Alex Ross: The Rest Is Noise

Avant Obama, etc.

Thanks to the footage above, we can now hear what Yo-Yo and company actually played during their 4'33"-long performance at the inauguration. (A "satirical hypothetical document," via Kyle Gann.) Elsewhere on YouTube: the Ophicleide Summit.... John Adams critiques young composers in an interview with Newsweek's Seth Colter Walls; Judd Greenstein responds.... The long-awaited Blog of Sedge. Also joining the fray is Matthew Gurewitsch.... Tony Tommasini of the New York Times answers readers' questions.... The violist Nadia Sirota and the vocalist Helga Davis are giving a new spin to the overnight show on WNYC. A recent program led with Britten's A Hymn to the Virgin, Cowell's Hymn and Fuguing Tune No. 10, Cage's Hymns and Variations, and Ingram Marshall's bewitching Hymnodic Delays. That's radio we can believe in.

Appearance in Dallas

I will be giving a multimedia lecture on twentieth-century music at the Dallas Museum of Art on Tuesday night, Feb. 10.

Grammy note

At last night's Grammy Awards, Radiohead showed once again that they are immense. Aside from the vaguely Sibelian wall of brass that buttressed "15 Step," moments of classical interest on the broadcast included: 1) Bono wearing a Beethoven T-shirt; 2) Elliott Carter's face appearing briefly when it was mentioned that he had won a Trustees Award. That was about it.

Not entirely in vain

A bout of work and travel derailed my plans to write a preview post for Georg Friedrich Haas's in vain, a darkly radiant modern masterpiece that was given its U.S. premiere by the Argento Chamber Ensemble at Miller Theatre last night. A second performance follows on Monday at the Austrian Embassy in Washington, DC. Washingtonians should also be aware that György and Márta Kurtág will present a Kurtág world premiere at the Library of Congress tonight. Both concerts are free.

Sylvain Cambreling / Klangforum Wien; Kairos 1233.

Max Neuhaus

The pioneering percussionist and sound artist has died at the age of sixty-nine. Go here to read about his sound installations, and go to the pedestrian island at 46th and Broadway to experience his piece Times Square. (Via Betsey Biggs.)

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Kurtágs in New York

Jonathan Biss was one of a number of musicians who turned out to hear György and Márta Kurtág perform at Zankel Hall on Sunday night. Also in the crowd were Richard Goode, Leif Ove Andsnes, Christian Tetzlaff, and Ursula Oppens. Biss offers "fugitive thoughts" on his website. I wrote about a Vienna version of this stupendous program in 2006.

Sonatina from Bach's Cantata BWV 106, "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit," arr. György Kurtág; G. and M. Kurtág, upright piano; BMC CD 123.

Mendelssohn at 200

Birthday extra: Composer in the Kitchen.

For Lukas Foss

Another major figure in American music passes from the scene. Obituary by Allan Kozinn; remembrance by Matthew Guerrieri.

"O Mensch, gib Acht," from Time Cycle; Adele Addison, soprano, with Leonard Bernstein conducting the Columbia Symphony, Sony CD 63164. Photo: Library of Congress.

Who is the American composer?

The American Music Center has released a fascinating survey of the American composer population. You can read a summary as well as the entire report at NewMusicBox. Some patterns that emerge: 1) Composers don't make a mint from their work. They have a median total income of $45,000, and, on average, they derive 19% of that amount from composition. Yet they spend twenty-seven hours a week on composing-related activities. Eighty-five respondents — 6.4% of the total — make a living entirely from writing music. That figure is actually higher than I might have guessed. 2) Composers — at least those responding to this survey — are predominantly white and male: 85% and 79% respectively. But those figures will drop as new generations rise. 3) Composers are dabbling energetically in new technologies. Forty-three percent are on MySpace, 39% percent are on Facebook, and 63% either "do not mind" or "like the exposure" when people download their music for free.

Cheap seats: A selective guide

In January 2009 I decided to see how many concerts I could see in New York for under $100. This column was the result. As a follow-up, here is a guide to cheap seats at classical institutions around the world. (Prepared with assistance from Will Robin.)

Print listings w/ info on ticket prices: Time Out NY, Time Out Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times, The Stranger (Seattle), Time Out London

Web listings: ionarts, San Francisco Classical Voice, Classical Voice of North Carolina, South Florida Classical Review, the Rambler's New Music on a Shoestring (London)

Discounts, cheap seats, student prices:

New York:

Metropolitan Opera: $25 weekend tickets, $20 rush tickets

New York Philharmonic: $18 open rehearsals, $12.50 student rush tickets

Carnegie Hall: If you're in the 20-40 age range, for $20 you can get a year-long membership in Carnegie's Notables program, providing access to $20 tickets.

Juilliard sends out students to give free lunchtime concerts at 180 Maiden Lane downtown on most Tuesdays. Numerous free or cheap events are listed in the Juilliard calendar.

Frick Collection: All concerts $30/$25

Le Poisson Rouge: Most shows $10-20

Issue Project Room: Most shows $10/$8

New Amsterdam: Many cheap new-music events in calendar

92nd Street Y: Student10 tickets available for $10 and Under-35 tickets for $25

Peoples' Symphony Concerts: Most single tickets $13

Bargemusic: $15-20 student tickets

Free for All in Town Hall

BAM: $10 student rush, $10 senior rush

Symphony Space: $15-25 student and senior tickets

Orchestra of St. Luke's: $10 student rush

New York Youth Symphony: $20 tickets, $10 if you show a student ID at the box office

Church-music listings via the New York Chapter of the American Guild of Organists

New Music listings at SoundArt

MOMA Summergarden (free)

Boston:

Boston Symphony: The $25 College Card gives you free tickets on many nights each season; the high-school card is only $10; $9 rush tickets are available during the week; and there are discounted open rehearsals.

Boston Lyric Opera: 50% off student tickets

Boston Philharmonic: $8 student and senior rush tickets

New England Conservatory: Free student performances

Celebrity Series: $20 rush tickets

Collage New Music: $15 single tickets, students free

Northeast summer festivals:

Caramoor: $15 tickets available for most concerts

Glimmerglass: 50% off student discount, $10 tickets for youths aged 6-18

Tanglewood: Lawn tickets from $17 (lawn free for children under 18)

Bard SummerScape: $5 student rush tickets

Norfolk has $15 tickets available for most concerts and a number of free performances

D.C. / Baltimore:

Kennedy Center (including the Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra): Discount program for ages 17-25; 50% off discount  available to students, seniors, and other qualifying groups

Baltimore Symphony: For students, $10 tickets or a 5-for-$40 deal; $20 unreserved seats

Chicago:

Chicago Lyric Opera: $20 student tickets available by signing up

Chicago Opera Theater: $15 student tickets available by signing up

Chicago Symphony Orchestra: $10 student tickets

Chicago Opera Vanguard: $40-50 subscriptions, $30 for students

UChicago Presents: $5 or $10 student tickets

Grant Park: Free performances in the summer

Pick Staiger: Tickets under $10 for general public, $5 for students; sometimes free

Detroit / Ann Arbor:

The University Musical Society in Ann Arbor offers $10 rush tickets and other discounts.

The Detroit Symphony has a $25 student pass, giving unlimited access to all classical, pops, and jazz concerts each season.

Texas:

Dallas Symphony: $10-25 student rush tickets; also a $99 Impromptu deal, giving you unlimited access to a Thursday and Friday series throughout the season

Dallas Opera: $25 student tickets

Houston Symphony: $12 and 50% off student tickets

Houston Grand Opera: $10 student matinées

Texas Performing Arts in Austin: $10 student tickets

Fort Worth Opera: 50% off for students and military

Southern California:

LA Phil: $10-20 student and senior rush tickets; also, a five-for-$50 deal on the orchestra's pathbreaking Green Umbrella new-music series

LA Opera: student rush tickets available, prices not given

UCLA Live: $15 student tickets

LA Chamber Orchestra: $10 student rush

Pacific Symphony: $10 student tickets

La Jolla Music Society: $10 rush student tickets

La Jolla Symphony: $15 student tickets

San Diego Symphony: $10 last-minute tickets

Orchestra Nova San Diego: $10 tickets for students and educators, free tickets for active military and family

Northern California (with thanks to Lisa Hirsch):

SF Symphony: $20 rush tickets

SF Opera: $25 student and senior rush tickets and other discounts

Cal Performances, Berkeley: 50% for students, other discounts

Generally free concerts at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Stanford, Cal State East Bay, Mills Colllege, San Francisco State, and UC Berkeley

Old First Concerts: $15 general admission, $12 for students and seniors

Northwest:

Seattle Opera: $20 student rush tickets, $5 teen tickets, various other discounts

Seattle Symphony: $10 student tickets; free companion tickets for kids aged 8-18; various free ticket progams through community groups

Portland Opera: $10 rush tickets for students, seniors, military

Other American orchestras:

Cleveland: $10 student tickets

Philadelphia: Students can buy $8 rush tickets or a remarkable $25 pass, giving unlimited access to eighty or more concerts each season.

St. Louis: $10 student tickets or a 5-for-$55 deal

Nashville: $10 college-student tickets

New Jersey: $10 student tickets (or $25 for a full season pass); 30% off senior rush

Atlanta: $12 student tickets

Cincinnati: Various discounts, including $12 tickets for people aged 18-30

Phoenix: Various discounts, including a $30 season pass

Utah Symphony / Opera: Student tickets from $10

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra: $10 tickets for age 20-39; $10 student rush; $3 off senior discount

Minnesota Orchestra: $12 student tickets; other discounts

Other American opera companies:

Kansas City Opera: $15 student tickets

Cincinnati Opera: $12 student rush

Canada:

Montreal Symphony: $25 student tickets; $15 for ages 15-30

Toronto Symphony: Their innovative tsoundcheck program offers $14 tickets to people aged 15-15, whether they are students or not.

U.K.:

LSO: Student tickets from £6 and a rewards program for bringing other students

Scottish Opera: £10 tickets for people under 26

Royal Scottish National Orchestra: £5 tickets under 26; anyone under 16 gets in free

London Philharmonic: Student tickets from £1-4; £8 for under 26

City of Birmingham Symphony: £5 student rush tickets; discount standby tickets also available

Hallé Orchestra: Student tickets for £3.o0

Royal Opera House at Covent Garden: Discounts available for students, people under 18, and others

English National Opera: Various student and under-30 discounts

Germany:

Berlin Philharmonic: Standing room tickets starting at 7€

Berlin Staatsoper: Various discounts

Deutsche Oper Berlin: Judgendclub discounts

Dresden Semperoper: 10€ student tickets, other offers

Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich): 10€ student tickets and other discounts  

Bavarian Radio Symphony: 8€ student tickets

Bamberger Symphoniker: Discount tickets for under 18, students, and military

Rest of Europe:

Czech Philharmonic: 50% off for seniors and students

La Scala: Major discounts in the Under 30 program

Helsinki Philharmonic: 6€ student tickets and other discounts 

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra: 10€ rush tickets for under-28

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra: 80SEK student tickets

Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich: 20CHF tickets for under-25 and students

Bargain of the week

In the UK and Europe, you can obtain a trim box set of almost everything Stravinsky wrote — ninety-six works on twenty-two CDs — for the low, low price of £17.99. It's a bare-bones reissue of the great Columbia/CBS Stravinsky survey of the 1950s and 60s, with the composer conducting and/or supervising. Alas, there are no texts for the vocal works. The same set was briefly available in the US, but, Sony Classical informs me, it was a limited edition. However, if American Stravinskyites have the item shipped via air mail from Amazon UK, they will spend, if current rates hold, around $32. I tested the transaction; it took eight days for the set to arrive.

Update: People seem to be capitalizing on this bargain — le tout Stravinsky today jumped to #39 #22 in Amazon UK's overall music rankings. Stravinsky also became the #1 Mover and Shaker in Music, as he should be:

Affordable concertgoing

Cheap Seats. The New Yorker, Feb. 2, 2009.

iFlâneur

The Guardian runs an approving editorial on the occasion of the belated British stage premiere of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's hyper-opulent Die tote Stadt. Jessica Duchen, author of an excellent Korngold biography, has much about the composer on her blog; Gavin Plumley, too.... Kenneth Herman reviews Christopher Taylor's Messiaen.... Eichler on Masur on Mendelssohn.... Alan Lockwood on Robert Ashley.... Sequenza21: If Alma Mahler had Twittered.... A spirited discussion of the New York Philharmonic's new logo. (Via Felix Salmon.) ... Tonic Blotter on Dudamel's return to Chicago.... Scott Timberg (ex-LA Times scribe, now blogging) and Dan Johnson (arbiter of classical sexy) on the LA Phil's 09-10 season announcement.... Steve Smith on Missy Mazzoli and Victoire.... Stjepan Hauser imitates various famous cellists. (Via ACD.)

For George Perle

 I was very sad to hear from Roger Evans that George Perle passed away yesterday, at the age of ninety-three. A composer of formidable intellect and playful spirit, a scholar whose books on Alban Berg will always dominate discussion of that composer, a kindly man with a wry sense of humor, Perle will be greatly missed. Condolences to his wife, Shirley. Allan Kozinn's obituary is online at the New York Times. Here is the Elegy in memory of Balanchine from Perle's Serenade No. 3 (1983):

Richard Goode, piano, with Gerard Schwarz conducting the Music Today Ensemble; Bridge 9214 (orig. Nonesuch).

La vida bona

"Un sarao de la chacona" ("A Chaconne Soirée"), by the early seventeenth-century Spanish composer Juan Arañés, as realized by the great Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI. Here's an Overgrown Path interview with Savall, who will appear at the reopening-night party for NYC's Alice Tully Hall on Feb. 22.

Classical interloper

This blog has the honor of being nominated in the Best Music Blog category for the 2009 Bloggies Awards. I doubt I have much of a chance against such sharp competition as Stereogum, Idolator, Said the Gramophone, and One Sweet Song, but it's worth a shot. You can vote at the Bloggies site until Feb. 2.

Inaugural music

Russell Platt, Terry Teachout, and Anne Midgette all take a dim view of Air and Simple Gifts, John Williams's musical contribution to the Obama inauguration. Indeed, it's no Quartet for the End of Time. But I liked several things about the work and its place in the ceremony. 1) The quiet, almost bittersweet ending — a welcome change from the grimly bombastic Williams film music that marred Obama's victory speech in November. 2) The gesture of homage toward Aaron Copland, whose Lincoln Portrait was pulled from an Eisenhower inaugural event in 1953 at the insistence of a Red-baiting congressman. 3) The look of delight on the face of the president — a title he officially acquired while the music was playing, at the stroke of noon. I'm not sure that any president since Jimmy Carter has exhibited such obvious interest in the neighborhood of classical music. (When I was a kid, I met President Carter at a Suzuki violin recital in which his daughter, Amy, was participating. The president offered me a brownie.) Like many people, I'm hoping that the Obama administration will support classical music and the arts, although, in this climate, not much is likely to happen, and – as I mention in The Rest Is Noise — art and politics have never mixed well on American soil. Anyone who favors a "Secretary of Culture" ought to read up on the political firestorm that consumed the WPA arts projects in the late 1930s. But symbolic gestures — recitals at the White House, attendance at concerts, and so forth — can send a strong signal. A great detail emerges from Anne's review: Abraham Lincoln regularly went to the opera and had Flotow's Martha staged on the occasion of his second inauguration. 4) I liked most of all the diverse picture of the classical world that the performers presented: an Israeli-born violinist, a Chinese-American cellist, a Venezuelan-born pianist, and an African-American clarinetist from the South Side of Chicago. "Maybe people noticed that it wasn't old white guys up there," Marc Geelhoed wrote to me.

Update: More from Mark Swed, Tony Tommasini, and Carl Wilson, who points out commentators' sad but unsurprising failure to understand the significance of Aretha Franklin singing "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" (see my post below). As John Gibbons notes, Queen Latifah did acknowledge Marian Anderson's 1939 concert during the pre-inaugural event on Sunday. I watched on C-SPAN, knowing that the network and cable pundits would start talking during the music.

MLK Day: Let freedom ring