Horowitz’s practice regimeThe piano technician, Franz Mohr, observed: Horowitz was consistent in all that he did. His rehearsal was always on Saturday at 4:00 p.m., his performance was on Sunday. And I always had plenty of time to prepare his piano for the concert. Of course Horowitz would have never stolen my preparation time in order to […]
The James Bond themeJohn Barry did not get the chance to see any footage and he had not read any of Ian Fleming’s books when he was called in to work on the music for the first James Bond film, Dr No (1962), for which Monty Norman had originally been commissioned to write the score. “I was just […]
Active listeningListening to music should always be an active process, and those who attend – pregnant verb – concerts, who listen, who respond, who treasure what they hear there, are musicians. They are the ones who do not let music wash over them like a bubble bath but who actively swim in the water. When vibrations […]
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (MP3)Title: The Queen Stands At Your Right Hand Text: Psalm 44 (45): 10-12. 16 Composer: Greg Smith Performer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano Product medium: MP3 recording Related products: – The Queen Stands At Your Right Hand – Piano solo (score) – The Queen Stands At Your Right Hand – SATB and piano (score) Sample:
First impressions of Schindler’s ListWhen renowned composer John Williams first watched a rough cut of Schindler’s List at director Steven Spielberg’s home in Los Angeles, he got so choked up he couldn’t speak. “I had to walk around the room for four or five minutes to catch my breath,” Williams recalls. “I said to Steven, ‘I really think you […]
The art of listening“It’s a challenge, for me at least, to do nothing but listen. You need to set aside time for it. You need to concentrate on the music alone (and not on your next deadline). But when it works, you open yourself up to the transcendent ecstasy good music can bring.” Francis Merson, editor, Limelight, April […]
Harmony“You don’t get harmony when everybody sings the same note.” Doug Floyd, editorial editor of The Spokesman Review
Concentrate on the performanceDaniel Saidenberg ws the first cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski. He recalled: Stoki’s ability to exert disciplines was occasionally matched by a sense of humor. After a concert at which I had played the Saint-Saëns A-minor Concerto, one of my buddies said, “Watch your step, Danny. All through the second movement, […]
A concise rehearsalHans Knappertsbusch (1888-1965) was a German conductor. However, he had a dislike of rehearsals. Karajan recalled: One time he was going over Tchaikovsky’s Fifth with the Vienna Philharmonic. He came to the second movement, with the horn solo, and said, “Let’s start.” He did a few bars, stopped, and said, “See you this evening. You […]
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