Welcome to my little space on the Net!

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If you really love classical music and jazz but can’t stand those elitist review magazines, you will find this a refreshing change of pace. Here we discuss music seriously but not pompously. If you enjoy classical music because it’s “calming” or “beautiful,” however, you’ve come to the wrong place. Yes, a few pieces have their place because of exquisite construction, but for the most part this is a site where you will read about and be directed to performances that have guts and passion and feeling. If you don’t feel the music you play, do us all a favor and give up. The world needs shoe repairpeople and apple pickers too, you know.

The best composers and musicians had/have something to say, and I particularly love those who said something that challenges you and makes you think. The late Jon Vickers used to say that “great art asks questions, but doesn’t provide answers.” I firmly believe that great music is the most positive force in our lives because it has the power to inspire and elate us as well as make us think. Even more, great music will never let you down. It will ALWAYS be there for you to give emotional and intellectual support. Your job, friends, even relatives may disappoint you and let you down, possibly even betray you, but music will never do that. Its power to move and inspire you is eternal and everlasting.

If you are one of those who feel attracted to classical music but don’t know where to start, I recommend The Rough Guide to Classical Music (4^th edition). If you want to learn quickly about jazz, try Jazz 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Jazz by John F. Szwed. Or just hang around this site and read the reviews and blogs posted here.

I will be working on a recommended performances guide as time permits, and posting parts of it here as they are finished. In addition, I will be reviewing new releases on and off as the spirit moves me.

Enjoy!

*****READ ALL ABOUT LYNN’S BOOK: FROM BAROQUE TO BOP AND BEYOND!*****

THE PENGUIN’S GIRLFRIEND’S GUIDE TO CLASSICAL MUSIC!

You’ll love it! Or you won’t!
Now complete all the way through Composers – X/Y/Z! Click on the link above to access it!

Even Newer!
Toscanini In and Of His Time

An approach to Arturo Toscanini’s conducting style and musicianship in a different light. A work in progress, I’ve uploaded the first six segments for your enjoyment (I hope). Feedback appreciated. Now complete through the year 1952 and including a facsimile of the 1950 NBC Symphony-Toscanini Tour Booklet. Also see my latest post, “Toscanini and Singers.”

OR

Check out my latest blog posts:

Jansons Conducts Beethoven
Justin Morell’s Fascinating Guitar Concerto
God’s Tenor
Bruno Monsaingeon Delves Into Rostropovich   
Bêlohlávek Presents a Martinů Premiere
Mingus and Sikora Pay Tribute to Butterflies
Valentina Tóth Tackles “Ruralia Hungarica”
Celebrating Zwilich’s Passionate Diversions
Kimbrough & Co. Wow On Complete Monk Set
Svárovky Conducts Smetana’s Symphonic Poems
A Great Petrucciani Concert from 1988
Rare Early Broadcasts by Bream
Blomstedt Conducts Stenhammar
Kapustin’s Flute Works in New Release
Aho’s Brass Concerti Recorded
Discovering the Music of Apostel   
Papandopulo Returns!   
Antheil’s Orchestral Works in New Recording
Arkhipova and Hvorostovsky Star in “Queen of Spades”
Wallfisch Plays Brahms
Feltsman Presents Forgotten Russians
Herzogenberg’s “Columbus” a Great Find!
Lovano & Douglas Create a “Scandal”
The Music of Svend Hvidtfelt Nielsen
Kosmos Ensemble’s Musical Pomegranate
Krenek’s Chamber Music and Songs
Hakan Toker “Messing Around” With the Classics
Alister Spence Imagines Meeting the Satoko Fujii Orchestra
Vol. 3 of Rosner’s Orchestral Music Released
Forgotten Jazz Orchestras: Boyd Raeburn
Alexeev’s Wonderful Scriabin Preludes
Exploring Justin Morell’s Guitar Concerto
Korstick Plays Franck
Borralhinho Plays Early 20th-Century German Works
Dave Young Swings in New CD
Pablo Aslan’s Superb Jazz String Quintets
It’s Schulhoff Time Again!
An Epic Begins: Mark Lomax’s “400,” Part 1
The Epic Continues: Mark Lomax’s “400,” Part 2
Lomax’s “Afrikan Epic” Concludes
The Ernie Watts Quartet Plays “Home Light”
5 Composers Contribute to New Compilation CD
Expanded Reissue of Dolphy’s “Conversations” & “Iron Man” Released
Wadada Leo Smith Honors Rosa Parks
The Atom String Quartet Plays New Works
Ruggieri & Mesirca Play Modern Flute-Guitar Music
Jazz Flautist Magela Herrera’s Great Debut Disc
Historic Bartók Performances Reissued
Getting Into Gustavo Díaz-Jerez’ “Metaludios”

For links to older blog posts (beginning March 2016) click HERE

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Contact me at artmusiclady(at)outlook .com

Other sites of wonder to discover:

The Opera Scribe
Jazz in Europe
Emily’s Music Dump
The Music Parlour – Historical Releases
Jazz Lives
Composer Charles Ruggiero
Jazz Radio Network
WWFM Classical Streaming
Jazzbreak (many sound clips & videos available here)
John Todaro Photography

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