A rash of the Muppets performing their rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody has infested the internets today, appealing to people nostalgic for The Muppet Show and Queen. I’m glad to report that this is not just a passing fad, the Bohemian Rhapsody video being but a string in the strong presence that the Muppets are carving for themselves in the digital realm. We’ll report more on this development after the jump, but first, the aforementioned cover:

Jim Henson created more than a trademark, developing puppetry into a national hallmark from the dregs that it had found itself, creating family-friendly television that appealed both to children and their handlers. Thankfully, despite his untimely passing, the bar he raised remains high and apparently in good hands, with this coming computer-addicted generation-to-be still capable of getting their hands on good, educational programming.

The Muppets have always married entertainment to education, and continue in this excellence by creating digital shorts that showcase classical works to a new audience in a timely, humorous fashion. Take for instance Beaker’s rendition of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Fourth Movement, commonly known as
Ode to Joy :

That video was in fact a response to this video:

which demonstrates that the marketing department for the Henson Company are on their A-game. They’re keeping on top of trends and topics and are adapting their campaign to match not just what people are watching, but what they’re doing too.

Following that same theme, they came out with this video, introducing to many net surfers I am certain, Johann Strauss’ An der schönen blauen, known to the English-speaking world as Blue Danube, via Gonzo and his “Pitch Perfect Poultry”:

Furthermore, the Henson Company is foraying into public consciousness and seemingly attempting to fix other companies’ screw-ups with human culture. Remember MTV’s Carmen: A Hip Hopera? (The audio synch on this video is screwy, but this is probably the best part of the whole debacle, and that’s only because of Mos Def.)

Well, The Swedish Chef, Beaker, and Animal take a shot at making you forget it all about it (sorry to have brought it up again) by taking on Georges Bizet’s most famous aria, Habanera from the opera Carmen:

Now, in closing, I would like to point out the Muppet’s social commentary, which there is a strong history of as well. This is made even more prevalent at the tail-end of those videos, where Waldorf & Statler (the grumpy old men in the box) comment on the videos they have just “watched” via the internet. If you haven’t watched these videos through to the end, go back and finish the Muppet ones, I’ll wait.

Waldorf and Statler continue with their acerbic remarks, but now through the safety of their office chairs, as here:

So not only is the Henson Company utilizing the magnificent tool that is the internet, but they’re also mocking it, gratuitously and defiantly? These guys are the epitome of digital productivity, deserving kudos, accolades, and commendations all around. Not only do they see the future, they’re actively working to make it a brighter place.

Paul Collingwood played the innings of his England career as England eased to a seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the second ODI at Centurion yesterday.

Playing in a record 171st ODI, Collingwood stole the show for a well-drilled England side - who delivered a near-perfect performance to take a 1-0 lead in the series – hitting his fifth one-day hundred. He also picking-up two key wickets and claimed a magnificent catch in a true man-of-the-match effort.

Elsewhere, Jonathan Trott impressed once again, hitting 87 as opener and bowling seven overs of tight medium-pace. James Anderson, while a little expensive, picked-up three wickets and Eoin Morgan delivered another example of his prowess as a finisher with a brisk, unbeaten 27.

The only negatives for England were three uncharacteristic dropped catched from skipper Andrew Strauss and some unconvincing bowling from Adil Rashid and Sajid Mahmood.

Next up, the third ODI at Cape Town on Friday.

Strauss, Neapolitan Songs, and a Singsong by Vivian Schweitzer

Millo

Pitágoras descubrió que existe relación entre la longitud de las cuerdas de la lira y las notas musicales que producen. Por ejemplo, si la nota Do es la unidad, Sol es 3/2 de la misma. Descubrió, por tanto, que el principio de la armonía musical responde a proporciones matemáticas. Entusiasmado con su hallazgo lo extrapoló al cosmos en su totalidad: las órbitas de los planetas están también sometidas a leyes matemáticas, son armónicas, y producen la llamada “música de las esferas”.

Un pitagórico contemporáneo es el compositor de origen griego y nacionalizado francés Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001). Según Xenakis la música ha de obedecer a leyes matemáticas y, más concretamente, al cálculo de probabilidades, como si las notas tuviesen que sonar imitando el movimiento de las moléculas de gas. A esta forma musical la llamó música estocástica de la cual es un ejemplo la pieza Strategie que puedes escuchar más arriba.

En 1972 fundó el CEMAMu (Centre d’Études de Mathématique et Automatique Musicales) dedicado a la aplicación de la informática y las matemáticas a la música. Se trata de crear un reflejo musical a partir de una imagen. Las complejas matemáticas que esto requiere son tarea de la informática. Un buen ejemplo de esta fusión es la pieza Mycenae-Alpha de 1978.

¿Es la música de Xenakis un ruido insoportable, simplemente fea? ¿O es que el oído del espectador no está capacitado para percibir su belleza? ¿Quién sabe cómo sonará la música del Universo? ¿Y tú qué piensas?

En 2001, una odisea del espacio, Stanley Kubrick supo combinar sorprendentemente ambos tipos de música: el lado más clásico de la mano de El danubio azul de Strauss y el lado vanguardista gracias a fragmentos de las obras  de Györgi Ligeti Réquiem, Lux aeterna y Atmosphères. Así, un primer vídeo con las naves espaciales bailando al compás de Strauss y otro con el Requiem de Ligeti acompañado de fotos de la película.

]]> http://donqyxote.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/zum-todestag-von-claude-levi-strauss/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:12:25 +0000 donqyxote http://donqyxote.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/zum-todestag-von-claude-levi-strauss/

TRAURIGE TROPEN

Volle Qypeehrlichkeit: Ich war da noch nicht , aber Willi war schon da. Das liegt fast 30 Jahre zurück, aber ich erinnere mich, dass er von seiner Einbaumfahrt im basilianischen Regenwald , eine Anekdote zu erzählen hatte.

Die ging so:
Der touristischen Einbaumfahrer machte in der Wildnis Pause, ergötzte sich an der überbordenden Natur und kam sich vollkommen einsam und einzigartig vor und dann kam plötzlich hinter dem Baum ein (Lehrer)kollege hervor und sagte: “Ha Willi, du bisch jo au do !”

Das ist die Geschichte zu dem Platz oder einem Platz in der Nähe dieses Platzes und die Geschichte der bildungs- und welteroberungshungrigen deutschen Deutschlehrer der 70er Jahre und der Einstieg zu einem Beitrag über Claude Lévi-Strauss ,der am 28.11.2008 hundert Jahre alt geworden ist (ER LEBT ! s.u. Kommentare ) und der in den Siebzigern mit seinen “Traurigen Tropen” die Lehrer und Philosophen und Anthropologen und Studenten geradezu in den Dschungel trieb.

Und der letzte Satz der “Traurigen Tropen” ist der längste Satz, den ich je gelesen habe, fast auswendig kann und auf einer einsamen Insel ohne qype und sonstige Ablenkungen als Mantra laut vor mich hersagen würde und der so ziemlich alles beinhaltet, was noch zu sagen wäre, lautet so:

“Sowenig das Individuum in der Gruppe und eine Gesellschaft unter den anderen allein ist, sowenig auch ist der Mensch allein im Universum. Wenn der Regenbogen der menschlichen Kulturen endlich im Abgrund unserer Wut versunken sein wird, dann wird – solange wir bestehen und solange es eine Welt gibt – jener feine Bogen bleiben, der uns mit dem Unzugänglichen verbindet, und uns den Weg zeigen, der aus der Sklaverei herausführt und dessen Betrachtung dem Menschen, auch wenn er ihn nicht einschlägt, die einzige Gnade verschafft, der er würdig zu werden vermag: nämlich den Marsch zu unterbrechen, den Impuls zu zügeln, der ihn dazu drängt, die klaffenden Risse in der Mauer der Notwendigkeit einen nach dem anderen zuzustopfen und damit sein Werk in demselben Augenblick zu vollenden, da er sein Gefängnis zuschließt; jene Gnade,nach der jede Gesellschaft begehrt, wie immer ihre religiösen Vorstellungen, ihr politisches System und ihr kulturelles Nievau beschaffen sein mögen; jene Gnade, in die sie ihre Muße, ihr Vergnügen, ihre Ruhe und ihre Freiheit setzt; jene lebenswichtige Chance, sich zu entspannen, loszulösen, das heißt die Chance, die darin besteht, in den kurzen Augenblicken, in denen es die menschliche Gattung erträgt, ihr bienenfleißiges Treiben zu unterbrechen, das Wesen dessen zu erfassen, was sie war und immer noch immer ist, diesseits des Denkens und jenseits der Gesellschaft: zum Beispiel bei der Betrachtung eines Minerals, das schöner ist als alle unsere Werke; im Duft einer Lilie, die weiser ist als unsere Bücher; oder in dem Blick – schwer von Geduld, Heiterkeit und gegenseitigem Verzeihen -, den ein unwillkürliches Einverständnis zuweilen auszutauschen gestattet mit einer Katze.”

(Claude Lévi-Strauss, TRAURIGE TROPEN, Originalausgabe 1955, deutsch 1978)

Ich denke, dass der Philosoph, Ethnologe, Anthropologe und Denker Lévi-Strauss, der mit dem Erfinder euer aller Beinbekleidung nicht verwechselt werden sollte, zum 100ten Geburtstag verdient hat, dass ihm auch ein Beitrag auf qype gewidmet wird und ich wollte ihn wirklich nicht in´s Museum für Völkerkunde stecken, denn da gehört er nicht hin.

Er hat unter anderen die Mato Grosso Region bereits und dort mit den Bororo Freundschaft geschlossen und ihre Sprache und ihre Bräuche, ihre Heiratsriten studiert und mit seinen Studien und Büchern dazu beigetragen, dass mit der überheblichen und kolonialistisch geprägte Betrachtung der unterentwickelten kulturlosen “Wilden”, also der Grundlage des allfälligen Rassismus ein wenig aufgeräumt wurde.

Und jetzt ist er verstorben in seinem 100ten Jahr.

Richard Strauss

R. Strauss (1864-1949) fue un compositor alemán de principios del siglo XX. Principalmente conocido por sus Poemas Sinfónicos descriptivos como “Muerte y Transfiguración”, “Don Juan” o “Till Eulenspiegel”, triunfó en la escena lírica europea gracias a sus óperas “Salomé”, “Elektra” y “El Caballero de la Rosa”.

Su música se caracteriza por una instrumentación brillante que fuerza a los instrumentos más allá de sus límites, elevando al rango de solistas instrumentos como la Tuba o el Contrabajo.

Sus líneas son tensas, rítmicas y vigorosas, buscando siempre el deslumbramiento del oyente.

Es conocido por el gran público gracias al comienzo de su poema sinfónico “Así habló Zaratustra” utilizado por Kubrick para su película “2001: Odisea en el Espacio”

Si queréis saber más:
- Biografía: http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/s/strauss.htm
- Lista de obras y algunos audios: http://www.epdlp.com/compclasico.php?id=1138

- Análisis de la ópera “Salomé”: http://www.filomusica.com/filo35/strauss.html
- Análisis de “Till Eulenspiegel”: http://leiter.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/till-eulenspiegel-de-richard-strauss/

- Vídeos de “Así habló Zaratustra” :

Alex Ross, periodista y escritor, acaba de publicar un resumen sobre la historia del siglo XX a través de la música en el ensayo “El ruido eterno”. Se trata de un ensayo que explica la evolución de la música clásica en el siglo XX, de cómo cambiaron los patrones clásicos frente a las vanguardias.

Ross, lleva mucho tiempo escribiendo críticas de música clásica para “The New Yorker” y, con esta obra, asegura que su intención es “acercar esa música […] al gran público […] relacionándola con otras manifestaciones culturales y políticas, e incidiendo en la personalidad y psicología de los autores”.

El autor de “El eterno ruido” se lamenta de que el público haya sabido apreciar y adaptar a pintores como Pollock o Picasso, mientras que no ha podido asimilar a sus equivalentes en música clásica.

Mahler, Strauss o Puccini son algunos de los compositores con los que empieza el libro, cuando las portadas de los periódicos se llenaban con los estrenos de sus obras. Como el joven que se aprende la letra de una canción que le llama la atención por aquella época los más sofisticados se aprendían los libretos de Wagner.

Quizás ellos son más conocidos, pero el autor recorre a partir de ese momento un montón de obras y autores que no tuvieron la repercusión que sus obras merecían mientras este género se iba apartando de la sociedad en general. Sin embargo, no pretende encontrar la respuesta a la ruptura entre el público y las obras, sino “que la gente conozca la evolución de los diferentes movimientos y tendencias musicales, los avances tecnológicos y los compositores más relevantes y – que – busquen su propia respuesta”.

Casi diez años de investigación le han llevado incluso a predecir un posible camino a seguir por la música clásica: “un posible destino para la música del siglo XXI es una gran fusión final: los artistas pop inteligentes y los compositores extravertidos, hablando más o menos el mismo idioma”.

Además, el autor ha puesto una página web a disposición del público para que pueda acceder a la banda sonora del libro.

 As a story goes, composer Johannes Brahms, when once asked by Frau Strauss for an autograph, wrote on her fan the first few bars of her husband’s ‘Blue Danube’ waltz. Under it he wrote “Leider nicht von Johannes Brahms” , or in English, “Unfortunately not by Johannes Brahms”.

“An der schönen blauen Donau” (On the Beautiful Blue Danube) waltz, which is indisputably one of the most consistently popular pieces of music in the classical repertoire,  was composed by Johann Strauss II or Strauss the Younger, in 1866.

It was first performed February 13, 1867 at a concert of the Wiener Männergesangsverein (Vienna Men’s Choral Association) but only became a mild success. After the original music was written, words were added by the Choral Association’s poet, Joseph Weyl. However, Strauss adapted it into a purely orchestral version for the World’s Fair in Paris that same year, and it became a great success in this form.

The instrumental version is by far the most commonly performed today and who can resist their feet tapping as that melodic violin strains and a horn playing the familiar waltz theme float through the ether.

The sentimental Viennese connotations of the piece have made it into a sort of unofficial Austrian national anthem. It is a traditional encore piece at the annual Das Neujahrskonzert der Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna New Year’s Concert)…. (I really wish I get a chance to see it sometime.)

The Blue Danube (as it is popularly known) was one of the first pieces of Western classical music I had ever heard, courtesy of an old 78 rpm record of Strauss waltzes and our old Polydor record player, and has ever remained a favourite. There is no other tune that evokes the spirit of late 19th century Vienna.

For those who want to know more about it, please do read on. I guess after some time, those of you not blessed with a head for music will fully acknowledge the truth of the adage: “A picture is a worth a thousand words“, or more in this case, “Hearing a tune is worth a ten thousand words of description.” Those who would like to hear it are advised to see/hear a Karajan or Boskovsky conducted performance, if possible.

The waltz gets underway with an extended introduction in A major with shimmering violins and a horn, spelling out the familiar waltz theme, and answered by staccato wind chords, in a subdued atmosphere. The melody rises briefly into a loud passage but quickly dies down into the same restful nature of the opening bars. A contrasting and quick phrase in D major anticipates the waltz before a trio of quiet downward-moving bass notes usher in the first principal waltz melody.

The first waltz theme is familiar gently rising triad motif in cellos and horns in D major, accompanied by the harp; the Viennese waltz beat is accentuated at the end of each 3-note phrase. The Waltz 1A triumphantly ends its rounds of the motif, and waltz 1B follows in the same key; the genial mood is still apparent.

Waltz 2A, in D major only, glides in quietly before a short contrasting middle section in B flat major. The entire section is repeated.

A more dour waltz 3A is introduced in G major before a fleeting eighth-note melodic phrase (waltz 3B). A loud Intrada \is then played. Waltz 4A starts off in a romantic F major mood before a more joyous waltz 4B in the same key.

After another short Intrada in A, cadencing in F-sharp minor, sonorous clarinets spell out the poignant melody of waltz 5A in A. Waltz 5B is the climax, punctuated by cymbal crashes. Each of these may be repeated at the discretion of the performer.

The coda recalls earlier sections (3A and 2A) before furious chords usher in a recap of the romantic Waltz 4A. The idyll is cut short as the waltz hurries back to the famous waltz theme 1A again. This statement is cut short, however, by the final codetta: a variation of 1A is presented, connecting to a rushing eighth-note passage in the final few bars: repeated tonic chords underlined by a snare drumroll and a bright-sounding flourish.

For those, who would know more:

The Blue Danube is scored for the following orchestra:

Woodwinds – 2 Flutes (Fl. 2 doubling Piccolo) , 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in C, 2 Bassoons. Brass - 4 Horns in F, 2 Trumpets in F, Bass Trombone, Tuba. Percussion – Timpani, Bass Drum, Triangle, Snare Drum. Strings – Harp, Violins I, II, Violas, Violoncellos, Double Basses

El Area Joven  de la Municipalidad de Reconquista, con la coordinación en esta ocasión del evento de Julia Lotero, junto con la  Cátedra Abierta sobre Derechos Humanos del Instituto Superior de Profesorado Nº 4 “Angel Cárcano”,  presentaron en Reconquista el Movimiento Teatro por la Identidad, brazo artístico de las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo.

CORO EN TEATRO- FESTIVAL 2009

El miércoles 4 de noviembre  actuaron en el Teatro Español, y por la tarde lo hicieron en las instalaciones de la Escuela Nº 634 “Yapeyú”. Cabe consignar que dicho proyecto, impulsado por la Cátedra sobre DDHH del ISP Nº 4 y el Area Joven del municipio local fue declarado “de interés municipal” por el Honorable Concejo Deliberante de Reconquista, y “de interés legislativo” por la Cámara de Diputados de la provincia de Santa Fe.

CORO EN TEATRO- FESTIVAL 2009 RECONQUISTA

El jueves 5 se  presentó en el Teatro Español , ante una sala colmada con un público sorprendido, en una función libre y gratuita.

Las obras que se presentaron fueron tres:
- “Manos Grandes”, de Mariana Pérez, dirigida por Mónica Scandizo . Monologo de  Andrea Villamayor.
- “Vic y Vic” (teatro documental), de Erika Halvorsen, con la actuación de Paula López y Lucía Maciel.
- “El señor Martín”, de Gastón Cerana, con dirección de Cristian Sabaz y actuación de Cristian Sabaz y Leopoldo Barbieri.

Cabe destacar la brillante actuación de los actores, en especial del actor y director Cristian Sabaz, quien brilló en el escenario del Teatro Español, demostrando una calidad Escénica formidable.

El viernes 6 de noviembre se presentaron en el TEATRO ESPAÑOL, de Reconquista,

Solistas del Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires y becarios de la Fundación Accentus de Santa Fe, presentándose  junto al

Coro Polifónico Municipal “ Dionisio Cantero “  de Reconquista.

La compañía interpretá arias, dúos, cuartetos y coros de las ópera más conocidas y bellas de compositores románticos: L’ELISIR D’AMORE (de Gaetano Donizetti),

LOS CUENTOS DE HOFFMANN ( de Jacques Offenbach)

TOSCA Y LA BOHÈME (De Giacomo Puccini)

CARMEN (de Georges Bizet) y

AIDA Y LA TRAVIATA (de Giuseppe Verdi).

Se estrenaron además números de la opereta cómica EL MURCIÉLAGO (de Johann Strauss) con ambientación del argumento y montaje escénico (música , luces, actuación, )

colaboracion: Silvina Bonastre – Reconquista

Once upon a time there was a mouse named Strauss who lived in a little bakery in a little village in a little country. Strauss lived a good life by mouse standards, and mice only have three standards. One, get enough to eat. Two, find a safe place to live, and three, make enough friends that you’re not lonely but not so many that you’re overwhelmed.

Strauss had as many friends as he cared to have, but he didn’t have to share the bakery with any of them on account of they were all afraid of the baker who had a reputation for swatting mice. It’s not that the baker was a mean person, but he did have a business to run after all, and it wouldn’t do to have mice nibbling holes in the treats you’re trying to sell. The baker was well aware of Strauss to be sure, but since Strauss left the baker’s goods alone and only ate the crumbs that fell on the floor the baker left him alone in return.

Even though Strauss had everything he needed, he still had big dreams…big mouse dreams that is. He longed to eat an entire bowl of pudding, or lick all the frosting off of a cake or suck the filling out of an entire tray of jelly doughnuts. Any one of those feats would make him the envy of all the mice in the village, and the stories of his conquest would inspire future generations of mice children. In fact, it just so happened that these were the things Strauss was dreaming about when he was woken up one morning by a commotion in the front of the bakery.

Still half asleep but curious, Strauss left his little mouse bed to investigate and was surprised to see a large group of children crowding around the center table in the dining area. Strauss crept along the wall until he found an angle where he could see what exactly all the fuss was about, and when he finally caught sight of it he let out a little mouse gasp. The baker had stayed up all night making a chocolate elephant the size of a large pumpkin. It was the most wonderful and delicious thing any mouse had ever seen.

In and instant Strauss forgot all about pudding, frosting and even doughnuts. This was his dream come true. He was so happy he could have cried until he remembered that he couldn’t eat the food on display or else he wouldn’t be able to stay in the bakery anymore. When Strauss realized that he was heartbroken.

But just then the group of children, who were all jostling each other to be at the front of the circle, lurched forward and bumped hard against the table. Then everybody froze as the elephant teetered back and forth once, twice, three times before tipping over and falling to the floor.

When it hit the ground its trunk broke off along with two of its legs, and wide crack split right down the middle of its back. It was the baker who ended the silence with an angry shout that sent all of the children scurrying out of the bakery like mice running from an alley cat.

The baker knelt down and fumbled with the pieces of the broken elephant. He tried to put them back into place, but the pieces wouldn’t stay together. So the baker piled them back onto the tray his masterpiece had fallen off of and started to carry it towards the garbage can. To Strauss’s surprise though, the baker only took two steps towards the garbage and stopped. He shifted his feet a few times as if he couldn’t decide which direction he wanted them to take him. Then he walked straight towards the hole in the wall that led to Strauss’s den, knelt down and sat the plate right in front of it.

Strauss watched the baker walk slowly back to the kitchen, and when the kitchen door shut behind him Strauss turned his gaze back to the elephant….the elephant the baker had given to him. Strauss was sad for the baker’s loss, but then again, the baker could always make another elephant. In fact, he was probably in the kitchen this minute preparing the ingredients for a new one. For Strauss though, this was a once in a lifetime dream come true.

Strauss raced to the elephant, leapt on its trunkless head and buried his face in the deep, delicious chocolate. He ate and ate and ate and ate until he couldn’t eat anymore. Then he fell asleep right there on the platter, exhausted from eating so much chocolate. When he woke up he tried eating some more, but there wasn’t any room in his stomach.

Strauss spent the rest of the day in his bed recovering from his battle with the elephant. As he lay there he thought about how impossible it would be to eat the entire elephant. Of course, if he didn’t it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Life would still go on, but this was his personal dream and his shot at greatness. If he gave up and let the opportunity pass by him he would have to live with that the rest of his life. With these thoughts in mind Strauss decided he was going to eat the entire elephant no matter how much work it took.

Over the next few days Strauss went back to the elephant and ate and ate and ate until he couldn’t eat anymore. Then he rested until he could eat some more and went back and ate and ate and ate again. The baker noticed what the mouse was doing and would make it a point to stop by every once and a while to check on his progress, but the baker wasn’t the only one to notice. Eventually the customers began to notice as well and would come to watch him. Then the rest of the mice in the village noticed how many people were coming to the bakery, and they came to watch the spectacle as well, but they didn’t go inside because they were still afraid of the baker.

In no time Strauss was the biggest attraction in town. The newspaper even printed a story on him, and after that people came from other villages to see the mouse who was trying to eat an elephant. People and mice began making bets as to whether or not Strauss could do it. Some people believed in him, and some people said he was a fool and his dream was impossible.

Strauss certainly had shown strength and determination, but he was only just finished eating the head when his strength and determination began to fade. He had been working very hard, but he wasn’t making the progress he thought he would have by now. Despite the early support he received the other mice were starting to doubt him, and he found this very discouraging. At any rate, he just didn’t know if he had the will power to finish such a daunting task. So as the days went by he ate less and less until he stopped eating at all.

This caused a commotion, and some people as well as mice thought Strauss had finally failed. However, the baker did not remove the elephant because he believed in Strauss, and the spectacle was brining him a lot of business. The baker tried to encourage Strauss, but Strauss was incorrigible. The baker was smart though and knew just what Strauss needed. He put the elephant in the refrigerator and made Strauss a tiny bowl of warm soup with a tiny piece of warm bread. He closed the bakery for a few days and let Strauss relax.

After Strauss was feeling better the baker cut a little piece off of the elephant and put it on a golden plate in front of Strauss’s hole. When Strauss saw the little piece of chocolate he ate it hungrily, and after he had finished it he was still hungry because it was such a small piece. However, instead of giving Strauss any more chocolate that day he simply gave him a little piece of muffin and some milk.

The next day Strauss found another little piece of chocolate sitting on the golden plate in front of his hole. He ate that hungrily as well, but he didn’t get any more that day. The next day he got another small piece, and it this went on the same way for months and months until Strauss had finished the whole elephant.

On that day there was a big celebration, and the baker baked elephant cakes, elephant candies, elephant pastries, and another chocolate elephant twice as big as the first. People came from all around to have their picture taken with Strauss and the baker and the new chocolate elephant. The people who had bet against Strauss lost their money, but they weren’t all sad about it because they were happy for Strauss. Already the other mice in town began boasting to their children about how well they never doubted Strauss for a moment and what an inspiration he was to mice everywhere.

At the end of the day the baker shooed everyone out of the bakery and cleaned up all the mess they had made. To Strauss’s relief the baker had sold the second elephant to someone from out of town. The baker made Strauss some warm soup and laid some extra soft cotton at his hole for him to add to his nest. That night Strauss had the best sleep of his life.

Not long after that the baker took down the old sign that used to hang outside his bakery to one with a mouse eating an elephant.  From then on any mouse who wanted to come to the bakery was allowed to come in without fear of being swatted, and none of them ever ate anything that wasn’t given to them.

As Strauss got older he would often have young mice come to visit him and listen to him tell the tale of how he ate an entire elephant, and when the young mice asked him how he did it he would smile a sly, jolly smile and say, “One bite at a time.”



Fruchtblumen, Fruchtstäuße, Erdbeersträusse, Dipgenuss und vieles mehr, NEU IN HAMBURG!

E o dimineaţă caldă de sfârşit de săptămâna. Pe cerul incredibil de albastru,  plutesc câţiva nori cu forme ciudate, ca nişte uriaşe animale preistorice. Beau ceai matte la gheaţă şi citesc ziarul Folha de Sao Paulo.

Caetano Veloso, un faimos cântăreţ, compozitor şi poet, îl numeşte pe Lula (preşedintele ţării) analfabet. Lula, un fost şef de sindicat, răspunde, la rândul său, că inteligenţa nu se măsoară în anii de şcoală pe care îi dobândeşti de-a lungul vieţii. Nu ştiu cui să-i dau dreptate. Oricum, să-l faci analfabet pe preşedinte, e un lucru care lasă să se vadă clar libertatea de expresie din ţara asta. 

Un altul, teologul Leonardo Boff, îl numeşte pe Lula „miop” şi „iresponsabil” în ceea ce priveşte situaţia ecologică. Se pare că Lula nu va merge la Copenhaga pentru că nu are încă niciun plan clar pentru mediul înconjurător. Brazilia e o ţara în plină ascensiune cu o influenţa planetară enormă în ceea ce priveşte chestiunea mediului ambient. 

Madonna vine în Brazilia să se întâlnească cu omul cel mai bogat de aici. Vrea să colecteze bani pentru fundaţia ei. Apoi vrea să viziteze o favelă. Sper să nu nimerească în timpul unui schimb de focuri între bande rivale.

Moartea lui Levi Srauss încă mai e o ştire importantă pentru ziare. Se spune că secolul 20 s-a terminat odată cu căderea zidului din Berlin. Din punct de vedere intelectual însă, ziarul spune că secolul 20 moare odată cu Levi Strauss. Cred că ziarele secolului 21 cu greu vor da atâta importantă morţii unui gânditor. Poate şi pentru faptul că ziarele şi gânditorii vor fi mai rari în viitor. Levi Strauss a fost, pentru lumea culturală, ceea ce a fost Freud pentru psihanaliză, Einstein pentru fizică, Marx pentru ideile politice… Mulţi îl considerau aici ca cel mai mare intelectual în viaţă, mare gânditor a cărui contribuţie faţă de umanitate s-a răspândit în toate domeniile cunoaşterii umane, mai ales în domeniul ştiinţelor sociale. Ce-ar mai fi fost antropologia fără acest om? La moartea lui Rodin, Rilke scria: „toţi oamenii mari au murit”. Ziarele îl citează acum când Levi Strauss nu mai e.

Zilele astea a avut loc în Sao Paulo un marş la care a participat un milion de persoane. Pe mine cifrele astea mă înspăimântă. Marşul a fost organizat de evanghelişti, confesiune foarte vizibilă aici, în Brazilia. Pe zi ce trece numărul catolicilor scade în favoarea eveangheliştilor. Îmi amintesc că, ultima oară când am vizitat Sao Paulo, nişte prieteni evanghelişti m-au luat cu ei să particip la o slujbă a Bisericii Evanghelice. Ce mai muzică, ce mai cântece, ce mai dasuri, ce mai bătut din palme, ce mai distracţie. Apoi a urmat colecta de bani…  

Pe de altă parte, apropo de participări masive, la ultima Paradă Gay din Sao Paulo, au participat 3,1 milioane de persoane.

După ştirile interne, cu împuşcături prin favele, urmează ştirile externe cu tragedia de la baza militară din Statele Unite. 

Simt în ştirile junalului acelaşi pesimism care există şi în ziarele europene. Toţi se plâng de lumea în care trăim. Criza, dezastrele, mizeria, foametea, politicile falimentare, disputele fără sfârşit, nedreptăţile sociale, într-un cuvânt haosul hipermoden. Toate ştirile ne induc stres, frică, nelinişti. Încerc să rămân calmă şi optimistă. Nu văd în toate astea doar un gol absolut. E adevărat că universul a devenit mai nihilist dar, în acelaşi timp, se revendică drepturile omului, abundă voluntariatul iar morala n-a murit încă. Lângă omul cinic apare altul mai responsabil. De-aia viitorul este deschis, cred eu. Sunt multe contradicţii dar încă există speranţa.

Claude Lévi-Strauss’un yüzyılı

“Kültür nedir”in teorisyeni. Kuram mimarı.

İlk 1991’de okumuştum Tristes Tropiques kitabını. Tam bir tokat.

Bir edebiyat şaheseri mi desek, “beşeri bilim nasıl yapılır” dersi kitabı mı, “hümanizm ne demektir”in açıklaması mı?

Meğer 1955’te yazmış kitabı, Türkçe’ye çevirisi 2000′de. Hüzünlü Dönenceler ismi verilmiş bu başyapıta.

Neredeyse 50 sene sonra kavuşmuş Türkiye okuyucusuna.

İki hayatı var Claude Lévi-Strauss’un, birincisi alan çalışmalarının adamı olarak, antropoloji ve etnolojide katılımcı gözlem kuramının kurucusu olarak, 1930’larda Brezilya’da yerli kabileleri arasında geçirdigi zaman zarfında.

Elbette daha sonra özellikle Japonya’da alan çalışmaları olmuş.

Ancak Fransa’ya döndüğü 1942 yılından itibaren bir düşünür, bir kütüphane adamı, toplumun yapısının ince mimarı olarak karşımıza çıkıyor.

Bu ikinci hayatı zaten kişiliğine çok daha iyi uymakta.

Güney Amerika “ilkel” kabilelerinin yaşamını anlatan Hüzünlü Dönenceler kitabının ilk cümlesi “gezilerden ve gezginlerden nefret ediyorum” değil midir zaten?

Yapı dedik, dünyanın her yerinde yapısalcığın babası olarak tanınır Lévi-Strauss.

Structuralisme, yapısalcılık mıdır, altyapısalcılık mı tartışılır bence.

Infrastructuralisme mi deseydik acaba ismine?

Ben antropolog değilim, ancak toplumu anlamak için verdiği anahtarlar hep kullanılacak.

Lévi Strauss’un eserlerinden bizlere miras bıraktığı düşüncelerin başında kültürlerin arasında hiyerarşi bulunmadığı yatmakta.

İlkel denilen kabilelerde var olan “medeniyet” bir insanlık medeniyeti.

Ve kimi alanlarda bu “medeniyetler” sanayi toplumlarından ve daha da önemlisi sanayi ötesi toplumlarından daha insancıl.

İşte bu yüzden de modern toplumlar, ilkel olarak nitelendirilen toplumları boğazlamakta, yok etmekte, yeryüzünden silmekte.

Bir gün kendilerinin de aynı şekilde silineceklerini bile bile.

İnsansız dünya

Kötümserdir Lévi-Strauss, melankoliktir.

1962’de yayınlanan La Pensée sauvage (Vahşi Düşünce), gayet net gösterir.

Lévi-Strauss’a göre her şey, her davranış, her gelenek, her dini pratik, her inanç, en anlaşılmayanları, en doğaüstü görünenleri dahi dünyasal sebepler taşırlar.

Bir “yapı” içinde tahlil edildiklerinde, kültürler ne kadar farklı olsa da, insanlık medeniyetinin ortak mitoslarının kalıntılarıdır bunlar.

Yemek yapma şekilleri, her şarkı, her jest, her cümle ortak bir insanlık geçmişine gönderme yapar:

Doğayla iç içe vahşi dünyada yaşamdan, toplumsal insanî yaşama geçiş süreci.

1964’te yayınlanmış olan “Le Cru et le Cuit” yani “Çiğ ve Pişmiş” eserini 40 yıl sonra okurken aynı zamanda Kitab-ı Dede Korkut’un Altan Gökalp ve Louis Bazin tarafından tanıtımını okuduğum aklıma geldi şimdi.

Dede Korkut’taki Atbas ve Beyrek karakterleri de simgesel olarak bu geçişi anlatır.

İnsan olmak sosyal olmaktır.

Ve sosyal insan verir alır.

Verdiğini geri almaya uğraşır, aldığını da mutlaka geri vermeye. Sosyal insan etkileşimli insandır. Diğer insanlar olmadan var olamaz.

Fransa medyası

Claude Lévi-Strauss, bir asırlık bir hayattan sonra öldü.

Ancak öyle bir iz bıraktı ki bilim dünyasına, artık silinmesi imkansız.

Yapısalcılık bugün eleştirilebiliyorsa, Lévi-Strauss’un yapısalcılığı inşa etmesi sayesindedir.

Bir yüzyılın insanlık tarihine damgasını vurarak.

Fransa da unutmamış demek ki kendisini bu kadar eleştiren bilim adamını.

Bütün günlük gazeteler, bütün dergiler, bütün televizyonlar, bütün haber siteleri en önemli haber olarak Lévi-Strauss’un ölümünü verdiler, veriyorlar.

Kot markası

Evet, Lévi-Strauss, işgal altındaki Fransa’yı bırakıp, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’ne gitmişti, orada zaten ismini kesip Claude L. Strauss olmuştu, kot pantoloncuyla karıştırılmamak için.

Daha sonra direnişe katılmış, 1950 ve 1960’larda sömürgeci Fransa’ya karşı çıkmıştı.

Ancak daha sonra siyasi angajmanın entelektüel tarafsızlığa zararlı olduğunu düşünmüş, örneğin Fransa’daki 1968 olaylarında rol oynamayı reddetmişti.

Daha sonra da etik olarak güncel konularda yorum yapmaktan hep çekinmişti.

Kendini emekli ettiği 1982’den beri yazmaya odaklanmış, 1994’e kadar da üretmişti.

Claude Levi Strauss, 101 yaşında öldü.

Arkasında anlamaya çalıştığı koca bir insanlık tarihi bırakarak.

1.- 03-11-09 Muere el antropólogo francés Lévi-Strauss

-*-  

Well – I have just been to France…

… d’hiver

Emanuel Gat / Roy Assaf

Musique de Richard Strauss, chant écrit par Oum Kalthoum, et remix des Beatles.

Un duo magique, un dialogue surprenant avec le mouvement…

Une douce mélodie visuelle.

Title: The Timpani Player’s Orchestral Repertoire Volumes 1-6

Author: Fred D. Hinger

Description: Fred Hinger’s The Timpani Player’s Orchestral Repertoire Volumes 1-6 cover the symphonic works of Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Strauss, and Stravinsky. Each volume contains complete orchestral timpani parts plus Mr. Hinger’s detailed notes and comments of their execution. All for less than the individual parts alone.

Categories: Orchestral Repertoire, Timpani

Annotated by Greg Simonds

Nobody can know himself

or be separated from himself

But let him every day test what

should be clear:

What he is and what he was

What he can and what he may.

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1796)

how do you prepare (young) students to deal with questions like what do we do with Strauss or Wagner, or, what does music mean, if anything, or (even better), can we separate the music from its creator? it was an attempt, or more than an attempt, at a good try today in history 4. i could see the looks on faces (somewhat preoccupied from the results of their midterm) and they revealed brains ticking away behind their usually cheery visages. they were thinking. that’s not in italics because they haven’t thought before. it’s in italics because they really began to think about music as a concept, as a problem, as something that can come with real repercussions. 

and that is exactly the kind of thinking i like.

soon this section on “music in crisis” will be over and things can get a little bit back to normal (britten is included in this but it’s not so much crisis as me talking about how i’m getting a Peter Grimes-inspired tattoo) and until the britten fun times, i’ll end this the way we ended the class (and the way i started this entry), with Richard Strauss’ Metamorphosen (Berlin Philharmonic, Karajan).

C’est avec une grande émotion que j’ai appris la disparition de Claude Lévi-Strauss. Immense savant, théoricien célébré dans le monde entier, écrivain remarquable, il était aussi un homme engagé, qui n’a cessé d’œuvrer en faveur du dialogue entre les peuples. Il est resté toute sa vie un citoyen actif et un grand humaniste, contribuant à faire de la France une nation ouverte sur le monde. Père du structuralisme, sa pensée a marqué le 20ème siècle d’une empreinte inestimable et incomparable. Toutes les sciences humaines ont été influencées par son œuvre. Le Parti socialiste se joint à moi pour rendre hommage à cet immense intellectuel français dont l’œuvre appartient au patrimoine universel et pour adresser nos condoléances à sa famille et à ses proches.

Communiqué de Martine Aubry

Première secrétaire du Parti socialiste

Introduction:

Yesterday I went to Borders to pick up a book by Neil Strauss called Rules of the Game.  I figure, my life is pretty dull as of late and I need something to spark it up.  So why not divulge myself into the world of pickup?  Plus I need a new hobby so why not make it girls.  I do have to say that I am doing this for pure entertainment value only and I do have experience with the fairer sex so this isn’t exactly Austin Kutcher’s, Beauty and the Geek, show.

If you’re not familiar with Neil Strauss, he is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, The Game, which takes us into the world of pickup and tells us how he grew to become known as the greatest pickup artist in the world.  Perhaps you’re more familiar with the TV show on VH1 staring Mystery called, The Pickup Artist.  So today begins Day 1 of the Stylelife Challenge in which I will probably be doing some crazy, uncomfortable stuff, and I’ll write about my experiences and challenges here.  Anyway, so begins the day:

Day 1:

Today, I’m supposed to evaluate myself.  Here are my answers:

1.  Write one or two sentences describing how you believe other people currently perceive you.

Other people probably perceive me as someone who is mysterious and likes to joke around.

2.  Write one or two sentences describing how you would like to be perceived by others.

I would like other people to perceive me as someone who can make anything happen and see me as a more confident person.

3.  List three of your behaviors or characteristics you would like to change.

Style – I understand what looks good but it all pretty much looks the same.

Create better conversations with a total stranger – I’m not sure how to create and maintain an interesting conversation with someone who is a complete unknown.

Closing – I need to close interactions better.  Whether it’s leaving on a high or just getting a number.

4.  List three new behaviors or characteristics you would like to adopt.

Eliminate shyness – I want to be able to walk up to anybody regardless of who they are and open with interesting things instead of small talk.

Leave on a high – I am able to do this occasionally, but not enough for my liking.

Higher level of self confidence

Dang, all of this makes me seem like a weak type of person.  Lets just make something clear, I routinely beat people up in my dreams at night.  So Chuck Norris better watch his back because who knows what might happen when I close my eyes.

Anne Schwanewilms (caray con el apellido) es, sobre el papel, la estrella más destacada de la producción del Król Roger que ya se ha estrenado en el Liceu.

Esta soprano alemana de 42 años está haciendo una brillante carrera por todos los teatros del mundo, sobre todo con sus encarnaciones de papeles de soprano lírica de Richard Strauss, es decir: La Mariscala de Der Rosenkavalier, Arabella, Ariadna y Chrysothemis (Elektra), y con toda la razón del mundo ya que posee una voz de lírica ancha de cremosa sonoridad, con un agudo brillante y potente que sabe plegar para emitir esos maravillosas notas flotadas de las grandes escenas straussianas. Además es una intérprete muy musical y una cantante estilista de gran gusto.

Os la presento en esta grabación de la Ariadna auf Naxos del Covent Garden del año 2004, donde está acompañada de la Zerbinetta de la soprano Diana Damrau, el compositor de Susan Graham y el Baco de Richard Margison, todos bajo la dirección experta de Sir Colin Davis.

Anne Schwanewilms llegó a esta producción después de la gran polémica que suscitó el “despido” de Deborah Voigt por parte del director escénico Christof Loy que la consideró no adecuada al papel por estar gorda. Loy argumentó que una cantante con el físico de la Voigt no podía dar verosimilitud a su idea del personaje, que se ha de arrastrar, mover constantemente por el escenario y llevar un ligero y vaporoso vestido negro, entre otras cosas. La polémica traspaso fronteras e incluso llegó a nuestros telediarios (¡se ve que estas cosas son los únicos aspectos noticiables de las producciones operísticas!). Teniendo en cuenta que el personaje en la primera parte es una parodia de una Prima Donna, uno se imagina el punto gracioso de que la interprete una soprano gorda tal y como marcan los estereotipos, pero no hay quien entienda a los directores de escena actuales, la mayoría más divos ya que los propios cantantes.

La Schwanewilms está estupenda, dejando claros todos los aspectos que antes he mencionado de su voz. Para que lo comprobéis os dejo las frases de “Es gibt ein Reich” de las funciones del Teatro Real de Madrid de 2006, en la misma producción de Loy.

Anne Schwanewilms – Ariadne auf Naxos - Es gibt ein Reich – Madrid, 2006-Lopez Cobos

La otra gran triunfadora de la función es la sensacional Zerbinetta de la también soprano alemana Diana Damrau. Su Zerbinetta se puede colocar al lado de las más grandes, sin ningún tipo de dudas, por gracejo, facilidad, perfección técnica y recursos vocales, jugando en la misma división que la de Edita Gruberova o la de Natalie Dessay. Aquí os dejo un link para que escuchéis su gran escena “Großmächtige Prinzessin” en su debut absoluto en el Met en 2005.

Diana Damrau - Gran escena de Zerbinetta - MET, 2005 – Kirill Petrenko - Partes 1&2

Susan Graham, una mezzo muy valorada en Estados Unidos y Reino Unido, canta un Compositor un poco desapasionado, con voz correcta pero tampoco to die for. Mientras que Richard Margison (este es también un cantante muy voluminoso pero a Loy no le importó) defiende con solidez el complicadísimo papel de Baco, que ya es muchísimo. El resto de papeles pequeños están todos admirablemente defendidos.

Sir Colin Davis firma una lectura tan refinada como intensamente teatral con una Orquesta de la Royal Opera House en forma. La grabación es in house con un sonido más que bueno, eso sí se escuchan más de una tos (parece ser que la tisis se extiende por todos los teatros de ópera, no es solo patrimonio nacional) y muchas risas, sobretodo en la primera parte.

Richard Strauss – Ariadne auf Naxos (Partes 1, 2 y 3)

Anne Schwanewilms (Ariadna). 

Diana Damrau (Zerbinetta).

Susan Graham (Compositor).

Richard Margison (Baco).

Chritopher Lemmings (Scaramuccio).

Jeremy White (Trufaldino).

Grant Doyle (Arlequin).

Orchestra of The Royal Opera House -Dir.: Colin Davis

Londres, 2004

Die Geburt des Menschen aus Strauss Zarathustra gehört zu den beeindruckensten und erhabensten Eröffnungen eines klassischen Stückes. Gleichsam aus dem Nichts heraus schwillt der Ursprung an, um mit Trompeten und Schlagwerk endlich zu gebären sich ins Leben zu öffnen. Dieses Stück ist tatsächlich musikgewordener schöpferischer Nihilismus. Die meisten werden es aus dem Beginn von Kubricks 2001 kennen, andere vermutlich wenigstens noch aus Werner-Beinhart. Gestern Abend wurde es vom NDR-Sinfonieorchester in der Hamburger Laiezhalle vor fast vollem Hause gegeben. Der Abend hatte allerdings einen recht bizarren Prolog.
Während das wohlsituierte Bürgertum eiligst aus der Kälte kommend in die Halle eilte, sammelten der äußeren Erscheinung nach ähnlich situierte Bürger Unterschriften für ein Volksbegehren gegen die Schulreform von Schwarz-Grün. (Genauer: für die Abstimmung über die Schulreform als Volksentscheid). Der Kontrast zwischen wahlweise grünem oder sandfarbenem Mantel, Burberry Schaal und einer durch und durch bürgerlichen distanzierten Gestalt und den darüber baumelenden Brustschildern wirkte lächerlich. Die schulpolitische Reaktion lässt sich herab und sammelt Unterschriften, wer hätte das gedacht. Aber immerhin hat sie nachgedacht: Sie sammelt Unterschriften vor den Versammlungs- und Weihestätten des Bürgertums. Direkt neben dem Penner, der um Geld schnorrt und dem Hinz- und Kunz-Verkäufer, der es ebenfalls auf mein Kleingeld abgesehen hat. Politik kann so schön gleich machen. Bin schon gespannt zu welchen Blüten es die Sorge um den Gymnasialplatz des eigenen verzogenen Wohlstandsprößlings als näcshtes treibt.
Mit dem Aufbruchsphatos des anschließenden Stückes hatte diese Initiative jedenfalls nichts zu tun. Es ist eher dumpfer Fidelio-Konservatimus, was diese “alten Menschen” da wollen.