What are you listening 2 now?

[Karl Henning]

This disc was among the many Dan left for my consideration. On one hand (and it qualifies for Maiden-Listen Monday!) Common Tones in Simple Time struck me as easily the best piece on the disc. On t'other, there's nothing to it that IMO he didn't do as well or better in Shaker Loops. I found Christian Zeal and Activity the most disposable item on the disc.

[Traverso]

Before the birth, we were in effect dead eternally (in the direction of the past). After death, we will be dead eternally. We think that we came to exist briefly in the middle of this eternal death and eternal non-existence. We can sense that this doesn't make sense in terms of science and theories. Somehow we sense that our self, existence, time, etc could be illusionary.

If there were truly such a thing as redemption, all those masses in churches around the world, all the prayers, have left behind a world that does not reflect a redeemed community. Tribalism and nationalism are far more profound phenomena than religion. We alone die, and our ego evaporates in a sea of constant creation. Our ego is merely a blinking light in eternity. We try to capture the intangible in ideas and become their slaves. There is only uncertainty, and that is a burden too heavy for many to bear.

[JBS]

[brewski]

Round 2 of the Banff competition, which can be seen here.

Nerida Quartet
Haydn: String Quartet Op. 54, No. 2 in C Major
Caroline Shaw: Entr'acte (2011)

Intermission

Viatores Quartet
Haydn: String Quartet Op. 33, No. 1 in B minor
Jörg Widmann: Jagdquartett, 3rd String Quartet (2003)

[Karl Henning]

Round 2 of the Banff competition, which can be seen here.

Nerida Quartet
Haydn: String Quartet Op. 54, No. 2 in C Major
Caroline Shaw: Entr'acte (2011)

Intermission

Viatores Quartet
Haydn: String Quartet Op. 33, No. 1 in B minor
Jörg Widmann: Jagdquartett, 3rd String Quartet (2003)

Caroline Shaw is going from triumph to triumph. 

[brewski]

Caroline Shaw is going from triumph to triumph.

She does write beautifully for string quartet. (Thinking of the Attacca Quartet's Orange.)

[hopefullytrusting]

I am very excited for tomorrow, thanks to copilot, again:

Cardew's The Great Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om1YtWCoF_g

4 hours 32 minutes 4 seconds

[AnotherSpin]

My reaction to the annihilation of the self is not fear but grief. In principle, the same as when a loved one passes away.

The molecules we are made of are unlikely to ever be destroyed - depending on whether you believe that the universe will expand forever or contract again.
But the state you are in when you are dead - if you can speak of a state - is hardly different from before you were born, and we endured that for billions of years.

Sorry - out of topic again.

Death exists only within the confines of the mind; beyond it, there is none.

[Symphonic Addict]

de Frumerie: Horn Concerto and Trombone Concerto

One of the most arresting concertos for horn and orchestra I've stumbled upon in recent years. It manages to convey a serious mood, but at the same time it shows some quirky gestures and a haunting Nordic atmosphere. It's that good. The other concerto is the alternative trombone version of the Cello Concerto. Fine too, but not at the same degree as the Horn Concerto.




Gubaidulina: Johannes-Passion

Yet another towering masterpiece by Gubaidulina. A large-scale oratorio that didn't feel too long. If anything, I was gripped all the way through.

[AnotherSpin]

From this morning's Osho reading: "To be spontaneously loving, naturally loving, is to be religious. Religion has nothing to do with worshipping Jesus or Buddha or Krishna. It has nothing to do with chanting mantras, it has nothing to do with all kinds of rituals being done in the churches and the temples. It has nothing to do with all this nonsense. True religion is simply spontaneous love – and the whole society has been against it."