Beneath the skin of London’s musical life
Album Of The WeekFrom the Lebrecht Album of the Week:
In my 20s, on a spare afternoon, I would stroll down the Thames from Westminster to the City marvelling at how little had changed in the essential topography since the days of Shakespeare and Pepys. Yesterday, I had cause to wander through Leadenhall and Lombard and was struck at how little I recognised. Glass and steel skyscrapers have created a humanoid alienation, an impermeable wall between eternal London and the 21st century version.
I felt a similar regret listening to Franziska Lee’s album of Londonoid piano pieces…
More here.
And here.
In Czech here.
In The Critic.
Every link leads to Ludwig van Toronto
I scrolled through some articles and read about the Beethoven unfinished 10th symphony.
Some have “tried” to re build it from the scratches.
Why do that?
It must remain part of history that it was unfinished or not even started.
It reminds me of the same work that was done on Mahler’s tenth symphony….what is in fact of Mahler inside it?
On the other hand many Schubert works have been left unfinished by him-was he tired or lacking inspiration ?
Strange:no one speaks of FINISHING them!!!
Mozart did not complete his requiem due to his death.Sussmayr did complete somme parts of it.Wouldn’t it be best to have left it unfinished??
I don’t know what is wrong with the City of London planners giving permission for the god awful buildings like the Walkie Talkie.
Norman, it might be helpful to have your thoughts on how a pianist can “echo a composer’s sexual and political circumstances”. Approaching the keyboard with a limper wrist, perhaps? Or giving greater prominence to the left hand? I am asking on behalf of a (pianist) friend.
What kind of contribution is this one?
A sarcastic one. But if you can elucidate on how a performance of instrumental music can “echo a performer’s sexual and political circumstances” (which Norman considers the performance under review doesn’t), I shall be glad to be educated.