Auction of Musical Scores at Sotheby’s in Paris
Sotheby’s will have an auction of musical scores and other memorabilia that pertain to music in Paris on October 16 and 17, 2012, according to ArtDaily.org. One of the offerings is a very rare 1608 printed score of Marco da Gagliano’s Dafne, which was a landmark in the development of opera. It is estimated that it will sell for between €30,000 and €40,000.
Another interesting score is a signed utograph manuscript of Arnold Schoenberg’s Op. 10 String Quartet. It is a landmark work in 20th century music as a whole because it denotes the point at which the composer broke with tradition by introducing a soprano voice to the last two movements. It is also a cornerstone of Schoenberg’s development of atonality, since in its fourth movement he dispenses with the use of a key signature for the first time. It is expected to sell for at least €100,000.
www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=56425#.UB6IPhw0i6a
Juilliard Expects to Expand to China
The Juilliard School of Music and the Tianjin Conservatory have agreed to investigate the possibility of opening a school in China. Tianjin, which is about 75 miles southeast of Beijing, is a central location for music students in that part of Asia. Speaking at the ceremony celebrating their agreement, Juilliard President Dr. Joseph W. Polisi said, “We are delighted to take this step forward in what we hope will lead to the establishment of the Institute in Tianjin. We envision the Institute will be an elite center for performing arts education serving all of East Asia, a destination for all performing artists worldwide, and a hub for all of Juilliard’s activity in this region.” The Juilliard School, which was founded in 1905, has never before expanded outside of New York City.
www.juilliard.edu/newsroom/releases/current/June2012_JuilliardGlobal_China.php
Russian Baritone Quits Bayreuth over Tattoo
Tattoos are not always a good idea for performers. They can be covered while you are on stage, of course, but they might reveal a side of you that is better left unexposed. Evgeny Nikitin was to sing the title role in the Flying Dutchman when German television reported that he had a swastika tattooed on his chest. He said he had gotten the “tat” when he was very young and played in a rock band.
The television footage showed him playing rock music with the offending symbol partially covered by other material. Nevertheless, the German festival said that the 38-year-old singer made his decision to leave amid questions from other reporters about the significance of his tattoos. “It was a major mistake in my life,” said Nikitin, “and I wish I had never done it. I was not aware of the extent of the confusion and hurt that these symbols would cause, particularly in Bayreuth and in the context of the festival’s history.”
www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/07/breaking-singer-quits-bayreuth-over-swastika-tatoos.html
artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/23/swastika-tattoo-prompts-a-casting-change-at-bayreuth/
Sibelius Music Software Has Closed Its Doors
Avid, the company that owns the Sibelius software program, has shut down its London headquarters because of financial troubles, according to Classical-Music.com. British twins Ben and Jonathan Finn who founded Sibelius offered to buy it back from Avid. Unfortunately their offer was refused. “We naturally feel very sad about this treatment of our friends and colleagues who have been key to making Sibelius a success,” said the twins in a statement to the press, “and who have become the world experts in this specialized field.”
One of the features of the software is that it enables music to be transferred directly from the piano keyboard to notated score form. Many singers find it very convenient for writing cadenzas and making changes in their scores. As of this writing, there is an online petition in an attempt to save the software.
www.sibeliususers.org/petition/petition.html
www.classical-music.com/news/time-called-sibelius-uk
