http://classicalwatch.com Watching Classical. Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:55:57 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Tonight was the first in this summer's Concerts in the Park, hosted by the New York Philharmonic. Picture the scene: an oasis of green spread out against the majestic skyscrapers of Manhattan's skyline. A concert stage set up on the Great Lawn, thousands of eager fans arriving hours in advance ... http://classicalwatch.com/2010/07/13/ny-philharmonic-concerts-in-the-park/ The worst part of this translocation south of the border, I was told, was not going to be the customs officials at the US border, or the 8-hour drive, or the few comforts of the U-Haul van, or the sheer amount of material that had to be moved. While difficult ... http://classicalwatch.com/2010/06/27/travelling-with-cats/ It is with great regret that we must announce to our faithful readership (sorry, Mom) that stewardship of this website has been transferred to an American corporate entity, which by terms of our contract must remain unnamed. This occurred in spite of fierce competition from foreign international groups seeking to ... http://classicalwatch.com/2010/06/26/with-great-regret/ For the past year, we've been using in-ear headphones to listen to the music we've reviewed on this site. Now the time has come to review the headphones themselves. Why in-ear headphones? Two reasons come to mind. Portability: these models tend to be much less bulky than their over-the-ear counterparts. ... http://classicalwatch.com/2010/06/15/headphones-part-1/ Recently we picked up a copy of 'Masters of the Oboe,' a compilation set from Deutsche Grammophon (2006). As the voracious readers of our well-thumbed blog know, the oboe has a unique sound, often likened to that of aquatic fowl. It is a matter of some contention between the august ... http://classicalwatch.com/2010/06/14/thoughts-on-the-oboe/ Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon Year: 2010 Artist: Alice Sara Ott There are probably several hundred recordings of Chopin's body of work, ranging from the truly atrocious to the sublime. Associated as he is with the Romantic era, many artists of the modern attempt to infuse their interpretations with pathos and melodrama by taking vast ... http://classicalwatch.com/2010/02/21/review-alice-sara-ott-chopin-complete-waltzes/ Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon Year: 2010 Artists: Hilary Hahn, Matthias Goerne, Christine Schäfer, Münchener Kammerorchester & Alexander Liebreich First, the good news: Hilary Hahn is featured in this collection of Bach cantatas and choral works. For the most part, her playing is as composed, clear and thoughtful as always; her violin sings, laughs and ... http://classicalwatch.com/2010/02/21/review-bach-violin-and-voice/ Why is it that a galloping horse (which has four legs), is suggested in music by triplets, and trains (which are double-piston stroke engines) by four sixteenth notes? http://classicalwatch.com/2009/10/11/horses-and-trains/ Well, it looks as though Yo Yo Ma is again forging new connections between two worlds -- this time between classical music and...Canadian politicians? http://classicalwatch.com/2009/10/07/yo-yo-ma-and-the-new-band/ Publisher: EMI Records (1999) Artists: Daniel Barenboim, Jacquelin du Pre and Pinchas Zukerman Even in the digital age, the classical audiophile has a hard life. The acknowledged, tried-and-true virtuosos have retired, or died, and their lasting legacy consists of intangible memories of concert-goers and a scratchy records which can never be perfectly ... http://classicalwatch.com/2009/09/13/review-beethoven-violin-sonatas-and-tchaikovsky-piano-trio/