The Friday Informer: Trouble Walking

Composing may differ from IKEA furniture assembly, but there was a bit of a cross-blog dust up this week over the proper way to build a piece. Perhaps we should all take a moment and consult the manual?

For his part, Elliott seems to have memorized the instructions and is racing ahead without us. Actually, he’s probably just trying to keep well in front of a musical culture that could produce recap-rock and a CSI: Beethoven spin off. Not to mention sci-fi opera, homeless opera, and a rock orchestra with a philanthropic twist. And, well, would you want to risk overhearing our august critics singing “Belle of the Ball”? Didn’t think so.

As he is closing in on his 100th birthday, Elliott may still be walking around just fine, but violinist David Garrett was having a bit more trouble with that this week, and it looks like it’s going to cost him. Hope the full-court press at least covers some of his marketing costs.

Those who have not tripped over their actual feet may be inserting them into their mouths or apologizing for where they’ve stepped. Not everyone is impressed with the display.

More cowbell? How about more cathedral bell? If you never scored a record label deal, maybe you just managed to dodge a bullet. Digital culture may be shaking up things in some areas of the classical record bin, but not so much in others. If you’re feeling a bit out of your depth, here’s where some instructions may come in handy. It’s not the artists that got small but the albums. Still, do we really want to ditch the technology?