Author: Mark Berry

Cheesy Classical Music You Should Know: The "Blue Danube" Waltz

On every January 1 since 1939, the Vienna Philharmonic has been waltzing in the new year at the Musikverein. In all of these concerts, Johann Strauss Jr.’s music is the most prominent musical fixture.

Although it was his father, along with Josef Lanner, who popularized Austria’s indigenous 3/4 dance music, Johann Strauss Jr. was the true “Waltz King”; by the time he passed in 1899, his music was beloved worldwide, from Bosnia to Boston.

Most people are familiar with his “Blue Danube” Waltz; the Vienna Phil plays it on every New Year’s Day concert–and of course, it’s part of the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack:


As respected for his dance music as he was in his time–Brahms was but one noted admirer and friend–and as historically important as he is for it today, Strauss was also a successful stage composer. He wrote a ballet based on Cinderella, and provided competition to Offenbach with operettas such as his Die Fledermaus (1874):

This year, the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Day concert is broadcast in over 70 countries, and you can watch it on PBS. Just try not to think too hard about who was in Vienna in 1939 when this tradition all started, and what it might have meant back then.

"More a Charles Ives in There–Without Being Awful Like Ives Is"

On his Age of Ravens blog, Hoosier Lowell Francis wrote about classical music he likes–and wrote exclusively about Michael Daugherty. He sums it all up like this:

Daugherty’s a good ways away from some of the more narrow and completely dissonant forms in 20th Century music. He doesn’t echo any of the minimalism of Philip Glass or even John Adams. There’s more a Charles Ives in there– but without being awful like Ives is. There– I said it. He’s more listenable that some other 20th century stuff (to me at least) like Boulez, Messiaen, or Carter. I will note that he’s routinely criticized for being kitschy– and that may be why I like him. 

 It’s as good a description as I’ve heard.


Louisville Orchestra Restructuring Slog

The dreary business of the Louisville Orchestra’s restructuring is going forward, with the CEO threatening to close up shop if he has to pay the band.

Today, a US Bankruptcy Court judge ruled that the organization can’t cut its budget by voiding its contract with its musicians,who will now get cheques until April as a result, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

In testimony prior to the ruling, the board president, Chuck Maisch, said that the orchestra could only honor the contract by dipping into its endowment; the orchestra’s CEO, Robert Birman, said that the orchestra would simply have to liquidate assets.

It looks as if that the proceedings start up again in Louisville on January 6.

Cool Music Presents My Kids Got

Usually toy instruments are useless, but Hearth Song’s Melody Lap Harp is the real deal. What I particularly like about it was that you can tune it with an accompanying tuning hammer; so many children’s musical toys either clang horribly upon arrival or go out of tune quickly. You don’t need much skill to start: it comes with tablature sheets that sit just underneath the strings. My daughter’s really into it.

Our Christmas-Eve visit to church left my son a little rattled; he took solace the next day in They Might Be Giants’s Here Comes Science. 


The group’s Here Come the 123’s was a pre-Christmas gift for our daughter. The songs are catchy, groovy, and even at times poignant:

Kwanzaa Starts Today

Today’s the first day of Kwanzaa, the seven-day festival that black nationalist Maulana (Ron) Karenga started back in 1966. Each day celebrates a theme, and today’s is umoja, unity.

Karenga founded the US Organization in the wake of the 1964 Watts riots to build a positive, independent self-identity for African-Americans; the seven-point Nguzo Saba value system that Kwanzaa reflects was meant to help achieve this end.

Kwanzaa has a definite Afro-centric political bent (the Nguzo Saba principles are Swahili words), and Karenga designed it specifically as a secular cultural celebration that African-Americans could observe in conjunction with any religious holiday (it’s a common misconception that Kwanzaa is tied to a religion).

Across the US, a number of organizations are marking the start of Kwanzaa: in Charlotte, the Harvey B. Gantt Center has events planned from 1-5 PM; in New York City, the American Museum of Natural History, from 12-5 PM.

Surf Music "Sleigh Ride"

Here’s a video (sent by–you guessed it–my sister-in-law) of Los Straitjackets doing “Sleigh Ride” in Portland last December:

A few days after their show, coincidentally, Andy Williams, also a noted “Sleigh Ride” interpreter, was on NPR’s Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.  Be warned if you listen to the interview: the guy’s kind of a jerk. I’m not going to post his “Sleigh Ride” here. I will post this, though:

How to Lose the Respect of Colleagues and Alienate Readers, by Alastair Macaulay

In an article for the Huffington Post, Jennifer Edwards helps to explain why Alastair Macaulay’s Nutcracker review–with the uncalled-for crack about two dancers’ weight–was worse than just rude:

While Macaulay clearly knows his history, taking 13 paragraphs to extol the magnificence of Balanchine’s vision and Tchaikovsky’s musical genius, this Perez Hilton-esque comment degrades not only the work of the dancers, but the art of cultural criticism. Commentary of this nature does nothing to educate, inspire, or bring about innovation in the field. 

Edwards also cites critic Eva Yaa Asantewaa, who seems to have already given up on the Times as a source for intelligent, insightful dance coverage:

Since Times arts editors apparently condone or encourage snarky writing in its dance reviews–and since Times reviews, regrettably, are crucial to the careers of artists and survival of arts institutions–we will have to push on and create viable, respected alternatives. Most of all, we will have to teach young performers to respect their bodies, care for their health, and be happy in their dancing.

Now we’re getting somewhere, to the heart of the matter. Macaulay’s brand of childish, decadent criticism–by an insider for other jaded insiders–just doesn’t cut it anymore (if it ever did).

(My initial reaction is here.)