tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414770026668401722012-02-17T14:20:59.584+11:00My opinions, like 'em or lump 'em.Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.comBlogger391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-78547163566004846362009-01-09T19:40:00.001+11:002009-01-09T19:41:24.329+11:00

Deborah Riedel. Aged 50. There's nothing I can say that others haven't already said better. rest in peace, bella voce.

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-72727172367567773252009-01-04T15:06:00.002+11:002009-01-04T15:08:08.248+11:00

How did we get here so quickly? Seems just a blink of an eye since the 'millenium bug' hysteria, and now we are nine years past it already. Lives have changed irrevocably in this time, as lives do. I wonder what 2009 will bring for us all? I wish you all the very best, and hope that some music-related posts will be forthcoming in the near future.

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-17202056723629052592008-12-24T11:37:00.002+11:002008-12-24T11:40:57.140+11:00

It's that time of year again. Food, drink, family gatherings, and horrible Christmas Carol shows on TV. I would like to state that I have, thus far, managed to avoid said Christmas Carol shows. I intend to continue with this good form. Nothing makes me feel less Christmassy than having to watch a certain past-it tenor belt out a questionably 'classic' hymn. This post starred LadyBlogger as The

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-74581123598719267872008-12-17T21:25:00.001+11:002008-12-17T21:27:39.617+11:00

There have been numerous times over the past few weeks when I have thought about updating this blog. Unfortunately there has been nothing worth updating about.There still isn't. Soon, perhaps, I shall have more to say.

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-48435037204786613192008-11-24T21:26:00.003+11:002008-11-24T21:32:35.595+11:00

I just heard the sad news that Richard Hickox, current Music Director of Opera Australia, passed away suddenly following a heart attack.Although I never had the privelege of meeting him, his reputation as a fine musician will stand for a long time in my mind, and in the minds of many of this country's operagoers. Hopefully the current controversy can be put aside for now as the opera community

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-2223674370999669662008-11-21T13:27:00.004+11:002008-11-21T13:54:02.742+11:00

Hesperion XXI live is an experience I will never forget. I've been a fan for some time, but I wasn't expecting quite the level of sublimity that was bestowed upon we, the lucky audience in the City Recital Hall last night. If I could stay a little longer, I would be there for the second concert on Saturday night - different program. That being impossible, however, I shall simply bask in the

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-74776343832666174202008-11-11T15:40:00.005+11:002008-11-11T15:57:07.559+11:00

I love my classical music enormously. Yet sometimes a break is needed, even from one's dearest love...I love good pop music. And no, that is not an oxymoron. My latest interest is Kate Miller-Heidke (who used to be an opera singer, which = WIN). Anyone who sings a hilarious song about not being able to dance (Can't Shake It) which includes the lyric "I don't really qualify for breakdancing, I

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-49920884877098924542008-11-02T10:13:00.002+11:002008-11-02T10:21:55.118+11:00

I do love when my initial impressions are confirmed on second hearing. I listened, of course, to the Mathy Awards broadcast on the radio yesterday. It was fabulous for many reasons - one of the best being that I could hear Shane Lowrencev's singing FAR better, and I loved it. What an utterly fabulous voice and such intelligence in his singing!Anyway. The radio microphone has a way of amplifying

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-87259408797886770242008-10-29T16:09:00.003+11:002008-10-29T16:45:59.070+11:00

As promised, I did attend the final. Despite not feeling particularly well and facing a 1.5 hour drive just to see a concert on my own and then sleep on a friend's uncomfortable sofa bed. Would've been a shame to waste my ticket...I went, I listened, I LOVED. What a fabulous night of singing! Sitiveni Talei started things off. Looking suave (yet cheeky) in his tails, he opened proceedings with a

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-7205956431191938952008-10-26T21:50:00.000+11:002008-10-26T21:51:35.538+11:00

Your result for Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test...Musical10% Logical, 22% Spatial, 45% Linguistic, 39% Intrapersonal, 18% Interpersonal, 80% Musical, 14% Bodily-Kinesthetic and 8% Naturalistic! "This area has to do with rhythm, music, and hearing. Those who have a high level of musical-rhythmic intelligence display greater sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones and

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-63539774084535560662008-10-13T16:15:00.003+11:002008-10-13T16:25:54.188+11:00

A variety of things, including persistent (but not life-threatening) ill-health and subsequent bed rest, have prevented me from updating this blog. I have little of musical merit to report on, so I shall merely say that I am here, and I will report on more when I have more to report on.yes, I do love my long-winded, confusing sentences.Music has taken the back seat, rather firmly, at this point

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-71184959146739018512008-09-10T10:08:00.004+10:002008-09-10T11:06:25.229+10:00

Lately, it is a rare occasion indeed when this blogger finds herself at home. This is a good thing in many ways, as it provides opportunities to attend performances in many different places. However, it is nice to be home and able to relax at last!During my travels, I was fortunate enough to attend a performance of The Wicked Voice - four 'melodramas'. Well, three melodramas and one highly

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-41611023857437237102008-08-24T20:47:00.002+10:002008-08-24T20:51:25.429+10:00

Watched the ABC Arts program this afternoon, and finally got to see the six finalists play. With the exception of Eric Zuber, who I missed because I wasn't home early enough to catch the start.My perceptions were challenged somewhat. I expected, perhaps from G.W.'s comments, that Takashi Sato would be more theatrical and Tomoki Kitamura more subdued. Certainly in my eyes it was the other way

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-34808273368753640152008-08-21T16:41:00.005+10:002008-08-21T16:56:12.056+10:00

Indeed. I have been somewhat inactive with my blogging because I have been making music of my own, as opposed to commenting on the music-making of others. It is a pleasant change. I am preparing for a few different things coming up - getting up and trotting out my wares, so to speak...One thing I tend to forget after a break from piano practice is that it takes time to rebuild callouses formed

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-30220078310225753982008-08-16T15:48:00.002+10:002008-08-16T15:51:48.219+10:00

Argerich, of course. I racked up a lot of kilometres in my car over the past few days, and listened to a lot of music. My final choice was the live Martha Argerich/Chailly/Berlin RSO Rachmaninoff 3 and her Tchaikovsky 1 with Kondrashin/Bavarian RSO.She just OWNS it. Never mind that she misses notes here and there, that her tempi are sometimes wildly different from the orchestra when she comes in

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-63056971606495946142008-08-14T17:06:00.003+10:002008-08-14T17:12:40.994+10:00

Yes, I am obsessed with the Olympics. I can't help it. Once every four years isn't so bad, is it? In general I am somewhat ambivalent about most sports, but the Olympics gets the Aussie spirit out of me IN FORCE.I was struck today, whilst watching the swimming finals (what else?), that Australia's national anthem is not one of the more interesting specimens. I heard the Japanese anthem for the

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-24616827735473111862008-08-13T23:51:00.003+10:002008-08-14T00:04:39.330+10:00

Although there has been plenty of music in this LadyBlogger's life, as always, there has also been plenty of Olympics-watching. I tend to get a bit obsessed, as I do with SIPCA. This year is no exception. Having little to distract me from the television, I spend a lot of time with it, watching sports I never suspected I'd be interested in.I was quite spellbound this evening watching a young

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-87314127583201288852008-08-04T12:06:00.002+10:002008-08-04T12:10:09.335+10:00

SIPCA is over. I started this blog in a timely fashion. Spurred on by my desire to write SIPCA commentary. Now that it's over, I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to write about. However, there is so much music in my life that I'm sure there will be plenty to fill up internet space.I feel like I'm emerging from a black hole...

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-40336536485035255162008-08-03T00:23:00.003+10:002008-08-03T00:29:57.053+10:00

I missed the announcements, being out for the evening, and I must confess to being both surprised and not surprised upon reading the results online.Not particularly surprised at Konstantin Shamray's first placing. I'm sure it was well-deserved in some sense. I didn't like much of his playing until the Prokofiev this afternoon, but that was pretty magical.But Tatiana Kolesova for second place?

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-61663705246019205352008-08-02T14:36:00.009+10:002008-08-02T17:04:16.939+10:00

Prokofiev is very much in my psyche at the moment. Tortured and longing. Angry at the world. General feeling of unhappiness. Or perhaps I'm in Prokofiev's psyche? Either way, it seems very right for me to listen to Prokofiev at the present time.Konstantin Shamray and Prokofiev are an intoxicating combination. I'm not sure if it's the drunk-makingly moody Second Piano Concerto's fault though... Mr

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-46751143239872962002008-08-02T10:57:00.008+10:002008-08-02T12:46:59.619+10:00

As I drink a not-so-delicious (but necessary) cup of instant coffee, Tatiana Kolesova negotiates the thickets of the Saint-Saens Piano Concerto No. 2.*side note - sinusitis makes it very difficult to sleep! Hence the necessary coffee. Now, I've never been an enormous fan of this rather bombastic piece. Much as I love Saint-Saens in various incarnations (some of his art songs are utterly divine -

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-36783451274075344882008-08-02T01:20:00.002+10:002008-08-02T01:22:01.556+10:00

six concerti in one day.No, not playing... just listening. My head was far too fuzzy upon my arrival back home to even consider listening to SIPCA.now, LadyBlogger takes this fuzzy head off to bed.

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-2491058540109171292008-08-01T11:19:00.002+10:002008-08-01T11:24:43.518+10:00

I adore my friends, I really do. Yet... I am going to a significant birthday celebration tonight when I'd like to be sitting in listening to SIPCA with multiple cups of tea.I'll just have to record it...By the way, I'm very pleased to see that people are visiting my blog!

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-32398192799757489122008-07-31T15:23:00.002+10:002008-07-31T15:50:46.344+10:00

I was in a seemingly unassailable good mood earlier today. However, this mood has since been assailed in a rather serious manner. What else for it but to take the reminder from a kind blog commenter and have a listen to Ran Dank's Mozart on the ABC website?Very glad I am doing so. It is indeed masterful playing and if this man doesn't win the competition I will be very cross. Therefore I am

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-10361041067694996322008-07-30T20:40:00.002+10:002008-07-30T22:30:45.863+10:00

The last 30 seconds of Takashi Sato's Mozart B flat major sounded rather facile, but I can't comment on the rest of it as I came in late to this broadcast.The red wine head-fuzzy has given way to an unfortunate attack of the winter ills. So perhaps clarity will still be lacking in my prose this evening!Nicholas Milton is talking a lot again. I guess it's interesting but my head hurts. I'm looking

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-54853527095235138672008-07-29T20:34:00.002+10:002008-07-29T22:36:34.183+10:00

Ran Dank has just finished a very well-received Mozart D minor.I wish I'd heard the rest of it, only managed to catch half of the final movement. Ah well. I was actually watching Scrubs on Foxtel... nothing like a bit of silly comedy!Pity, though, I missed probably the one pianist I'd really like to see win this thing. Well anyway I'll hear his Prokofiev 3, which will be something to behold I'm

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-6053780131311500522008-07-28T16:17:00.003+10:002008-07-28T16:27:39.185+10:00

Over the weekend I found myself partaking of the delights offered by an International Film Festival, whilst visiting a friend in another city. We used the "eenie, meenie, miney, mo" method of film selection, which worked out quite well.Friday evening we watched The Truth about Queen Raquela, which was based on true events surrounding Raquela, a Ladyboy living in Cebu City, Phillipines, who

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-50576764734997131622008-07-26T13:00:00.002+10:002008-07-26T13:02:04.354+10:00

Not too sure why they picked the six they did. Where is Hoang Pham? Yoon Soo Rhee? Hmm. Whatever. I can't see a clear winner from this six. Bring back 2004, when it was all easy and exciting.

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-80743313325196385952008-07-24T14:33:00.004+10:002008-07-24T15:19:36.121+10:00

Miyeon Lee gave us some seductive Scriabin, bite-less Beethoven, fascinating Holliger, and an up-and-down Dante Sonata. I find much to enjoy in her playing, but much to quibble with also. Her Dante had me jumping out of my skin at times, only to fall so very flat at others. I still find her an interesting artist, however, so I wouldn't mind seeing her progress.Charlie Albright brought us the

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-32451432261547756372008-07-24T12:06:00.001+10:002008-07-24T12:08:04.728+10:00

I'm going away tomorrow, for the weekend, and have stuff to do. So my update will be less comprehensive this time, and after the fact as opposed to a running commentary.

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-36934104780292542972008-07-23T19:46:00.002+10:002008-07-23T22:23:39.349+10:00

Mariangela Vacatello was well into her Beethoven E major sonata by the time I'd managed to turn on the radio this evening. So I missed my favourite part, the first movement.I'm a bit head-fuzzy this evening, so when I found myself thinking "This Beethoven sounds a bit too much like Chopin" I realised that she had, in fact, moved on to the Chopin Scherzo in E major, which was very fine indeed.

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-40487639772807869842008-07-23T15:20:00.003+10:002008-07-23T15:24:02.948+10:00

I should have known. With all my compliments to Charisse Baldoria's Ravel piano trio (and it was indeed respectably lovely), John Chen's blew it out of the water!! John Chen is the man. Without a doubt. Luckily I had the presence of mind to stick a tape in the machine and record his chamber music. I just had a feeling it would be something special. From the moment it started, you could sense his

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-49951233132161883722008-07-23T12:05:00.006+10:002008-07-23T15:20:49.447+10:00

Hoang Pham is playing Schubert as we speak and I'm happy to mention his first few minutes has me utterly converted. I feel the artistry now. Such glorious sound and, as another blogger has already said, "pure poetry". I misjudged him on hearing his Chopin Scherzo, which I didn't like. Even Argerich has performances that I don't like...This, I like VERY much. The first movement was perfectly

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-66059021786682654702008-07-22T21:58:00.002+10:002008-07-22T22:04:14.676+10:00

So I didn't pick Daniil Tsvetkov, Charlie Albright, Yoon Soo Rhee or Eric Zuber. Fine players, but didn't do it for me. Well at least I get my wish of hearing Yoon Soo Rhee at a kinder time of day.I'm silly, anyway, because I forgot to put Sergei Saratovsky on my list. His Gaspard was quite excellent. Perhaps the rest of his program let him down. Of the other four I chose, I'm most disappointed

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-20853364847451573212008-07-22T17:02:00.003+10:002008-07-22T17:05:45.965+10:00

Tomoki KitamuraMariangela VacatelloHoang Pham (he seems to be well-liked, anyway)Alexey YemtsovJose Menor (despite the Vine)Miyeon LeeTakashi SatoRan DankTatiana KolesovaKonstantin ShamraySean ChenChristopher Devine (I'm curious)

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-631877023791447252008-07-22T14:01:00.006+10:002008-07-22T16:59:56.096+10:00

After lunch, it's Charlie Albright, American wunderkind, on the Steinway piano. Such crispness of attack in his Haydn Hob XVI/32 in B minor. This strikes me as a wonderful sonata on first hearing. The opening figurations are played with much humour and character. Dynamic contrasts are clear and it is simply delightful playing.Yet it seems that Mr. Albright's youth is more obvious than John Chen's

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-86497475901762441792008-07-22T10:56:00.005+10:002008-07-22T12:31:47.659+10:00

Two Russians to start the morning, both 23 years old, very different indeed.Konstantin Shamray, I must confess, was listened to through a sleepy haze. I enjoyed his Shostakovich. Wonderful control, great aural presence. Big sound. The Smalley was also excellent. Mozart, unfortunately, I don't remember much about. Not Mr. Shamray's fault but mine - no coffee yet! Definitely a very fine Schumann

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-67840557584418538352008-07-21T23:17:00.003+10:002008-07-22T01:03:27.352+10:00

Having been out this evening due to one of my own musical pursuits, I recorded SIPCA and am trawling through it now. Trawling sounds like such an onerous task... and this is far from onerous, I assure you.First up is Englishman Christopher Devine, who I found rather unobjectionable in the first round. He's won quite a swag of prizes in the past, therefore I was immediately disposed not to like

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41477002666840172.post-42519463209210544522008-07-21T17:14:00.001+10:002008-07-21T23:59:18.678+10:00

First post, and I feel it's just so fitting that I can devote it to one of my great, and longstanding interests: the Sydney International Piano Competition.I've been a somewhat obsessive listener since 2000, and this year finds me a little more ambivalent. I'm only slightly annoyed if I miss hearing a broadcast - it's not a tear-your-hair-out moment like it has been in the past!I must confess to

Lady Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09453935303701086683noreply@blogger.com0