, Belgium, (and Italy), I have no idea!
you see, I rather like the silence of the concert hall. It allows me to listen to the music, and it shows respect for those making the music, who are highly skilled professionals and who are highly underpaid. The least we can do is give them our respectful silence while they do their thing. Modern audiences cannot listen. TV and radio has reduced their appreciation of music to background noise.
Audiences in Taiwan are super well behaved: they sit in total silence, and then erupt in emotional applause. I once spent the evening with Jean Yves Thibaudet after he played Ravel left handed concerto here (long story), and he told me that Taiwanese audiences are among his favourites, and it's not a view he alone holds.
Another great audience for classical music, is the BBC proms concerts in the royal albert hall. years ago I used to promenade (standing room in the arena right in front of the orchestra, cheapest tickets but you have to queue for days) and those guys were hardcore music fans. Not a whisper or pin drop, and if you so much as shifted your weight onto the other leg, you'd get a barrage of angry glares. and yet during the intermission, and pauses, they were the warmest, nicest, friendliest people, who would quite happily strike up a conversation with total strangers, about the merits of, say, Shostakovich's 13 symphony. They had total respect for the music and performers. 72PoriusMar 11, 2012, 10:42pm
Did Wagner encourage applause?
Oh, on the whole I do agree with you Murr, especially in practice. In theory though, I am at the same time sorry for the loss of music as a dynamic thing with audience involvement that is not restricted to hushed respect alone. I've read things like how Mozart changed some of his works because the audience was so vocal in not liking it. Of course, Mozart was a genius and his audience was not, and I quite see that such a set-up isn't always a good thing. Still, some regret lingers. Why should hushed respect be the only reaction that music should bring out?
>72 - Por, probably Not Between Movements.
Murr--I don't want to hear a lot of noise, and punching someone is a bit extreme, but it seems that we concertgoers do carry it to an extreme the other way.
all these Rules and Right Ways; more evidence everybody is a Fascist deep down inside...
Billy from the block says that he'd take the odds in a fistfight against a guy who attends op'ra any day.
If there's going to be a fist fight at the symphony, I just hope they can do the beat down in proper time. Anything can be a percussion instrument.
80sibyxEdited: Mar 12, 2012, 9:36am
I'm so with you Choc - I think I've quit classical music except listening at home for the very reasons but more because overall I'm fed up with high culture in general.
I am an amateur but dedicated musician and I made the big leap years ago away from playing classical music to Irish music (harp and concertina) - and it's a rare concert where there aren't a few screaming babies, children dancing up front, people moving about etc. The only time when silence is required is when someone is singing sans music - Sean Nos, with squiggles over the nos) - then everyone shushes everyone up and maybe even carries the baby out.
It's made me very aware though of the folk/low/inclusive-vs- cerebral/high/exclusive aspects of any kind of art form. Ultimately I guess it is a matter of taste, I don't want to make judgements, for the ego-and-individual driven art has produced astounding and beautiful and world-changing things. I developed an allergy to even stepping into a museum for several years, after an astonishing experience I would have to know you all a lot better to recount, that took the stuffing out of me entirely and gave me a different view of, well, everything. One upshot was that I could only participate in things that were inclusive, non ego-driven (collaborative, you might say).....
Somewhere there is a recent book about the high/low culture divide that I never got my hands on, but read a long review about...... but basically never the twain shall meet, I hope. I can go to museums and concerts occasionally now, but only in small doses.
I had one surreal experience in Boston at some swank music venue where there was a mix of vernacular/classical musicians and an ALL classical music audience and I have to tell you, the music died -- it was horrible, pathetic really and made me see what a huge gap there is between the high and low. A classical music person had invited me and I had to be enthusiastic but, really, I felt sorry for the audience.
As for how? I suppose that in drawing rooms and ball rooms and such, where classical music was mostly played at first, no? - that sitting around respectfully and quietly showed how ladylike and gentlemanly you were was de rigeur. And of course, in church you listened quietly and respectfully..... Same really with all the other high arts -- their origins were in pleasing the very wealthy or religious - whereas the low art was 'the consolation of the masses'....... *** The irony being that the artistry and excellence of great practitioners of 'low' arts are every bit as fine as any high. And more fun! For me, the bottom line is, "Am I having fun?"
Well, I certainly got windbagging, apologies all around if I've gone on too long!
***Medieval churches are a gas as they are chockablock with stuff for the unwashed......done by nameless artisans......
We have Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center coming in April. You can bet no one sits quietly during that! I can hear the toes tapping already.
Saw him last year. That man can blow a horn!
he can blow my horn any time.
Hey, Lisa, are we gonna do another jazz thread this summer?
Did we do a jazz thread last summer? Wasn't that Barry's thread? We can certainly do a jazz thread any time. 87anna_in_pdxEdited: Mar 12, 2012, 1:33pm
sibyx, I will share a bunch of personal stories in the near future so you can feel that you know me well, at least!
To all re: classical music, I grew up playing it and performing it and going to concerts. My sister is a violinist with the Cleveland Orchestra (Lisa, she used to work for Lyric Opera orchestra before that, she lived in Evanston then). I go to concerts a lot in Portland, mostly the symphony, sometimes ballet because my youngest son loves ballet (go figure). And I am used to people rustling stuff, people clapping between movements, all that stuff. And coughing. In general people are pretty quiet but the clapping between movements thing I've just about given up on, especially since I have heard that it is more or less a late 19th century innovation so if people used to clap all the time when Mozart was conducting his own stuff, why not now.
ETA I am actually attending a concert tomorrow. It's a recital with the soprano Renée Fleming. 88sibyxMar 12, 2012, 2:39pm
I am considerately sparing you! But I will await your stories with interest, Anna.
I hope I conveyed that what happened was that I was able to be more open-minded in every way -- I went from being kind of a snob (and not a very knowledgeable one either, just sort of automatically categorizing this as superior to that) to probably going too far the other way.... At present I think I'm mostly in a kind of balance.
I believe in high culture for the masses!
Sometimes some noise is okay, sometimes none is better. In a lifetime of musical-and-stage-event-going, usually by subscription, I think I've experienced most of what people could possibly do stuck to chairs (plush to plastic) for a couple hours. Strangers have muttered, wept, swooned, cardiac-arrested, chatted, kissed, groped, phoned, texted, booed, clapped, eaten, drunk, cracked nuts, knitted in VERY clacky fashion, took of their shoes, their stockings, and even, once, their bloomers, stank to high heaven and farted all around me in semi-dark confined spaces next to immortal artistic goings-on most nights of the week since 1983. But mostly they snore. Sno-ho-ho-ho-ho-horrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre.
I am a Clapping Between Movements Advocate. If it existed, I'd be a Play That Movement Again (When Requested) Advocate. I like the idea of allowing an audience to be excited by the music, not just respectful.
Smaller audiences, too, in an ideal world. An excited audience in those halls lined with hundreds and hundreds of people would probably be a disaster.
I dunno. It's probably all theoretical advocacy. I'd have to see it happening to know if I'd like it in reality or not. I know I DETEST the coughers. I never said I was consistent.
ETA: Written before reading Lola's colourful post above
"sniff". nose elevated, at Symphony Center in Chicago, we have fake velvet and no plastic. "sniff", nose elevated.
My current subscription is to a "Chamber series" which results in some of the most unusual presentations. Last concert we started out with some of the "less educated" folks clapping between movements, but that stopped quickly when the "better educated" folks sat on their hands and looked grimly at those who were clapping.
Why not clap between movements? Some movements are better than others. Why clap for the whole thing when one really only liked part of it.
And while we are on the topic of clapping--do other audiences automatically stand up when clapping? In Chicago, it seems de rigueur even when the performance is just "okay". I refuse to stand up unless I really thought it was a fantastic, marvelous performance. 92PoriusMar 12, 2012, 8:43pm
If I remember correctly Wagner discouraged any sort of clapping. The Pennypublic in Shakespeare's time were not backward about expressing themselves. I'm with Reecard, the yahoos should remain silent at all times. Some delicate souls can't attend at all for all the chatter, etc. etc.
Those poor "less educated" folks possibly won't go again. I reckon about three quarters of the reason people don't clap between movements is just to show they are initiated enough to realise that it's all one piece, and not three separate ones. It's all about demonstrating how much you know. The other quarter of the reason, I think, is that the pause between a slow movement and a fast one is a very nice moment of silence in which calm beauty and happy expectancy are nicely blended.
I should make it clear that I'm not a regular concert goer. I can't afford it. In fact, although I've been to a few operas and ballets, next Friday is actually the first time I'm going to see a professional orchestra play live, not counting the local youth orchestra. (I'm very excited about next Friday - Prokofiev's 3rd piano concerto and Berlioz's Harold In Italy, with the SSO and Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting).
However, the few Australian audiences I have seen don't stand up unless they mean it, at least for opera and ballet.
CM, sounds wonderful. Do enjoy.
Off-off Broadway raises ITS nose at fake velvet, Lisa, so there!
Other stuffs my bum has sat, squirmed or otherwise suffered on (in the name of art, not the private unmentionables): coils of rope, tabourets, kilims, aluminium, mysterious furniture from other planets, polished stone, gravel, and sand. If only my mind had a memory that good.
I'm a conventional clapper, not between the movements, or very short pieces played as a whole etc. I'll give ovations, hoot, holler, stamp my feet, shriek "bis", "encore", "bravo", "bravi", "brava", "brave", if the spirit moves me, but not out of a sense of duty. Unless I know the performers and vice versa. Or unless I aim to annoy a neighbour who likely annoyed me first. Some leeway for the unexpected must be allowed, even at the symphony.
That's a point, that if clapping between movements became expected, it'd just become another polite duty. Oh, the complications.
two observations
1- we have forgotten how to be among others in public
2 - Given all the difficulties the Arts face, we worry about the appropriate displays of appreciation from those few who get off their asses, shut off cable and support this dying swan?
Every time I take my son to the ballet I remember that I am supporting a dying swan. Most of the people in there are (if not people with young kids who are obviously ballet students) white haired. And the ballet people start calling me every other night offering me free Nutcracker tickets if I get season tickets for the other things, etc. Makes me sad.
But in general, we are fortunate here in Portland to have a pretty active concertgoing audience and I think we are pretty mellow about clapping between movements and petty stuff like that. Where we draw the line is the cell phones but that is just a pure lack of respect. If you need to have it on, you do not need to be at any sort of concert. 100MeredyMar 13, 2012, 4:54pm
>97
1 - Some have forgotten how to be among others in public. Some, reared on television, never knew. Some remember.
2 - When I have paid $50 to $80 for a ticket, why should I show appreciation to a boor who compromises my ability to see and hear the performance by sheer discourtesy?
Great you tube clip Lisa.
Here in Marciac the audiences are extremely appreciative. The American jazz stars all get an excellent reception, there will usually be some clapping after every solo, and special applause for those that attempt to speak some French. Classical musicians are greeted with a similar enthusiasm and there will be applause between movements. It is not unusual to have stand up cheering at the end of the show.
Do not keep the audiences waiting though as 10 minutes after the start time of the concert the slow hand clapping starts and they don't let up until someone gets themselves on stage. 102PeterKeinEdited: Mar 14, 2012, 6:39am
100, I was not clear enough - if you refer to the use of cell phones, talking &c during a performance- I certainly agree. My (ambiguous) comment referred to the 'grand debate' around clapping in between movements and that level of - in my humble opinion- snobbery. I have attended enough performances to have clear in my mind's eye those aficionados shooting condescending glares (if not metaphysical accusations) at sincere responses to the performance - as if this stance is an avatar of a refined aesthetic sensibility.
I attended a Renee Fleming concert last night. She did 3 encores. We kept bobbing back up like whack a moles and there were many shouts of acclaim. Though the place was packed with people and probably a lot of them were just there because of her and are not regular concert going folk, it was dead silent in between songs when she did the Ravel Sheherezade song cycle.
I especially appreciated the song at the end from the Merry Widow, but she also sang some pop songs which was slightly weird (I am not used to a full orchestra playing Cohen's Hallelujah) but her voice was great (she sounded like an alto on the pop songs, absolutely amazing range). All in all a great audience and she told us she was very touched with her reception (it was her Portland debut).
I am posting this on the chance that some of you might see this AND be able to stream right now. Our Chicago Classical station has a program on with Renée Fleming live with the host. She is talking about music and they are playing a broad range including popular music that she likes and has sung. http://www.wfmt.com/main.taf?p=1,1,41,56Click on "Listen Live"
aw, missed it. But thanks for the thought.
Alas, I missed it.
Are we skipping Mythologies in March?
106, it seems to be that way - although I am certainly up to reading it - I am not sure of others. In fact, it was the read I was quite looking forward to.
You two are free to read it, no-one's stopping you.
ETA: my knee-jerk defensive reaction is because I feel partially responsible for canning the group read. But the panic is over now, who knows what may come of it? Anyway, if I've ruined your reading year, I really am sorry.
"litéraire" is missing a t, Salon Admin!
108, there was no indictment of anyone - and I know no one is stopping me. I am going to read it regardless, but if others were inclined to do so, then it could be more structured.
I should have the new translation tomorrow and will look to start - it may be just you and I, or maybe we can attract a few others. This is a text that once very much excited me, but that I haven't looked at in a long, long time. 112sibyxMar 20, 2012, 9:47am
It's languishing about here somewhere; the problem is where. (We moved two years ago and things are still topsy-turvy, not enough bookshelves.....). I have to admit, however, that I am immersed in Infinite Jest. I am eager to jump on the salon train and read something avec. I will see what I can do.
And Slick has gone missing--was he in?
I have my book and will read. I have opened a thread but not yet contributed anything of interest. 118sibyxMar 21, 2012, 7:02pm
I remember this coming up at some point when our daughter was pretty little, ten or so years ago, suddenly you couldn't get helium balloons so readily anymore. Can't remember what we did instead...... 120baswoodMar 26, 2012, 10:01am
Why should anyone want to take a telephone into a concert hall?
Well! one might feel like having a pizza between Andante and Hey, Presto!
Well you might if you're Leroy Anderson... no, that was a typewriter. Who used the telephone ring?
There's a telephone in Poulenc's La voix humaine but I can't remember if it rings. 124MeredyMar 26, 2012, 9:46pm
>123 I think it rings once--when the operator dials the woman back? Not sure. I believe she initiates all the phone calls; that is, I don't think her ex-lover calls her.
I didn't know it (LOVE the idea, wish I knew French) and listened to the first part on you tube. There's an orchestral ring just before she starts singing.
is that a cockring at the bottom? 128DanMatMar 27, 2012, 1:20pm
Was that an instrument of the passion? It certainly is an instrument of passion.
What an interesting article. What do people think, do they agree with this grand theory? 131DanMatEdited: May 2, 2012, 8:43pm
It's a nice approach to thinking about certain novels but I think I need to ponder it awhile before deciding on its grandness. It certainly works on the samples provided.
I'm having trouble identifying one main continuum for the values I was raised with. 135sibyxMay 3, 2012, 1:06pm
Enjoyed these links, Dan. I'd be interested to see Ugazia's work. My family and my husband's family stories are quite different..... not only that but I am aware of the four different aspects of my grandparents views and folkways as well. I can't see that our daughter is absorbing one coherent idea about how to be. Hmmmm. Maybe that's my answer!!!!!!!!
137: RIP. I was so very sad when I heard the news. |  346 members 60,231 messages  AboutThis topic is not marked as primarily about any work, author or other topic. Touchstones |
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