Monday, April 06, 2009

Bits and Pieces

Music in the city.
Farewell concert for the long-time (20 years) concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra last Friday evening. Jorja Fleezanis is taking a position at the Jacob school of music at Indiana University. She’s a phenomenal violinist and a champion of modern orchestral music.

The concert was a little light, except for the piece Ms Fleezanis soloed, Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No. 1. It’s a moody, subtle piece in a single movement, with bits of up-tempo songs interspersed. The audience rose almost as one to give Ms. Fleezanis an extended ovation. She was clearly moved.

The rest of the evening included a Renaissance piece by Gorecki, and after intermission Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and a light piece by Strauss, Til Euenspiegel’s Merry Pranks.

Conductor for this program was a Londoner, Gilbert Varga. The orchestra sounded fine, although none of the pieces allowed the orchestra to show off its brilliance.

The weather at the top of the map is slowly improving. Spring may finally arrive in time for Summer.

I’ve posted there will be longer interviews with authors who are of interest, and although that was a while ago, I assure readers, it will happen. My lengthy questionnaires are out and presumably being dealt with on several fronts.

Reading value is up. I just finished a dandy addition to Mike Hayes series set in Benteen County, Kansas. That’s the series from Poisoned Pen Press about Mad Dog and his brother with the family name English. If you aren’t familiar with the reference to the English Public House song, email me and I’ll explain.

I’m just starting a new anthology from Bleak House edited by Jen Jordan. Twenty-two mostly disturbing stories about the monsters that live among us. Be afraid……

Looking forward to yet another Kerry Greenwood/Phryne Fisher romp.

No comments:

Post a Comment