Top 10 Posts of 2014
Now that the OM is back in business, I’ve spent quite a lot of time rummaging around in the code, checking various stats reports and fixing all the things are in disrepair or just outright broken. The internet has changed…
Category: This & That
How To Maraca Like Nobody Is Watching
Sunday afternoon I went to Ehrenfeld – Cologne’s Hackney/Williamsberg – and somewhere inside the mass of vega, bearded baby-wearers, I found a lamb kebab and Mr Maracas. After three songs, I still wasn’t sure if he was with the band…
Just Like Beethoven
Old Spice Muscle Music from Terry Crews on Vimeo. Given the technology, I see no reason why he wouldn’t have written his music like this too. Think of the third to fourth movement transition in the fifth symphony…one of the…
London 2012: The bells toll for you
It’s Olympic day! The bells are ringing, people are happy and it just started raining for the first time in a week. There was a lot of bell ringing this morning at 8:12 for Martin Creed’s “Piece 1197: All the…
Opera in La-La Land
“My reaction and Marc’s reaction was, Jesus, you know, we have four or five people here that are just stirring the pot unnecessarily and we need to calm this down. They need to understand the broader context.” — Stephen Rountree,…
People of London
and anyone else who will be in town from 23rd May to 8 July: This is coming to the Science Museum and Miss Mussel is willing to bet that it will rock your socks. More ici.
Texts from Hillary
From one of my favourite new meme tumblr things – Texts from Hillary More delights await ici
Alla marcia
Sibelius – Alla marcia from Karelia Suite Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Charles Mackerras
Oh London, you drama queen
This is completely excellent. You should read it immediatement.
The Baritone Michael – What He Wore
Frère Mussel has hijacked the OM in order to respond to one of the most tedious NY Times to ever have been printed. Just to clear – fashion is not tedious. Singing is not tedious. Label lists and hideously boring…
Best Music Writing Needs You
The Best Music Writing anthology – the 2011 version of which included #Operaplot (!) – is going independent and is running a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds needed to get the new press started. Have a look at the…
Um! Yah! Yah!
St Olaf’s is a Lutheran college in Northfield, Minnesota. They got some new pianos. All the old ones were brought into the main hall, lined up and 30 staff and students bashed through St Anthony’s Chorale and their fight song…
Speaking of Volumes
A few back of the envelope calculations for a piece I’m working on led to the to following: Lady Blunt Strad $16 million or $44,000/cubic inch Bonjour Strad cello $6 million or $1100/cubic inch 5-storey Upper East Side townhouse $23…
Blues singer Etta James, Dead at 73
From complications relating to her leukemia. She was one of the Women Who Mean It – meaning those tragic female singers who, when they sing of heartbreak, loneliness and longing, you know they’ve lived that pain over and over again….
Anathema
Usually I stay out of the crossover wars. People like what they like and are unlikely to like what I like just because I like it. But this…..this is…well…just listen. What the hell, Karl Jenkins?
Shit Choristers Say
Top Tip: If you’ve been in choir for ages and have never met a chorister like this, it’s you. Well done to the Vancouver Cantata Singers for riding the meme wave started by this and this.
Thomas Quasthoff Retires
Sad news today: Thomas Quasthoff has decided to retire from the concert stage for health reasons, effective immediately. Miss Mussel has not yet had the chance to hear him live and was hoping to do so in a couple of…
Shout Out To Mrs Hill
and her Salt Lake City music classes who are learning about opera via The Enchanted Island and Joyce DiDonato. The kids sent in some questions for Joyce and her colleague Luca Pisaroni to answer before they head to the cinema…
Arthur Streeb-Greebling – A Life In Pieces
It’s officially 2012, but seeing as the wisemen still have 6 days to show up, it’s still technically Christmas – the seventh day, in fact. Keep an eye out for any stray swans. They’ll only act as a beacon for…
We’ll Take A Cup Of Kindness Yet
Here’s to a 2012 full of possibility, wonder and joy. Happy New Year, Internets! Music: Renée Fleming: “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress” Film: Andreas Scholl Video first spotted on NPR’s Deceptive Cadence.