People Call Her Sassy / That's Her Attitude

So why was I looking up musical affects mid-semester?

Readers, meet The Detritus Review.
I've been waiting for the right moment to introduce one of my favorite blogs, and this is it.

You know how sometimes you read concert reviews in newspapers and you wonder how someone who clearly knows nothing about music is not only getting paid to write about this Thing You Love The Most, but Is Simultaneously TAKING AWAY JOBS FROM LEGIT AND UNEMPLOYED MUSICOLOGISTS? (I feel strongly about it.)
Anyway: the three bloggers responsible for "Detritus" don't just wonder about these things. This is the mother of all music-criticism-deconstruction blogs, and it is guaranteed to make me laugh out loud no matter where I am (sorry, other library patrons) and to fill my daily snark quota. Maybe yours too?

I'll let it speak for itself: the 3/19/11 post.

That Funky Musicology

Well, I wouldn't want to keep this from you...

This Is A Gift / It Comes With A Price

I'm directing you to an archived post at 2'23" for a little bit of Tuesday-relief/classical-music-humor:

It's titled... Hunting Babbitts.

You laughed.

Never Failed Me Yet

The Portsmouth Sinfonia - formed in 1970, there was one major entrance requirement: you had to either be a non-musician, or pick up an instrument you'd never touched before.
Hilarity ensues! A corollary rule required the musicians to play to the best of their ability (ie. not to play badly intentionally), but that only gets you so far on an unknown instrument, you know? As Dan Visconti at NewMusicBox points out, there's a certain joie de vivre (and, I think, earnestness) that makes this a "laugh with" rather than a "laugh at."

And it's not just the funny; there's some history going on here too. The idea of an ensemble made up of people who don't know how to play their instruments was a nod to Cardew's scratch orchestra and the state of experimental music; Gavin Bryars and Brian Eno were both on board - plus (of course) a select group of amateurs and enthusiasts. By the time it fell apart in 1979, the Portsmouth Sinfonia had played concerts, put out records, and even a film. That is wonderful.



(via newmusicbox)

I Am Chicken / Hear Me Squawk

I was cleaning out my inbox and rediscovered THIS:



Happy Friday!

(special thanks to Kevin)

Tonight / Not Again

SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAM NOTES FOR HUSBANDS FORCED TO ATTEND THIS EVENING'S PERFORMANCE OF HAYDN'S MISSA CELLENSIS by Howard Zaharoff

("Whom would you prefer singing solo in this mass, Beverly Sills or Renée Fleming? Is either Flemish? Would that affect their singing? Suppose they came to blows over who had the better voice: Would Renée's youth and smarts best Beverly's age and sagacity? Or would Beverly win, because it's creepy to fight dead people? " I laughed out loud.)

(thanks, maureen!)

Eight Nine Spoof Of My Inner Youth

Oh, NPR. Another Lady Gaga spoof - but I just can't keep myself from posting them!



(via lifesapitch)

I Don't Want To Recycle / Recyle Revenge

Axis of Awesome. No, that's the band's name.



(Also, you knew it was coming: The Original Pachelbel Rant)

(via metafilter)

Beans Beans The Wonderful Fruit

This is how I conduct, too. Please see other members of Spring '09 Conducting I class for references.

Jam Master's Jammin'

Friday over and out.

My Wings Are Broken And So Is My Hair

(If that's not enough for you, here are eight more cartoons about Stockhausen.)