Well, dear readers, as a listening experience, yesterday was an atonal kind of day. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, as a listening experience, yesterday was an atonal kind of day. Now, I like some atonal music – certainly I enjoy some what I would call atonal film scores and I enjoy them and a few what I would call atonal classical pieces because I respond to the orchestral colors and textures. I’m sure I’m simply not sophisticated enough or versed well in serialism, but most of it leaves me cold. And yesterday, whilst having a fine little day most of what I listened to left me cold, despite admiring a couple of pieces that I never need to hear again. Interestingly, three of the composers had written for film – George Antheil, Benjamin Frankel, and Ernst Toch. But like the symphonies of Humphrey Searle, I just can’t get with the classical stylings of these fellows. It’s fine for one listening, but, for me, much of it is just noise and that’s probably my failing but we all respond to what we respond to. I don’t like listening to Mozart or Beethoven either – I admire the music but it is not my thing, as they said in the 60s and 70s.
After a few hours of it I could take no more and I retreated to territory that suits me more. I listened to the very tonal Brit Herbert Howells – I remember being quite fond of his music, but the CD I chose only had one piece to my liking. I went 1000% in the opposite direction and listened to the Jerome Kern Overtures album by John McGlinn. A little of that went a very long way – the sound is distant and not pleasing, and after three of ‘em there’s nothing new to be heard. It’s okay, but nothing I need to hear again. I almost went back to Sibelius, since I found an Ormandy conducted fifth symphony, but it was one of his RCA 70s recordings and it had horrible sound and by that time he was not the Ormandy he was in the 50s and 60s. I nuked almost everything I’d uploaded. Three or four nights ago I’d pulled out several CDs when I was doing the hall closet thing again, and there was still a small stack of those. And so I took a trip to the Barber and that made everything right.
I discovered Barber the way most did, his famous Adagio for Strings, that’s been so overused in so many films that were not worthy of that music. And that was all I knew until the hit recording of Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with Dawn Ushaw and David Zinman came out. It was the right recording at the right time and was a huge hit and crossover record. Earlier I’d listened to the Gorecki third symphony with Upshaw and Zinman – that followed the Barber. THAT CD was one of the most baffling crossover hits of all time – everyone bought it, and listening to it now you just have to wonder what it was about that time (1990, I think – or thereabouts) made people respond to a Polish symphony from 1976 with singing in a foreign language. Well, the thing sold over a million copies. But I digress. The Knoxville put me away, simply one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written, at least for me it is.
At that point I bought all the Barber I could get. So, I uploaded the three discs I’d pulled and listened to his first symphony – I had two performances – Measham and Slatkin – I liked the Measham better but the Slatkin has much better sound. But I took note that David Zinman recorded it, so that’s probably the best of them. It’s a wonderful work, and then I heard both Essays for Orchestra, also wonderful. And Night Flight – beautiful. Then the great Schippers Barber recordings, including the Adagio, Intermezzo from the opera Vanessa, and others – it’s all just wonderful music and it made everything right again. Looking forward to the rest of it, especially the second symphony, which I have no memory of.
Other than that, I got almost seven hours of sleep, then I got up, answered e-mails, printed out a few orders, did some work on the computer, then went and had a chili, cheese, and onion omelet and an English muffin. I picked up no packages then came home. I began listening to music whilst doing yet more work on the computer. I put up the Facebook event page for the next Kritzerland show – that always takes an hour. Then I went to Gelson’s and got some shrimp and a put together a nice calorie-free salad consisting of lettuce, red wine vinegar, and shrimp. It was very good and very filling. Then I relaxed and took a trip to the Barber and yes, another trip to the damn hall closet to pull out the rest of the Barber I should have pulled out the other day – it wasn’t too difficult, just cumbersome and I’m not sure I found everything.
Today, I have a work session with Kay Cole and John Boswell at one – I’ll either grab a bite before that or, more likely, after. I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, jog, and then I probably have to meet someone at some point in the evening – brief and then I’ll come back here and relax.
Tomorrow I have a lunch with dear reader Jeanne, and then I will try to just relax since I’ll be working the entire weekend. Saturday we do the first of our two recording sessions with Kay, and Sunday we do the second. I think they’re each six-hour days. I’m sure I’ll eat something fun after since I’ll be in West LA. And there’s lots to do next week, too. Thankfully we had a day of no irritations yesterday but no miracles – so please keep sending those strong most excellent vibes and xylophones for Major Miracles. We NEED ‘em.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, have a work session, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, jog, have a brief meeting, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite kinds of potato dishes – I love potatoes in any variety or stripe – french fries, baked, scalloped, lyonnaise, all of it. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have taken a trip to the Barber.