A very special treat - The Breaking Winds, young ladies from the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music, play Bach's Toccata and Fugue on bassoons with organ accompaniment. Appropriately recorded in October, 2010 right before Halloween
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Will this Wind......?
Long ago, I believe in 1982 or 1983 I watched a special on HBO - "The Secret Policeman's Ball". It was a recording of a benefit for Amnesty International by the Monty Python group along with some special guest performers. They did several of their greatest skits, each of which hysterically funny.
I hadn't taped the show but thought that I would be able to in a few days because HBO always does repeats. However,I was very disappointed when I found that there were no more repeats. I must have watched the final showing.
I especially loved this particular skit - "Will this Wind ...?" done with guest Rowan Atkinson. For years I would often think of that show and regret not having recorded it. Then, just this past year I saw a Monty Python video on YouTube and got the brilliant idea to try a Search for that particular skit. Amazing - I found it! It took over a quarter century but now I have it on my hard drive.
I hadn't taped the show but thought that I would be able to in a few days because HBO always does repeats. However,I was very disappointed when I found that there were no more repeats. I must have watched the final showing.
I especially loved this particular skit - "Will this Wind ...?" done with guest Rowan Atkinson. For years I would often think of that show and regret not having recorded it. Then, just this past year I saw a Monty Python video on YouTube and got the brilliant idea to try a Search for that particular skit. Amazing - I found it! It took over a quarter century but now I have it on my hard drive.
Friday, January 28, 2011
JFK Speech on Civil Rights - June, 1963
Less than six months before his assassination John F. Kennedy spoke to the nation on national TV on Civil Rights in the United States. It was one of the finest, most inspirational, speeches ever made in the history of the nation. I was privileged to watch this speech live on TV. He did not live to see it happen, but the Civil Rights legislation he urged was passed by his successor.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Halftime at the Rose Bowl - 2011
In my opinion the most exciting, the most fun to watch and the hardest working college band in America is the University of Wisconsin Marching Band.
They are unlike any other band, with their unique marching style in which they high step, hitting the ground toe down at a 45 degree angle. This not only requires great strength and excellent condition to maintain but also is physically jarring. For the drummers it is even harder because they have to perform the step with legs spread outwards to avoid contact with their drums.
How they are able to produce a steady sound on their instruments with the jarring and the physical demands of their marching step amazes me. Oh, and in my opinion they also have the neatest uniforms.
This YouTube video was made of the halftime show at the 2011 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, California. It was taken at ground level, so the formations they create can not be seen, but it provides a close up view of how very hard they work.
They are unlike any other band, with their unique marching style in which they high step, hitting the ground toe down at a 45 degree angle. This not only requires great strength and excellent condition to maintain but also is physically jarring. For the drummers it is even harder because they have to perform the step with legs spread outwards to avoid contact with their drums.
How they are able to produce a steady sound on their instruments with the jarring and the physical demands of their marching step amazes me. Oh, and in my opinion they also have the neatest uniforms.
This YouTube video was made of the halftime show at the 2011 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, California. It was taken at ground level, so the formations they create can not be seen, but it provides a close up view of how very hard they work.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Georges Cziffra
Hungarian Georges Cziffra (1921-1994) was one of the finest pianists of the 20th Century. In this video Cziffra in preparation for a television appearance went to the TV studio to test the piano while technicians tested the lighting and camera angles for the telecast. He walks onto the set, removes his jacket, sits at the piano and puts on a fantastic improvisation. The aspect ratio of the video is off, but it does not affect the quality of Cziffra's performance.
Thus Sprach Zarathustra
This silly YouTube video of supposed terrible high school musicians playing the opening theme from the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey reminded me of my own high school's band.
No, they were not nearly so bad as this group, but that is not saying much. Having to sit in our seats at school assemblies while the band "entertained" us was quite an ordeal. I believe most of us would have preferred to take a test or write an essay.
Thinking of my school's band for the first time in over a half century, I checked them out in the yearbook from my senior year. I was surprised to discover that it was 100% male. They may not have been quality musicians but they did wear nice gold jackets and have shiny instruments!!
No, they were not nearly so bad as this group, but that is not saying much. Having to sit in our seats at school assemblies while the band "entertained" us was quite an ordeal. I believe most of us would have preferred to take a test or write an essay.
Thinking of my school's band for the first time in over a half century, I checked them out in the yearbook from my senior year. I was surprised to discover that it was 100% male. They may not have been quality musicians but they did wear nice gold jackets and have shiny instruments!!
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