In the painstaking task of reading page proofs for my next book, I needed something on in the background that would keep my rhythm going without distracting me with an excess of invention. Hindemith, who else?
The German composer, damned by the Nazis as a dangerous modernist, was never other than a cerebral conservative with an ear for correct form. Exiled to Istanbul, then to Yale, he reduced students to tears with rigorous lessons in theory and any number of ruthless technical exercises designed to make them better human beings. …
On Saturday afternoon we lost a kind and wonderful man, Paul Bartel. He was not only the founder of Baroque Violin Shop, he was our father, our friend, our teacher, and an inspiration to everyone he came in contact with. His passion for music and music education were undeniable, unrivaled and infectious. He may not be with us physically but his spirit lives on through everyone that he inspired around the country.
His quiet and humble generosity have impacted thousands of lives, and encouraged thousands more. Paul you fought the good fight, you finished the race, and you kept the faith. You will be missed.
In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Paul and Jan Bartel scholarship fund at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center, which provides music education for underprivileged students. Donations can be made following the link below. Details for the service celebrating Paul’s life and legacy are still being finalized. We will let you know as soon as possible.
Please take a few minutes to share your favorite memory of Paul in the comments. https://wfac.givingfuel.com/paul-jan-bartel-scholarship
When Tanglewood put out its latest change of cast, a deep sigh of seen-it-all-before went around the Slipped Disc desk.
‘Hang on,’ said the guvnor. ‘This is not the usual cop-out. It’s the best news ever.’
Our dear friend Ingrid Fliter has discovered she’s pregnant and the doctors have forbidden her to fly.
Ingrid, 45, got married not long ago to longterm boyfriend Anton Dressler and had a gloriously flaky conversation with me a few months back in Denmark about the benefits, or otherwise, of having a child.
Looks like Nature had the last laugh.
Gilmore winner Ingrid Fliter will be replaced at Tanglewood on August 23 by debutant Conrad Tao.
The rest is pure happiness.
When Jonas Kaufmann recorded both solo roles in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, the result met with near-universal derision.
For his principal German rival, Klaus Florian Vogt, that represents a challenge.
We read that Vogt is about to go down the same wayward path at the Hamburg Staatsoper in October.
You have been warned.
Laura Kukkonen, 18, from Finland, is the winner of the ‘Play with Ray’ competition at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Last night, Laura joined Ray Chen right onstage at the Hollywood Bowl to play the first movement of Bach’s Double Violin Concerto with the LA Phil, conducted by Ben Gernon.
The runners up – Adriana Bec, 13, of San Antonio, TX, and Youngji Kim, 22, of Daegu, South Korea, got to play in the LA Phil first violins.
Laura Kukkonen said:’There are not enough words to describe how thankful I am for this experience. Getting a masterclass from Ray, playing on Guadagninis, doing extra activities, making new friends and, finally, performing with the outstanding professionals at the Hollywood Bowl – all of these are a dream come true and even more. This opportunity shows rare kindness and generosity which we often lack these days.’
Personal interest: Ray Chen is soundtrack soloist in my forthcoming film, The Song of Names.
For the second time this season, the lakeside performance of Rigoletto was abandoned after 15 minutes amid a heavy downpour.
Around 1,600 audience members were shepherded indoors to watch a semi-staged performance. The remaining 5,400 ticket holders were offered refunds. There are no seats remaining for the rest of the run.
