Thank you for the laughs, the food and the friendship. I’m stunned at your passing, but I am so grateful to have had the chance to get to know you. (You never really did tell me what you thought about my music, and I think it’s probably better-off that way.) Glad that you, Bob and I could visit together once more in January–some of my best memories of Los Angeles.

Regards,
Geoffrey

I found two DVD discs here exactly like what I was to make for you. Did I send you the wrong discs?

Hope you are well.

Important to note on the subject of the DVD’s, first, if you have any kind of VCR, DVD recorder, whatever, you can capture “Great Performances” programs like the Dudamel premier, “American Masters”, etc. PBS wants to charge upwards of US$24.99 for these programs. You can put them on VCR tape or, like me, record them on a DVR (or Tivo) and then get them onto a DVD blank which costs me US$0.22ea.

I have recorded the biographical “Leonard Bernstein – Reaching for the Note”; Philip Glass – Philip in Twelve Parts”; Five films on Andy Warhol; The Bernstein Freedom Concert in Berlin when the wall came down; “Buena Vista Social Club” about music, or the lack of it, in Cuba, this film the work of Ry Cooder; “Calle 54″ an award willing movie by Ferdinand Treuba about Latin Jazz; George Harrison’s “Concert for Bangladesh”; Eric Clapton’s “Concert for George (Harrison); Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood at Madison Square Garden in 2008;The Sidney Pollack documentary “Sketches of Frank Gehry” about Frank Gehry; The Great Performances piece “Karajan – Or Beauty as I See It” about you know who; a short film, “The Sound of Miles Davis”, old scratchy, but as Miles played, “So What”; The very short film put together by Olivia Harrison about the Traveling Wilburys; Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald in “Maytime”, “Roy Orbison – A Black and White Night”; two Sarah Brightman concerts, The whole of the Ken Burns’ “Jazz”; Philip Glass’ “Qatsi trilogy”.

Now, you are I am sure not interested in even half of what I have recorded. But, think of the money PBS wants for these and I put them on a US$0.22 piece of plastic which will last my lifetime.

So, if, you have some kind of recorder, watch what is coming up on KCET and KLCS, KOCE, KVCR, whatever you get, and capture it.

>>RSM

Sorry, I just now saw your question.

Yes, I can copy DVD’s. I can also take the DVD and “rip” the data to a computer format, .mp4, so that I can keep it on my computer.

I can also take .mp4 downloads of music videos and convert them to DVD format to watch on the big screen TV.

If you want to know what I use for all of this, just send me an email note.

>>RSM

But, then, WNET Public Television gave us the concert on a “Great Performances” program. I recorded the concert. I will cut a DVD. Then, I will rip the DVD to .mp4 so that I can put the concert video on my computer and then on my Zune. That way, I can watch and listen flying out to your great city to see my daughter and her family.

I really loved the John Adams piece.

I have just gotten the Mahler Symphonies, with Rafael Kubelick and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Mahler is totally new for me. I am playing the cycle on my Zune on my exercise walks.
I have a running commentary on my weblog, “Whither Public Radio and serious music” at http://richardmitnick.wordpress.com.

The first three symphonies were just to blaring and brassy for me. I am sure that it is to my discredit. But the fourth!! I said, “…viva viva Mahler…’ all light and lyric, what a relief. I suppose I am showing my ignorance.

Thanks for your article on “The Dude” and the first concert.

>>RSM

I am so relieved to see you back at it. And, I love the work of Arvo Part. Fortunately, I have WNYC’s wnyc2 web stream to hear 2oth century and recent works.

>>RSM

Sent you a note before but it probably got lost in all the correspondence you must receive.

This is just to say how happy all of us are to have you back on the beat. We need your voice. I’ve been reading you since childhood and you have made an indelible impression on me.

Your friend and fan,

Tim Page

I am working on a book about Clay Felker.

Would love to talk with you about your experiences with Clay and get any guidance you might provide to other key sources.

John Brady
Newburyport, MA 01950
Tel. 978/463-2255

On first hearing, I found “Rendering” interesting if not entirely compelling . . . Based on Alan’s comments, I’ll have to give it some more chances.

Credit really does need to be given where it is due, however. Lorin Levee played spectacularly in not only this green umbrella concert, but every single other green umbrella concert I was able to attend this season.

Sorry to bring private business here; but I emailed to ask if you got the “American Mavericks” file O.K., and you did not respond.
Please just let me know.

>>RSM

So, as in our political world, with its questions of empirical torture, the questionable argument for ends justifying means has arisen. Fortunately, there is more clarity in the area of music.

The mocking comment of “when was the last great Greek play written?” reveals only that this person refuses to acknowledge that there may be other magnificent Greek plays written since the ancient times. That’s like asking “When was the last great play written since Shakespeare”? And I am certain there are people who think Shakespeare’s plays have no merit whatsoever.

The same is equally true for music composed in the 20th and 21st centuries. What is accepted by today’s public was not always accepted by the public of the past. Beethoven’s music was ridiculed. Wagner’s equally so, particularly his “Tristan und Isolde” for its breathtakingly different tonalities. There is much of those two composers that are not performed today. Does that mean that “No one else was interested”? Or that “it’s not worth listening to”?

What utter nonsense.

Trying to expose people like that writer – who obviously wants nothing to do with anything new or unusual – to anything new, experimental, or different is fruitless, for their minds are already made up. I would much rather hear new music and have a healthy discussion or debate whether or not this new work will have an effect.

Without the performances of new music, how else can I judge the merits of the composition? And, for that matter, how can that letter writer pass judgement on something that person hasn’t heard?

Don’t get me wrong: I’ve been to performances that he’s conducted that I’ve actually enjoyed, but it’s always been stuff like Brahms, Wagner, Strauss, etc., and that isn’t necessarily my favorite stuff.

As far as your suggestions about Harding or Thielemann . . . I can’t really comment one way or the other about Harding, but I offer up this about Thielemann:

He was given an impressive two weeks of concerts in 1996 for his premiere in L.A. (Beethoven Coriolan overture & 6th Symphony, Schumann piano concerto first week; Mendelssohn “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” overture, Bartok Viola Concerto, Brahms 2nd Symphony the 2nd week) . . . and then never appeared again in front of the orchestra.

The reviews were mixed. After the first week, Susan Bliss wrote in the LA Times, “a conductor of brilliance, insights and originality, a born leader who makes music happen,” but “. . . did not cause great polish or smooth finishes in the actual orchestral playing; more often than not, our game instrumental band might have been wondering exactly where, temporally, the conductor’s virtually beatless gestures were.” And that was the good review. The next week, Chris Pasles wrote: “He seemed preoccupied with sheen and evenness; equality of all parts, whether foreground or background, and pointed, undramatic phrasing. He was clearly reaching for an elusive ideal, vaguely in the Furtwangler vein, whom he recalled in the imprecision of his beats and the ensuing raggedness of orchestral entrances, but not much else.”

I was at one of the nights where he conducted the Brahms 2nd, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen the LA Phil players look so visibly pissed off on stage. Later that night, I spoke with the one of the members of the LA Phil brass section (now retired), and he said many derogatory things, most of which that I won’t repeat, except for this damning closing thought: “That guy isn’t up there for the music, he’s up there for himself.”

Would love to hear AR’s memories and comments. Or maybe MarK’s, if he’d be willing to share.

Who makes repertory decisions for touring orchestras? Did LAPhil management pick what was played from a menu?

Mehta — Why? Went to Wiener Philharmoniker.au to see who’s conducting this spring — Riccardo Muti, Christoph Eschenbach, Daniel Harding, Christian Thielemann, Lorin Maazel, Simon Rattle, Valery Gergiev, Pierre Boulez and, yes, Mr Mehta. Why not Harding or Thielemann?

Does Mehta draw US audiences? What was the turn-out at Disney? Given the program and Mehta — wouldn’t have even opted for rush tix.

Stay well

Love the new look of the website and I will gladly try to throw my Amazon business your way!
We sat nearby overlooking the Denali down below at the Janaranda party…I loved the “Amazing Grace” quartet (Mr. Johnston is new to me) but was unconvinced by the guitar/baritone cycle…
I applaud your assessment of Mr. Heras-Casado…did Ginell here the same concert????

I do follow Alex Ross’ blog, and I follow Greg Sandow. You are still the King of the Walk.

>>RSM

Oh my goodness, your description of Mehta is horrifically and magnificently accurate. My wife and I were laughing out loud when we read this because we’ve observed the same thing every time he conducts, but could not put it into words as perfectly as you have. Absolutely brilliant!

The two of us didn’t start attending LA Phil concerts until the interregnum between the Previn and Salonen eras. The first time we saw Mehta conduct, he walked on stage exactly as you described, and we overheard two nicer blue-haired ladies exchange a conversation that went something like this:
- “Who is that? I thought Zubin was supposed to conduct?”
- “I think that is Zubin”
- “Are you sure? My. He looks . . . he looks older.”
- “He used to be SO handsome . . . what is he so upset at?”

Then we watched/heard him drive Mozart’s Davidde Penitente like it was a Mack truck going down a hill. Not pretty, but not as ugly as that initial walk onto stage . . . we now avoid him when we can.

Thank you so much for your blog, and now for the new format. Many happy years of continued writing!

Now, it would be great if you could persuade your Village Voice Jazz peer, Nat Hentoff, recently canned after over 50 years by what I believe is the very same pack of idiots who ended your assignment, to also continue his writing with a weblog.

Think of it as paying back.

>>RSM