Sequenza21/The Contemporary Classical Music Weekly

Love and Cow Bells

The Metropolis Ensemble is one of the hipper new chamber music groups around town, will open its second season on Thursday, October 19, 2006 at 8 pm at the Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts, 172 Norfolk Street, with the New York premiere of David Schiff's song cycle All About Love, a panoramic meditation on love and all that good stuff. Schiff, the ensemble's composer-in-residence, is best-known for his opera Gempel The Fool

The program also features rising vocal stars Thomas Glenn and mezzo Hai-Ting Chinn and a semi-staged performance of the Rite of Spring of the Baroque Era: Monteverdi's musical drama Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda.

Elsewhere, Michelle of Friends of Music notes our interest in Marlene Dietrich's musical talents passes along a link to New York City's very own saw lady, Natalie Paruz, who also plays the Austrian and American pitched cow bells. After checking it out all we can say is: Are you sure you're a friend of music, Michelle?

posted by Jerry Bowles 9/13/2006

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Sorceress of the New Piano

Evans Chan's new documentary Sorceress of the New Piano,about the wildly adventuresome pianist Margaret Leng Tan, will have its New York premiere at Pioneer Two Boots Theater, East 3rd Street (off Avenue A), on Saturday and Sunday, September 23 and 24, 2006 at 6 pm. The undisputed queen of the toy piano will be on hand for special pre-screening performances and she and the director hang around for a post-screening Q & A.

Tim Page of the Washington Post says of the film: "Pianist Margaret Leng Tan - a "sorceress" indeed, and now the subject of one of the best films ever made about a musician. It is not only an exciting work of art in itself, but one of the very few films that manage to communicate some real and substantial information about the art of music.

Tickets are $9 at the door but capacity is limited so advance ticket purchase is recommended: Tel:(800) 595 4849. The photo of Miss Margaret, who addressed her note to "the powers that be at Sequenza21," Lady has a good sense of humor.

posted by Jerry Bowles 9/12/2006

Monday, September 11, 2006

Well, That Was Fun

On the advice of technical counsel (the startled, somewhat irate, yet oddly lovable, Jeff Harrington) I have returned the new Sequenza21 pages to a "test environment" for further refinement before causing something catostrophic to happen. I'm glad so many of you liked it and I'm hoping we can get it back over here, and stable, as soon as possible. You can follow the work in progress (and get a peek if you don't know what I'm talking about) by going to www.sequenza21.com/cdreviews. I love tech guys but they have no sense of adventure.

posted by Jerry Bowles 9/11/2006