When Life Does Things

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Curveball

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It's Groundhog Day: everyone is dissing the Proms. Every year the same thing happens: the niche interests complain that their particular Thing isn't there, or is not there enough, there aren't ever enough women composers or conductors or musical figureheads of colour, and there'll be a couple of not-strictly-classical concerts to which the reactionaries, er, react. There is a lot of standard fare from decent orchestras, with famous pieces; some see this as padding, others might recognise that tickets have to be sold now and then. Dissing the Proms is a sort of annual tradition, like cheese-racing or dancing round the maypole. We don't wholly interrogate the deeper reasons for why we're doing it, or what the context really is, or what the realities might be of programming a magnificent summer of concerts that truly can please everybody (i.e., there goes another of those flying pigs over Kensington Gardens). The fact is that we simply don't know how lucky we a...
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Not new year resolutions

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The Apothecary's Rose, from my garden. It should work magic, if I only knew how. I decided not to make any new year resolutions because they're expected  to be  gloriously positive and, as you'll know from yesterday's Mood Ludwig, that's not where I am right now. So I'm not going to do it. Not going to think about practising the piano and then not do it. Not going to decide not to eat chocolate. Not going to promise myself to go running three times a week. Not going to stop procrastinating - you can't teach a middle-aged catwoman new tricks. And I'm not going to not post as many cat pictures. So I'm not going to pledge to do anything except be myself  to  the best of my ability.  Current mood: KAPUSTIN Here is the annual reminder of what JDCMB is and isn't. Darlings, a very warm welcome to all readers, whoever and wherever you may be. JDCMB is Jessica Duchen's Classical Music Blog. It's a relatively random and succinctly spontaneous colle...
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Angelo Villani: I've got a little Liszt...

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There could be worse inspirations for a pianist than Vladimir Horowitz. As the pianist  Angelo Villani prepares for his first London recital in five years, he's written us a guest post about how the legendary Russian has lit the way to an approach that respects the score and composer while also finding a spontaneity that recreates the music anew in every performance. Do come and hear him play Chopin,  Mozart, Bach and, of course, a little Liszt - actually, quite a lot -  at the Royal Overseas League next week, 5 July . JD Angelo in action Photo: Bronac McNeill Angelo Villani writes: This July will be my first public recital in London for five years, so it’s an understatement to say I am excited. In the past, my repertoire has been principally centred around Liszt, as well as my own transcriptions, but for this next concert, alongside Chopin, I will be playing a smattering of Bach and Mozart for the very first time. My supporters are curious as to how I plan to appro...
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