Copy Editor’s Revenge Takes Form Of Unhyphenated Word
Bruce Huntoon, a copy editor at Pilot magazine, intentionally did not correct the copy of columnist Justin Mann Monday. ”I am tired of that insufferable asshole’s mean-spirited jokes,” Huntoon said…
Looks like The Onion could use its own copy editor. ”Justin Mann Monday,” that’s an unusual name.
I started teaching myself about classical music three years ago, and also simultaneously started building a classical music collection. It recently occurred to me that I’ve mostly accomplished my goal. It only took three years.
I still have much more to learn about opera, and, as such, I have a few large gaps in my classical music knowledge. As one example, I know next to nothing about Wagner; although admittedly what I have heard I did not like. I also could learn more about avant garde and twelve-tone composers. All in good time, I don’t like that stuff much either.
As a nice Friday evening activity, I thought I’d compile my list of personal favorites.
Albeniz: Asturias - Suite Espagnol
What can I say? Classical guitar turns me on.
Albinioni: Adagio
This was used to great effect in Orson Welles’ The Trial.
Arnold: Guitar Concerto
Bach: Double Concerto in D Minor; Partita Nr.3 E-dur I
Barber: Adagio for Strings
A little overused, but whatever. It’s still excellent.
Barrios: Danza Paraguaya No. 1
Bartok: Bluebeard’s Castle
I saw this at the Seattle Opera last spring. So amazing. I’ll be polite and not speak of the Schoenberg train wreck that was also performed that night.
Beethoven: Coriolan, Fidelio, and Leonore I overtures; Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat; Sonatas No. 14 “Moonlight”, 21 “Waldstein”, 23 “Appassionata”, and 26 “Les Adieux”; Symphony No. 7
Bernstein: “A Simple Song”, “God Said”; Symphonic Dances from West Side Story; Symphonic Suite from On the Waterfront
Bizet: Carmen, but especially La Habanera, “Pres de Remparts de Seville”, the Toreador song, “La Fleur Que Tu M’avais Jetee”, “Carreau! Pique!… La Mort!, “A Dos Cuartos! A Dos Cuartos!”, and “Les Voici! Le Voici!”
Brahms: Double Concerto in A Minor; Piano Concerto No. 1; Violin Concerto in D Major
Chopin: Nocturne #2 in E Flat; Nocturne #1 in C Sharp Minor; Nocturne #1 in E Minor
Copland: Ceremonial Fanfare; Billy the Kid - 8. The Open Prairie; Rodeo
Debussy: Clair de Lune; Arabesque
Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B Minor
Gershwin: Concerto in G; “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess
Gluck: Orpheus and Eurydice; Iphigenia in Tauris
I also saw Iphigenia at the Seattle Opera, really beautiful.
Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor
Hermann: Symphony No. 1
Holst: The Planets
Kodaly: Dances of Galanta
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies - No. 2, C Sharp Minor and No. 3, B Flat
Mozart: Piano Sonata in C Major; “Non Piu Andrai, Farfallone Amoroso” and “Voi Che Sapete Che Cosa é Amor”; Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni overtures; Piano Concerto No. 23; Requiem; Symphony No. 25
The Marriage of Figaro’s overture was one of the first works that got me interested in classical music thanks to its use in the opening credits of Trading Places. I only just saw the opera this past year.
Mussorgsky: A Night on Bald Mountain
Paganini: Caprice No. 24
Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante; Sonata in C; Sonata No. 7
Sinfonia Concertante is probably my single most favorite classical work. Every time I listen to it I hear something new. Check out Sonata in C for a little reference to Dixieland.
Puccini: Tosca; Turandot
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2
I have a thing for Austrians and Russians.
Ravel: Bolero
Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol; Scheherezade
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
Rossini: William Tell, Barber of Seville, Semiramide, and Italian Girl in Algiers overtures
Schubert: “Standchen”; “Aufenthalt”; “Trout” Quintet
Sibelius: Karelia Suite; Lemminkainen Suite; Violin Concerto in D Minor
Maybe Finns as well.
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
It’s amazing how many movements from this ballet have become iconic. Check out the second, fourth, and ninth to see what I’m talking about.
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty suites; Piano Concerto No. 1
Verdi: Rigoletto; La Traviata
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Vivaldi was incredibly prolific, but most of his work sounds the same. The Four Seasons are his only concerti worth owning, in my opinion.
I’m starting to think about leaving Seattle for good. I kind of feel like I’m throwing in the towel prematurely, but then again I’ve been here for seven years and still don’t feel like I truly belong.
Seattle has been wonderful to me in many ways. It was an important lifeline when I escaped New York. I was so stressed out and depressed when I arrived here, it was wonderful to be able to unwind and be around people who are mellow and non-confrontational. But now what attracted me to Seattle is impelling me to leave.
Unlike New Yorkers, Seattlites aren’t willful jerks. The small town feel of the city is also another bonus, or at least was seven years ago. I appreciate being able to go about my day without getting a running commentary from douchebags on the street. It’s quieter here by far and much less busy. This city was a godsend when I was really on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
But on the other hand, Seattlites are incredibly distant, and admittedly I’m like this too. I find it really hard to open up and as such I usually only really make friends with extroverts. Well, Seattle has a dearth of extroverts and a surfeit of introverts. I’ve been trying many different ways to meet people and make friends (community service, activity groups, even Craig’s List, ugh), but nothing is taking. One really frustrating thing is the sheer flakiness of people I try to befriend. I have never experienced this before, and I’m really inclined to blame it on the city’s culture. I’ll arrange to do something with someone I’ve recently met and that person will beg off for really spurious reasons (like somehow having an extraordinarily bad day on the weekend) or not show up at all and simply never speak to me again. It sure makes me feel better about some past disappointments in dating. I assumed the 50 percent, or so, of men who dropped off the face of the planet (before a first date even) had simply decided I wasn’t worth it. It seems just as plausible that they flaked out on me.
Anyway, I’m ready for a change. It’s going to be tough during a recession, but I’m currently thinking of moving to Chicago or back to California. We’ll see what job opportunities, if any, crop up. Maybe I’ll even settle for an internship.