Lunchtime today:
I just received my copy of Jonas Kaufmann’s new Wagner CD. Do I tear it open, and listen to a bit now, a little in the car, and the rest at home? Do I rip it to my iPod right away, and hide in the restroom to listen to the whole thing now? Or do I hold it till late tonight, when I can focus completely on it? Ah the first-world problems we suffer.
I just received my copy of Jonas Kaufmann’s new Wagner CD. Do I tear it open, and listen to a bit now, a little in the car, and the rest at home? Do I rip it to my iPod right away, and hide in the restroom to listen to the whole thing now? Or do I hold it till late tonight, when I can focus completely on it? Ah the first-world problems we suffer.
(One thing I should not do is listen in the car!)
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Much later this evening:
I tried a bit in the car. As soon as the Wesendonck Lieder started, I knew I couldn't listen and drive. Finally, after dinner out and the State of the Union Address, it's nearing bedtime. I am ripping the CD to my iPod for a late-night listen. Ahhh!
Happy listening, whatever the solution turns out to be!
ReplyDeleteThe Wesendoncks are heavenly - listened twice. Now I have to go back and listen to Christa Ludwig again.
DeleteThe extended "Im fernen Land" is beautiful and beautifully sung, though I like his "Taube" better in the La Scala version. The extra verse is beautiful and works in themes from Act 1, Elsa's dream, etc. But I can see why Wagner cut it, as it's a bit anticlimactic after he sings "I'm Lohengrin!" and it slows down the drama. That said, in concert it;s WONDERFUL and I am very glad JK decided to share it with us! (Full review to follow, but I decided to concentrate just on those bits first.)
I had never heard of conductor Donald Runnicles, and so when I saw his name at the bottom of the image of the CD cover it read to my eyes the first time not as a name, but as just a random word, as if they'd just printed, say, BARNACLES at the bottom of the booklet cover, for the hell of it. My first thought was "Kaufmann looks very intense there - but what on earth is a runnicle?"
ReplyDeleteThis was the point at which I realized it was probably time to stop working and eat dinner.
I'm guessing you've had some time to enjoy the CD by now!
LOL I hope you got dinner! BTW there is a story about a student in PA suing a University over a grade. Not sure if you've seen it or not. I thought about you right away when I read it.
Deletehttp://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/02/grad_student_sues_lehigh_for_1.html
Just read the article. That sounds pretty terrible. I've never had a student take a grade complaint over my head, although I do know of a few cases where a students' parent/s called the department chair or the dean. Never a lawsuit though.
DeleteTV-VC, a retired professor, and I discussed the case last night. Fortunately, I think history is a much less subjective subject than psychology, therapy, and social work. So I think you are safe. As an old-fashioned kind of guy, I can't imagine EVER questioning a professor's grade. On the other hand, I have (almost) always been a rule-follower.
DeleteMeanwhile, since I have no actual work to do here at work, I am putting final touches on one last final (maybe) La Scala Lohengrin post, and listening to the Wesendonck Lieder once more (with JK of course) I also found, on YT, Nina Stemme singing them with piano... nice.
Focus, Rob, Focus!