I sent this video to a friend of mine and he commented, “I hear a brilliant treble singing with an okay but nothing-special baritone.” And I basically agree. But I think it’s almost unbearably poignant to hear the two versions … Continue reading →
I am often amazed at the singing skills demonstrated by youngsters on those talent reality shows. They seem to be genuinely nice kids, too, full of energy and drive. After all, think how much work it takes—and how much confidence—to … Continue reading →
Until a reader alerted me, I hadn’t realized that one of my favorite movies of all time—one I’ve written quite a few posts about—had been turned into a musical. My gut reaction was that it must be a bad idea. … Continue reading →
People seem to think that new violins sound better: In tests at concert halls in Paris and New York, audiences were asked to listen to soloists performing on brand new violins, and three made by master fiddle maker Stradivari. The … Continue reading →
[Hat tip: commenter “Artfldgr”] I’m not a big opera fan, although there are a couple of operas I love and with which I’m very familiar. But I have the deepest admiration for the skill and artistry of opera singers, who … Continue reading →
I try to follow the general outlines of the current theories of theoretical physics, but it goes without saying that I don’t understand the math, and that I miss a lot of the details. So although I’d never even heard … Continue reading →
…is hard to do. As Britain is now learning. When a country voluntarily signs away some of its autonomy—in this case, to join the EU—it would seem at the outset that such a decision would be reversible if that country … Continue reading →
I found the following at Buzzfeed. Now, Buzzfeed isn’t a site I usually visit and certainly not a site I often (or ever?) quote. But this description of the current news coverage struck somewhat of a resonant chord in me … Continue reading →
It may be time to get to know the work of prodigy Alma Deutscher. She’s twelve in this video: I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly impressed. Here Alma plays excerpts from some of her own compositions: And here’s … Continue reading →
We call it “fashion.” But at this point it seems to have morphed into a competition to see who can come up with an outfit that is either strangest and most extreme, or most revealing. Preferably both at the same … Continue reading →
In my life, I’ve had some problems with February. Perhaps you have, too. It’s a short month, but it can be cold and gloomy. Its only holiday is Valentine’s Day, which can be a mixed bag. As a freshman in … Continue reading →
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers generated more human happiness than many do-gooders. In the comments to the YouTube videos of their dance routines, you can find many people (some of them, I assume, young people) lamenting the death of this … Continue reading →