3/19/10

I've got the ill communications

Sifting through the Kansas City Star, I came across this title:


Chinese composers show Western influence

And decided that I didn’t want to deal with that particular type of stupid. Instead, I chose this winner:

Yo-Yo Ma shows why he’s probably the world’s greatest

Uh. Greatest…? Online poker player?

I kid the witty, yet only somewhat confident, copy editors of the Star. But seriously, what’s the deal with the off titles? Obviously, the Star hasn’t heard of any of the numerous online random title generators. They must actually use their brains. Dang, that’s hard work! In a few seconds, I didn’t use my brain and came up with this title: Delicious Man. I think that would have been a perfectly apt title. Don’t you?

Anyway, how is Mr. Ma doing these days?

The program opened with Franz Schubert's Sonata for Piano and Arpeggione, an extinct, cello-sized six-string guitar played with a bow.

I see. So the Star has heard of Wikipedia, but not its fallibility.

This work flows from one wonderful song or dance to another…

What our author “probably” means is that it flows from the Allegro moderato to the Adagio, then to the Allegretto. Kind of like songs or dances, I suppose. Then again, Wikipedia doesn’t cover the details. It does, however, cover this:

…but there's an undercurrent of sadness to it all -- perhaps because in 1824 Schubert was growing seriously ill and felt increasingly isolated.

…though, Wikipedia covers this without the speculation. Way to avoid plagiarism! Give yourself five points.

What else does Wikipedia say? Nothing?! I guess it’s time for some original prose, then.

Anyone who's ever played a music program for a live audience knows how hard it can be to hit the ground running, especially with music this reflective.

No comment. Just, yikes.

That Ma and [pianist] Stott were still very affecting in the Schubert only shows the level at which they're working.

The rest of the review, which doesn’t deserve any more of my time, continues on with a similar mix of horrible non-information, like the above, and Wikipedia alterations.

Figure 1. Last known photograph of a living arpeggione
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1 comments:

Sator Arepo said...

"Anyone who's ever played a music program..."

As I read this on my computer machine, drinking my tea beverage, I laughed with my face mouth.

(Like Ma Bell, indeed.)