Itzhak Perlman - Sibelius Violin Concerto

Mendelssohn: 4. Sinfonie (»Italienische«) ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Paavo...

Mozart - Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 (Julien Salemkour & Staatska...

Veterans

OUR U.S. CULTURE is bizarre.  We have odd things going.  However, on Memorial Day let us do some fine things.  Let us remember our veterans...the people who made the giant sacrifice.  Let us stop the insane awful mean mode and be good human beings.

Camille Saint-Saens: Piano Concerto no. 2 in G minor op. 22

Mischa Maisky - Haydn - Cello Concerto No 2 in D major

Fantastic Philip Roth

PHILIP ROTH was a great writer.  When he passed recently I was overwhelmed.  I consider his engaging novel, 'The Human Stain' a towering work of genius.

Suppé: Overtures (Georg Solti/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - 1959)

Mr. Hemingway's 'The Sun Also Rises'

THE WILD YEAR of 1926 brought us a startling volume of writing greatness.  Ernest Hemingway came out with his sleek masterpiece 'The Sun Also Rises.'  For certain the incisive and tough prose of Papa stood the ribald literary world on its ear.  This good muscular story of the overwhelming Jake Barnes and Robert and of course Lady Brett was so shrewd.  Like a good angus beef steak that's what this one was.  I will never forget the time that I first read 'Sun' and let me say right now I forgot about being the odd introvert male I was.  I wanted so very desperately to rise up and be a man's man...a character out of the fertile mind of E. Hemingway.  This story about the human beings who traveled from Paris to Pamplona to see the crushing spectacle of the bullfight scenarios was so passionate and My God so vibrant.  If we all learn to vividly enjoy the magnificent aura of powerhouse prose again then we can add so many levels and yes so many interesting dimensions to our somewhat humdrum lives.

Tom Wolfe, The Magnificent Innovator

GREATNESS PERSONIFIED passed away today.  Tom Wolfe, one of my favorite writing souls moved on down the road.  The man did so much zesty stuff with his new journalism motif.  His books were such shiny and profound works.  His 'Bonfire Of The Vanities' was a fantastic book indeed.  I will miss this great man of the writing world. 

N. Rimsky-Korsakov. Scheherazade. Movement 1

Respect John McCain

DISGUSTING,  the cruel, mean words aimed recklessly at John McCain in the last few days.  The man has a terrific record as an iconic hero...a veteran with so much courage and of course so much style.  How can cruel bureaucrats end up saying heinous things about a powerful soul like McCain.

Stan Kenton - Artistry in Rhythm (9)

IN THE MOOD ~THE BBC BIG BAND ORCHESTRA

duke ellington at the bal masque (1959) FULL ALBUM johnny hodges