Questions from “Amy” — S D reply…

Amy says:
Who’s the “ringleader” you’re referring to, Pamela? Is this a real person or a character in your novel/screenplay you’ve been working on?

PB: Apparently Amy is unaware of the concept that truth can be even stranger than fiction.

And Amy say:
(clicking Pamela Brown’s name above leads to a blog that exists primarily to repeat her comments on Slipped Disc.)

PB: With all due respect, that statement is just a bit superficial. While the blog does include my SD replies (specified as such) , it also includes a number of posts, and even photos, that are biographical.

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2014/01/slipped-disc-editorial-today-is-zero-hour-in-minnesota.html#comment-186810

Waiting for an apology from the players? May be a long wait… s d reply

Bob Smith said, “I hope the Musicians apologize to the community and donors who they insulted during their union inspired year and a half tantrum. “

I am still waiting for a proper introduction from the ringleader of the clique I call “Monostatos” and an apology to my children for the effects they experienced by my being, in effect, ‘locked out.’

We may both have a bit of a wait. :-0

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2014/01/slipped-disc-editorial-today-is-zero-hour-in-minnesota.html#comment-186783

What is Die Zauberflote — or as some players call it, “the real magic flute”?

For quite a while I sat on the inside of something that, because I dealt with it every day seemed normal, but which was, in fact, unusual. Right from the start it seemed that whenever I picked up the flute and played, curious and sometimes frightening things started to happen.  Some gritted their teeth; others burst into tears of joy, some seemed to remain stoic.  Some turned on me in fury.  Others walked away in stony silence.

But the undeniable truth was that circumstances always change when I play the flute.  I have learned through trials that everything is used for good, no matter what the surface appearance may be.  I have learned that this energy of music protects me and my family from all harm.  I have learned that it pretty much stops ill intent in its tracks.  Some seem to hear the voice of Mozart in it.  Others, with ill-intent, have heard a voice in their own heads.  One called it ‘a riding crop voice’.  It may be that of the dark angel, the “Night Magician.”

 

Still, it is always a mystery.

The Parting of the Red Sea…

On this day, some years ago, Christopher Rand left the house of Pamina Payne and her children, tail between his legs, never to return.  It became a day celebrated with joy and relief every year.  It was a miracle — the light and loveliness of the magic flute had delivered them from the ill-intent of Rand, and also from the hand of Lermontov, the Night Magician.  No matter how simple their fare, or what challenges they faced, they were always grateful for this gift of freedom from tyranny.  P2A..Rossignol I.

#Minnegeddon — angst at its finest…but is it Mozart, or anti-Mozart? :-0

The locked out MO players have banded together with the almost-equally-distressed Minnesota Chorale this weekend, in a program of sadness — the Britten War Requiem and the piece most distasteful to Wolf in his last days — the Mozart Requiem:

http://www.twincities.com/music/ci_24890437/review-minnesota-orchestras-musicians-deliver-mourning-and-its

It is ironic, of course, that the MO has a connection to the anti-Mozart movie “Amadeus”, in that the score was conducted by its then director, SNM, who reportedly was upset when he realized there was no Oscar category for a movie score not composed for the movie. 

It is also ironic that back in the 70’s the then-conductor SS, along with the help of the Board, decided to change the name of the treasured and highly-regarded Minneapolis Symphony to the “Minnesota Orchestra”.  Apparently, none of them had done their homework.  In fact, SS is known to claim that he ‘loves Mozart’ yet seems to have very little understanding of what the real Mozart was all about.  Hence, the new name of the MSO is quite similar to that of the wicked servant in Sarastro’s temple — Monostatos.  Ironically, too, of course, there was no “Minnesota” in 1791 when Mozart wrote his last major opera Die Zauberflote, so one might open the door to the possibility that Mozart was either psychic or a prophet.  

And then we have the saga of the MO, in which a handful of players decided (without bothering to inform the MOA) to try to entice the Other Mozart onto the stage at Orchestra Hall to practice, in order to make them a target for destruction.  All of the information regarding these events have been made available to all of the parties involved.  As yet, it seems that no one has, as yet, been able to see the forest for the trees.  And now we have the locked-out players appearing to prefer the highly controversial Mostly-Mozart Requiem of Wolf to providing a proper introduction for the living one which they continue to try to keep locked-out.  Irony, indeed….

 

Was Mozart poisoned? s d reply…

Have you so little curiosity? There seem to be a couple of issues worth debating.  Was Mozart, as he said, actually poisoned? What was Salieri’s main concern, guilt over feeling he had contributed (directly or indirectly) to Mozart’s early demise, or concern that the rumours were flying all around Vienna that he was responsible — even to the point of Beethoven’s putting in his two cents worth? How did these rumours (if they were that) contribute to Salieri’s breakdown?  

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2014/01/amadeus-producer-dies.html?replytocom=185883#respond

#Minnegeddon — who should bear the angst of the Orchestra Hall rebuild?..s d reply…

I don’t recall a referendum for the citizens to vote on, per se, on the issue of the rebuild of orchestra hall. The MN legislature may have. I wrote to Gov. Pawlenty asking him to allow the uber rich patrons of the MO to take on the burden of the hall rebuild rather than the already overtaxed ordinary taxpayers of MN. Of course, that didn’t happen.

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2014/01/minnesota-musicians-beg-city-to-take-over-the-empty-hall.html?replytocom=185806#respond

 

#Minnegeddon — Minnesota players or SOSMN begging for help opening the hall?

DA said, “Pamela, you seem to be implying that my statement above about SOSMN’s relationship with the Musicians is incorrect.”

If that is the case, you have missed the point I was attempting to make. My point is simply that distancing oneself from something where one wants to have some ‘plausible deniability’ seems a tad political. It makes one wonder if perhaps the public is supposed to perceive these actions as a ‘spontaneous uprising’, when in fact there may be a lot going on behind the scenes.

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2014/01/minnesota-musicians-beg-city-to-take-over-the-empty-hall.html#comment-185760

#Minnegeddon — the underlying issue?

It seems everyone is dipping and diving, ducking and scurrying in the New Year to try to bring about some resolution to the ongoing angst at Orchestra Hall, certainly per this article: http://tcbmag.com/News/Recent-News/2014/January/Debate-Over-Orchestra-Hall-Lease-Continues

But is there an underlying issue that needs to be addressed before all this can happen?  Historically-speaking, it is my thinking that the name change from the Minneapolis Symphony to the Minnesota Orchestra should have raised a huge flag to anyone who has even the most rudimentary understanding of what the real Wolfgang Mozart was all about.  And that would certainly include SS, the conductor-laureate, who professes to “love Mozart” and oversaw this change. Even he acknowledged that it was not well-received by the players.  Did it not occur to anyone that there was a curious similarity between “Minnesota” and the wicked servant “Monostatos” in Mozart’s last major opera, The Magic Flute?  Hard to imagine that these professionals would miss that one.  Perhaps they were keeping their noses too close to the music on their stands to think clearly.  

Next, a female flute player appears on the scene, led by a handful of players, to practice on that stage.  Week-in and week-out, her playing soars throughout the building, as the stage is miked to be heard everywhere.  “Mozart!” “Mozart!” “Mozart” cries one of them, running around behind her as though looking for him to appear.  “The real magic flute,” hisses another, through clenched jaws, while also gritting their teeth. Did they then provide her with a proper introduction to their world of music?  No.  Instead, they decided to target not only her but her three small children.  They, in effect, “locked her out”.  

And so, some time later, the entire mechanism of this organization, with an endowment of nearly $200M has ground to a halt.  Will it snap back to life without a resolution of this issue?  If this information is true, must we not then ask just what happens to a band that tries to lock out Mozart?

Oh, wait.  Isn’t that exactly what did happen to Mozart in Vienna?  He believed the exquisite beauty and extraordinary composition of his music would provide him with a handsome and reliable income there.  But, was that the case?  No, his colleagues turned on him, and did their best to lock him out of commissions.  They also refused to acknowledge that there was something about his music that made it so different from their own that there was simply no basis for comparison — just as one cannot compare a perfect interval to a major or minor one.  And so, it is not unlikely that he was murdered because of this extra gift.  

So, in this case, everyone involved has, by now, received all the information they need to understand, if they choose, this issue.  Can this situation be resolved without first addressing it?  Will those involved continue to stonewall, or will they instead dare to address it?

 

 

 

#Minnegeddon — Darkness in the tomb of the MOA

Despite the investment of tens of millions of dollars, Orchestra Hall remains dark for yet another New Year’s Day.  The place is silent, except for performances of those few who dare to face the wrath of the union and its players by performing there during the lockout.  Is there a lesson to be learned, other than the obvious one — that union and management must support each other no matter what the cost or both will go down in flames?

This situation calls to my attention the recollection of my experiences on the darkened stage, where, at one time, I was enticed and even encouraged to practice by a handful of the players.  The sound soared throughout the hall, from pieces not only from the flute repertoire, but from the violin as well.  Players crept onto the stage to say remarkable things, then slink into the background to whisper behind my back.

At the time I was convinced doors would open for me and die zauberflote. How could they not — didn’t everyone love Mozart? But, sadly, that was not the case — not only does it turn out the real Mozart (not the fictional “Amadeus” version) was almost universally despised — but that he was perhaps even murdered, to blot out the extra gift he had that no one told him about.

I recall wondering at the time if music was really about a battle between light and darkness.  It seemed the darkness was trying to blot out the light.  Perhaps those who played Mozart’s music while secretly holding him in contempt blotted out at least some of that extra gift?

But then, after this big organization ground to a halt, I began to wonder if it was possible there was a connection between that lockout and what happened to me some time ago on that stage.  And I began to wonder, if light were to triumph over darkness, that is — if what people recall of the old Orchestra Hall might not be that at one time I practiced there?