New music fest is cancelled at two days’ notice

New music fest is cancelled at two days’ notice

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norman lebrecht

October 13, 2020

The Donaueschinger Musiktage, the oldest and best showcase for contemporary music, was scrapped last night due to Covid-19. It was due to take place from October 15 to 18.

‘In view of the rapid development of the past few days, we had no other choice, said artistic director, Björn Gottstein. ‘It’s frustrating and incredibly painful.’

Donaueschingen in the bad boy days

 

 

Comments

  • yujafan says:

    I miss the bad boy days…. some haphazard tripe from Anna Clyne et al is hardly composition really, is it?

  • John Borstlap says:

    A little spark of positive news in the pandemic.

  • Petros Linardos says:

    Does anyone recognize the man talking to the two bad boys?

    • John Borstlap says:

      It’s a CIA agent, reassuring the boys that however awful it all sounds, it is a symbol of the Free World and as such sure to become classical in the course of time. As you can see in the picture, B and S had become quite depressed after a rehearsel.

    • Pianofortissimo says:

      Nicolas Nabokov, maybe?

    • Le Křenek du jour says:

      Yep. I think so. Must be Heinrich Strobel, talking to Stockhausen and Boulez.
      Though I never met the man himself, I‘ve seen his picture at the SWR Experimental Studio, which he founded and which bears his name.

      Strobel was a major proponent of modern music even before the war, making a strong case for Weill, Křenek and, of course, Hindemith.
      How he managed to survive despite this, and despite saving his wife Hilde Levy from deportation and death, would make an interesting story.

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