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Winter Reveries, Icy Terrors
One of my favorite musical rituals involves the Winter Solstice, the first day of the winter season and the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. At the heart of this ritual is listening to Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony, which bears the nickname “Winter Dreams.” I discovered the piece in college when I was [...]
Continue reading...Tropical Tracks
10. January 2010
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For as long as I can remember my family has been spending the Christmas/New Year’s holiday together on a Caribbean vacation. For years I was the odd man out, believing somehow that Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas unless I was in a cold and snowy place, which meant that I never traveled with my family for [...]
Continue reading...Rameau and Martinis
7. January 2010
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It started out almost as a joke when Albert and I were planning to unwind after a day of work with a martini and some music. Albert suggested we listen to an advance recording of the new naïve classique release of conductor and in this case harpsichordist Christophe Rousset playing transcriptions of Rameau’s second opera, [...]
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Natalie Dessay
30. June 2009
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As she prepared to make a much-anticipated role debut as Violetta in La Traviata in Santa Fe, the affable opera superstar donated her time to answer a few questions for this informal Q&A session.
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Harpsichordist and Conductor Christophe Rousset
26. May 2009
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The French harpsichordist and conductor Christophe Rousset has long been one of the bright lights of the early music and period instruments scene. At twenty-two he won the prestigious First Prize, as well as the Public Prize, in the Seventh Bruges Harpsichord Competition (1983). He performed with Les Arts Florissants and then Il Seminario Musicale before embarking on a career as a music director, which led him to form his own ensemble, Les Talens Lyriques, in 1991.
Continue reading...A Maverick Composer’s Memorial Day Music
25. May 2009
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Memorial Day has something of a split personality, especially on the kind of gorgeous day we had today in Upstate New York. Despite the parades, the holiday itself has a somber character and purpose, paying tribute to those who have served and died while serving in the armed forces. But with the picnics and barbecues, not to mention all the usual commercialization, it’s taken on new qualities if not a completely different identity. It’s now pushed as the official beginning of the summer, not to mention the Hollywood blockbuster season, and my inbox today received no less than 20 special Memorial Day sale offers to buy everything from sneakers and workout gear to outdoor furniture and cars.
Continue reading...Running on Classics
19. May 2009
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A few days ago, I almost flew off the treadmill running at full-sprint speed – that is, I was going at more than 10 miles per hour! Everyone in the gym threw a look my way, some gasping, as my running shoe made a loud, squeaking sound as it hit the part of the belt [...]
Continue reading...Better Late Than Never – Mozart’s Magic in The Shawshank Redemption
6. April 2009
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I’m probably the last person in the United States to see The Shawshank Redemption (I finally got around to Netflixing it, and watched it last night over my favorite meal – a plate of cheese ravioli with home made tomato sauce), but for me it was worth the wait. Obviously, it’s one of the most [...]
Continue reading...Spring Awakening
5. April 2009
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Some music-loving friends find it corny (but that’s why it’s so much fun, of course) that I coordinate so much of my listening to the changing seasons. Part of the reason I do this is that my imagination makes certain connections early on and the rest of me just can’t let go. On balance, I [...]
Continue reading...Welcome to the Ecstatic Living Room!
2. April 2009
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My name is Albert Imperato. I’m the founder and co-managing director of 21C Media Group, an independent public relations, marketing, and consulting firm specializing in classical music and the performing arts. I’ve been working in music promotion since 1987, and many of my friends and family are still very curious about what exactly I do [...]
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10. January 2010
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