Norman’s News (and some dessert), 8/29/11

Hello, everyone! Sorry to be late, but here’s Norman Lebrecht’s Monday items from the worlds of music, the arts, education, and a sweet science…and we don’t mean boxing…unless you count the kind of box that Forrest Gump talks about! Read on…

1) The latest on tenor Salvatore Licitra after emergency surgery following a motorcycle accident over the weekend: still a long way to go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) This is a topic that continues to generate controversy, as seen on Facebook and on Norman’s blog! More about the new book “The Shostakovich Wars” (soon to be released online), and what it may tell us about Volkov’s “Testimony”, a disputed biography of the composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) To mark the upcoming paperback edition of Norman’s book “Why Mahler?”, his publisher has posted his notes from the Salzburg Festival program about how Mahler added a third dimension to musical perception! More at Slipped Disc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4) Norman shares the report from Musical America’s website that Seiji Ozawa’s illness, mentioned on Slipped Disc, has forced him to abandon a planned tour of China. More about Ozawa’s replacement at Slipped Disc; of course, we hope that Maestro Ozawa will soon regain his health!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5) Norman shares this article from Smithsonian Magazine about the success of Finland’s schools…what’s their secret? (And yes, music plays a part!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6) Now, for some dessert! We’ve heard things about this for a while, but in the interest of science , Norman Lebrecht passes along this link from the CBC about the benefits of chocolate, based on a British study. As Norman says, “Oh yes! I knew it….”  Meanwhile (with a reference to Norman’s famous “Record Doctor” broadcasts for WNYC in New York City), here’s a comment I could not resist making on Facebook:  I guess we can call this Dr. Lebrecht’s prescription…”Let me through, ladies and gentlemen–I’m a doctor, the Record Doctor. I prescribe chocolate CDs for the patient, to be eaten to the point of insensibility. And the doctor could use a few as well!” Actually, WCNY-FM used to offer chocolate CDs as a thank-you gift during membership drives. No word on whether the membership department had the willpower to send them out without sampling them…to see if they’re fit for human consumption, you know!