Gouiverneur's channel

About ten years after the war, when Pickett was asked about the failure of that charge, he replied. "I always thought the Yankees had something to do with it!'

@aeqvvs The most perfect movement in piano literature; it is etched in my soul. My rankings - #1 Samson Francois (on vinyl - my reference standard); (in person with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra) #2/3/4 Grimaud, Alexander Toradze, Jean-Yves Thibaudet (but Thibaudet's CD with Dutoit/Montreal stin...

A friend gave me this LP when she moved. The Bolero side was worn out, but the Concerto side was like new. Years later, while in Paris at the restaurant in Gertrude Stein's old house, my host asked my favorite composer; I replied, "Ravel - but only a French pianist can play him perfectly" (wit...

Glass captures the insight and innovation of Warhol's "Campbell Soup Cans".

@XxIRideHorsesxX That teacher (him/her) is conveying a life-time message. When my son was about five, I always grabbed the newest Sports Illustrated when I arrived home - one day, he took it out of my hands and said "It's time to play!" 30 years later, he is an excellent father.

@tuberobotto A high point of my life was on a Paris business trip when my SNECMA host talked about Ravel, I opined that only a French pianist played him perfectly (without mentioning Samson Francois by name). He replied that he used to turn pages for him, and kept him from falling off the bench,...

I had to stop at the beginning to find that these are Welch in Cardiff - traditionally great singers. If you ever get the chance on old movie channels, see "The Proud Valley" starring Paul Robeson.

Brubeck said that the group originally (circa 1962) had trouble playing in 5/4, but even then it was easy for a choral singer - just think a 3/4 bar followed immediately by a 2/4 bar, take out the bar line, and keep repeating. I have sung all his oratorios, including the first performance of "To...

These words are set to two distinct melodies, one of which is traditional and the other was written by the Kentucky folk singer and composer John Jacob Niles. Niles recalled that his father thought the traditional melody was "downright terrible", so he wrote "a new tune, ending it in a nice modal...

Liste to this, and then to Glen Gould's interpretation (it would be unfair to look at Miss Grimaud while listening). I believe that neither pianist was overly influenced by other interpretations - Gould probably looked for ways to differ from other interpretations of his day, of which there were...

Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps,

And builded parapets and trenched there,

And streched forth the knife to slay his son.

When lo! and angel called him out of heaven,

Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad,

Neither do anything to him. Behold,

A ram, caught in a thicket by its horns;...

'They are willing to die for you - can you ask for more?" that's what my brother said about his (black) sergeant when he left for Nam, a war which he hated, As emphasized many times in this scene, these men are very young - the war was started in 1939, and this was late 1944. Older German sold...

During a chorus rehearsal (circa 1968), Robert Shaw said that if you want to hear perfect phrasing, listen to Jo Stafford. [Many have said the same thing about the early Frank Sinatra; he is linked on a sidebar - try both of them.]

Vocal professionals recognize how very difficult it is to intentionally sing just a little bit flat, or very slightly off-tempo. The sheer emotion on "I am Woman" (seriously) makes one believe the lyrics.