Sesame Street fun on YouTube

I was supposed to be reading about Stravinsky, but the reading wasn't especially interesting and alas, I got distracted by a YouTube clip someone posted on facebook. I remember seeing this particular sketch (is that the right word?) on Sesame Street as a kid, and I thought it was funny, but I didn't totally get it. It wasn't until much later that I connected this bit with the actual The Sound of Music and fully appreciated its humor. I just watched it and was literally laughing out loud (and also recognized the Masterpiece (Monsterpiece) Theatre reference). YouTube has all my old Sesame Street favorites, including "Splish splash I was taking a bath," with the elephants; the one with the little shark singing "Mack the Knife" (only in Dutch); and of course, Rubber Ducky. I also found Placido Flamingo--it took me a long while to figure that one out, too. And I didn't realize that those sketches were so clearly parodies of Metropolitan Opera (Nestropolitan Opera) broadcasts until I watched just now. Hmmm, the set for "Placido Flamingo Loves His Telephone" looks suspiciously like La Boheme. Actually, I enjoyed that one so much that I'm afraid I'll have to post it, too.

Sesame Street - Monsterpiece Theater: The Sound of Music

Classic Sesame Street - Placido Flamingo loves his telephone

CSO tour

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra left for their tour today. My former teacher is bringing his parents on tour with him. His mom beat cancer earlier this year, and this will be her first time to Europe. They'll be stopping in Rome, Paris, London, Munich, Essen, Verona, and Torino. Although the musicians might not have a lot of time to enjoy these fabulous places, I'm sure she will!

question for anyone who cares to answer

So I have an audition coming up with a ginormous list, including several excerpts that are exceedingly long as well as some pieces where the whole part might be fair game. I need to come up with a better plan to practice these excerpts, and I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for practice strategies. How do you prepare for auditions with these intimidating lists?

come on, Brahms

why didn't Brahms write for English horn? it's really been bothering me lately.

musician cards

OMG I love this. (you can hear about it, too.) I totally want my HS musicians trading cards already!

the best oboe solos ever

Listening to recordings for some excerpts, I am reminded why Allan always says that they're not "excerpts," they're "the best oboe solos ever" :) Embedded in some some of the best music ever written, I might add. Though my Brahms recordings are making me nostalgic for the old HS days before Eschenbach and half the orchestra left. It makes me sad that those same players will never play all together again. Nothing against any new players, but those players are the ones who made me want to be a musician, so they'll always be special to me. At least some of them are still there :)

I really liked this oboeinsight post.

enough already

OK, my day hasn't really gotten better. I found out yesterday that Pavarotti died, but just now I read that Madeleine L'Engle has also passed away. And apparently Claudio Abbado is ill. I am beginning to think that there is some sort of conspiracy to kill off as many of my favorite musicians and writers this year as possible.

dogs do not belong on the freeway!!!!

Today didn't start off so well, I'm hoping it ends up better. I took my roommate to the airport at 8 this morning. On the way there, on the 405 - South after Manchester but right before the Century Blvd exit I was to take, as I was zooming along at 65 miles an hour, I suddenly saw two dogs on the freeway. I started to freak out, so did Shirley, they were only fifty feet away, and they didn't seem to be moving out of the way. They looked really confused. I have no idea how they got on the freeway; I have the nasty feeling that someone dumped the poor creatures there at some less trafficky time of day, because it's not easy to just wander on to the 405. They were a pretty golden color, possibly pit bulls, but I'm not sure, and they looked like siblings. They were standing in the little V between the cars merging on from the Manchester entrance and the rest of the freeway, but they started to walk into the right hand lane that I was in. I tried to stop, but I was going too fast, and to stop suddenly on the freeway like that is very dangerous. I couldn't get into the other lane or swerve out of the way because there were cars there. So I slowed down as much as I could and hoped they would get out of the way. One did. But I heard something thump against my car as I continued, and I'm sure the other one must have been injured at the least. I didn't know what to do. Shirley called 411 to get the non-emergency LAPD number, but apparently they don't have one. The lady said we should call animal control, but then we didn't have any paper to write the number down. I felt terrible. I've never had that happen to me before. Those poor animals. I called animal control when I got home, but it was already 9:30 by that time. I hope someone else was able to call in sooner and help them. Poor doggies. I think I'm gonna go cry now.

Terry Gross & Gene Simmons

OMG, this interview is incredible. I don't even know what to say.