Here, at the WQXR offices, we read about, watch and listen to a lot of classical music. We created the WQXR Whole Note as a place to share news, videos, music and musings that have captivated us. We hope they will captivate you, too, and perhaps inspire you to tell us what is capturing your attention in the comments below.
Last night at The Greene Space, local brews were paired with music from area composers for WQXR's Classical Beer Jam, as part of New York City Beer Week. We learned about beers named after music (such as the Wagner-inspired Rheingold and Bronx Brewery's Get Rich or Dunkelweizen, named after a 50 Cent album); George Gershwin spent his time at parties playing the piano rather than drinking (he claimed he had a "composer's stomach"); and Leonard Bernstein preferred Scotch to suds.
In between sips, we heard performances of Gershwin for four hand piano by the Naughton sisters, Dvořák’s Goin’ Home played by pianist Di Wu and cellist Adrian Daurov, pianist Lisa Moore performing Philip Glass’s Mad Rush and guitarist Pablo Villegas strumming an arrangement of Bernstein's West Side Story. After several rounds we started drinking our classical music and listening to the beer.
You can watch the entire event here.
LISTEN:
Friday 8 pm — Listen live as Valery Gergiev leads the Vienna Philharmonic in three expressive works from Carnegie Hall. (WQXR)
Saturday 1 pm — Marlis Petersen's takes on the title character in this pre-recorded broadcast of Lulu from the Metropolitan Opera. (WQXR)
Sunday 12 am–Monday 12 am — Q2 celebrates the Oscars with a 24-hour marathon of favorite movie scores in the Lights, Camera, Music! marathon. (Q2)
READ:
Canada considers Glenn Gould's pianos national treasures. (The Globe and Mail)
After a successful career in classical music, a composer turns to pop. (The Guardian)
The Metropolitan Opera has hired Ennead Architects, who were behind restorations at New York City Center and the Public Theater, to expand its lobby. (The New York Times)
WATCH:
"I have been unfaithful to you, Figaro," Suzanna sings in the new production Figaro Gets a Divorce, which premiered this week at the Welsh National Opera.
From the banal to the sublime: Pop singer Lana Del Rey has inserted Debussy's shimmering "Clair de lune" in its entirety at the end of her music video "Freak."
FOLLOW:
The trials of being an opera singer in today's world — dreamy maestros, out-of-tune baroque ensembles and eccentric concept-driven directors — are being enacted by a 3-inch tall plastic toy on Twitter.
The Opera Singer has just moved in pic.twitter.com/VXPJzvXeFp
— The Opera Singer (@TheOperaLass) January 27, 2016