James Levine
Well… almost everyone. Commentator John Rockwell takes a look at the longstanding conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, James Levine, weighing in on both the lush adulation and pointed criticism that have greeted Levine during his tenure at one of the world’s premiere musical institutions.
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On Wednesday I took my camera with me to Central Park, thinking it might be nice to post a picture of spring greenery on this new Evening Music blog. I was too early for green. I hadn’t realized before: the first color of spring is yellow. Not only daffodils, willow branches, and a bush I […]
Famous (and not-so-famous) people have been writing about music since Hector was a pup. Here’s one of my favorite quotations about music, from writer Ralph Ellison:
“In the swift whirl of time, music is a constant, reminding us of what we were and of that toward which we aspired. Art thou troubled? Music will not only […]
Lukas Ligeti
Moving easily between avant-garde electronica and traditional African music, Vienna-born but New York-based composer and percussionist Lukas Ligeti wears many hats nowadays. Find out what makes this unique figure (and son of Gyorgy Ligeti of “2001: A Space Odyssey” fame) tick, as WNYC’s exclusive The New Americans Portrait series continues with a broad sampling […]
Nico Muhly
Do we not secretly think success disqualifies classical music from the heavens? Why is rock music automatically at a disadvantage in critical circles? Well, not anymore, argues commentator John Rockwell, as he looks into the rise of young, popular composers such as Nico Muhly who are bridging these antique divides.
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Seems like yesterday, but it’s been three weeks since I hit the airwaves at WNYC. And I’m really having a great time sharing with you music that you might not otherwise seek or find on your own. It’s been equally delightful hearing from you on our blogs and receiving your calls during the ticket give-aways. […]
Hillary on SNL
Saturday Night Live has always reveled in the theater of presidential campaigns, yet for this election season, have the boundaries between spoof and propaganda begun to blur? Culture critic John Rockwell looks into the history and power of this often unhealthy but ever fruitful marriage of politics and popular culture.
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