TT 161: Angell, Updike, Poul Ruders, two Vivaldi arrangements
Two quick new DTMs:
Baseball Interlude (links and comments on famous writing by Roger Angell and John Updike)
The Second Piano Sonata of Poul Ruders (another listen to a personal touchstone)
This Atlantic article by Elizabeth Bruenig on the topic of school shootings is a worthy read.
On a happier note, I loved this Ted Gioia overview of the Taxi Dance.
One must believe in the future. The Goede Hoop band starts with "Gloria," then there's "Spring." Pure joy.
"Spring" is omnipresent anyway, but it got (another) bump lately with the popular "Recomposed by Max Richter" arrangement.
The Richter is pretty and is good soundtrack music (used in My Brilliant Friend) but -- like most "classical" music informed by Philip Glass and indie rock -- there's no syncopation.
The Goede Hoop Marimba Band uses the Universal Rhythm, 3:3:2, and grooves like anything. Incredible mash-up.
Most symphonic musicians are still not comfortable with basic clave. This is a big problem when considering the future of "classical" music. If you want to stay relevant, learn to swing! (My recent Threepenny Review article asking for drums in the conservatory addresses this very topic.)