I went to an orchestra concert recently, excited to hear a world-class orchestra playing a program by one of my favorite composers. The featured soloist was legendary, and the concert-hall was second to none. This was going to be a program I wouldn't soon forget. Beforehand, there was a pre-concert presentation given by a faculty member who taught music theory at a nearby university. "The form of the first movement is a hybrid between sonata and ritornello," he said. And he went on to explain the movement's key relationships, pointing out many … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2010
Of a Prince, a Palace and the Ripples of History
Last week, I gave a version of this entry at a fundraising event, and later found myself thinking that its underlying message applies to many arts communities. Perhaps it will remind all of us that the structures of support are now communal. The vision that could be accomplished by one powerful man from over two hundred and fifty years ago, must now belong to the community as a whole. Imagine it is 1766, and you are a prince. You have built a palace in rural Hungary, and you love music. Five years ago, in 1761, your brother had discovered a … [Read more...]