Number 137

And So On

An Introduction:

Good day, dear reader. I have had a busy week and a busy weekend, but I have managed to stay here up to date. All the best to you. I go to Florida today and then Pennsylvania for Easter. Be blessed.

Things I’ve Consumed:

East Side Story:

After reading that New Yorker profile last week, I figured that I should get my nose into this book which chronicles the rise and fall of various members of a fictional family that made it big in the middle of the 19th century. Here, Auchincloss presents sketches of various members of this family which come together to give a sense of strong wills and a unified order. I suppose that this book achieves what it wants to achieve, but I found it pretty dull. If there was any indication of today’s cultural landscape in the 1800s, though, it probably would have been found in New York, which is rendered throughout by Auchincloss somewhat in opposition to the older, more structured society of Boston. Thus, East Side Story does retain some sociological value, but this is perhaps only evident if you, dear reader, have been embedded in the values that these New Yorkers tend to contrast. Probably not a book worth the time of most.

Die Zauberflöte at the Met Opera:

This I saw on Friday with a friend, and I was supremely impressed. The Met’s Simon McBurney production makes rich use of the entire capacity of the stage, varying large, austere sets with interesting projection work, remarkable theatricality, and, even, well manufactured audience interactions. The singing was very good, but the highlight in the Met’s Zauberflöte is its absolute spectacle. I thought that it was one of the most exciting operatic productions that I have seen, and I urge you, dear reader, to buy a ticket if you are in New York.

Julia Fischer and Jan Lisiecki at the NY Phil:

This was a one-night-only “Artist Spotlight” at the New York Philharmonic featuring sonatas by Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann, as well as encores from Brahms and Tchaikovsky. The first two pieces, Mozart’s Sonata for Piano and Violin in B-flat major and Beethoven’s Spring sonata, seemed almost like a warmup. Fischer and Lisiecki at times felt as if they were rushing through them a bit, and the Spring they played especially too quickly for my taste. But, after the intermission, these musicians made clear their expertise, playing a superbly technical Schumann Sonata in D minor for Piano and Violin, which was a show of great mastery. This was followed by two encores: the scherzo from Brahms’s Violin Sonata in C Minor and the melodie from Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir d’un lieu cher. These final three pieces were played with purpose by artists at their best when the most technical ability is demanded. It was an impressive, intimate show, marred only by the low class New York crowd which spent the night taking videos on their phones and clapping at the wrong moments. In fact, at one point Fischer and Lisiecki started laughing to each other after the crowd had once again applauded after a movement in the Beethoven which it had assumed was the finale. But, as I have noted before, the New York audience would clap for a carrot tied onto a stick.

Tina Barney: Family Ties:

Here is a collection of photographs by Tina Barney that I bought the other day. Much is made of Barney’s photographic history of New England society, so I figured that I should see it for myself. In this book there are images also included from her overseas series, such as The Europeans, but the focus is on the wealthy Americans for which Barney is known. I thought that the pictures were generally very good, but what I noted most often is how little this society (most would call it “WASP society”) has changed since Barney began taking their pictures in the 70s. While most already knew that these things have never changed, it’s nice to be able to point to something manifest. Good book.

Some Songs:

Some Photos: