Would you believe this is the subject of academic research? How do these people justify their jobs?
Stefan Arzberger, leader of the Leipzig string quartet, has pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court to charges of attempted murder, assault and strangulation.
He is alleged to have forced his way naked into a fellow-guest’s room at the Hudson Hotel and tried to choke her.
Arzberger’s lawyer said he had been drugged and robbed by a transsexual prostitute. The violinist, 42, was supported by his wife who had flown out from Germany for the hearing.
New York Post court report here.
Montreal instrument maker Francis Beaulieu has sent us this picture of a viol he made for a client, who took it on the DL1870 Delta flight last Saturday from Atlanta to Montreal.
Somehow, the instrument was manhandled to such an extent that its neck was broken in transit. Francis says this ‘is typical of what happens when an instrument in its case is dropped, or receives a violent shock. As a viol maker and restorer, I have seen that kind of damage many times after airplane incidents.’
The owner tells us: ‘It was a checked baggage and was traveling in a big flight case (that has done several other trips before). The case shows signs of a big impact on the side of the head. The neck was broken and the body of the instrument was damaged (it chipped) by the impact of the neck breaking.’
Beware the brutal Delta.
Ben E King, co-composer of the indelible hit, has died at the age of 76.
And the less famous John-to-Yoko cover:
In order to quell speculation about his state of health, we have been asked to report that the reason for David Zinman’s forthcoming cancellations in Japan and Switzerland is that he’s about to undergo hip replacement surgery in New York.
As soon as he has convalesced, he intends to bounce back onto the box fit as any other 78 year-old maestro.
Murdoch’s Sky News has brilliant video editors. Enjoy.
Colin Sauer, leader of the Dartington string quartet and a violinist for many years in the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, is no more.
Colin was a quiet mentor to countless professionals and a fierce tennis player. Before the War, he was a finalist at Junior Wimbledon.
Valery Gergiev is conducting all five by Prokofiev at one BBC Prom – a piece of swagger programming that lacks poetry or coherent reasoning.
Now Gergiev best mate and fellow-Putinist Denis Matsuev has announced he will play all three Tchaikovsky piano concertos in one concert next week in Yekaterinburg.
The concert has been given the title ‘Triumph’. Let’s hope the trend does not spread further.
A survey of Spotify data shows that people’s interest in new music tails off at the advanced old age of 33. After that, we tune into the oldies and assure one another that music was so much better back then.
Same in classical-contemporary music?
Lyric Opera of Kansas City thinks it can, firing Ward Holmquist after 17 years in charge.
Statement from the chairman, Kenneth Hager: ‘Lyric Opera of Kansas City is reorganizing along the lines of standard industry structure for the purpose of improved effectiveness and efficiency in our operation and has eliminated the position of artistic director. Lyric Opera of Kansas City today announces the departure of Artistic Director Ward Holmquist. We thank him for his years of service.’
‘Standard industry structure’? What is he on?
Ronald Senator, who achieved widespread recognition for a 1986 Holocaust Requiem, has died with his wife, Miriam Brickman, in a New York house fire. Ronald was 89.
A student of Egon Wellesz at Oxford, he cut a large figure on the London scene in the 1980s.
