From a Vault in Paris, Sounds of Opera 1907

"On Dec. 24, 1907, a group of bewhiskered men gathered in the bowels of the Paris Opera to begin a project that by definition they could never see to fruition. First, 24 carefully wrapped wax records were placed inside two lead and iron containers. These were then sealed and locked in a small storage room with instructions that they should remain undisturbed for 100 years."

For the full article, please see the New York Times.

Saving Federal Arts Funds: Selling Culture as an Economic Force

"Arts-friendly members of the House and Senate struggled to preserve $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts in the final version of the recovery package, approved by both houses on Friday."

For the full article, please see the New York Times.

Laptop maestro makes music apt for the iPhone

"In Ge Wang's orchestra everyone plays the keyboards and the closest you'll come to a woodwind is the Ikea salad bowls that have been modified into omni-directional speaker pods.

This after all is the Stanford Laptop Orchestra and - as befits a university in the heart of Silicon Valley that spawned the founders of Google, Yahoo, Hewlett-Packard and the like - the instruments and the music have a unique electronic edge to them."

For the full article, please see Fairfax Digital.

Photo by Marci Maleski.

Domingo Wins Million Dollar Prize

"Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo has been awarded the first ever Birgit Nilsson prize for his 'unrivalled contributions to the world of opera'."

For the full article please see the BBC News.

Music Library Closed Monday

The Music Library & Listening Center will be closed on Monday, February 16 in observance of the President's Day holiday. We will be open regular hours on Tuesday, February 17.

Pianos Pleyel brûlés

"Nouveau coup dur pour la célèbre maison Pleyel. Après la fermeture de son usine à Alès (Gard) en 2007, la dernière manufacture française de pianos, fondée en 1807 par le pianiste et compositeur Ignaz Pleyel, a été victime d'un incendie dans la nuit du 4 au 5 février."

For the full article, please see Le Monde.

Photo by Sophie.

Max Neuhaus, Who Made Aural Artwork, Dies at 69

"Max Neuhaus, a percussionist known for creating site-specific works of “sound sculpture,” allowing unsuspecting passers-by to come upon musical sounds in unlikely places, died Tuesday in Maratea, a coastal town in southern Italy, where he lived. He was 69."

For the full article, please see the New York Times.

At 70, a Legendary Jazz Label Asks, ‘Now What?’

"At a recent 70th-anniversary reception for Blue Note Records at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, the alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson played his trademark hit, “Alligator Boogaloo,” from 1967. Norah Jones, who made her multiplatinum debut in 2002, mingled at the bar. And presiding over the evening was Bruce Lundvall, who has run the label for the last 25 years."

For the full article, please see the New York Times.

New at the Music Library!

The list of new books, scores, recordings and DVDs added to the Music Library collection in January has been posted. Check out the latest additions and browse older lists on our About the Music Library page.


Also new this month the Music Library has joined Facebook. Become a fan of the UW Music Library! The new Facebook page contains an RSS feed to this blog and a new book shelf. As always, we look forward to seeing you in person and virtually.

Great Composers, Lousy Reviews

"In the history of music, the glorious and benevolent Kaiser Joseph II is known for one transcendently stupid line. After the Vienna premiere of the comic opera The Abduction From the Seraglio, Joseph observed to its composer: "Too many notes, my dear Mozart!" With that, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire became an enduring symbol of philistine reaction to genius. Mozart's comeback was not as snappy: "Only as many notes as necessary, Your Majesty." In the coming years, he would hear more of the same from the press: "impenetrable labyrinths," "bizarre flights of the soul," "overloaded and overstuffed." The guy has too much imagination, connoisseurs agreed; he doesn't know when to turn it off. In other words: too many notes."

For the full article, please see Slate.

A.R. Rahman Scores With 'Slumdog Millionaire'

"If you were to name a few musicians who've sold more than 100 million albums, Elvis Presley and The Beatles would surely top your list. Here's another one to add: A.R. Rahman. Rahman has composed the music for more than 130 films in India — and he has indeed sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Here in America, however, many are hearing his music for the first time in the Academy Award-nominated film Slumdog Millionaire."

For the full article or to listen to clips of Rahman's music visit NPR.

Lukas Foss, Composer at Home in Many Stylistic Currents, Dies at 86

"Lukas Foss, a prolific and versatile composer who was also a respected pianist and conductor, died at his home in Manhattan on Sunday. He was 86, and also had a home in Bridgehampton, N.Y. His wife, Cornelia, announced his death."

For the full article, please see the New York Times.

Taking Note of Composers and New Music Activity in the United States

"The American Music Center and American Composers Forum have just released Taking Note: A Study of Composers and New Music Activity in the United States. Taking Note is the first major undertaking of its kind in decades, and was conducted by the Research Center for Arts and Culture at Teachers College, Columbia University."

For the full article, please see the New Music Box.