Gratuitous Abuse of the Link Function, Ho!

[x_los]

So Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor played in class last night put me in a classics mood, and I rushed around this morning freaking out that I didn't have an Dvorak on this newish laptop. Also I gave in and finally just bought Ainadamar, this fabulous opera about Lorca (who I'm more than a little obsessed with the plays of) that won the Classical Grammy in 2007.

Sad discovery, b/c the opera's in Spanish: my Spanish has /really/ slipped in the past months. I'm sure I can get it back if I go teach there, but I used to be literate/conversationally fluent and now I'm...not. It doesn't help that it's an opera with random bits of Arabic and Yiddish, though. Or that it's a) about the region I lived in but b) by an Argentine speaker, which is bound to complicate things. Why the Yiddish influence? Osvaldo Golijov is like Kusher--can't do a damn thing without Jews. Remember Caroline or Change? Wtf. Civil rights narrative in the South. Unless it's SNCC members? No Jews, Tony. Not today. Go translate Dybbuk about it--seriously, please do so, that play is fiery hot and amazing.

Seriously, if you haven't read A Dybbuk (not 'the Dybbuk,' the Ansky original, which I haven't looked at, but 'a Dybbuk')? Time well spent.

But here's two songs from Ainadamar that rock face. Even if you dislike classical music, your face? Will be ROCKED. Though for a brief bit at the beginning of the first one he thinks he's Juno Reactor on the Matrix soundtrack, which is awfully funny.

Introduction of Mariana
Balada
Death of Lorca
Interludio de Balazos y Lamento Por la Muerte de Federico

Comments

[sanestlunatic.livejournal.com]

If you're really desperate for some Dvorak, I have the New World Symphony on my computer. (I marched to it once. *shifty look*) Unfortunately, I used to have a larger classical music collection, but lost most of it in a series of computer crashes. (Thanks, Dell!)

[x-los.livejournal.com]

Oh, awesome, I'd love it! Yeah, my comp got stolen in Rome, so I'm in a similar situation. x_x And from what I hear Dells crap out on people like that's their job. Laaaame.

[sanestlunatic.livejournal.com]

Sorry I didn't get this uploaded sooner, but I had the Night Class of Death (and stupid writing metaphors!) last night. Clicky!

Yes. Yes, they do. I had my Dell for a year and a half, and in that time, the cooling fan died twice (which then killed the CPU), the backlight died once, and the stupid on-site repair guy fucked up my CD-ROM and wireless. And then I basically whined at my parents till they let me get a Mac.

[x-los.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Thanks!

I think you should find the Dell kid and challenge him to a duel of honor. Inc. glove-smacking.

[sanestlunatic.livejournal.com]

I almost had to hunt down and kill the one who broke it for good, especially after he called me to ask why I gave him a negative review on Dell's survey thing. Uh, because you broke my computer and made me shell out $2000 for a new one? Ass.

[reserve.livejournal.com]

You know what's totally fascinating about Kushner's "A Dybbuk"? It's a reworking of Neugroschel's translation, which is like, so meta! A re-writing of a translation! MAN! That's just... insane. I need to go read that when I finish this stupid ass paper.

[x-los.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the version I have has the Neugroschel translation as well, so you can compare the texts. Nerd fact: I find that AWESOME. Mmm, teeeextz...

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

*downloads and prepares to have her face rocked*

But I need to know: will it do anything to my socks? Because I did not prepare my socks for rocking this morning.

[x-los.livejournal.com]

I believe your socks will remain in an upright position! Fear not, your ankles will remain modestly garbed!

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

Oh, good. I'd hate to be one of those slutty girls who shows her ankles...

Hm. Is there a way to play m4p files outside iTunes? It insists I must be you for these to play.

[x-los.livejournal.com]

Oooh, crap, I've no idea! Um. Hm. VLC maybe?

[gothicchicklotr.livejournal.com]

1) I'm working on a dvorak piece right now from the opera Rusalka. Singing in czech is a bitch, let me tell you.

2) This post makes me jealous because *blush* I still haven't figured out lj cuts or lj linking.

3) I love that Lorca is a pants role in that opera. God I love pants roles.

[x-los.livejournal.com]

God, pronouncing Czech straight is impossible--singing it must be even worse! How's the Rusalka bit, though? Worth checking out?

Oh, it's really easy if you have the right browser. Firefox and a lot of other things let you publish in either HTML or rich text, and if you can click the tab for rich text? The little tool bar on the top just practically does it all for you.

Mm, that and theatrical doubling ftw.

[anyhennypenny.livejournal.com]

have you heard simone dinnerstein's update on the goldberg variations?

[x-los.livejournal.com]

Noooo, what's up with it? *is interested!*

[anyhennypenny.livejournal.com]

let me prequel the previous comment by first asking, have you heard glenn gould's goldberg variations, and if so, did you like it? b/c if you did, you just might hate dinnerstein's. gould's version is very staccato and uber-20th century stylistically. dinnerstein's is lighter, ephemeral (almost), although neither artist plays this piece in the traditional baroque style - which certainly doesn't say anything negative about their interpretations and is a compliment to the versatility and longevity of the composition. you can catch gould on youtube, but unfortunately, dinnerstein TALKS over her version posted on youtube, rendering it "my elevator music to ME." still brilliant, though...

[x-los.livejournal.com]

Ooh, so I'll youtube the first, but as for the second, do you have that?

Oh! Also! With my Stolen!Rome!Laptop's loss, I no longer have the original version of Extraordinary Machine. Can I grab that from you when I'm in town?

[anyhennypenny.livejournal.com]

i unfortunately do not have the second and instead look for bits and pieces scattered throughout internetland and say prayers to npr to play it one more time today, pleeeeze? and yes, you are more than welcome to extraordinary machine.

[x-los.livejournal.com]

I always get so miffed and shocked when something's not on Internetland in its entirety. It's like falling off the edge of the map or something. And thanks!

[floraldeoderant.livejournal.com]

I just can't stop listening to Bach's Violin Sonata No.1... The fugue and the adagio mostly.

Ooh! Ooh! And Bach's Chaconne! ....And Corelli's La Folia.....

Damn you for reminding me of all the hypernerdy music I listen to...

[x-los.livejournal.com]

See, but Christian, now I don't know if you're lying about listening to that... If only I could trust you. :C

TRUST MEEEEE

[floraldeoderant.livejournal.com]

D:

Go find a recording of the Sonata No. 1 fugue and adagio, the Sontata No. 5 chaconne, or La Folia (the real version, not the Suzuki-simplified one... That's the one that the little kids always play on youtube). That will be your proof that I'm not lying (about this).

And if you don't trust my links, just youtube what they were called (of course you've seen Dramatic Gopher, but perhaps not Wing? Or Gilbert and Sullivan's Baby Got Back?)

x____________________________X