/Blog/kusc/home.aspxKUSC's blog for all things classical. Insights into the music and the music-makers as well as personal anecdotes from various staff members - and much more.en-usCopyright 2012, KUSC-NAThu, 24 May 2012 16:21:02 GMTSat, 12 May 2012 02:07:06 GMT1http://emmisinteractive.comMy name is Gail Eichenthal and I am a Metropolitan Opera Western Region auditions junkie.Perhaps, given KUSC’s close involvement in broadcasting the finals concert each year, this was inevitable. My great late friend and former colleague Gene Parrish had forged a wonderful bond with the organization and its remarkably talented contestants going back more than 20 years.  Rich Capparela has effortlessly (well, it’s actually quite challenging work!) taken over for the past three years, and our association with the Western Region has only grown closer; they even honored KUSC at the 2011 Finals Concert in the fall. On top of that, I’m a lifelong choral singer and the proud (stage) mom of a fledgling baritone studying voice in college.Still that warm Saturday afternoon of October 22 was more thrilling than usual, even for an admitted Western Region groupie.  I had previously heard some of the phenomenally gifted singers .../Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10382694/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10382694Sat, 12 May 2012 02:07:06 GMTLast weekend, the Los Angeles Philharmonic welcomed Sir Simon Rattle back to the podium for a series of concerts, including one with some very important musicians.While the members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and YOLA at EXPO youth orchestras rehearsed diligently, Rattle, the Philharmonic’s principal guest conductor from 1981 to 1994, was at the helm. With cheerful lightheartedness, Rattle graciously proffered suggestions to the students between sections of the final movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor. Rattle does not consider music education a luxury, nor is it something he takes for granted.“It’s so important,” Rattle says, “and when a big institution like the Los Angeles Philharmonic goes out of their way to make music education a priority, you really have to support it. You know, we’d better be evangelists. There’s no use being high priests. We’d better go out and actually do it.”Thirteen years .../Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10382229/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10382229Fri, 11 May 2012 23:29:46 GMT To celebrate the generosity of Classical KUSC members, we're throwing a Beethoven Bash, immediately following the KUSC Spring Membership Drive. Tune in tonight at 10:00 as Jim Svejda presents the traditional "end of the drive" broadcast of Beethoven's 9th symphony.  Then, join us all weekend as we bring you each of the remaining Beethoven symphonies. Here's the schedule: Chronologically:Symphony No.9 – 10pm Fri, May 11th Symphony No.8 – Midnight Sat, May 12thSymphony No.2 – 1am Sat, May 12thSymphony No.7 – 1pm Sat, May 12thSymphony No.4 – 3pm Sat, May 12thSymphony No.3 – 5pm Sat, May 12thSymphony No.5 – Noon Sun May 13thSymphony No.1 – 1pm Sun May 13thSymphony No.6 – 3pm Sun May 13th *               Numerically:Symphony No.1 – 1pm Sun May 13thSymphony No.2 – 1am Sat, May 12thSymphony No.3 – 5pm Sat, May 12thSymphony No.4 – 3pm .../Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10382672/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10382672Fri, 11 May 2012 22:30:24 GMTTonight on KUSC's Modern Times, we feature the final performance from last season's Piano Spheres concerts. The program features Susan Svrček performing an early work by John Cage (In a Landscape) inspired by the music of Erik Satie, plus a lesser-known minimalist work by Tom Johnson: with the not-particularly-evocative but certainly factual title An Hour for Piano. The piece is designed to last exactly one hour. In order to accomplish that, Johnson says the tempo has to be exactly 59.225 beats per minute. In addition, Johnson has provided very lengthy program notes that he says may or may not be helpful to read while listening to the piece. As a companion to tonight's broadcast, I thought I'd post those notes here so you can follow along during the performance. Hope you enjoy!   "To be read while hearing An Hour for Piano by Tom Johnson It is important that .../Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10380214/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10380214Sat, 05 May 2012 18:05:11 GMT Monday morning’s session of Dueling Overtures pitted Hector Berlioz’s stand-alone overture Roman Carnival vs. Leonard Bernstein’s overture to Candide.  Each overture was written about the same time in its respective composer’s life (ages 40 and 38), and both are barn burners, but our good listeners clearly preferred one overture over the other, voting 74-26% in favor of Candide.  A despondent Berlioz is reported to have responded to the voting by saying, “Dogs, monkeys, and parrots are a thousand times less miserable than I am,” while Bernstein set to gloating, “’Tis the best of all possible outcomes.” One good listener fairly well summed up the voting when she wrote, “Proud to be one of the mob -- this is a no-brainer for me – ‘Candide,’ always and forever.”/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10371594/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10371594Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:58:03 GMT 1  The first piano, which is to say, a keyboard instrument with an escapement mechanism for the hammers which you could play softly and loudly, was invented as early as 1698 or as late as 1719 (scholars differ) by the Italian instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori, who may be a relation to your friendly dj, for my ancestry goes back to the same region – the inventor of the piano was born in Padua – and my family name was Bartolomeo until my grandfather stopped using it because it was too long to do business. 2  The number of times a piano should be tuned each year.  Yikes, our Hardman, Peck & Co. upright hasn’t been tuned in over two years.  Are we warping our children’s ears with our neglect?  But here’s a number for you.  It can run $150 to get the old box tuned, and with four kids banging .../Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10369853/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10369853Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:27:02 GMTCritics get it wrong sometimes and this week's Classical Clash has two pieces that prove it. Both Brahms and Tchaikovsky premiered a piece that was considered a flop at the time, but is considered a classic today. So which would you like to hear, the "flop" from Brahms? Or the "flop" from Tchaikovsky? Tune in at 3PM on Friday to hear the winner.* * Voting has closed. Tchaikovsky is our winner. /Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10364647/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10364647Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:58:24 GMT Last week, KUSC threw a SPRING FLING! Every day, from "A Few Words at 8:15" to the Evening Program with Jim Svejda, our hosts featured compositions inspired by spring. Thanks to everyone who joined us in this seasonal celebration! Listed below are the compositions that made up our spring soundtrack. Just in case you want to put a little "spring" in your CD collection, we are including a link to ArkivMusic.com or Amazon.com for each recording. We hope you enjoyed listening to KUSC's Spring Fling! Monday, March 19th 8:15 a.m.On A Few Words at 8:15, e e cummings reads his famous poem about the beginning of spring. Listen to it here. 8:16 a.m.Johann Strauss, Jr.: Voices of SpringMinneapolis Symphony / Antal DoratiMercury Living Presence 434338BUY: 10:13 a.m.Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata #5 "Spring" in F Op. 24/5Itzhak Perlman, violinVladimir Ashkenazy, piano.../Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10364137/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10364137Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:53:07 GMTThe KUSC Italian tour spent the day in Parma. We stood on stage in the rebuilt private theatre of the Farnese Palace. The original theatre was built in 1618 and productions were so expensive that only nine were ever presented. Here is the magnificent Parma cathedral Me and my pal Verdi in Parma. /Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10360936/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10360936Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:49:03 GMTSaturday was a glorious day in the land of Verdi: First his birthplace in Roncole and his beloved villa Sant'Agata outside of Busseto. Then into Busseto to see the Teatro Verdi and hear a private concert at the home of his patron and father-in-law Antonio Barezzi. And, along the way, a visit to a ham cellar. Verdi's birthplace Arriving at Verdi's villa. Hams, lots of them, aging underground. Near the entrance are hams for VIP customers with their names prominently displayed. This one's for Prince Charles. Teatro Verdi in Busseto. Piazza Giuseppe Verdi in Busseto with Teatro Verdi at other end. Note statue of Verdi in front of the building. /Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10361432/Blog/kusc/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10361432Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:47:48 GMT