El Mundo  reports that a man was arrested yesterday after throwing his mobile phone at musicians of the Community of Madrid Orchestra during a concert in the National Auditorium.

The disrupter, 64, has been charged with public order offences. He was said to be drunk.

The concert of the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid was conducted by Emilio Aragón and Victor Pablo Pérez, with pianist Javier Perianes.

No-one was hurt.

Wiebaden Opera has published details of the death of the international bass-baritone, Gerd Grochowski.

On Sunday January 15, Gerd sang Wotan in the first performance of a new production of Wagner’s Die Walküre. He received great public acclaim and several ovations.

On Monday he rang the emergency doctor, complaining of chest pains. He received prompt treatment but died at 3:o9 pm.

The company pays tribute to his kindness and truthfulness, the sincerity of his honest struggle for life-affirming art.

 

Professor Angelo Persichilli, principal flute of Rome’s Santa Cecilia for 40 years from 1958, has died at 77.

Among his notable recordings was a Bruno Maderna album for Hyperion.

A fire in Europe’s biggest musical instruments factory – at Reghin, in Romania – has wiped out much of its stock, including a estimated 4,000 violins.

Damage is assessed at quarter of a million Euros. About half the stock was saved.

Report here.

 

Sophie Koch has pulled out of the entire run.

Her replacement is Clémentine Margaine, unknown to New York.

 

The devoutly Christian group, recovering from a recent bereavement, have turned a deaf ear to the mood music.

Here’s the official announcement.

We hear that their label, Sony, had been urging certain artists to participate.

Here’s the Piano Guys’ statement:

Our desire as The Piano Guys has always been to spread hope, love and joy through our music and videos. We accepted the invitation to perform at the Inauguration with this objective in mind. We would have been honored at the opportunity no matter who was being sworn in. We strive to make all vital decisions a matter of serious soul searching and prayer. We felt very strongly that we needed to accept this invitation.

We, too, are distraught over how divisive this chapter in our nation’s politics has been, but we have hope for the future! When Jon’s daughter went missing people came to our aid in incredibly unselfish, loving, caring, and nonjudgmental ways. It reaffirmed our hope that it’s gonna be okay. As the pendulum of politics swings one way or another, let us all pray for understanding and for goodwill to win in the end.

Il Volo, Dudamel’s New Year’s concert and Pretty Yende are outselling all else this week, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

The German bass-baritone Gerd Grochowski died yesterday in Mainz of a heart attack at the age of 60.

He sang Klingsor in last summer’s Parsifal at Bayreuth.

After 15 years at Bonn Opera, Gerd Grochowski enjoyed an international Wagner career, singing Kurnewal at the Met and Kurwenal and Gunther at La Scala. He sang Teleramund at Covent Garden.

Patrice Chereau chose him for the celebrated Vienna Festival production of From the House of the Dead.

Our sympathies to Gerd’s family.

UPDATE: He died the day after singing Wotan.

We hear that Ed Yim, Vice President, Artistic Planning, at the NY Phil is out.

Word is, he’s going to be president of the American Composers Orchestra.

At last, something to run on his own.

Apparently, it’s an amicable parting (unusual for the NY Phil).

There has been no official announcement but we have first-hand confirmation.

 

Message from the World Jewish Congress:

Thank you to world-renowned Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich for being part of our campaign.

 

The Institut Polonais in Paris reports that a Swiss enthusiast, Alain Kohler, has come up with a hitherto unknown photograph of Frederic Chopin.

The Daguerrotype portrait was taken in or around 1847 in the Paris workshop of Louis-Auguste Bisson.

Chopin looks less haggard that usual, and rather annoyed.

Dr Kohler was previously responsible for discovering a lost Chopin piano.