Tessellated blooms with the voids at their centers...

Today I have to teach a lesson to a very smart young piano player, and then I hope to see The Richmond Philharmonic concert today at 6 pm, which is free...and outdoors.  Hoping the weather holds out. ("Just for Fun: A Free Summer Family Concert" - The Gardens at Sunday Park in Brandermill, 4602 Millridge Parkway Midlothian, VA).  The saxophone player in the E-Street Band has died, and too young--sad.


I am furiously updating my concert calendar, which I hope will be a useful resource to Richmond-area music lovers and students.  But as the curator of yet another calendar of the arts, I am forced back on the same old question--what is classical?  The Modlin series has an eclectic mix of genre-defying performers.  For example, writer, songsmith, guitarist and all-around genius Josh Ritter is coming to Modlin this fall.  I know very little about him, so I listened to his song "Remnant" which is posted on the Modlin website.  
I'll admit--I'm under-impressed by the music itself.  It is spare and reminds me of the "White Stripes," (whose disbanding broke my heart), but doesn't strike me as startlingly original.  
Ritter's lyric-making, however, is a splash of cold water in the face.  If Cormac McCarthy wrote songs, they would sound like this:

Richmond Philharmonic Concert this weekend-FREE!

Please God, give us back Stravinksy--we'll give you Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber in return!*




It's Stravinsky's birthday!  This Russian composer is regarded as one of the most significant musicians of all time--Time magazine included him on their list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and NY Times critic Anthony Tommasini recently anointed him one of the top ten composers of all time.


We often think of the bombastic, crackling, riot-causing Rite of Spring, which changed the course of music history, like an earthquake changes the course of a river.  But I also enjoy Stravinsky's rapturous melody-making.  


Above we see Igor conducting the Finale to The Firebird Suite (you can see him conduct the full Firebird here--the applause never...stops....).  Be patient for the start of this video.  It takes a while to begin for some reason.  

Thank you, Igor!!

* attribution - anonymous comment on youtube


Below the jump, I've posted a video of the gorgeous segment from Fantasia 2000 using Stravinksy's music and my musings on the only movie I know of covering Stravinsky.

***

The Richmond Philharmonic will hold its much-beloved annual "Just for Fun" summer concert this Sunday, June 19th at 6 pm.  The concert will be conducted by guest conductor Paul Kim.  Robert Mirakian takes the helm again this fall.  The orchestra will play light classics and popular swing tunes, as well as the obligatory but appropriate patriotic charts.

Details (from their website):

Just for Fun - A Free Summer Family Concert

Sunday, June 19, 2011 - 6:00 p.m.
Free Outdoor Concert
(Bring chairs or blankets for seating, and have a lawn picnic if you like. Limited seating is available inside the pavilion.)
The Gardens at Sunday Park in Brandermill

4602 Millridge Parkway
Midlothian, Virginia