Beppo Grillo, the 5* movement leader has crossed all bounds of bad taste by repeatedly comparing his prime minister to the co-pilot on the crashed plane. This insensate comedian makes Berlusconi look decent. Poor Italy.

Report here.

beppo grillo joke

Tomas Tranströmer, winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature, died today at the age of 83.

His poems, translated into 60 languages, have been set to music by some of Sweden’s foremost composers.

A passionate pianist, Tomas Tranströmer had to relearn how to play after a stroke in 1990 left him paralysed down his right side. He said that playing the piano every day was the key to saving his life.

Transtromer2

Russian media are reporting that the Primorsky Opera and Ballet Theatre, opened in October 2013, is to be merged with the Mariinsky Theatre. The decision is said to have been taken personally by President Vladimir Putin. The Mariinsky director, Valery Gergiev, intends to use the Primorsky as his company’s showcase in Asia and the Pacific.

Primorskiy-teatr-operyi-i-baleta-325x200 (1)

 

The music director of an opera company in the west of England has pleaded guilty in Torquay to nine charges of making indecent images of children and a tenth of breaching the terms of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order, imposed for previous offences in 2006.

Jonathan Watts, 56, was music director of Devon Opera. A chorusmaster and pianist, he had also taken part in Dartington International Summer School.

Watts will be sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court on April 24.

jonathan watts

image: southwestshows

Anne Schwanewilms has pulled out of Sunday’s Elektra premiere. She is replaced as Chrysothemis by Ricarda Merbeth.

Peter Schneider is sick and cannot conduct Parsifal next week. Adam Fischer jumps in.

adam fischer

A Connecticut instrument specialist has talked himself out of eight years behind bars by agreeing to repay $379,000 to customers he had robbed. Charles Magby pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree larceny.

Musicians would leave their instruments with Magby for repair, restoration, assessment and, sometimes, sale. When elderly people came back for their violin or cello, Magby would make excuses or deny receiving the object.

After the plea deal, Magby has been placed on probation but will continue to do business in Guilford, Ct., trading as C. H. Magby Jr. Fine Violins Ltd..

You have been warned.

charlesmagbyfineviolins_violins1

 

 

 

Carbonvioline gewinnt Deutschen Musikinstrumentenpreis 2015

Eat your heart out, Antonio.

This little beauty from Westphalia has won the Deutscher Musikinstrumentenpreis 2015. It’s the first time a non-wood stringed instrument has been entered.

carbon-fibre violin

The ‘Design Line’ carbon violin is made by Werther, of Nordrhein-Westfalen.

A Philadelphia reader has shared this comment on a New York Times report on the Germanwings disaster:

Submitted by E.Dougherty Philadelphia, PA

Attended a remarkable recital here in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening by the bass-baritone Eric Owens that featured Schubert’s Fahrt zum Hades, and Gruppe aus dem Tartarus, and the almost awkward sight (until explained) of tears streaming down Mr. Owens’ cheeks during the performance. After intermission, when Mr. Owens returned, he paused to explained to the audience that the reason for his overcomed and bereft manner was that he had learned, only an hour or so before he walked on stage, that his colleague, Maria Radner, was indeed on the manifest of the doomed plane and had indeed perished (along with her husband and infant son). If ever there was a moment when the distant meanings of these distant songs was made real in the present (‘When will these tortures finish? When?’), it was in Mr. Owens’s explanation of why he was so earlier bereft, of the fusing of Schubert’s music with this very contemporary and lacerating intrusion. It all made his entire presentation – his performance, his utter, convulsed devastation – one of the most memorable and poignant tributes to a fallen colleague I’ve ever witnessed.

maria radner

In a swift response to AFM leader Ray Hair’s concerns about the classical label’s streaming deal with Pandora, the Naxos founder Klaus Heymann has circulated the following rebuttal:

naxos
Since its foundation more than 25 years ago the mission of Naxos has been to make classical music accessible and affordable. More than any other record company, Naxos has invested in music education and in recording a wider range of repertoire than any other company, major or independent. At the same time, Naxos has promoted many new and young artists and performing arts groups. Its catalogue of American classical music is second to none, built at substantial cost over time.

It is both absurd and offensive for AFM President Ray Hair to insinuate in his recent Billboard op-ed that Naxos was motivated by greed and profiteering in its recent deal with Pandora.  Writing these comments without any attempt to contact Naxos is irresponsible and reckless, and does not serve musicians well.

Naxos remains committed to its artists and is committed to ensuring that all amounts owed for plays on Pandora are reported and paid to them in a timely and concise manner.  This deal was done for the benefit of musicians worldwide.

The current US statutory licensing system for non-interactive digital transmissions does not serve artists, especially classical artists, well. While it allows Sound Exchange to withhold 50% on behalf of artists and musicians, it does not oblige Sound Exchange to actively​ search for and identify artists entitled to receive payments. Nor does it oblige Sound Exchange to provide the artists with meaningful reports.

Featured artist payments are accompanied by meaningless reports omitting composer names and work titles. Here is what a Senior Customer Service Agent told a Naxos artist who complained about the absence of work titles and composer names:  “We don’t actually pay royalties for composing, so that is nothing that gets reported to us.  Sound Exchange is not set up in the way you are explaining. The composer is just not something that [our licensees] are required to report. It’s just not something that Sound Exchange has control over.”

Actually, Sound Exchange does not even report work titles. Artists receive reports specifying simply “Allegro”, without the name of the work to which the Allegro belongs or the name of the composer. There are literally tens of thousands of “Allegros” in classical music.  Mistakes are not corrected. The same artist keeps receiving statements specifying:  “Allegro from String” (possibly referring to the Allegro from the Spring Concerto of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons), even though the mistake was pointed out to the Senior Customer Service Agent.

By concluding direct license agreements with partners such as Pandora, Naxos not only builds a stronger relationship with important discovery and promotional services, but it also ensures that the amounts owed to both Naxos and its artists are reported and ​actually ​paid​ accurately.​ Naxos will be able to identify and pay the hundreds of artists who have not been receiving any payments at all from Sound Exchange.

Rest assured, Naxos is committed to growing the classical-listening community through promotion, support, education and continued investment in recordings and platforms.  This is, and always has been a passion project for Klaus Heymann, founder and chairman of Naxos.  Naxos relies on and is intent on supporting the artist community every way it can.

Gustavo Dudamel has committed himself to the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a further three years, taking him to 2022 and sending a clear signal to Berlin (as Yannick Nézet-Seguin has done) that he’s not interested in the once-glittering prize.

Dude has a difficult divorce on his hands and may need to stay put for personal reasons.

Press announcement follows.

dude in shanghai

pictured yesterday in Shanghai, l-r: Mark Newbanks (Dude’s agent), Borda, Dudamel

Los Angeles, CA (March 27, 2015) – Los Angeles Philharmonic Association Board Chair Diane B. Paul and President/Chief Executive Officer Deborah Borda today announced a contract extension for Gustavo Dudamel through the 2021/22 season. In recognition of Dudamel’s deepened commitment to the institution, Artistic Director is being added to his current title, making him Music Director & Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, effective immediately.  His original contract as Music Director commenced in the 2009/10 season for a 5-year term and was extended in March 2011 to run through the 2018/19 centennial season. Today’s announcement was made from Tokyo during the orchestra’s first tour of Asia under Dudamel.

 

Diane Paul commented, “In Gustavo Dudamel, the Los Angeles Philharmonic has a great treasure.  In addition to his dynamic artistic leadership, he continues to expand YOLA, one of the great hallmarks of his tenure, modeled on the inspirational work of Jose Antonio Abreu. On behalf of the Board, it gives me enormous joy to know that we will continue to share the treasure we have in Gustavo with Los Angeles and beyond for at least the next seven years.”

 

Los Angeles Philharmonic Association President and Chief Executive Officer, David C. Bohnett Presidential Chair Deborah Borda added, “Gustavo’s passionate leadership has instilled a new sense of possibility among our musicians, our audiences, and our community.  His all-embracing vision propels us forward to the LA Phil’s centenary celebration and beyond, and exemplifies the institution’s commitment to innovation and access for all.”

 

Chairman of the Orchestra Committee Barry Gold stated, “We are absolutely thrilled that he will be our Music Director & Artistic Director through the 2021/22 season. The immediate camaraderie and respect from the beginning between Gustavo and the musicians has continued to grow over our years together, resulting in incredible music making. This is great news for all of us at the LA Phil.”

Dudamel observed, “It has been ten years now since my debut in Los Angeles with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and my love for both orchestra and city has grown in depth and in intensity over this decade. We have an unparalleled situation in the world of classical music today: great musicians, a strong community base, a healthy organization with amazing administrative leadership, a hugely supportive board, innovative and game-changing educational programs, two iconic venues, and a growing shared history of musical performances. Conducting in the ‘City of Angels’ is a magical experience, and I owe so much to so many Angels and Angelenos.  As I look to the future and how I want to focus my work, it’s become clear that it is about a deepening of commitments to my two musical families – my beloved El Sistema, and this great orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic.”