holidays

It’s Easter Monday, Charlie Brown!

I don’t know why this is, but every time I think about the music Snoopy and his bunny friends dance to in the Easter Beagle special, I am convinced it’s from the first movement of Beethoven’s seventh symphony. And then I actually listen to it and I know I’m wrong, I know it, but for some reason it sounds like it ought to be in there anyway. And so because it is Easter Monday but you probably have to work like me, and because I shoehorn Beethoven into places he isn’t, and because if you don’t smile at the sight of Snoopy dancing with bunnies you officially have no soul — EASTER BEAGLE!

Concert Roundup: Hearts and Flowers Edition

Got a hot date planned for Valentine’s Day? I do! I’m having a threesome with a bottle of chocolate Zin and the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle version of Pride and Prejudice. Scandalous! Ah, tradition.

But maybe you haven’t been able to concoct a plan as perfect as mine. Maybe you need an orchestral assist. Alternatively, you could just bake this heart-shaped pizza and call it a day, but I’d select a concert as backup.

• Jack Everly conducts the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra SuperPops in a Valentine-themed concert featuring singer/pianist Tony DeSare belting out shmoopy favorite like “Moon River,” “That Old Black Magic,” “One For My Baby,” etc. etc. For another $20 they’ll give you champagne and a chocolate dessert to share, too. February 9 at Strathmore; February 10 -12 at the Meyerhoff. [ See it! ]
• The National Symphony Orchestra made me love them like Judy Garland loved Clark Gable — Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg!!!!! Playing!!!!! Shostakovich!!!!! Also: Bruckner. Most mostly: Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg!!!!!!! And there’s a free discussion with her after the Thursday concert. Dear NSO: please send me tickets. Or make the tickets you offer cheaper. Either one of those would be a perfect Valentine. February 9 – 11. [ See it! ]
• Or! Ladino singer Yasmin Levy takes the stage at Strathmore on Valentine’s Day proper (Ladino, it seems, is Judeo-Spanish music; learn and grow!). They’ll even serve you dinner beforehand if you like. [ See it and/or eat it! ]

If you’d like me to include your upcoming concert in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.

Little drummer boy

Good morning! What’s that you say? It’s after noon? Well, SOME of us don’t have work today and finally caught up on some sleep. I love the holidays!

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We’ll take the road before us and sing a chorus or two

There are classical arrangements of Christmas songs, but for the most part no real classical Christmas songs. Well, except maybe “Greensleeves” if you’re asking Holst.

Sorta kinda not really but yes exception: Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.” Anderson is a composer and American institution, no? So here’s a Disney rendition straight out of my childhood, as each year my brother and I would fight over how early was too early to watch the Christmas Sing-along-songs tape. (My opinion: September = fair game.)

Music Gifts: Why play brass when you can wear it?

Hey, remember how in The Trumpet of the Swan there’s the swan Louis who can’t make any noise, so his dad steals him a trumpet so that he can communicate? Well, here’s a dress covered in brass instruments, so that your favorite dress-wearer can properly communicate the fact that she likes a handful of brass and she’s not afraid to get down to brass tacks and she’s certainly not afraid of bad puns.

Okay, those two are only tangentially related. Mostly I wanted to know if you remember The Trumpet of the Swan. WAY better than Stuart Little. If you don’t like the dress, buy a copy instead.

But why wouldn’t you like a dress covered in brass instruments? It’s freakin’ adorable. It’s also just under $400 at Modcloth, but you know, whatevs.

Looking for something a little cheaper but just as punny? Why not consider this delightful Rimsky-Korsakow mug, one of a multitude of delightful music items in the AB store? Strike your music teacher off your shopping list today!

“Maybe… ‘Death Star of Wonder’?”

And so the sleigh bells rose from the pit and created instant Christmas. Which I think is like instant cocoa, but without marshmallows, sadly.

Seasonally appropriate

A violist arrived a few minutes late for the first rehearsal of the church’s annual performance of Handel’s Messiah. He unpacked his instrument, rosined his bow, and turned his attention to the conductor.

The conductor asked, “Would you like a moment to tune?” Continue reading »

It’s a Wonderful Concert Roundup

‘Tis the season for classical Christmas holiday music! Oh, don’t grimace at me like that. Sure, you can rail against commercialism and grumble about the true meaning being lost and what have you — have fun with that. I’ll be over here, clapping my hands and declaring “CHRISTMAS TIME! SQUEEEEEE!” And I ask you — who will be having a better time?

Answer: I will. Wish to join me in my Yuletide joy? Well, one solution is to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas on repeat until you are healed. You could also try one of these concerts:

• The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra believes that tap-dancing Santas are not enough anymore. They want to show you that people can fly, and what’s more, they can fly to a holiday soundtrack. It’s a holiday-themed Cirque de la Symphonie, with jugglers and contortionists and aerial artists and the whole nine yards of tinsel. Kids’ tickets are cheaper! December 7 through 11; some days also offer matinee performances. [ See it! ]
• The National Symphony Orchestra is busting out the Pops moniker for this one, and also the denizens of what my Toronto friend likes to call the Soviet Republic of Khanuckistan. The Canadian Tenors star in a concert entitled “The Perfect Gift,” featuring “your favorite Christmas and holiday tunes.” Which is all well and good, as long as they sing the correct lyrics to my beloved “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” None of this “hanging a shining star” crap. December 8 – 11. [ See it! ]

Fra-gee-lay!

Hi! I said I’d get you a LOL today, and as it is 11:13 pm here, it is STILL today. No broken promises on my watch.

For the hell of it, I went out to some stores on Black Friday with my friends (sole purchase: a laser toy for my cats. This would be sad, except I have super awesome cats). While browsing a dedicated Christmas store, we saw this.

A Halloween success story

I convinced my friend Elizabeth to be Schroeder for Halloween! Is that awesome, or is that awesome? The Halloween party we attended was on Saturday, so at the time it was 48 days until Beethoven’s birthday, but I have corrected this for accuracy today.

Perhaps you are thinking, “I don’t remember Schroeder wearing an expression of blank yet homicidal rage.” Well, initially Elizabeth was smiling adorably. “No,” I corrected her, “Schroeder isn’t smiling! His expression is one of pride!” So she gave me Pride Demon. That girl has old-fashioned sass.

I wasn’t musically costumed, myself, but I’m so proud of it that I’m going to share it with you all the same:

That’s right — I’m the buttered cat paradox. I know, I know, I just reached the level of super known as duper. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.