http://www.johneroos.com Just another WordPress weblog Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:57:09 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Dave Holland arguably is the most important jazz musician of the past decade. As outstanding instrumentalist, both as leader and back-up. As a composer/arranger of distinction. A superb leader, both of small groups and big bands. An entrepreneur who has taken the risk of founding his own label. And his ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=61 In 1960, in the midst of intense conflicts over Algeria, Jean-Paul Sartre signed a document urging French soldiers to desert. Many were outraged, and demanded action against the famed writer. But President Charles de Gaulle did nothing. Explaining his action, de Gaulle commented, "One does not arrest Voltaire." Such is the ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=92 In 1986, while VP-Marketing for the Family Channel TV network, I wanted to create promos and network IDs with really good music. Not the sound featured on typical jingles. I called my brother-in-law, at the time a major recording engineer in Chicago, asking him if he knew of anyone with ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=91 Josef Krips never has been a particular favorite conductor. I find his ubiquitous, inexpensive recordings of the Beethoven symphonies modestly successful but not memorable. I've somewhat enjoyed his recordings of Schubert's symphonies. However, to my ears, something special happened when he recorded Mozart symphonies with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Born in Vienna ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=90 In the pantheon of great recordings of the keyboard music of J.S. Bach, the one dedicated recording of his music by Martha Argerich stands at the pinnacle. Here is everything we could want in a recording of Bach keyboard music, as played on the piano. All the crispness. All the ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=89 The importance of Constantine in world history cannot be overstated. To many in the Christian West, he was lauded for ending the persecution of Christians and embracing Christianity, leading to the Christianization of the Roman Empire. He established Constantinople as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. But, in recent ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=88 "The Epic Rivalry that Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age." This, the subtital of Arthur Herman's book on Gandhi and Churchill, accurately defines the importance of these two men, and why this book is so important. Both men have becomes legands. Really larger than life. Churchill for his heroic leadership ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=87 Few symphonies can rival Mahler's 9th for outstanding recordings. Roger Norrington's new recording with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra now joins this list. This certainly is one of the most unusual, yet most enjoyable performances of this symphony I've experienced. Norrington has made a specialty of seeking historical accuracy in his ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=75 While I was a high school student, my friend and piano teacher, Jane Brough, called me one night. She had just returned from the Annapolis library with some music that, she knew, I just had to hear. It was the 4th Symphony by Alan Hovhaness, a man I’d never heard ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=86 It happened while listening to Charles Dutoit’s Montreal Symphony recording of Bolero by Maurice Ravel. I have heard this music hundreds of times, and own dozens of recordings, yet always look forward to the listening experience. What, I wondered, made this music so unique? So appealing? There are many excellent ... http://www.johneroos.com/?p=85