Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) himself playing the first movement (Moderato) from his Second Piano Concerto. Recorded in 1929, with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977) conducting.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Monday, December 24, 2012
Charlize Theron: A gifted actress’s distasteful exhibition of absolute kitsch!
If the purpose of Art is to create beauty, then the basic thing an artist is expected to possess -and thus exhibit- at the very least is good taste. This isn’t always the case, however...
It was one of my major artistic disappointments in 2012. After seeing “Monster” a few years ago, Charlize Theron had instantly become one of my favorite actresses (along with Sissy Spacek, Hilary Swank and Cate Blanchett). Above all, she seemed like a cultured person with high aesthetic standards. I even wrote an article in a major Greek newspaper stating, jokingly, that our government ought to offer her a position as the head of the ministry of culture!
All this until March 2012, when I saw a video clip containing her acceptance speech after receiving an award for activities concerning human rights. The cheap –if not trashy- prologue to her speech was the very definition of absolute lack of aesthetics. And this time, unfortunately, she wasn’t just playing Aileen Wuornos –in which case the pretended disgusting attitude was presumably one of the reasons for her being awarded an Oscar– but she represented her true self (at any rate, as true a self as an actor may exhibit in a public presentation...). So, I said to myself, was this the actress I had so much admired and publicly praised for so long?
Watch the video and judge for yourselves:
It was one of my major artistic disappointments in 2012. After seeing “Monster” a few years ago, Charlize Theron had instantly become one of my favorite actresses (along with Sissy Spacek, Hilary Swank and Cate Blanchett). Above all, she seemed like a cultured person with high aesthetic standards. I even wrote an article in a major Greek newspaper stating, jokingly, that our government ought to offer her a position as the head of the ministry of culture!
All this until March 2012, when I saw a video clip containing her acceptance speech after receiving an award for activities concerning human rights. The cheap –if not trashy- prologue to her speech was the very definition of absolute lack of aesthetics. And this time, unfortunately, she wasn’t just playing Aileen Wuornos –in which case the pretended disgusting attitude was presumably one of the reasons for her being awarded an Oscar– but she represented her true self (at any rate, as true a self as an actor may exhibit in a public presentation...). So, I said to myself, was this the actress I had so much admired and publicly praised for so long?
Watch the video and judge for yourselves:
Saturday, December 22, 2012
"Sophie's Choice" - The "choice" scene
An excerpt from "Sophie's Choice" (1982) with Meryl Streep and little Jennifer Lawn. An Academy Award winner holding a talent in her arms - a talent that never went too far...
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
One of my favorite young pianists!
Eurovision Young Musicians 2012, Vienna, Austria
Edvard Grieg, Vanished Days Op. 57, No.1
Naomi Druskic, piano
Aram Khachaturian, Toccata in E flat minor
Naomi Druskic, piano
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Tristan und Isolde "as Wagner wrote it"!
According to Karl Böhm, Leonard Bernstein's interpretation of Tristan was the closest ever to the true Wagner spirit:
"For the first time somebody dares to perform the music as Wagner wrote it. The rest of us never dared to!"
Here is Leonard Bernstein leading the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde.
"For the first time somebody dares to perform the music as Wagner wrote it. The rest of us never dared to!"
Here is Leonard Bernstein leading the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Welcome!
This is a blog for people who share with me the belief that music is a part of every human experience. If in the background of every picture,
every thought or every memory, you can hear the sound of music, then you are at
the right place! In the very limited time that my teaching duties allow, I will
try to communicate with you some of my ideas regarding the art which is closest
to my heart. Your comments will always be welcome and much appreciated!
Costas J. Papachristou
Costas J. Papachristou
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