Aside from the usual motives, did the violinist not pause to reflect for a moment on the company he keeps? In terms of its appreciation of truth and beauty, this network is darkness at noon. Perhaps he’s on a mission to convert the irredeemable. Watch here, and wonder.

 

joshua bell fox news

 

Three men involved with BargMusic, an underground distributor, have been arrested by Revolutionary Guards in the town of Sari and transferred to Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison. The men have been named as a musician, Mehdi Rajabian, his brother, and Yousef Emadi, who managed BargMusic. The arrests took place in October. A woman is also reported to have been taken into custody in Hamadan.

Behind the smiles of a new president, the terror continues. Speak out for jailed musicians. Read this.

BargMusic-300x275

Zirk Bergh, a popular Afrikaans singer and guitarist, opened fire on his ex-wife when they met for a custody negotiation in Capetown [recte: Potchefstroom]. He killed his wife’s new husband, Charl du Randt, and a social worker handling the case, Deon Kondos. He also shot his ex-wife in the back in the presence of their two children before turning the gun on himself. Nicole du Randt died today. She was 26.

Zirk Bergh, 55, will be remembered not as a musician but as a mass murderer.

Be careful out there.

zirk bergh

Do we love this? We do.

i-phone brass1   iPhone-amplifiers-made-of-brass-instruments-3  iPhone-amplifiers-made-of-brass-instruments-02

More examples here. Enjoy.

At a press conference in Munich, designed to allay criticism of his pro-Putin stance, Valery Gergiev said of Russia’s anti-gay law: ‘I do not know this law and I do not understand it.’

Gergiev has been criticised by Munich’s Pink List, a member of the city coalition, for supporting the ‘current hatred and persecution policy of the Putin government towards lesbian, gay and transgender people.’ He becomes music director of the Munich Philharmonic in 2015.

On other matters, our observer says that Gergiev offered praise – as he has done before – for the Putin government’s support for culture, a policy which has enabled him to build a second opera house within the Mariinsky complex in St Petersburg. It appears he yielded no ground to those who criticise him for supporting the authoritarian Russian regime.

For a first report, click here (auf Deutsch).

gergiev a certain madness

I’ve never listened closely to George Antheil, the 1920s hell-raiser who styled himself Bad Boy of Music. Now that I’ve listened I’m still not sure. But there’s plenty to intrigue and amaze in his restless, boundary-pushing piano music. Read the review here.

antheil

In addition to the nine foreigners dismissed amid uproar almost two years ago, we understand that the Malaysian Philharmonic has recently terminated two more stalwarts:

Daniella Rodnite, principal 2nd violin, founding player since 1998, was sacked, ostensibly for giving private violin lessons to young people.

daniella rodnite

Zhenghong Jin, principal viola, in the orchestra since 2002, was sacked for giving at a charity concert in China during a week that he wasn’t required onstage with MPO.

The MPO is courting Milwaukee’s Edo de Waart to be its next music director. He would be wise to avoid the troubled band. The MPO us under an international musicians’ boycott.

Already the go-to maestro when others drop out of tours, Maazel today released in Beijing his version of the Ring Without Words. The orchestra is that of the National Centre for the Performing Arts and the label is a joint venture between Song Music and NCPA. It will be interesting to see how far this runs.

maazel 1119

Jonathan Lennie, classical music editor of Time Out (the original London brand), has been telling friends today that, as of next week, the magazine will have neither a classical editor nor a classical section. Classical music is, apparently, no longer considered part of the London entertainment scene. Here’s what Jonathan writes:

I just wanted to let you know that from next Friday, Time Out will no longer have a Classical section, nor, indeed, a Classical Editor! Yes, I’m afraid venture capitalism has taken control of the company and ‘restructuring’ is underway.

Sign of the times? Not for classical music, perhaps, but certainly for its place in disintegrating print media.

time out

A press release from the Rotterdam Phil and the Municipality appears below. We understand that the conductor is giving a press conference in Munich today to clarify his position on anti-gay policies in Russia. We will keep you posted.

gergievrotterdamfest

Rotterdam, 16 December

 

Press Statement Gergiev Festival and the Municipality of Rotterdam

 

The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Municipality of Rotterdam see no reason to enter into any form of discussion regarding the Rotterdam Philharmonic Gergiev Festival after alleged comments by Gergiev recently published in both the Dutch and the German press. Based on information they have, the comments by Gergiev in an article in the Volkskrant on 10 September were taken out of context.

In the article, Gergiev was asked for his opinion about the Russian law against ‘homosexual propaganda’ among minors. Gergiev said that the law is often misinterpreted, including in the Netherlands. ‘We do our utmost to protect children against paedophiles in Russia. This law is not about homosexuality, but is against paedophilia.’

 

Last month, Valery Gergiev already responded to demonstrations in London by issuing a statement on his Facebook page. He said that he does not discriminate against anybody, homosexual or otherwise. He said it was incorrect to imply that he supported an anti-gay law. In his work he takes the stand that all people have equal rights.

‘That has been my own experience also in all the years we have worked together’, said Hans Waege, managing director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Gergiev Festival: ‘Our company promotes the fundamental values of the Netherlands and Western European culture. We shall continue to do so in our own way.’

 

Councillor Antoinette Laan, responsible for the Culture Portfolio, said, ‘The Gergiev Festival is subsidised because of its artistic qualities. Based on information currently available to us we have no reason to either reduce or stop the subsidy.’

 

6 November: Statement Valery Gergiev

I am aware of the gay rights protest that took place at the Barbican last week prior to my concert with the LSO. I have said before that I do not discriminate against anyone, gay or otherwise, and never have done, and as head of the Mariinsky Theatre this is our policy. It is wrong to suggest that I have ever supported anti-gay legislation and in all my work I have upheld equal rights for all people. I am an artist and have for over three decades worked with tens of thousands of people in dozens of countries from all walks of life and many of them are indeed my friends. I collaborate with and support all my colleagues in the endeavour for music and art. This is my focus as a conductor, musician, artist and as Artistic and General Director of the Mariinsky Theatre and Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

 

Yesterday, a Korean pianist won the Beethoven competition in Bonn (albeit amid allegations of jury rigging). Today, we can report a Korean victory in Berlin. Eunsung Kim has won the Mendelssohn composers competition – for high school students. Well done, Kim.

Félix Mendelssohn - Bartholdy

Dresden has announced its New Year’s Eve TV offering, designed to put Berlin in the shade. In the past few years, Thielemann has trounced Rattle in the ratings. This time round, instead of the usual Strauss confections, he is putting on the Broadway lights – and with a pair of great singers. Beat that, Berlin.

ZDF will show the concert live on 31 Dezember from 17.30 Uhr, while Unitel will beam it to 27 other countries.

thielemann broadway