RIP, Michael Brown. Who’s Michael Brown? you ask: Michael Brown, a keyboardist and songwriter who at 16 was a writer of the 1966 hit “Walk Away Renee” for his band the Left Banke and composed “Pretty Ballerina” for it as … Continue reading →
A little while ago I wrote a post featuring great monotonous songs. Today I’m going to write about great crescendo songs, which consist of either a single crescendo or in some cases a series of crescendos. A lot of songs … Continue reading →
The US reports that ISIS has lost 25% of the territory it once held. Although I hope this is true, I’m not at all sure I believe them, and they sound a bit shaky about it themselves: …a U.S. assessment…determined … Continue reading →
I am drawn to melody in songs. That’s one of the many reasons I don’t like rap music. Rhythm is important too, of course, but for me melody (and lyrics) is key. But there’s a class of rock songs that … Continue reading →
…can write a masterpiece within the confines of almost any restriction. Tchaikovsky was just that kind of genius. He was one of the greatest composers for ballet who ever lived, transforming ballet music from the light and inconsequential into the … Continue reading →
Judea Pearl is the father of Daniel Pearl, and he has written a stirring letter of protest about the Klinghoffer opera. It’s well worth reading in its entirety, but here’s an excerpt: There is nothing more enticing to a would-be … Continue reading →
Last night was the opening of the controversial opera “The Death of Klinghoffer” at New York’s Lincoln Center. It was marked by protests: Demonstrators, primarily associated with Jewish groups, plan to rally outside Lincoln Center with 100 wheelchairs, in honor … Continue reading →
I’m not much of a Streisand fan. She’s just not all that much to my taste, but I recognize her outstanding talent and understand why for many people she’s their favorite singer. I noticed that Yahoo is pushing a video … Continue reading →
Three years ago I took the test on the “Political Compass” site. This was the result back then, which seemed to place me correctly on the scale: I just took the test again. And although I certainly didn’t remember my … Continue reading →
I was raised on the songs of Tom Lehrer. I knew the song “The Elements” from the version appearing on this record, which I had pretty much memorized in childhood (the other songs, that is; “The Elements” went too fast … Continue reading →
The first duo: And the second:
Continue reading →…says Leonard Cohen. A likely story. If Cohen’s mind is like the DMV, it’s not like any DMV I’ve ever been to. Cohen’s interview is a fascinating reflection on creativity and work: Before I can discard the verse, I have … Continue reading →