YumUpdate: Monday, October 29
Well, the debate about John Williams' arrangement of "The Star-Spangled Banner" for the opening game of the World Series in Boston last Wednesday continues. A letter to the editor of The Arizona Republic in Phoenix thoughtfully explains why the Williams arrangement was an extraordinary leap forward. Click here to read the letter and lots of comments. Scroll down for more about Williams in Boston last week.
Update: Friday, Oct. 26
Since I posted yesterday I've heard from other MENC staffers who liked the Star Wars composer's horn-centric, atonal arrangement of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the World Series on Wednesday night. I respect their opinions, but after listening to the performance four times now, I think we have to agree to disagree.
EWL was kind enough to point out a link to another site, Bostonist that linked back to our site here. It includes links to other opinions about Mr. Williams' arrangment, so perhaps the debate will continue. Ah, art.
Have no idea what I am talking about? Read on, dear blog visitor.
TTFN (Or Ta Ta For Now, as non-Tigger fans would say)
RF
OK. So I am watching the opening of the World Series Red Sox and the Rockies in Boston last night. My son is a big Red Sox fan and has been for over half of his 14 years and my husband and I have become fans by virtue of his complete and absolute passion. We took Matt to the Baseball Hall of Fame in the fall of 2004 after the Sox banished the curse forever and beat the Cardinals. We saw Curt Schilling's bloody sock and other artifacts from that amazing series.
The next year we planned our vacation around a Red Sox-Angels weekend in Anaheim.
I still love my Kansas City Royals, but it's been a while since they've been to the big dance, so hey, it is nice to have a team to root for.
Anyway, did you watch the opening last night? I know a lot of people tuned out later when it evolved into a blowout, but I love the pomp and circumstance of the the opening ceremonies with all of the player and coach introductions, etc.
And then it was time for ahem, the national anthem. Thus began one of the longest introductions I've ever heard in my life.
"We welcome the most accomplished composer of our time, whose film scores have helped provide the soundtrack of our lives." OK, true for people of a certain age like me— Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and Harry Potter) Not to mention Olympic hymns, etc. But one could also argue these songs are largely the soundtrack of Steven Spielberg's life. I'm just sayin'.
John Williams raised his baton to conduct the Pops player standing around him in center field, but sheepishly lowered his arm when he realized the announcer was far from finished singing his praises.
The ball park announcer reminded us he is composing the soundtrack for the new Raiders of the Lost Ark movie. And then he told us Williams was "the pride of Boston and the epitome of our culture." I don't know about you but that would seem a pretty heavy mantle to don every day.
Still, decked out in his World Series jacket, Williams looked pretty much at ease with his legacy when the conducting actually got underway.
Click here and you can watch former Boston Pops conductor "Maestro John Williams" conduct the Pops in an arrangement of "The Star-Spangled Banner" created "especially for this occasion." Once you are on the MLB site, look for the link "Williams conducts anthem."
I don't know about you, but the arrangement sounded a bit odd to me. Watch it and see what you think. I love Williams' rollicking and sometimes majestic compositions, but not this particular arrangement.
That link also will take you to Grammy-winner Ashanti's version of "God Bless America," which I liked.
One more musical note from the game, and previous games really. I was talking to LE this week about the games and she is a native born, lifelong Red Sox fan. We had both noticed the impromptu drumming and banging on bottles that the Red Sox pitchers do in the bullpen while they are waiting to pitch. Their jam sessions seem to keep them loose if they need to, um, go in the game and get the Sox out of a jam, of which they had none last night
But, hey, Thursday is another day and last night the Rockies hadn't played in over a week. They were definitely rusty, but I actually like their team. They may be young but they are very talented and their manager Clint Hurdle was one of my favorite Royals players once upon a time. I like any World Series that goes seven games. Kind of prolongs the end of the baseball season for me. May the better team win.
Well, back to my day job. We are working through pages for the December issue of Teaching Music and I hear it calling my name.
Til Next Thursday
RF
Oops! I forgot to leave you with a link. I heard a fascinating interview this week with Marin Alsop on American University's WAMU public radio show hosted by Kojo Nnamdi. According to the show Alsop "shattered a glass ceiling in American classical music. When Marin Alsop was named conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra she became the first woman to lead a top-ranked American orchestra. Now, several weeks after taking to the podium for her inaugural concert, Alsop speaks with us about classical music and the future of the BSO.
During an interview you can listen to here, Alsop discusses what motivated her to become a conductor, a decision she made at the age age nine, and her life in classical music. You also will her conducting a couple of pieces, including Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. It is a lively interview.
TTFN
RF
