Best of the Rest: 1-13-09

This is the latest in my series of efforts to highlight blogs that aren't as well known.

1. Monotonous Forest: Part archivist, part lab technician. Mr. Hodges covers Alan Gilbert's first press conference as the new conductor of the New York Philharmonic. Apparently Maestro Gilbert had the audacity to say that "Schoenberg is beautiful." It is exciting that the opening night will include a world premiere by Magnus Lindberg, the new composer-in-residence.

2. The Detritus Review: Going to Concerts for Free Is an Outrage! Sator Arepo has torn a new one for Scott Cantrell, reviewer of the Dallas Morning News. I have to say, it isn't the best snark from this fine site. Instead of focusing on the audacity of complaining about a free concert, I would have gone with questioning why a 50 minute concert is a bad thing. Mr. Cantrell himself says that the opening piece, Brahms' Third Symphony, is a hefty thing, and that was followed by even more heavy Romanticism with Wagner's Overture from Tannhauser . I think I'd be happy with such a meal, no need to overfeed us. I do agree with Empiricus' comment.

3. Singing South African-ness. Excuse me madam, did you forget something? The ethnomusicology student also writes about the New York Philharmonic, as well as the audacity of people riding in the subway pantsless.

4. Feast of Music: Fairytale of New York. Peter Matthews tells us about a showcase of Irish music in New York. The group The Frost Is All Over made the audacious choice of combining accordion and uilleann pipes with visual media.

5. Tom Meglioranza, baritone: The Youtubes. I really have nothing to say about this post, other than the word of the day: "audacity."