Andrew Druckenbrod, the sharp classical music critic at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, has been posting short, spontaneous essays in a blog-esque online forum provided by the newspaper for just over a year now. As of just a few days ago, however, Classical Musings has transformed into a real blog. Andrew now operates the whole thing; comments are enabled, and he'll be responding to them. You can even subscribe.
There are still a few bugs to be worked out on the technical side, but you can rest assured that will happen in short order. Andrew, you see, has long been ahead of the technological curve in some pretty interesting ways. For example, as near as I can tell, he was the first critic at a mainstream daily to get audio files added to online versions of his print pieces -- not just as sidebar ear candy, mind you, but embedded into the article in order to demonstrate points he was making about the music he covered. Needless to say, Andrew and his techie enablers quickly became the envy of many colleagues, myself included.
I had a great time getting to know Andrew a bit better during the recent shindig in Denver, and I'm looking forward to keeping track of what he's up to more effectively. Between this and the recent news of Anne Midgette's formal appointment in Washington, D.C., how nice is it to hear good news about critics and their doings twice in one week?
Playlist:
Sex Pistols - Spunk: The Official Bootleg (Castle)
Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel (Sire/Reprise/Mute)
Cecil Taylor - Leaf Palm Hand (JazzWerkstatt), Looking (Berlin Version) The Feel Trio (FMP) and Cecil Taylor/Bill Dixon/Tony Oxley (Victo)
Little Jackie - The Stoop (S-Curve)
Elliott Sharp - Serrate (Zoar demo)
Iron Maiden - No Prayer for the Dying (Sanctuary)
George Strait - Troubadour (MCA Nashville)
Ralph Vaughan Williams - Riders to the Sea - Norma Burrowes, Margaret Price, Helen Watts, Benjamin Luxon, Ambrosian Singers, Orchestra Nova of London/Meredith Davies; Hugh the Drover - Sheila Armstrong, Helen Watts, Robert Tear, Michael Rippon, Robert Lloyd, Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Choristers of St. Paul's Cathedral, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Charles Groves; Sir John in Love - Felicity Palmer, Elizabeth Bainbridge, Helen Watts, Raimund Herincx, John Noble, Robert Lloyd, John Alldis Choir, New Philharmonia Orchestra/Meredith Davies; The Pilgrim's Progress - Sheila Armstrong, Norma Burrowes, Alfreda Hodgson, Ian Partridge, John Noble, Raimund Herincx, John Carol Case, John Shirley-Quirk, Robert Lloyd, London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra/Adrian Boult; The Wasps - Aristophanic Suite; Prelude and Fugue in C minor - London Philharmonic Orchestra/Vernon Handley; Piano Concerto in C - Piers Lane, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vernon Handley (EMI Classics), and Symphonies Nos. 3, 4, and 9 - Philharmonia Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin (RCA Red Seal)
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