Devil's Trill

It's all about me!!! and Elmo!!!

Well, I haven't very much to share with you today. However, I do have this photo.

I encourage you to engage in your creative faculties. Embrace your inner artiste and discern the significance of this image for yourself. After all, according to contemporary critical theory, no work of art is completed until the viewer finds a personal meaning for him or herself.

So, what does this work say to you? Given your personal experience, your prominence as the height of Creation, what does it all mean?!!! Only your personal genius can bring order from chaos, establishing the Foundation from the Void.

;-)

Holiday Cheer #2

Christmas tree at the Promenade on the Peninsula

I'm not fond of the consumerist elements that have come to define the holiday season. I've gone on that rant many a time since starting this blog. However, I'm fully in favor of anything which promotes goodwill and compassion.

Personally, my favorite element to the season is the music. No, not the jingos that echo through the mall. Not the sappy tunes that ooze from "easy listening" radio stations. Those types of holiday fare are not necessarily bad, but they don't capture my interest like traditional carols, sounds from the centuries past.

So, let's enjoy a few "old school" tunes.

Old School Orientalism

Detail from The Turkish Bath (1862) by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

On this date in 1782, Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio was premiered.

It's a fun opera, with many impressive arias and clever compositional techniques. But what always captures my interest is how it illustrates European fascination with "oriental" culture. Harems, eastern despots, and exotic customs, these are some of the hallmarks of the genre, frequently played for laughs.

And for erotic imaginings. The "Orient" was an almost fantastic place where Reason and Order were overwhelmed by the sensual and the decadent. So, artists and composers rose to the challenge of satisfying European desires for this Dionysian vision, filled with spices and odalisques.

Detail from The Women of Algiers (1834) by Eugene Delacroix

So, I figured we could look at a few classic images and listen to some music evocative of Oriental fantasies.

Bach to the Baroque

Detail from a Portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach (1748) by Elias Gottlob Haussmann

It would be a gross negligence, an injustice, if we didn't celebrate the birth date of the Baroque master, Johann Sebastian Bach, born on March 21, 1685.

My appreciation for Bach's music is beyond words, but, oddly, I don't get passionate about it. Whereas with Schubert or Mozart, I can endlessly praise or gush with enthusiasm, listing every precious compositional nuance, each moment of brilliance or inspiration. With Bach, I have no desire to champion his greatness.

Perhaps it is because Bach requires no champions. His music is so undeniably superb that I cannot even begin to imagine how anyone could not admire it. Perhaps it just isn't a particular listener's "thing" but, even so, they must be able to discern the quality, to value it intellectually, dispassionately.

The music is masterful in precision, balance, and progression. Cool and composed, the intricate sounds are the perfection of the Baroque.

Statue of Johann Sebastian Bach (1908) by Carl Seffner, in Leipzig

But I'll stop blathering and allow the music to state its case.

Painted on the Ceiling

Detail of the Triumph of Virtue and Nobility over Ignorance (1750) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

More Venetian baroque for today.

This time we celebrate the paintings of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, born on March 5, 1696. He is best known for his amazing ceiling frescoes, which feature the elaborate staging of figures floating in luminous spaces over the viewer's head. They convey a powerful sense of space, a feeling of ascendance.

Out here in LA, we're lucky enough to have a nice sampling of Tiepolo's work. At the Norton Simon Museum, it is always a pleasure to see the Triumph of Virtue and Nobility over Ignorance. It commands the view of the Baroque wing. Likewise, the Getty and LACMA have a few nice works as well.

But to really appreciate Tiepolo, you need to see the works in their original context and site. Alas, I haven't the time or resources to take a trip to Italy any time soon. ;-)

Detail of the Miracle of the Holy House of Loreto (1743) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

So, lets look at some vids instead.

The Red Priest

Detail of View of the Santa Maria della Salute with the Dogana di Mare (1780) by Francesco Guardi

We can't let the day pass without celebrating the birth date of Antonio Vivaldi.

All year long, we've been enjoying his music, interspersed most notably within our seasonal posts. I absolutely adore his compositions, treasures of the baroque Venetian style. In terms of elegance, few composers can compare.

So, let's take a moment to enjoy these beauties and reflect on the shimmering image of 18th century Venice.

Detail of Venetian Capriccio (1760) by Francesco Guardi

Once again, let's listen to some music. ;-)

Baroque Beauty and Bygone Glamour

Detail of Regina (2011) by Sylvia Ji


"Gilded Roses" is an exhibition of new works by Sylvia Ji, on view at the Corey Helford Gallery. This is her fourth show at the gallery, which has showcased her fascinating development as a fine artist of "dark" visions, going from the Day of the Dead imagery typical of her early work, as shown in her exhibits "Por Vida" (2008) and "Haute Epoch" (2009), to an exploration of animal, "Shapeshifter" (2010), and floral themes.

This show is less overtly dark, lacking the creepy crawlies of her earlier work, but goes for a more subtle style. The antique baroque attire of her figures establishes a haunted mood, a long-lost glamour, as though we are viewing bygone beauties who persist as restless spirits. Each image is dominated by a single color. Most of the figures are associated with a particular type of flower. These qualities hint at some hidden significance, a story that explains the haunting, a meaning by which to understand the compulsions behind their lovely facades.

Mourning Dress in Violet (2011) by Sylvia Ji

As usual, Sylvia Ji has wonderful technique. The manner in which she allows the grain of the wood panel to establish a sense of atmosphere is fantastic. Her use of color is especially compelling in this show. And her skill at depicting beautiful women never disappoints.

Winter

Winter (1755) by Jean-Honore Fragonard


A new season begins, Winter, my least favorite time of the year.

The holidays are rarely "happy" for me. I'm not prone to depression, but late December and early January do bring on some spiritual doldrums. Maybe it's the light. Maybe it's the cold. All I know is that it takes a whole lot of eggnog to bring me some seasonal cheer. ;-)

And the flowers are so few. The bounty of color that I wish to see in the gardens is muted, with only a handful of hardy floral gems on view. But, at least, I still have art and music.

Detail of Winter (1896) by Alphonse Mucha

One way in which I deal with the Winter Gloom is by staying busy. I often overpack my schedule, visiting museums, gardens, galleries, performances, lectures, and any activity that will keep my mind from straying into the shadows. Yeah, it's a form of escapism, but it does the job. By early February, I can feel my spirit lifting up, anticipating the beauties of Spring, just about fifty days away.

New Beautiful Things Come

An Italian Autumn (1844) by Thomas Cole


Summer passes without giving the South Bay much of a visit this year. Our marine layer has started each morning with a gray ceiling that lasts deep into the day. From early May to this September morning, the Gloom blots out the sky. Oh well, let's hope that Autumn clears away the mists.

Folks foreign to the Californian climate will scoff at the notion of a "seasonal" change in Los Angeles. They claim that it is always summer here. Always green and without color. Well, it's true that we don't get the intense reds, oranges, and browns that characterize much of the rest of the States. However, the Fall subtly creeps into the trees and gardens. The bird songs and animal activities gradually alter. It's a slow walk into the darkness of Winter.

This isn't my favorite season. But I'll keep my complaints to a minimum. ;-)

Autumn (1896) by Alphonse Mucha


And we can't pass up the opportunity to post another Mucha beauty.

Music or Mars?

John Carter of Mars and Dejah Thoris (2009) by Julie Bell and Boris Vallejo


Since I'm in a bit of a rush today, we'll compress the celebration of Edgar Rice Burroughs' birth date (1875) and Johann Pachelbel's (1653) into one post. This may become the model for future days when I'm torn between two inspirations. Since Burroughs has plenty of illustrations to depict his work, but few quality videos, he'll have the front page. Meanwhile, Pachelbel has virtually no interesting images but many, many vids. So he'll come after the jump.

Today we'll focus on images of Burroughs' Barsoom. Why? Well, there is a John Carter of Mars movie coming out later this year. Second, Dejah Thoris, princess of the Martian city-state of Helium, is the original interplanetary super-hottie. Many an illustrator has been inspired by this Martian muse. ;-)


Cover art to Edgar Rice Burroughs' Princess of Mars by Frank Frazetta (1970)


If it's Tarzan or images of the Hollow Earth land of Pellucidar that you desire, then wait until next year or so.



Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium (2010) by Frank Cho


As regards Barsoom, Princess of Mars was published as a serial in 1912 and republished as a novel in 1917. The series spans 11 books. The success of this series created the Planetary Romance subgenre of Science Fiction.

Biber: Music from a Real Bohemian

Vanitas Still Life by Pieter Gerritsz van Roestraeten

One of my favorite baroque composers in Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber. His music has a rich intricacy that keeps the ear engaged but never overwhelmed. There is an elegant progression to his compositional style. This is most obvious in my favorite piece, the Mensa Sonora seu Musica Instrumentalis (1680). Yeah, it is a series of courtly dance pieces, but I like dance music even if it's over three centuries old. ;-)

Here is a bit of the Mensa Sonora:

And here is Biber's most famous work, the Passacaglia for violin solo in G minor from the Mystery Sonatas. Haunting, yet entrancing.

So, if you've never listened to Biber's music before, then take the opportunity to today to remedy the situation. The Mensa Sonora and the Mystery Sonatas are great pieces to develop an appreciate for this master of the Baroque.

Enjoy!!!

What A Woman Can Do

Detail of Judith Slaying Holofernes (c. 1620) by Artemisia Gentileschi

On this date in 1593, Artemisia Gentileschi was born.

She is one of my favorite painters of the Baroque era. The dramatic realism and intense contrast of shadow and light are filled with intense emotion. Fear, rage, horror, confusion and pain are expressed with an unflinching visceral honesty. Many of her peers of the Italian Baroque adhere to an interesting but artificial mannerism, even Caravaggio gets occasionally caught up in the stylistics. Artemisia works within the same tradition, but maintains a powerful sense of authenticity throughout her career.

Sadly, there is a well-intentioned but misguided reductionist interpretation of her works that dominates both public and academic analysis. As a teen, Artemisia was raped by her tutor and, when pressing charges against her assailant, she was subjected to torture by thumbscrews as a part of her testimony. Obviously, such an experience is going to have a profound effect upon her psychological state, which will then be expressed through her art.

It is true that many of her paintings focus on themes relating to sexual victimization and powerful women. But she has many works that don't deal with such themes. To reduce her creative aesthetic to this "one note" thematic expression is a needless reduction. I feel it is better to study Artemisia just as one would any great artist of the Italian Baroque and then focus on the gender related themes. To do otherwise is to reduce her to a proto-feminist icon.



Lot and His Daughters (c. 1640s) by Artemisia Gentileschi


As a comparison, would we limit our appreciation of Raphael to his "Madonna and Child" works? Is the study of Andy Warhol limited to his "Campbell Soup" works? Do we limit our Rembrandt studies to his self-portraits?

Summer Has Arrived

Summer (1909) by Frank W. Benson

Woo hoo!!! My favorite season is upon us! Summer, a time of warmth and long days. . .

Of course, here, in the Los Angeles South Bay area, the sky is dark and grey. The standard "June Gloom" casts a shadow upon the land. It's chilly at the beach and the clouds obscure the sun setting into the Pacific.

But soon the marine layer will lift. The sky will be bright and blue. The birdsongs will fill the morning air. The bright flowers will in full bloom. You all know how much I enjoy visiting the various local botanical gardens and nature preserves to look at the birds and flora. Well, this is the best time of year for such activities!

And there's the beach! Woo hoo!!!



Summer (1896) by Alphonse Mucha


It is often said that there are no seasons in Los Angeles. That is false.

Make It Interesting

Anne Sofie von Otter

Today marks the 56th birthday of Anne Sofie von Otter, a Swedish mezzo-soprano, who is among my favorite singers. Not only does she have a rich, warm voice, but her technique is engaging. Moreover, her performance selections are creative and diverse. Many classical performers fall into a rut in terms of stylistics or performance genre, but ASvO is always exploring new ground and sharing atypical material. Even when she works in the "standard rep" her interpretation and performance brings out new qualities and nuances.

I first took notice of her when I heard a recording of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, wherein she sang the role of Dido. It wasn't my favorite version, but it definitely caught my attention. It had excellent vocal clarity and precision. The final lament in particular was intense!

A few years later, I noticed that she had recorded some Grieg lieder. I had no interest in Grieg's music, but I remembered her engaging sound and style. So, I gave it a listen. I'm still not sold on Grieg, but her performance brought out the rich melodic texture, the intimate romanticism, of the music. Lovely.

And then there is Schubert. That's when ASvO stole my heart. ;-)

Anyway, here are a few more vids to showcase ASvO's style:

Here's Anne Sofie von Otter's Wikipedia page.

And here's her official website.

Enjoy!!!

Beneath the Brilliant Canopy of Spring

La Primavera, (c.1482), Sandro Botticelli

Antonio Vivaldi was born 333 years ago, on March 4, 1678. Born in Venice, his music captures the spirit of the city. The play of lightness and shade, the opulence and grace, it evokes the Baroque Venetian aesthetic. Even his sacred music contains hints of Venice's hedonistic style.

Here's a link to the Vivaldi page at Wikipedia.

(Btw: I know that Botticelli's Primavera is from Renaissance Florence, but I've been wanting to post it up for a few days now. I couldn't pass up the opportunity.)

Enjoy!!!