What is going to happen in 2013?

The new year is coming. 2013 is going to prove to be a very exciting year for me. I am doing coverage of my school's opera theatre production, Princess Ida. Also, I am expected to attend many exciting concerts, some of them being my own. And most importantly, I am going to do more interesting stories on my blog, and many episodes of some of my series on YouTube. Opera in a Nutshell, That Music History Show, and even some interviews and concert clips. I also want to know what you, the public, wants. So tell me in the comments you want me to cover in the new year? or do you know anyone who wants to work with me. I have started working as a YouTube Partner, so I hopefully can make my videos more legitimate
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Why I Am I Doing This?

It is true that what I do does not reach a wide audience. However, that is never going to stop me. I have made my blog and youtube because I want to engage the public in the world of music history. I have nothing against other genres of music, I love them all. I just focus my energy on the classics. Although my videos are not produced at a professional level, I know that people watch them and they enjoy them. If they learn something, thats even better.

I may never be a great blogger or youtuber. But that is not what I want to do with my life. This is just a hobby. My main focus in lit is to become an expert on music and conducting and to become a person who is willing to share this expertise and enthusiasm with the world. So in short, I may not be the best at what I do, but at least I am trying.

G&S: The Telephone Code

The early days of the telephone were that of discovery. It was Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, who wanted people to say "Ahoy!" when they answered, but then decided to say "Hello" thanks to Thomas Edison. Besides making phone calls, people who subscribed to the phone company could listen to concerts and operas. But many were still suspicious of the operators who could possibly listen to their private conversations.

Such men were W.S. Gilbert, who shared conversations over the phone with Mr. Richard D'Oyly Carte. They discussed financial figures from their productions in a secret code. Each number 1-9 and 0 were replaced by a letter of the alphabet based on the word:

F = 1
A = 2
V = 3
O = 4
U = 5
R = 6
I = 7
T = 8
E = 9
S = 0

So 365 pounds would be VRU. Easy enough. Write out a math problem featuring this code and challenge your friends to decode it.

Introduction to Princess Ida by Gilbert and Sullivan

In 1859, Charles Darwin published his famous "Origin of the Species", concluding that humans and apes evolved from the same ancestor. Thus, a line was drawn between science and religion. During that time, Victorian "scientists" were pondering the effects of women participating in activities normally permitted to men, such as education and politics. According to Stephen Gould, they "found" that it would lead to a decrease in reproduction. Ridiculous if anything else. So then comes the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson, who in 1847, wrote a poem entitled The Princess, about a young prince who seeks a feminist princess who runs an all female university. This work was adapted to a play by W.S. Gilbert in 1870. Having been successful with the play, Gilbert teamed up with long time collaborator Arthur Sullivan to adapt it to an operetta. Thus, Princess Ida was conceived.

Following the success of Iolanthe, Gilbert and Sullivan took on the themes of evolution and feminism in an operetta with a prologue and two acts. The story concerns two kings, Hildebrand and Gama, who joined their children, Hilarion and Ida respectively, in marriage before either of them was 3 years old. 20 years later, the prince and princess are to meet for the second time. However, Gama's daughter Ida has set up an all-women's university at the Castle Adamant. In anger, Hildebrand holds the other king and his 3 sons Arac, Guron, and Scynthius until the troops come back with the princess. Instead of storming the castle, Hilarion volunteers to go to the castle to take back Ida. Along with his friends Cyril and Florian, the three disguise themselves as women to enter the university.

Meanwhile, Princess Ida acts as Principal of the University while Ladys Blanche and Psyche teach. As Florian's sister, Lady Psyche promises not to reveal the identity of the men. When Melissa, a student, finds out, she is so enthralled by seeing men for the first time that she also pledges her secrecy. Later, the three run into Lady Blanche, and when she discovers the identity of the men, promises to also keep quiet. Secretly, she wants Hilarion's plan to work so she can take the reins of the school from Princess Ida. However, Cyril gets drunk and reveals the plan. But luckily the men are saved by Hildebrand, Gama, and the three brothers.

Later, the ladies of the university refuse to fight Hildebrand. In anger and sorrow, Ida takes up an offer from her father Gama to let her brothers fight against Hilarion and his friends. If the brothers win, Ida can continue the school. If Hilarion wins, Ida is to marry. The six men meet on the battlefield and Hilarion wins, even though he and his friends are still in drag. Ida resigns from the university, leaving Blanche as the new Principal. A trio of couples are now together: Ida and Hilario, Cyril and Psyche, and Melissa and Florian. They all promise to stay together unless the men are mean to their respective ladies, thus ending the operetta in joyous delight, as is every ending of a G&S tale.


The 1884 premiere met mostly rave reviews, citing Arthur Sullivan's grand score, the performers interpretations of the songs, as well as the sets and costumes. Other critics were mixed on W.S. Gilbert's  libretto. The Leicester Chronicle said it was too predictable and illogical as compared to previous works like The Pirates of Penzance and Iolanthe, where the plots were more elaborate and complicated. Never the less, audiences loved the work. Audiences found favor with the first two acts, but were less enthralled with the final act, except for the "stripping song" sung by Gama's sons, and the finale reprise of "Expressive glances". But the opening would not have happened had it not been for Sullivan's persistent eagerness to conduct despite sickness.

The operetta finds its hilarity in the satire of women's rights and evolution. "The Ape and the Lady", sung by Lady Psyche, is the most visible satire of the work. It tells of a lady who is hit on by an ape. When he fails, he shaves, takes a bath, buys fancy clothes and calls himself a man. The lady refuses after each attempt to improve, citing that he is a monkey at heart. The song itself was only written for the opera and had not been suggested in the original poem or play. The rest of the second act and the third act do all the poking at women. Their logic in their teachings and rules, their unwillingness to fight men, and the only victory that comes to them is that the ladies agree to marry until the husbands are rude to them. Its sexist in today's terms and may be one of the reasons why it is the least successful and least performed today of the Gilbert and Sullivan canon.

Today, it is still performed, but with less frequency than the works that came before or after. But many people are still trying to decipher what can make it popular to an audience today. The philosophical and scientific ideas are both prevalent in modern culture, but it isn't as re-adaptable as The Mikado was for Jonathan Miller or The Pirates of Penzance was for it's first broadway run in the United States. Many colleges and professional/semiprofessional companies continue with traditional style productions and maybe a few changes to the script and additional jokes, as is necessary for an enjoyable performance.

Which now leads me to plug the upcoming performance at Hofstra University in February. The director is Isabel Milenski, who has also done Handel's Alcina, Die Fledermaus, Don Giovanni, and Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea for Hofstra in the past few years. The musical director is David Ramael, who will conduct the work before going on sabbatical for the Spring 2013 semester. Dates for the performances are set for February 1-3.

This has been an introduction to my coverage of Princess Ida for Music with Maestro Weinstein. Be sure to check out this blog, YouNow, Youtube, and Facebook for more as rehearsals start.

*All information courtesy of The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive at Boise State University.

Old Wine New Bottles

This year, I have joined the Collegium Musicum of Hofstra, the early music group, in their program of "Old Wines, New Bottles". This means that the old melodies are put into later works. Works of Salieri, Buxtehude, Bach, Mendelssohn, and much more. That concert will be November 17th, location to be announced.

So i thought i would see how artists today "steal" from one another per say. So I am finding examples and sharing on tumblr. Check here to get a look.

Music News 8/18/12

Why Violas don't suck

Violas are a beautiful instrument. They have a higher range than a cello, but lower than a violin. Even though the works that were written for us were not as famous as many violin or cello concertos, they all still have extreme beauty in the music.

Take Bloch's Suite Hebraique for viola as an example. The range and dexterity of the instrument is widely explored in this work. And Britten's Elegy takes the viola and makes it hauntingly beautiful by itself. I have always been interested by my instrument and will be exploring it all my life.

Where did all my videos go?

I would like to say that I deleted the majority of my videos on YouTube due to a lack of professionalism in my production. I would like to impress the viewers with videos they can really enjoy. I do have 2 originals up, Ghosts of Brandenburg and the Matching Koalas. Go look now!

The Story of Pictures at an Exhibition

I would like to apologize for all the mistakes I made in my video this week regarding the masterpiece of Mussorgsky and Ravel. So heres a condensed history of the piece:

Modest Mussorgsky was a member of the Mighty 5, a group of russian composers who seemed a nationalistic sound in the late 19th century due to resistance against the European style. Among them were Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov, Alexander Borodin, Cesar Cui, and Milay Balakirev. They all relied on one another immensely. Outside of that immediate circle were artists like Viktor Hartmann, an architect and painter who seeked out a nationalistic style of his own. Him and Mussorgsky were great friends. Hartmann's death by aneurysm at age 39 shocked Modest and most of Russia. The Art critic Vladmir Stassov set up a memorial art exhibit in February of 1874. It was this art exhibit the inspired Mussorgsky's composition.
The piano work was composed in June of 1874, following the premiere of Boris Godunov. It was not published until 1886, five year post humous. It was Rimsky Korsakov who discovered the work and had it sent to the publisher. It was not an accurate description of what Mussorgsky had wanted.
Later on in 1922, Maurice Ravel was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky to orchestrate it. Successful at its premiere, it is still the most popular orchestration of the work. Some people will criticize the missing Promenade between "Samuel Goldenburg and Schmuyle"and "Limogues".
Many of the paintings of Hartmann were discovered by News Hong Kong TV in 1992 following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Many of the true identities of the movements and their corresponding paintings still remain unknown.

Why Baroque Opera is popular again

Once in a while, every generation revives an idea and attempts to make it their own. Today, that idea is the baroque opera. Works by Vivaldi, Handel, Rameau, Lully, Purcell, Gluck, and others are now being revived in opera theaters across the globe. From colleges, to smaller companies, to big names like The Metropolitan Opera and The National Opera of Paris, there is a growing fashion of reinventing the style of opera that was popular back in the 17th and early 18th century. Plus, there is also a need for playing and singing the scores as accurately as possible. Gut strings, baroque bows, and other period instruments are making a major comeback. But why is opera which involves a repetitive style so popular now? What makes it so unique?

Why is baroque opera making a comeback? My first theory is that these works are not set in stone or considered as "sacred". You see, back when this music was written, the composer had only two things on his mind. First was to please the soloists who would sing the work. Second was to entertain the audience. A composer would be given a story, often from greek or roman mythology. Then the opera would be composed, consisting of an overture, recitative, arias, choruses, and ballet suites. If a singer wanted a different aria, the composer would write a new one or take one from another opera or composer. There was copyright infringement longer than you would expect. There were even works that consisted of materials solely from previous operas put into a new libretto. The pastiche, as this method was called, has been popularized today by the Metropolitan Opera and their production of The Enchanted Island.

My second theory is that Baroque opera allows singers to show off. The vocal line for singers in scores only display the basic notation, but historically it is recorded that singers would often make ornamentation at every possible point. This tradition is still followed today. Singers in the Baroque era were often raised from a young age when they showed promise. This was especially true for young boy sopranos who were castrated to keep their voices high though out their life. This practice has been discontinued since the late 19th century. But we still have countertenors who take on the major roles. Stars like David Daniels, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Andreas Scholl are just a few. Other great singers of Baroque repertoire include Danielle DeNiese, Joyce Di Donato, Renee Fleming, and Barbara Fritolli. These stars show off like its no one's business.

Lastly, my third theory is that there are no rules on how to interpret these works on stage. Directors can go with the classical approach of grand sets or go with a minimalist approach. You can go back in the day or go current day. Ive heard of a production of Handel's Giulio Cesare which is set in a modern day museum storage bay. The characters are all statues come to life, even a chorus of busts. Directors don't even need to have a serious take on the story or the arias. I am reminded of a production of Handel's Tolomeo at Glimmerglass where the characters act out the arias they sing. When Seleuce sings of gentle breezes blowing, an array of electric fans are placed in front of her and are turned on. I am even amazed at what directors are doing at my own school. I am currently playing in the pit for the Hofstra University production of Alcina. Instead of knights from the crusades, our heroes are special ops soldiers. But the story still gets told and thats what makes it all the more exciting.

My opinions of why Baroque opera is so popular again may not be the only ones. I encourage any readers who are well versed in music history and pop culture to leave a comment with your thoughts and opinions. Also, just any reader with an idea for an article or wanting to submit their own, go ahead and message me.

Why no sane musician should use Chat Roulette.

Well, we all remember the site where you press a button and are instantly connected to any person in the world. Make that any person you wouldn't consider sober or sane. On the late night of January 13th, I went on to Chat Roulette to attempt to collect a survey about classical music. My questions were going to ask about what was their favorite music, if they had ever listened to classical music, and what they felt about it. I had planned to record it and put it on YouTube, but unfortunately, the results were less than favorable.
The first group of guys I got to talk to were willing. I asked my questions and they answered that they loved alternative and thought classical music was for douchebags. Next were some guys in army gear. They liked rap. They then said that I was a weirdo for liking classical. Then after some more failed chats, actually reached someone who was speaking English. Some 12 year old boys from Ireland who liked dubstep. They told me that I was a weirdo for being on chat roulette. More quick nexts and a penis later, I gave up.
Conclusion: if you are on chat roulette, you don't have anything better to do. I don't know why, but we still have the stereotype of classical music as an elitist art. They think that we are all nerds, geeks, and unsociable people. And everyday I say that this is not true. And I intend to prove it anyway I can.

Trouble with the mainstream pt 2

The previous post was about my qualifications for being here. Now to explain the real problem with classical music.
I can not say how many times I have heard people say that classical music sucks. Most of these people won't even give it a chance. When talking about music, people's minds will go straight to the idea that party rock is supreme and kicks Mozart in the butt. That's a lie. All music is truly equal. But it just the unfortunate accident of pop music leading in the public eye while classical music is for old stiffs. Another lie. Classical music is for everyone and should be shown more often in places other than PBS. I challenge anyone who has never heard Beethoven's 5th symphony to listen by themselves and close their eyes. If they don't have some epiphany come into their heads, idk what to say. But everyone should have some influence from classical music in their life, more than just commercials.

The trouble with the mainstream

I am an outsider. I am an individual. In short, I am not part of the mainstream. I've known this for a long time. I have about 7 or 8 subscribers on YouTube, 58 followers on Tumblr, and only 40 or so fans on Facebook. These are either total strangers or friends, which is ok because you need to know that your friends have your back.
I have not always had the best feedback from people, and sometimes none at all. Those random comments that tell you to go die in a whole, those people are called trolls, and we pay no mind to them. They don't know about our life and how much we have accomplished. But people like me, those unknown people who plan to change the world, will never be truly understood.
And I have quite an amount of experience involving music. I've been playing and reading music since 4th grade. I always had high marks in state testing in viola, which in turn allowed me to participate in musical festivals for 8 years. I attended Usdan arts camp for 6 years, working in choruses orchestras and chamber groups. I was also a member of Gemini Youth Orchestras for 3 years. These have given me opportunities to expand my repertoire and work with some of the best professionals on Long Island and NY state. My musical knowledge starts with the first chants and continues onward to today. True there may be large gaps, but I'm filling them in bit by bit.
I attend one of the best NY colleges for music, Hofstra University. I work with teachers who daily put my abilities to the test. I have a collection of opera and orchestral scores that I read and study often. I attend concerts at Lincoln Center almost religiously, or more likely when I'm free and can pay, which is actually more often than one would expect.
So, if I have to wait 4 years for my degree to get the proper attention, it's ok. Until then, I would like some practice helping to bring classical music to places where it needs attention and to prepare myself for when I become a teacher.
So please, don't mind that I'm not popular, just still listen to what I have to say.