Timothy Weir
@tgweir
Retired. Writer and community contributor in Evansville Ind. Music, art, travel, positivity.
Alchemy - "It seems extraordinary, but there’s an alchemy between player and instrument, which means that the same Steinway under two different sets of hands does not sound the same. At least, it doesn’t if they are any good." @jessicaduchen.bsky.social from her Twangle Substack post today.
He liked to use sunflowers as subjects and decoration, as here in this detail of his 1907 painting, "Medicine."
Summer Sunflowers - Here is a hint about today's birthday artist (this is a detail from one of his paintings) who loved to paint summer sunflowers. It's not Vincent van Gogh, although his art truly gave sunflowers their time in the sun. Have a guess?
Birthday - In 1958 - during the Cold War - American pianist Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn (1934-2013) stunned the world by winning the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. An overnight sensation, none of his RCA albums matched the excitement of his first, made in the Soviet Union.
Inspiration! In a world astonished by the longevity of Keith (82) and Mick (82) or Paul (84) and Ringo (86), a musician from the world of classical music goes them one better. Long-lived conductor Herbert Blomstedt turns 99 today. He is still in demand and still inspired by making music.
These albums contain the very sorts of pieces relished by the late Romantic pianist (and great transcriber himself) Shura Cherkassky, whom Hough admires, interviewed for Gramophone in 1991, and discussed in his book, Rough Ideas.
Miniatures – Enjoying the new Piano Postcards album by Sir Stephen Hough? It is the latest in a career-spanning series of recordings of piano miniatures and his own transcriptions of music from film, theater and pop. A delightful introduction to classical music. @hyperionrecords.bsky.social
Happy Friday, friends! Take another sip of your morning. The weekend is here.
Celebrating Thursday with these paintings by Swedish 19th century artist Hugo Fredrik Salmson (1843-1894), whose birthday was on Tuesday. A figurative painter, he was known for his detailed portraits and genre scenes of rural Swedish life. Art: The Little Harvester and Women in the Garden, 1870s.
Monday was the birthday of artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985). In 1966, Rudolf Bing, the director of the Metropolitan Opera, commissioned Chagall (then 79) to create two murals for its lobby. The massive, 30' x 36' painted murals were "The Sources of Music" and "The Triumph of Music" shown here.
For the birthday of Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), I've taken this gem off of my shelf to listen to Bruno Walter’s 1948 “Das Lied von der Erde.” It features beloved English contralto Kathleen Ferrier making her U.S. debut. Gramophone called this account “vital, controlled and incisive.” Glorious.
Happy birthday to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), whose reputation and personality grew to hurricane strength in her short life. Dynamic and determined, she was an iconoclast who bristled at societal norms. Surrealist André Breton described her art as "a ribbon around a bomb."
Happy 89th birthday to the musician's musician, Vladimir Ashkenazy. From his early 1960s debut on, he became a complete and serious-minded musician. A piano virtuoso, chamber musician, and respected conductor. He gave us so much in his six-decade career before retiring in 2020.
Happy Positivity Monday, friends. Look for the positive in your day. It will change how you see the world.
Happy birthday to Budapest-born cellist János Starker (1924-2013). Once principal cellist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and a frequent worldwide soloist, he also was a longtime member of the faculty of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” - The Declaration of Independence, written by Jefferson, published July 4, 1776.
Postcards - Gramophone said of Sir Stephen Hough's "Late Chopin" album that, “a new Hough disc is one of life’s pleasures.” We certainly are in for one with his new Piano Postcards album, out today from @hyperionrecords.bsky.social. Travel can take us to musical places, as this new album attests.
Happy Friday! Sharing an all-American, Big-Apple way to start this Fourth of July weekend. What better than an authentic (dancing?) New York bagel and coffee? Take a sip and a bite, declare your independence, and let's get this 250th thing started!
I feel like I’m back inside this book with your posts. Thanks for sharing.
Happy 68th birthday to Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. I have greatly enjoyed his Sony recordings as a younger man and wish him much success in Paris. He is one of our best.
Share the things you love with others. In this case, "Woman in a Fur Hat.” I first saw this self-portrait by Boston's Gretchen W. Rogers (1881-1967) while visiting the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. I later learned of its importance to Boston and American art history. It just stays with you.
Misha Donat has described Mozart’s music as being composed “in a spirit of smiling understatement.” That certainly applies to his 18 numbered piano sonatas. These sonatas by three of my favorite Mozarteans – Uchida, Pires and Brendel – offer just that spirit and a fine way to begin the week.
Arrau in Prague - As a follow-up to my Chopin Prelude posts of last week, I found my copy of the legendary live recording of Claudio Arrau at the 1960 Prague Spring Festival reissued on APR. It contains playing that is fresh and alive. Great transfers from the original tapes by APR's Bryan Crimp.
This Bruckner 8th was my introduction in 1999 to the late Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache (1912-1996), born on this day. The classical record shop owner both cautioned and encouraged me when I bought it. I soon heard why. Its cover was indicative of the pacing and solidity of the music.
Transcriptions – What is it about the transcriptions of Bach for piano that that make us feel centered and hopeful? It never fails. His faithful transcribers have included Busoni, Hess, Kempff, Siloti, Lipatti, Rachmaninoff, and more. All reinforced Bach's expressive richness.