My “office” this morning is one of the many Panera restaurants in town. For the record, I dislike Panera immensely. I think their service is terrible, their food is mediocre, and their music is loud and obnoxious. Yet, they’re nearly the only game in town at 6am. So, this is where I often find myself. … [Read more…]
My “office” this morning. Back at the grocery store cafeteria. My view features a group of older guys – a couple of whom were using an iPad and detachable keyboard set-up – kvetching about the world. This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 in E Flat Major (WAB 104), titled “Romantic” by Bruckner … [Read more…]
This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (WAB 103), nicknamed “Wagner,” is Kurt Masur (1927-2015), another person about whom I knew nothing and of whom I had never heard until I started this project. He was born in Germany and died just last year at the age of 88 in … [Read more…]
This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s “Symphony of Pauses” (Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, WAB 102) is German-born Gunter Wand (1912-2002). I first encountered Mr. Wand on Day 16. To say I wasn’t kind in my assessment of his interpretation of Bruckner’s First Symphony is a wee bit of an understatement. I’m hoping today’s … [Read more…]
This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is Kurt Masur (1927-2015), another person about whom I knew nothing and of whom I had never heard until I started this project. He was born in Germany and died just last year at the age of 88 in Greenwich, Connecticut, … [Read more…]
This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 1 in C Minor (WAB 101) is German-born Gunter Wand (1912-2002), someone – thanks to reviews on Amazon and elsewhere – I’ve been eager to hear. From his entry on Wikipedia: Günter Wand (January 7, 1912, in Elberfeld, Germany – February 14, 2002, in Ulmiz near Bern, … [Read more…]