Culture Monster – Details, episodes & analysis

Episode 18: American Conductor Leonard Slatkin For the Culture Monster season finale, I speak with conductor Leonard Slatkin about his remarkable career and his new book, “Classical Crossroads.” I also endorse music by David Lang and Alan Hovhaness.   LINKS The film “Olympia” documenting the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin https://thesportjournal.org/article/leni-riefenstahls-olympia-brilliant-cinematography-or-nazi-propaganda/   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3LOPhRq3Es   David Lang is an American composer known for his association with “Bang on a Can” https://www.npr.org/2011/01/24/89442735/david-lang-wins-music-pulitzer https://bangonacan.org/about_us/   “Cheating, Lying, Stealing” originally for chamber ensemble, heard here in a later version for band. https://davidlangmusic.com/music/cheating-lying-stealing-arr-band/   Leonard Slatkin conducted the premiere of Lang’s first orchestral work with the Boston Symphony in 1991.  “International Business Machine” https://davidlangmusic.com/music/international-business-machine/   Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000) https://hovhaness.com/hovhaness-biography.html Mysterious Mountain- Symphony no. 2 https://hovhaness.com/hovhaness-mysterious-mountain.html   “Five Sacred Trees” Album from John Williams & London Symphony Orchestra which includes “Mysterious Mountain” https://open.spotify.com/album/4pjd4sL03OuKTp9nxsyAJo https://music.apple.com/ca/album/hovhaness-mysterious-mountain/263090524   Leonard Slatkin is an internationally acclaimed conductor, most recently Music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra https://www.leonardslatkin.com/timeline/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Symphony_Orchestra   in 2016, Slatkin made a series of videos showing how conducting works. Conducting School 1.0 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2_S0hFw3zDl47TtV7iYbu-XhiuSrkgaW   Slatkin’s latest book is entitled “Classical Crossroads.” https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538152225/Classical-Crossroads-The-Path-Forward-for-Music-in-the-21st-Century https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/classical-crossroads-the-path-forward/9781538152225-item.html?ikwid=classical+crossroads&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=83201876771428de3e0ddae5987b9caa   Slatkin wrote about his appearance at the Aspen Music Festival at his blog https://www.leonardslatkin.com/august-2021-a-tale-of-two-orchestras/   Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony has had many differing interpretations  https://medium.com/the-gleaming-sword/socially-distant-beethovens-fifth-symphony-5b457b0bb019   Leonard Slatkin referred to Leonard Bernstein’s deconstruction of Beethovens’s fifth for a 1950s Television show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu2HJerMp8A&t Julia Perry “Short Piece for Orchestra” https://music.apple.com/ca/album/short-piece-for-orchestra/554425306?i=554425313 Brahms Serenade no. 1 Brahms Serenade No. 1 in D major, Op. 11 Copland “Organ Symphony” recorded by Leonard Slatkin and the St Louis Symphony Orchestra https://music.apple.com/ca/album/copland-dance-symphony-short-symphony-organ-symphony/1362101560 Mason Bates “B-Sides” performed by Leonard Slatkin and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrnsy9KHdwQ Slatkin also recommended music by James Lee III https://www.jameslee3music.com   Support the podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/culturemonster Published August 2021 https://www.culturemonster.ca

I speak with Holly Mathieson about her personal musical journey and endorse a Giller Prize winner.    LINKS NYTimes on subway chimes: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/08/13/arts/subway-train-sounds.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuonUyYiZ_tU1Gw5CRWySB4B991re1b-Wm_s1nGPlazOIQylL3qEJGYGB_QLWYrdla8B13yieQJUJFo4Tc8FI770VOV1xGU7vo52YlY4MKDk0t4_0Bjxu08KdBL59rTS3Pizkc-wkge3nsUjDbmbtXKbf1yd1cQwysoIlIQ_xoQEAxqjCGuBw0tZ-zK1hUsg8HWFcEXHM6_r4CBx-OMGEZwXc6GQ1XeJYWTLSmr2M-u5KMVUSWR-dEiQJsStr48hcOdgUIK_0MxckHcL7ir8SAWZtR5y7pmYAt83CIxgl0vBWC_GFfg&smid=url-share   Do Not Say we have nothing, by Madeline Thien https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/259732/do-not-say-we-have-nothing-by-madeleine-thien/9780345810434   Interview with the Author in The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/08/madeleine-thien-interview-do-not-say-we-have-nothing   R. Murray Schafer https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/r-murray-schafer-emc   50th Anniversary of the World Soundscape Project https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/world-soundscape-project-1.4640278 Acopolypsis-2015 https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/the-end-is-nigh-apocalypsis-production-to-blow-people-s-minds-1.3129522   A CBC story about another long-running participatory project https://www.cbc.ca/music/why-people-gather-each-year-in-the-haliburton-forest-to-take-part-in-murray-schafer-s-wolf-project-1.5406731     Holly Mathieson is music director of Symphony Nova Scotia https://www.hollymathieson.com https://symphonynovascotia.ca   Excerpts from R Murray Schafer’s Trio for Flute Viola and Harp-performed by Trio Verlaine https://music.apple.com/ca/album/trio-for-flute-viola-and-harp-ii-slowly-calmly/905067700?i=905067733 https://open.spotify.com/album/4rEp8TtftbHqIaK6GJNdiI?si=Nihhj1O-S960-sQiDPKH9A&dl_branch=1   Holly Mathieson recommended—— William Grant Still - Symphony No. 5 “Western Hemisphere” https://music.apple.com/ca/album/still-w-g-symphonies-nos-4-autochthonous-and-5/332767908 https://open.spotify.com/album/6H5G9x9y5suBLveGNtq3zk?si=0CmfLQ2ZSUqrAmiox9hjEA&dl_branch=1 Franz Schreker - “Der Geburtstag der Infantin” (Birthday of the Infanta) https://music.apple.com/ca/album/zemlinsky-die-seejungfrau-schreker-der-geburtstag-der/1562851792 Thea Musgrave “Phoenix Rising” https://music.apple.com/ca/album/thea-musgrave-phoenix-rising/1440067691   Franz Schreker https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Schreker William Grant Still https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Grant_Still Rebecca Thomas (Halifax Poet Laureate 2016-2018) https://www.dal.ca/about-dal/dalhousie-originals/rebecca-thomas.html     Published August 2021 https://www.culturemonster.ca https://www.buymeacoffee.com/culturemonster

I tell the story about how the difference between VON and VAN really messed up Beethoven’s day. Plus my conversation with the articulate music director of the Regina Symphony Orchestra.  Also, some updates on previous stories.   LINKS “Soul” on Disney+ https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/soul/77zlWrb9vRYp Digital Purchase:Soul   Petition to honour George Bridgetower with a historical plaque in Bath: http://chng.it/XM2c6J4TPp   Calgary Opera’s Opera Labs: https://calgaryopera.com/operalabs the video about the first Lab project, “Namwayut” https://vimeo.com/527922945   Gordon Gerrard Homepage: https://www.gordongerrard.com Gerrard is music director of the Regina Symphony Orchestra: https://www.reginasymphony.com   Composer Jocelyn Morlock https://www.jocelynmorlock.com Aeromancy appears on the album “Halcyon” https://music.apple.com/ca/album/halcyon/1236925047 My Name is Amanda Todd appears on the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s album “Life Reflected” https://music.apple.com/ca/album/life-reflected/1218008826   Composer Harry Srafylakis: http://hstafylakis.com/shortbio/ “Never the same river” http://hstafylakis.com/neverthesameriver/   Composer Kelly-Marie Murphy: https://kellymariemurphy.com Dragon Unfolding: https://kellymariemurphy.com/dragon-unfolding/   Buymeacoffee.com/culturemonster Culturemonster.ca First Published April 2021

Episode 7: Violinist Edmond Agopian & Sousa’s Secret Career  I speak with a musician of passionate curiosity, violinist Edmond Agopian. I also tell the story of John Philip Sousa’s secret career, and the mysterious tale of the artwork still on the Moon.    CBC website story on the Thorgy Thor | orchestra collaboration: https://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/features/drag-star-thorgy-thor-brings-her-star-power-to-the-world-of-orchestral-musi   CBC gem link to the complete film “Disruptor Conductor” https://gem.cbc.ca/media/cbc-docs-pov/season-3/episode-5/38e815a-0119a7bfbd7?cmp=sch-disruptor (note outside of Canada, the entire film might still be available here https://watchmoviesonlinenow.xyz/movie/752824/   Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser page at the Toronto Symphony: https://www.tso.ca/conductor/daniel-bartholomew-poyser   Slate Article on the tangled controversy that surrounded “Fallen Astronaut” past and present: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/12/sculpture_on_the_moon_paul_van_hoeydonck_s_fallen_astronaut.html   Another Artwork on the Moon: https://www.openculture.com/2019/07/tiny-art-museum-on-the-moon.html   German gallery selling authorized replicas: https://www.galerie-breckner.de/edition-paul-van-hoeydonck-man-in-space/   VOD film documentary on “Fallen Astronaut” https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thefallenastronaut?ref=tw-share   The United States Marine Band’s appreciation of its former director Sousa: https://www.marineband.marines.mil/About/Our-History/John-Philip-Sousa/   Sousa and “The Transit of Venus” https://copycateffect.blogspot.com/2009/02/sousas-transit-of-venus.html   More info about Sousa as a writer: https://web.archive.org/web/20041021201305/http://wgpark.com/page.asp?pid=10   Edmond Agopian page at SCPA-University of Calgary https://arts.ucalgary.ca/creative-performing-arts https://scpa.ucalgary.ca/manageprofile/profiles/edmond-agopian   Edmond Agopian speaking of Beethoven’s 250th birthday and his continued influence: https://ckua.com/listen/honouring-two-hundred-and-fifty-years-of-beethoven/   UCalgary String Quartet Album “Far Behind I left My country” featuring Agopian’s arrangements: Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/far-behind-i-left-my-country-klezmer-east-european/324074237 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1XM84Glc4OAUIh6qr0LAJd   Livestream: Dvořák – Morawetz Connections II: https://arts.ucalgary.ca/creative-performing-arts/news-and-events/school-events#!view/event/event_id/289813   Livestream: A Celebration of Music by Black Composers II: https://arts.ucalgary.ca/creative-performing-arts/news-and-events/school-events#!view/event/event_id/289893   Chausson: Symphony in B-Flat: Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/chausson-symphony-in-b-flat-major-op-20-franck-le-chasseur/1166131594 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4bItTskYxH3Q6TgwIi1Uj0   Enescu: Poème Roumain Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/enescu-po%C3%A8me-roumain-vox-maris-voix-de-la-nature/403125669 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6bOXNXmNOhAd9vqTlStKsz?si=df433a123c0c4ef2   “President’s March (Hail Columbia)” courtesy of the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/presidents-march-rights-man-death-general-wolf-rights/394209001?i=394209028 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5Oxxso8ZLyfwd9BHZnVsvB?si=ba4b62b637a446f8   “Transit of Venus March” by John Phillip Sousa, courtesy of the US Marine Band https://music.apple.com/ca/album/transit-of-venus/1021275726?i=1021275907   “Ukrainian Dance” from Far Behind I left my Country featuring UCalgary String Quartet: Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/far-behind-i-left-my-country-klezmer-east-european/324074237 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1XM84Glc4OAUIh6qr0LAJd   Episode published March 2021 CultureMonster.ca Support the Podcast and help create future episodes at buymeacoffee.com/culturemonster

In 1803 a virtuoso violinist came to visit Vienna and Beethoven wrote a new Sonata to play with him that would change music history; so why doesn’t it have Bridgetower’s name on it? The great musical partnership that wasn’t.  I also speak with Rosemary Thomson about all of the things conductors have to keep in balance, and the importance of having a personal relationship with her audience as music director of the Okanagan Symphony.    NPR Obit of Lou Ottens: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/10/975598869/lou-ottens-inventor-of-the-cassette-tape-has-died   British Library Webpage about the Beethoven/Bridgetower tuning fork: https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/beethovens-tuning-fork   British Library Webpage about George Bridgetower: https://www.bl.uk/people/george-bridgetower   Rosemary Thomson is music director of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra: https://okanagansymphony.com   Rosemary Thomson photo by Glenna Turnbull https://www.glennaturnbull.ca   Bramwell Tovey, former music director, Winnipeg Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Opera: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bramwell_Tovey   Hans Graf, former music director of the Calgary Philharmonic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Graf   Non-Profit Quarterly article about the CPO turnaround: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/phoenix-in-calgary-how-the-calgary-philharmonic-survived-bankruptcy-and-flourished/   Composer Jocelyn Morlock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jocelyn_Morlock   Orchestral Album featuring Morlock’s Music Apple:https://music.apple.com/ca/album/jocelyn-morlock-cobalt/830562463 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4ct3kGzOF5upOu4dhvu2EQ?si=N9h0vaGrS-6PIE5h84eZeg   Composer R Murray Schafer https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/r-murray-schafer-emc   Composer Emily Doolitte article about Schafer’s “Wolf Project” http://emilydoolittle.com/wolfpaper.pdf   Composer Dinuk Wijeratne Dinuk Wijeratne - Dinuk Wijeratne   Composer Chistos Hatzis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christos_Hatzis Album featuring Hatzis’ music Apple:https://music.apple.com/ca/album/christos-hatzis-lamento-ecstasy/1493802947 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3B1rWPvxCXSaSdfzdLvCXP?si=AMBZD-8HR4uOr17RD5MaEg   Composer Allan Bell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Gordon_Bell   Beethoven music provided by Musopen.com Released March 2021 CultureMonster.ca

Episode 5: The Shuttle, A Centennial, and Schupannzigh   Join me as I speak about a happy day for technology, a sad one for space exploration, and the difficulties of being Beethoven’s friend.    Arlington’s website describing the Challenger memorial: https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Monuments-and-Memorials/Space-Shuttle-Challenger   Richard Feynman’s memoir where he discusses the investigation into the Challenger disaster: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393355642   Wikipedia page on RUR author Karel Čapek: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Čapek   Canadian Space Agency information page about DEXTRE: https://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/iss/dextre/default.asp   Lyrics to Beethoven’s song about Schupannzigh "Schuppanzigh ist ein Lump. Wer kennt ihn nicht, den dicken Sauermagen, den aufgeblasnen Eselskopf? O Lump Schuppanzigh, o Esel Schuppanzigh, wir stimmen alle ein, du bist der größte Esel, o Esel, hi hi ha." "Schuppanzigh is a scoundrel Who doesn't know him the fat sour-belly the puffed up ass's head? O rogue Schuppanzigh O donkey Schuppanzigh We all agree that you're the biggest ass O ass, hee-haw"   Jan Swafford’s Beethoven Biography: https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/beethoven/9780618054749 You can support the podcast here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/culturemonster performances of Beethoven and Barrios provided by Musopen: https://musopen.org

Episode 4: The Mystery of Carlos Kleiber & Conversation with Carlos Foggin I explore the mystery of famed maestro Carlos Kleiber, and speak with Rocky Mountain Symphony conductor Carlos Foggin about Beethoven, the Organ, and how taking a basic first aid course changed his life.  The Polaris Centre is active on social media and is also here: https://www.polariscentre.ca Carlos Foggin is the Music Director of the Rocky Mountain Symphony: https://www.rockymountainsymphony.ca   A Finnish Orchestra and conductor give a stirring performance of Sibelius Symphony No. 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIIfMjRMqRs   The Swan of Tuonela performed by Finnish Radio Orchestra conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3_H5YlgKFU   Deutsche Grammophon’s video series  “Mesmerized by Carlos Kleiber” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjE9aOcqqc8   BBC Radio 3 audio documentary about Kleiber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2EUsV2UJ7M   Video of “Der Rosenkavalier” conducted by Kleiber https://play.wiener-staatsoper.at/event/531d2c08-94d2-4a3f-acd8-3cfdc62888dd   Traces to Nowhere- full length documentary on Kleiber’s career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta8Tqjn7Suo&t=68s

EPISODE 3: Mark Morash and the Shakespeare Riot I speak with Interim Music Director of the Calgary Opera about his musical journey, the need for Opera companies to invest in R&D, and the emotional power of the human voice. I also tell the story of the time competing versions of “The Scottish Play” in New York City caused a riot. SHOW NOTES and links! The story of the battle of the film rights over agent 007 is told in Robert Sellers book “The Battle for Bond.” http://tomahawkpress.com/battle-for-bond-banned-edition/  Stratford Festival productions at CBC GEM: https://gem.cbc.ca/series/stratford-presents/all/8d5898e8-9215-4c97-8fe3-a10b30c89d58?cmp=sch-stratford Stratford@Home: https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/Subscription The story about Astor Place Riot is told is several places, including this podcast from the Folger Shakespeare Library: https://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-unlimited/astor-place-riot For a more complete telling, Nigel Cliff has written an entire book about the incident- titled “The Shakespeare Riot: Revenge drama and death in Nineteenth-Century America.” Cliff situates the incident in tensions between working class Americans and the wealthy elite class:  http://www.nigelcliff.com/?page_id=52 Richard Nelson dramatized the events in his play “Two Shakespearian actors.” https://www.broadwayplaypub.com/the-plays/two-shakespearean-actors/ Calgary Opera’s page on Mark Morash: https://calgaryopera.com/resident-artists Wikipedia page on the San Francisco Opera Merola Opera Program for emerging artists: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merola_Opera_Program Calgary Opera’s free videos: https://calgaryopera.com/videos The Operas Mark mentioned: Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Man_Walking_(opera) https://music.apple.com/ca/album/heggie-dead-man-walking/680688122 -On CD http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=5208&name_role1=1&bcorder=1&comp_id=102119 A Streetcar named Desire by Andre Previn -streaming https://music.apple.com/us/album/previn-a-streetcar-named-desire/1452174581 opening scene on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRG29gtyjQc As One by Laura Kaminksy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_One_(opera) -streaming https://music.apple.com/ca/album/kaminsky-as-one/1469926527 cd/download https://www.brightshiny.ninja/as-one For starting out in Opera with arias, Renée Fleming told ClassicFM her favourite 6 arias here: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/renee-fleming-favourite-soprano-arias/ “Che Gelida” by Puccini (mentioned by Mark) La Boheme - Pavarotti- "Che gelida manina"  Fiamma Izzo d' Amico "Si, mi chiamano Mimi" As always send you questions, queries, ideas for future episodes to Jon@culturemonster.ca

In this episode, I speak with Conductor and Pianist Rolf Bertsch about his Career and genius of Beethoven, and also relate my favourite Canadian crime story: now with a 2020 update. Also, a complete holiday piano performance from Han Ding. SHOW NOTES episode 2 Piano Performances heard in this episode performed by HAN DING: https://www.handingonline.com Theatre Calgary’s Official Christmas Carol page: https://www.theatrecalgary.com/shows/a-christmas-carol The ICI-Tele broadcast of the Les Grands Ballets Canadiens “Nutcracker” https://ici.tou.tv/casse-noisette/S01E01?lectureauto=1 Official Royal Canadian Mint Page about the Million Dollar Coin: https://www.mint.ca/store/mint/learn/million-dollar-coin-1600006   ArtNews story on the theft: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/berlin-coin-theft-1783515   CBC NEWS: The Current Radio Story: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-march-29-2017-1.4044278/how-did-thieves-steal-gigantic-1m-canadian-gold-coin-from-berlin-museum-1.4045314   CBC NEWS: 2020 coin story update: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/berlin-gold-coin-heist-raids-1.5843764   The story about the Premiere of Beethovens Third Piano Concerto is told is Barry Coopers excellent biography: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/beethoven-9780195313314?cc=us&lang=en&   Beethoven’s Piano concertos have been recorded many times Two recent recommendations are—  Stewart Goodyear and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Andrew Constantine: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=858&name_role1=1&name_id2=24438&name_role2=2&bcorder=21&comp_id=5651 https://music.apple.com/ca/album/beethoven-the-complete-piano-concertos/1499010141   Mitsuko Uchida and the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Simon Rattle: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=2277234 https://music.apple.com/ca/album/beethoven-piano-concertos-1-5/1488447983   Rolf Bertsch is the current music director of the Calgary Civic Symphony: https://calgarycivicsymphony.ca/Our-Conductor   Rolf’s Recommendations: Filmed performance of Beethoven Symphony #4 and Symphony #7 with conductor Carlos Kleiber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3-jlAamGCE   Herbert van Karajan - Beethoven Symphonies (1963) http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=2190074 https://music.apple.com/ca/album/beethoven-9-symphonies-recordings-from-1961-62/1440764800   John Eliot Gardiner - Beethoven Symphonies (1990s) http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=443080 https://music.apple.com/ca/album/beethoven-the-9-symphonies/1452587530   Bernstein— Bethoven Symphonies (1980s) http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=2262757 https://music.apple.com/us/album/leonard-bernstein-beethoven-the-9-symphonies/1452492300   Thanks for listening. Send your feedback, questions, and/or ideas for future episodes to Jon@Culturemonster.ca

Karl Hirzer of the Calgary Philharmonic joins me for the first episode of Culture Monster. What did we talk about? Here is a quick taste.