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Classical Music Takes Center Stage at the White House
NYT ^ | 11/4/09 | ANTHONY TOMMASINI

Posted on 11/05/2009 6:12:52 AM PST by Borges

WASHINGTON — Wednesday was classical music day at the White House. The festivities and performances were sponsored by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, created by executive order in 1982. The first lady serves as honorary chairwoman of the committee, and Michelle Obama, fully embracing that function, has created a White House Music Series.

Earlier daylong programs celebrated jazz, country music and Latin music. Classical music had its turn on Wednesday. The celebration ended with a concert in the East Room with President and Mrs. Obama as hosts, and featuring performances by four acclaimed American musicians: the violinist Joshua Bell, the cellist Alisa Weilerstein, the guitarist Sharon Isbin and the pianist Awadagin Pratt.

Mr. Obama opened the concert with welcoming remarks, sketching the history of classical programs in the East Room, which go back 120 years. Not afraid to show himself a bit of a classical music novice, he counseled those who did not know where to applaud not to worry, but added: “I have Michelle to help me. The rest of you are on your own.”

The program was a sampler, ending with the finale of Mendelssohn’s First Piano Trio, but substantive. It included Mr. Pratt’s herculean transcription of Bach’s organ Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor and Ms. Weilerstein’s volatile account of the final movement of Kodaly’s Sonata for Solo Cello.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 11/05/2009 6:12:52 AM PST by Borges
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To: .30Carbine; 1rudeboy; 2nd Bn, 11th Mar; 31R1O; ADemocratNoMore; afraidfortherepublic; Andyman; ...

Classical Music Ping


2 posted on 11/05/2009 6:14:17 AM PST by Borges
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To: Borges

What?no gangsta rap? classical?whasthat?


3 posted on 11/05/2009 6:14:40 AM PST by mefistofelerevised
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To: Borges

Day long?

Time for music, no time for our General McChrystal.

I weep.


4 posted on 11/05/2009 6:16:43 AM PST by Carley (OBAMA IS A MALEVOLENT FORCE IN THE WORLD)
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To: Borges

When’s ‘Polka Night’? /s


5 posted on 11/05/2009 6:17:12 AM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear (I don't have a 'Cousin Pookie'.)
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To: Borges
Not afraid to show himself a bit of a classical music novice, he counseled those who did not know where to applaud not to worry, but added: “I have Michelle to help me. The rest of you are on your own.”

So Michelle, in addition to being an Ivy League-trained lawyer, super-healthy hardbody, and fashion and beauty icon, is also a classical music afficionado?

Who knew we were so blessed?

6 posted on 11/05/2009 6:19:41 AM PST by Trailerpark Badass (Happiness is a choice!)
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To: Carley

Agreed! HE seems to have time for *EVERYTHING* under the sun - except our troops... a disgrace! God help America!


7 posted on 11/05/2009 6:20:11 AM PST by Momto2 ("By perseverance the snail reached the ark." Charles Spurgeon)
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To: Momto2

Do the job you were “hired” to do, Zero!


8 posted on 11/05/2009 6:23:10 AM PST by ErnBatavia (Obama is a DIC....... Ditherer-in-Chief)
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To: Trailerpark Badass
is also a classical music afficionado?

Mostly French Opera.


9 posted on 11/05/2009 6:23:34 AM PST by paulycy (Predatory Pricing = Public Option = Unethical Competition.)
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To: paulycy

Diggin’ that lobster hair clip, lol.


10 posted on 11/05/2009 6:25:06 AM PST by RegulatorCountry
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To: Borges

I’m sure our troops in Afghanistan that are left hanging in the wind are very impressed with the Obamas’ music appreciation nights. Barf


11 posted on 11/05/2009 7:00:36 AM PST by Merlinator (Take them all down...one czar at a time FUBO)
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To: Borges

Wonder when the Kwanzaa decorations are going up in the WH.


12 posted on 11/05/2009 7:03:19 AM PST by The Great RJ ("The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." M. Thatcher)
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To: Carley

Haydn’s “Mass in Time of War”


13 posted on 11/05/2009 7:51:21 AM PST by onedoug
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To: onedoug
How about Haydn's "Farewell Symphony" where all the musicians snuff out a candle and leave the stage one-by-one.....till only one oboist and Emperor Obama playing his nose flute remain performing to the hushed elites in the audience.

Leni

14 posted on 11/05/2009 8:13:07 AM PST by MinuteGal (Bill O'Reilly: 9/8/09: "Communism is not a threat to us anymore"-10/20/09: "Obama is not a Marxist")
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To: Borges

As some here suggested.

0bama Fiddles While US Military In Afghanistan Pays The Ultimate Price.

I’m so angry . . . just don’t get me started . . . !


15 posted on 11/05/2009 8:37:16 AM PST by HighlyOpinionated (Abortion-Euthanasia kills the very people for whom Social Justice is needed.)
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