Do you know that Israeli guy living in Switzerland who passionately talks in English about Italian and Franco-Flemish music? If not, you absolutely should check him out. Elam Rotem, a devoted musician, scholar, and communicator, continuously shares his expertise of the Renaissance and Baroque repertoire and music theory on his website and YouTube channel Early Music Sources. In addition to a database of sources, the available videos show multiple approaches to the analysis of selected compositions, and examine questions of style as well as practice of historical composition and improvisation. Given the many followers and appreciations of this page, it’s not at all like I tell something new here. Yet I just felt the urge to appreciate a resource that has given me so many delightful moments and cannot be recommended highly enough.
Next Steps at DTKV Berlin
It’s been a fruitful week for Deutscher Tonkünstlerverband Berlin. After a joint meeting with Christian Höppner last Monday, discussing perspectives of cultural politics and professional representation of freelance musicians in Berlin together with my colleague Simon Borutzki, we had a very productive general assembly yesterday. The participating members showed high commitment in running for and electing new delegates for Landesmusikrat Berlin, initiative neue musik, and the DTKV federal delegate assembly. Moreover, they decided unanimously to pass a new statute that will allow digital communication and virtual meetings, and facilitate member participation and decision-making for the future. Looking forward very much to the activities and challenges to come!
Medtner Collective Volume Out Now
It’s finally out! Nikolai Medtner: Music, Aesthetics, and Contexts. A belated commemoration of the seventieth anniversary of the composer’s death, this publication was spent on a great deal of my time and efforts for the past two years. Yet it was worth every minute! My sincere thanks go to Christoph Flamm, the best co-editor I could think of, and to all the authors of the twelve chapters who contributed their perspectives of research and performance practice from the US, UK, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Ukraine. The volume is available from the publisher, or from the retailer of your choice.
Sharon’s Doodly Roses
Just came across American pianist Sharon Su and her impressive recordings of music by Clara Schumann, Louise Farrenc, and Cécile Chaminade. Also, this professional finger wiggler, as she refers to herself, sports one of the wittiest and most creative bios I have encountered so far. Check out this artist and her multiple social media outlets dedicated to her musical and written publications.
Bach and Reger Piano Transcriptions
First appearance as a pianist in quite a while! I will contribute to a concert of Deutscher Tonkünstlerverband on the following Tuesday, 16 November, 8 pm, at Schwartzsche Villa Berlin-Steglitz. I’ll be performing two of my own piano transcriptions: Aria and Fughetta after Bach’s Drum schließ ich mich in deine Hände from BWV 229, and an abundantly ornamented version of Reger’s beautiful Nachtlied, Op. 138 No. 3. Apart from that, there will be music by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Strauss, Scriabin, and others. Meeting some amiable people would be so much of a delight!