Bizarre Court Case Puts a Violinist, and Leipzig String Quartet, in an Unflattering Light

The New York Times ^ | 12 June 2015 | Michael Cooper

[Theoria]

The violinist Stefan Arzberger had planned to play the music of Beethoven, Haydn and Mendelssohn with his colleagues in the Leipzig String Quartet later this month at Wigmore Hall in London, where he fondly recalls once sipping sherry with patrons after a concert.

Instead he finds himself facing a charge of attempted murder in New York City, accused of barging naked into the room of a 64-year-old woman at a Midtown hotel he was staying in while on tour this spring and trying to strangle her. His defense is hardly less lurid: His lawyers say he was drugged by a prostitute he had brought to his room earlier that night.

In his first extended English-language interview since his arrest, Mr. Arzberger — who has received support from a number of musicians, including Kurt Masur, the former music director of the New York Philharmonic, who conducted him in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra — said he did not remember what happened in the early morning hours of March 27, when the attack took place, according to a criminal complaint.

“I spend my time now investigating what happened that night, to find out — because I have no memories,” Mr. Arzberger, 42, who is out on $100,000 bail, said the other day over lunch. “This is something I never had in my life, something like this. No memories at all.”

Now, he faces criminal charges of attempted murder, burglary, strangulation and assault, and a civil suit from the woman.

[Grateful2God]

Thank you for all the laughs! I think we have the first thread made from catgut! Good rosin to tune in again, FRiends!

[left that other site]

Take a bow for that one!

[Grateful2God]

Think we’ll get a Grammy for this thread?

[Grateful2God]

Have not had this many laughs (and boy, did I need them!) with classical music since Elmer Fudd killed the wabbit! Have a beautiful day and God bless you all!

[left that other site]

A Grammy?

Depends.

[Publius]

What's Opera, Doc?"

[left that other site]

Who said Classical music doesn’t have a sense of humoresque?

[left that other site]

I used to have that Wagner Cartoon but Isolde it.

[left that other site]

Isolde that on Ebay.

Wish I had it now, gotterdammerung!

[Publius]

I ought to Tann your Hauser for that.

[left that other site]

I could Percival that you were annoyed! :-)

[Publius]

You’re making me Loh an’ grin.

[left that other site]

Isolde it, but on Ebay, you can Bay-it-reuth Bach!

[freedumb2003]

There would not have been a problem is she wasn’t Wagner tail all over the place!

[ConorMacNessa]

"The basses of their beings throb
In witching chords, and their thin blood
Pulse pizzicati of Hosanna."

"Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre / mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað."
"Thought must be the harder, heart be the keener / mind must be the greater, as our might lessens."

[left that other site]

Ha ha Ha!

That’s on a Parsifal with some of the best puns on this thread!

[left that other site]

We are on the same page!

In one a chord.

In synch.

[ConorMacNessa]

But Monica will play a few bars on the Pork Trombone.

"Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre / mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað."
"Thought must be the harder, heart be the keener / mind must be the greater, as our might lessens."

[left that other site]

There once was a gal named monica
Who thought she could play the harmonica
But her best time was spent
on a flute that was bent
And now she’s a star! How ironica.

[HKMk23]

It would seem that the guy unstrung the wrong g-string.