Where's Ralph? Footballing in Nigeria

Ken and I just wrapped up another Nigerian scammer scam -- our fifth. This one just happened by accident. It started when I received an email from a friend I had seen just a few hours before. The email claimed said a friend had been mugged in London and needed money to come home! I wrote my friend to let him know his email address book had been hacked, but it was the scammer who responded!

The game was on. I kind of made this one up as I went along. We soon moved from reality to "Green Acres," which somehow lead to a showdown between two dead presidents (or rather, their relatives). And then, all of a sudden, everything changed, and Roy Rogers (as played by Ken) rode onto the scene.

I've changed the name of my friend, but otherwise the emails are exactly as we received them. Chapter One has the bulk of the tale, Chapter Two begins when our favorite Texas oilman enters the scene.

I must say, the scammers' fake documents were better than we've seen to date, but I think our fake documents are still better -- I wonder sometimes if we're on the right side of this game.

Make sure you read carefully. We sprinkled the letters with puns, pop culture references, and made-up Western slang that probably didn't translate well.

For your reading pleasure, we present the Story of John and Marsha and Roy.

Chapter One: John and Marsha
Chapter Two: John and Roy

Review: Gavin Bryars refines his style with Piano Concerto

Gavin Bryars: Piano Concerto -The Solway Canal
Ralph von Raat, piano
Cappella Amsterdam
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic; Otto Tausk, conductor
Naxos

I've always liked Gavin Bryars' music, although I admit I was always more familiar with his earlier works, such as "Jesus' Blood Ain't Failed Me Yet," and "The Sinking of the Titanic." The latter was almost a study in sound landscapes and non-tonal sonorities, crafted to deliver a visceral emotional wallop. Bryars has continued growing as a composer, delving even further into the nature of sound, while refining his musical language.

All of that's beautifully illustrated in this new recording from Naxos. Pianist Ralph van Raat presents three of Bryars' recent compositions for the instrument, two of which are dedicated to van Raat. All three works share certain similarities. There are these long flowing arpeggios played with the damper pedal down. This causes these layered chords to overlap each other, creating an additional voice as sonorities fade in and out.

At first, listen, I was reminded briefly of Philip Glass' music -- but only briefly. While flowing diatonic chords are prominent, that's where the similarity ends. Bryar isn't concerned with gradual changes over time. He's more interested in what's happening at the moment. His chords change quickly, although each chord often has several notes in common with the one before it. The result is music that organically flows from point to point, much like a vine.

While the two solo piano works on the album, "After Handel's Vesper" and "Ramble on Cortona" are compelling listening, the piano concerto is a real masterwork.

Subtitled "The Solway Canal" it takes the Edwin Morgan poem as its starting point and a basis for organization. Like Smetana's "Ma Vlast," the piano concerto takes the listener down the canal, presenting scenes along the banks that drift past. The solo piano part isn't especially virtuosic, but it is the glue that holds the work together. The piano plays almost constantly, with the orchestra and chorus organized around its shimmering chordal cascades.

I would be hard-pressed to precisely describe the structure of the work, but I don't think it matters. "The Solway Canal" pulled me along from the first note to the final chord, and everything just seemed to fall into place.

If you think modern music has to sound like a toolbox descending a staircase, give Bryar a listen. You won't hear pretty little melodies, but you will hear compelling, accessible music that draws you in emotionally. And really, isn't that the point?

Highly recommended.

The Tender Trap 3

I know I should leave this subject alone, but shortly after my last post about the Tender Trap I ran across an offering for a Marx train set on eBay.

Here's the photo of the train all set up. Attractively displayed, don't you think? (click on the images to enlarge)

Yet something doesn't seem right. Oh, I know. The tender's backward! Let's look at that a little more closely:

Yep, it's backward, all right. Notice how the coal empties away from the engine. OK, that's pretty subtle, but what about this? The tender is designed to connect to the locomotive and the other cars in one way and one way only.

Notice that the engine has a simple hook. There's a corresponding one with a slot on the correct end of the tender. The cars all have knuckle couplers (that don't work with the hook). There's a knuckle coupler on the correct end of the tender. Let's take an even closer look, shall we?


On the left are the engine and the wrong end of the tender. No match on the couplers. On the right, the other end of the tender and one of the freight cars. No match there, either.

I know, the complexities of couples might be beyond some folks. But there's one other thing.

Also included in this offering is not just the train itself, but the entire set: track, transformer, and original box.

A box with cover art. Cover art that shows how the train should be set up.

 

Let's take a closer look at the artwork.

Yep, there's no doubt about it, in order for our knuckle-headed seller to set this train up incorrectly, he had to not only ignore the obviously mismatched connectors but had to assiduously avoid looking at the box art for guidance. But I'm sure he felt the tender "looked right" the way he had it. It's what they always say.

From another auction site, here's the same engine and tender properly displayed.

Let's take a closer look. Notice how, even though not connected, the two hooks just look right. It's obvious they go together. Is this really such a difficult concept? After all, these things were designed for young children to set up and play with.

The Tender Trap 2

I was looking at some items on eBay the other day and ran across not one, but two examples of something that really, really, bugs me. I call it the tender trap.

When you're talking about steam locomotives (at least in the U.S.), the car immediately behind the engine is called the "tender." It's where the engine's fuel supply is carried. In the early days, this was wood, but soon it was replaced by coal. The term is probably a shortened form of "coal tender."

Now I know that most people don't really know -- or even care to know -- that much about toy trains. But if you're going to display them for sale, why not set it up properly? It definitely makes what you're trying to sell more appealing to the potential buyer (who most likely does know something about these items).

So how can you tell if you've set the train up right? Simple. Just hook the cars together. Almost any toy train will have some kind of unique coupling arrangement that prevents you from having the tender face the wrong way.

Why would anyone want the tender to face the wrong way? Because there's a mistaken notion that the tender should slope into the engine's cab, so the end that's taller should be in the back.

Here's the first example, a small Strombrecker floor toy:

Yep. The tender's backward. That opening should be facing the engine, because (if this were a real train), that's how the fireman would access the coal. And ignorance is no excuse. These Strombrecker trains used a very simple coupling system. Underneath the body of each car runs a long wire that sticks out at both ends. On one end is a hook, and on the other, an eye. Sticking out of the back of the engine is a hook. In the current setup, the photographer has the hook from the engine touching the hook of the tender. That should have been a clue that perhaps it wasn't set up right.

Strombrecker built the train so that the tender could only be connected to the engine one way -- by using the hook on the engine to connect to the eye of the tender (found on the open end). So simple, a child could do it (and often did, back in the day).

Here's what it should look like, in an image from the Strombrecker  catalog. If you look carefully, you can even see the hook and eye connectors. (You can click on an image to enlarge)

This next one really takes the cake, though. It was clear from the copy that the seller had absolutely no idea what the tender was for. He called it a "blue car." Notice how it's not even close to the engine!

And yet, even though he has no idea of the car's function, he still placed it backward! Despite the hook and eye connectors that suggested otherwise, by golly there it is.

As you can see from the Strombrecker image below, these things only connect one way.

One more thing: as an extra added bonus, he also placed the caboose incorrectly. Now again, not everyone knows that a caboose (the red car) goes at the end of the train.  But all you have to do is connect the thing together. The engine has an eye, but no hook. It has to go at one end. The yellow car and the blue car (the tender) have both a hook and an eye, so they go in the middle (and the tender only connects in the right direction). The caboose has a hook, but no eye. It has to go at the end.

No real need for any kind of expertise here. Just connect the cars together, and you'll be fine. Really.

And so will I!

Crowdsourcing Judge Parker

Yesterday I made an observation about the Judge Parker comic strip that turned out not be true. I had thought that current artist Mike Manley was the first to depict the exterior of the Spenser farm house, but an anonymous poster provided some panels from previous artist Eduardo Barreto showing the same structure (like the one below - click on image to enlarge).

Still, I appreciate Manley's attention to detail. It's definitely the same house, with the same number of windows on each side of the door.

If you consider how much time the average person spends reading a daily strip (measured in seconds), this level of craftsmanship is far above what the artist need to do to "get by."

So well done. Mr. Manley. And also many thanks to our anonymous commentator for setting the record straight!

The WTJU copyright issue, day 44.

A milestone for Judge Parker?

I've been reading Judge Parker since I was in high school, and I think today something significant happened in the strip. In the panel below, you'll see something that I don't recall seeing rendered by any other Judge Parker artist -- the exterior of Abby Spenser's house.

Harold LeDoux, long-time artist for the strip was the master of the interior. He had a very clear idea of what the breakfast nook in the kitchen looked like, for example, and consistently depicted it throughout the years. The curtains were always the same pattern, the furniture always in the same place (in relation to the angle shown in the panel), and so on. He showed the same attention to detail with Sam Driver's office, and other recurring locations.

LeDoux didn't depict exteriors much, though. He occasionally would show all of Spenser Farms laid out in the distance when characters were on a hill overlooking the estate, but when they got close to the house, it was basically head shots and door frames.

Eduardo Barreto, who replaced him, also stuck mostly to interiors. So hats off to Mike Manley, the newest artist to take over the strip, for venturing into new ground. Frankly, I always thought the house would be an upscale version of a 50's ranch home, but Southern antebellum works, too.

The WTJU copyright issue, day 43.

Welcome to Off Topic'd

It's been quite a while since our last post, and many things have changed.

When Ken and I started "CE Conversations" back in 2006, the idea was to do a blog about consumer electronics (the "C.E." of the title), and for Ken and I to alternate posts in an open conversation (the "Conversations" of the title).

It very soon turned into a blog about other things we were interested in, such as movies, books, personal observations on life and culture (both high and popular). And as Ken got more involved with other projects, his participation lessened, making CE Conversations more like RG Monologues.

So we've worked on a redesign and a new title, and here we are.

CE Conversations becomes Off Topic'd
"Off Topic'd" is a play on the words "Off Topic." The cardinal rule of blogging is to stick to a single topic -- be it fly fishing or genealogy -- and write exclusively about that. Audience builds because readers know what to expect -- another fascinating post about knitting (or whatever).

The problem is that I'm deeply interested in a bunch of different things -- some related, some not. Plus, I write and edit blogs professionally, so I already write tightly focussed posts as part of my job.

CE Conversations/Off Topic'd I write for fun, so I'm writing about whatever I feel like. Sure, the numbers may not get very high, but that's OK. Some people get it.

So the title refers to my preference to go off topic as often as I care to. It's more fun that way.

Where's Ken?
Ken's still around, and we still work closely together -- our conversations are offline now, I'm afraid. Ken remains a writer of this blog, and he'll contribute whenever he feels like it (he, too, writes professionally on deadline, so writing without a deadline is fun).

An Invitation for Writers
And that's where you come in. I'd love to share this blog with a few other like-minded (read: eclectic) writers. Drop me a line if you're interested. No money -- just glory.

So is there a theme to Off Topic'd?
Yes, there is. My motto is "finding beauty in ephemera." I like to hold up for examination things that usually don't get much attention even the first time around -- like comic strip art. I also like to look for patterns of behavior and try to move from the specific to the general -- like trying to find general characteristics in collecting. And sometimes there are things I just think people should know about if they don't already -- like knowing what "cutting the Gordian knot" means.

Bottom line: this blog has a new look and new title, but basically it's just a readjustment to what the blog has actually become rather than a change of direction.

Hope you enjoy!

And of course, if you have any ideas, suggestions, or questions. contact me. There's still a conversation or two to be had here.

Ralph


The WTJU copyright issue, day 23. 

The Straco Express and the Mystery Train

If you've ready my earlier post this 1960's Japanese tin toy train, the Straco Express, you'll know I was confronted with something of a mystery. This train set I purchased had the exact same section track as a set I owned in my childhood. And yet, when I put the two together, they couldn't be more different. (You can click on the images to enlarge them.)

The Straco Express had clear markings on it, which allowed me to find some background information about the toy. It also had fairly sophisticated metalwork. The engine required quite a bit of hand assembly, and each of the three cars were constructed in a different fashion, requiring mostly different tooling.

My childhood Santa Fe, however, was a different story. As near as I can recall, the set always only had three pieces -- the Santa Fe diesel, vaguely resembling an F3, and two box cars. No caboose.

The boxcars are slightly bigger than the Straco Express boxcar, and are much more cheaply made. The metal has no embossed details, and the roof is rounded rather than creased. Having two of the same car body with different graphics is a huge savings over having three different car designs.

I have yet to find anything about this set either online or in reference books available. Clearly it was made in Japan, most likely in the late 1950's-early 1960's. Did the FJ Strauss company (who had the Straco Express made for them) also make this set? There's no markings anywhere, save for a small marking on the back of the engine saying "Trade Mark Made in Japan."

If anyone has information about this set, I'd love to know more. Was it the same Japanese company making toys for two separate American importers? That's my guess, but I'd really like to know for sure.

 - Ralph

#Straco

This Week in Law hosts an exception discussion of copyright

Although not a lawyer, I'm a big fan of This Week in Law. Program #62 was particularly outstanding, especially in providing real insight and practical, first-hand looks at the use and value of copyright in a file-sharing world. Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing editor and author, along with Mike Masnick of TechDirt discussed with host Denise Howell and regular Evan Brown how files haring and "piracy" hasn't hurt or devalued their creative content.

Many studies have shown that when it comes to music, a record label's best customers are those who share files. I encourage you to listen to this podcast episode even if you normally don't (or don't think a law-oriented discussion is your cup of tea).

Among other things, Doctorow presents an interesting concept; that the emotional investment companies have in their business models often trumps the practicality of said models. It certainly explains the continued efforts of the RIAA!

Doctorow tells the story of what happened when the E.U. considered changing database copyright laws. In Europe, database information can be copyrighted, giving each information company its own little monopoly. In America, this information can't be copyrighted. Result: In America the information industry grew 25 times over the same period the European information industry declined. Apparently, the only thing that prevented a sharper decline were the investments some European companies made in American firms.

So what happened when the E.U. looked into lifting the copyright restrictions on databases? In reality, everyone could see it was the way to go, but even the companies that invested in the U.S. firms weren't emotionally ready to give up their exclusive control. So the restrictions remain, to the benefit of the U.S. industry, and the detriment of the European.

There's more in this program, such as how the lack of copyright spurs fashion innovation and why link farms don't matter. This is important stuff, and something we should all be informed about. Because the laws being put on the books, and the draconian punishments that go with them, aren't being formed on the reality of the situation, but on the emotional investment of the major players -- and that affects all of us.

Breaking the Fourth Wall of Comics

Last Thursday two cartoonists teamed up to create something unique. Each turned in their regular comic strip that with a gag. But if you were lucky enough to read them on the same comics page, both together created a third gag that perhaps was greater than the whole.

To start the process, look at Stephen Pastis' strip "Pearls Before Swine."

If you've follow "Pearls Before Swine," you know that Pastis has riffed on the squeaky-clean single-panel comic "Family Circus" before. And perhaps you might think it was Pastis just having fun at another strip's expense.

Now look at the Family Circus panel for the same day.

The "Not Me" gag is a well-established one, and there have been variants on this theme for years. The mother demands to know who spilled the milk, or broke the vase, or tracked mud into the house, and one or more of the children say "Not Me" as the aptly-named invisible character runs away.

If you saw the "Family Circus" without the "Pearls Before Swine" strip, you might think this was just another Not Me gag.

But it's not.

Usually Not Me runs away with a mischievous glance over its shoulder. Not this time. Note that Not Me walks away with a shrug -- not even it knows who threw the sunflower seeds on the floor.

And there in lies the genius of this collaboration. By breaking the fourth wall (in this case, the barrier between comics), Pastis and Keene have delivered a joke that is far funnier (in part because its unexpected) than either strip delivers individually.

Now that's comic genius.

One vote, no tea

Yesterday, I voted in our local Town Council elections. Voter turnout for such elections is traditionally low, which is a shame. Because in one sense, these are the elections that matter very much. In this case, 27% -- about 600 voters -- of the electorate turned out.

While policies of the Federal Government have some impact on our lives, our local governments do so even more. In the area where I live, members of the Town Council have to decide the town's resources should be managed, and consider ways to expand them. And ways to fund them. And many other rulings that directly affect my life.

For example: in order to make ends meet the town imposed a meal tax. That changed our eating habits. We don't go out as much (going to the next town doesn't help -- they do it too). Trash collection is the town's responsibility. What I can put in the trash is regulated, which in turn determines how often I have to go to the dump as we renovate our house.

We have a big problem with deer, groundhogs, and other wildlife. Even though we're not close to other houses, we can't invite a hunter in to take care of the problem -- town ordinances forbid discharging firearms within town limits.

Property taxes, town stickers for the car, water and sewer rates are all set by the town. (yes, we have county taxes too, but let's keep on topic). The success or failure to keep businesses in town impacts the economic health of the community. And the type of businesses allowed in also color the character of the community. Those are all decisions ultimately made by the Town Council.

Snow removal, street repair, law enforcement -- all services provided by the town. And the Town Council determines the budget. The Council hires the Town Manager.The competency of that person can play a big role in how desirable the community is to live in.

What about development? Should we keep that open space, or put up another housing development? What the Council ultimately decides makes a big difference if the property under discussion is across the street from your house!

One final thing: while it's popular to characterize politicians as greedy, lying careerists, it works a little differently on the local level. No one ever got rich (legally) by serving on a town council -- not at $300 a month. Because its extremely local, and you run into your constituents everywhere -- in a restaurant, at the grocery store, at a gas station, at a party, or even just walking down the street. And few of them are shy about telling you in detail how good or (more often) how poor a job you're doing.

So yes, I voted in the local elections. And may I say that I'm grateful to the entire field of candidates for being civic-minded enough to run. It's a step further than I care to take.

- Ralph

Lessons from York - The Girl's Train revisited

The last post I presented a puzzle from the TCA Eastern Division Toy Train Show at York, PA. An exceedingly rare and valuable set suddenly appears on the market in quantity. The set, Lionel's 1957 Girl's Train, is one of those items that's desirable only because it's so rare.

I speculated that perhaps the core demographic for this set was beginning to age out of the market and downsizing. But there might be more to the story.

The Girl's Train sold very poorly when first offered, and for a long time wasn't particularly desirable. The toy train hobby heavily skews male (and conservative males at that), so a bubblegum pink locomotive didn't top anyone's "must have" list. But then investors entered the hobby; folks interested in buying low and selling high. The value of the Girl's Train climbed.

Strangely enough, demand was such that there were several reissues/homages to this fabled set. Williams created their version with a different engine, and even a passenger train in pastel colors! K-Line also produced a pastel "girl's train." (pictured, left)

None of these impacted the value of the original, though. But Lionel has now reissued the Girl's Train, using the original dies. In book collecting, first editions are everything. But what about train sets?

Some older toy trains are desired for their operation. Not so the Girl's Train. I seriously doubt anyone has put this on their layout and run it. This is trophy item that only maintains its value by minimizing handling (scratches affect condition, y'know).

So what caused the sudden appearance of all of those Girl's Trains at York? Downsizing? Need for cash? Or an anticipation of falling value?

Anyone know of something similar happening in other hobbies? What were the causes there? Your thoughts are welcome!

- Ralph

#York

What's Operaitus?

Jennifer Rivera made an interesting point in "Trying to Remain Opera-tional" recently. This talented mezzo soprano maintains a highly entertaining blog chronicling her adventures as a professional singer, sprinkled with wry observations about life and the world of opera.

In her post "Operaitus," she comments on the chasm between the art of operatic singing and American audiences. She writes:

I've definitely seen things in plays and movies that were supposed to pass for opera singing that, well....weren't. And very few people seemed to be aware of the difference.

But how do you combat such a problem? And is it even something to be combated? If people are listening to something and enjoying it, why spoil it for them by letting them know that what they're hearing actually sucks ass?

I think the reason to try to educate people is that when they realize what they are missing, they might be able to get to an entirely new level of understanding and passion about this art form, and with that knowledge, their appreciation of the art form can only be deepened. If they went crazy for somebody just because he sang passably and in a foreign language, imagine how moved they could be if they were aware of what went into opera singing, and were able to appreciate it in it's true form! 

It took me a while to appreciate opera (hey, I majored in percussion), but once I got it, I understood how much I was missing -- and what the fuss was all about.

That's really the challenge. How do we educate when there's no foundation to build upon? Ms. Rivera's concerned about opera, but if you think for a moment, I'm sure you can come up with other areas of human endeavor that are suffering in the same fashion.

When we only have a superficial impression about something, we cheat ourselves (a point I've made elsewhere). The more we know about a subject, the more deeply we can engage with it, and the more we can get out of it.

So do yourself a favor. Pick an art form. Doesn't have to be opera -- it could be anything you sort of like. Dig a little deeper, and start reaping some aesthetic rewards.

It's not healthy to subsist exclusively on empty calories -- and that's true of the arts as well as nutrition.

 - Ralph

To our Easter/Christmas Friends

It was good to see you in church this Sunday. I'm glad you came. A big part of worship is tradition, and I know yours is to only come at Christmas and Easter. We're genuinely glad you came -- some attendance is better than none!

Of course, I hope that you break with tradition and come more often. You're certainly more than welcome (and I hope we made that clear). And, while you might be giving up the luxury of sleeping in at least one day a week, it's only through attending that you'll discover what you've been missing, and get the full benefit of Christian Fellowship.

For one thing, you won't be among strangers. Perhaps you know some of us through work, or the neighborhood, but by only attending twice a year you miss the experiences we share throughout the year. Things like family game nights, and outings, concerts, and day trips. Or things like serving the community through work at the shelter, or helping distribute food, or volunteering for light home repair.

These experiences (and seeing the same folks every Sunday) are great ways to get better acquainted with a pretty diverse (and I like to think interesting) group of people. We have educators, woodworkers, veterans (of several wars), firefighters, police officers, doctors, writers, and many more. Some of us have traveled far and wide, some camp, some fish and hunt. Some of us even play cards (yeah, we can do that). Whatever your interest, chances are there's someone here who shares your passion.

But there's an even more important aspect of Christian fellowship that you cheat yourself out of by only coming twice a year -- and it's a big part of why we celebrate those two holidays in the first place. Because Jesus was pretty clear: we are to treat others and serve others as He served us.

So whatever problems you're having in life, we understand, and we can help. Mostly because we've gone through the same thing. You might think, by only seeing us twice a year, that we're kind of insulated from the indignities of the real world. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We're all human, and our imperfections are with us always. Members of our congregation have suffered through divorce, others survived destructive relationships. Some have been victims of violent crime. Some of us have lost our jobs -- and some our businesses. Some of us have suffered with addiction, or helplessly watch a loved one be ravaged by it. We've been struck down by debilitating illness, or lost family members to disease.

Individually, we're not much. But when we come together, we help each other through those difficult times no one should have to suffer alone.

So if life's good for you now, come on back and we'll celebrate that fact with you. If it's not, please come back so we can help.

Because that's what friends are for.

Hope to see you before December, but if not, we'll welcome you then.

- Ralph

Dan Tuner - Page Turner

Not all literature is great. But sometimes it can be fun. Like the work of Robert Leslie Bellem.

Bellem was an amazingly prolific and successful mystery author who wrote an estimated 3,000 stories between 1934 and 1947 when the pulp magazine market collapsed. Without breaking stride, Los Angeles-based Bellem transitioned to movie and then TV script-writing which he continued until his death in 1968.

Dan Turner, Hollywood Detective was Bellem's most enduring character. Turner starred in over 300 stories. Turner self-narrated his stories set in a fun-house mirror version of Tinseltown.

Anyone interested in classic hard-boiled detective stories should be conversant with Dan Turner. Bellem racheted up the tough-guy slang to the point of parody, with over-the-top plots to match.

In Dan Turner's world, guns didn't fire; roscoes coughed. Instead of lighting a cigarette, you fired up a gasper. Lamped instead of looked, yodeled instead of telephoned, ankled instead of walked -- the list is almost endless.

Bellem wrote fast, and that's the best way to read a Dan Turner story. These 2,000-3,000 word stories usually had a sparse cast of cardboard characters and a mystery that turned on a single clue.

But what a lot of fun to read. There's nothing simple about Bellem's writing. They're so full of tough-guy slang you almost need an annotated edition of the text. Here's the start of "Snake Tangle"

I was buying a shine from Pete the Greek when a gorgeous gazelle planted her shapely form on the chair next to me. The instant she sat down she issued herself a ticket to her own funeral -- although naturally I didn't know it at the time When I sneaked a sidewise swivel at her she looked as far removed from the morgue as I am from my first million bucks.

And here's the denouement from "Headlines in Hell" (1943)

"Going somewhere?" I said.

The black-haired wren froze. "You - !"

"Yeah, babe. Me. Get away from Farlow so we can slip the nippers on him. He's the guy that cooled Polly Todd."

As I said this, the publicity bozo plunged his good hand into his coat; hauled forth a roscoe. "No, you won't! You won't take me alive!" And he triggered a slug at my favorite vest.

If you get a collection of Dan Turner stories, treat them like a box of rich candy -- don't consume more than one per sitting. There's a certain sameness to them that can lessen the enjoyment. But individually, they're pure fun.

 - Ralph

Relevant Classics

Part of what I'm trying to do with the CE Classical Challenge is get people thinking about classical music, and how it's programmed on public radio stations.

Does it matter? Very much. According to a recent study, the public radio audience is aging up, and out. And it's happening the quickest in the classical format.

The oldest public radio format is classical music; the median age of its audience has aged seven years over the last 10 years — to age 65. That means half of the classical audience are not boomers but seniors.  There has been no growth in the size of the classical audience over the 10-year period studied, except as public radio has been able to purchase failing commercial classical stations.

So clearly classical programming isn't connecting with (relatively) younger audiences.

But does it mean classical music's dead?

No, because younger audiences have discovered classical music on their own. Music that speaks to them. Music that has points of connection with the other forms of music they listen to.

It's what I've been saying all along, but it's not just me. Flavorwire recently posted Indie Rock's 5 Favorite Classical Composers. It's well worth reading -- and listening to. The article provides examples of not only the composers, but also of the indie artists they influence (or resemble).

The list consists of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Claudio Monteverdi, Steve Rich, Arvo Part, and John Adams. Notice that four of the composers come from the late 20th Century -- and three of them are still alive, and still creating music.

Want to attract the next generation of classical listeners? Why not start with playing the composers people are already listening to?

The CE Classical Challange - WHRO Responds

Dwight Davis, the program director for WHRO responded to my recent Classical Challenge posting about his station. I think his comments are worth a look. Here's what he had to say:

Thanks for the mostly positive review of our radio station, WHRO-FM. I do have a few comments, however. I tell the staff that we're striving for listenability, whatever else may characterize the music. What matter if the composer is dead, female or blue-eyed? As to the educational component, we educate every time an entry-level listeners hears Vivaldi and decides to stay around. We don't educate by offering the Bartok quartets, as important as they are, because they'd be no listeners to educate. We do, by the way, broadcast concerts by the Virginia Chorale, the Virginia Opera and the Virginia Symphony. Finally, WHRO-FM operates another full-time classical station that addresses some of the concerns of your article. Connoisseur Classics is available on-line at connoisseurclassic.org

Below are some highlights of recent programming:


Sunday 2/28/10 – Peter Cornelius’s Stabat Mater; duo-organists Bartelink and Kramer in Boellmann’s Suite Gothique; Carlo Maria Giulini conducts the Beethoven Mass in C; Johann Rolle’s Der Tod Abel; the Missa Brevis of William Mathias

Wed 3/3/10 – SYMPHONIC – William Walton’s Viola Concerto and Symphony No. 2; Eduard Tubin’s Ballad for Violin and Orchestra; Szymanowski’s ballet Harnasie; E.J. Moeran’s Cello Concerto; Mahler’s 7th with Rattle and the Concertgebouw in concert

Thurs 3/4/10 – The British Grenadier Guards; the Sellers Engineering Band plays Redhead’s A Pastoral Symphony and James Curnow’s Legend in Brass; Stanley Drucker plays Leonard Bernstein’s Clarinet Sonata; Julius Rudel conducts the Amadeus Winds in an arrangement of music from Beethoven’s Fidelio

Fri 3/5/10 HISTORICAL – Mravinsky and the Leningrad Philharmonic in Beethoven’s 5th and 7th symphonies; Leopold Wlach plays Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto; Eileen Joyce performs the Piano Concerto by John Ireland; Beecham and the LPO in a suite from Bizet’s Carmen; Sir Adrian Boult and the Concertgebouw in Elgar’s Enigma Variations

Saturday 3/6/10 GRAB BAG – Film scores to “Elizabeth,” “The Snows of Kilimanjaro;” “Jefferson in Paris;” “The Lion in Winter;” “Mary, Queen of Scots;” and “Braveheart” plus Ezra Laderman’s Piano Sonata 3 and Harold Banter’s Fairy Tale Pictures

Sunday 3/7/10 – American Boychoir Songfest; Rogier’s Missa Ego Sum Qui Sum; Bruno Weil conducts Schuebrt’s Mass in A-flat; Josepf Flummerfelt and the Westminster Choir in Barber’s Agnus Dei and Schoenberg’s Friede auf Erden

Monday 3/8/10 CHAMBER – Martin Jones plays Turina’s Variations on a Theme of Chopin; Gorecki’s String Quartet 3; the Amadea Ensemble in Herzogenberg’s Quintet in E-flat; Shura Cherkassky in Chopin’s Variations on ‘La ci darem la mano’


Monday 3/1/10 CHAMBER – More Haydn piano trios with the Beaux Arts Trio; Schubert’s String Quartet 15; the Prague Quartet plays Dvorak’s String Quartet No. 1; music from the 2008 Library of Congress concerts

Tuesday 3/2/10 OPERA – Pierre Boulez conducts Debussy’s Pelleas and Melisande; Norman Triegle is featured in Boito’s Mefistofele with Julius Rudel conducting; Adolphe Adam’s Le Toreador; John Eliot Gardiner conducts Handel’s Jeptha; Carl Loewe’s The Three Wishes; Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito with Sir Colin Davis conducting

Keep up the good work.

Dwight Davis
Program Director
WHRO-FM

As you can see, online WHRO is the bomb. (BTW - I couldn't get the connoisseurclassic.org link to work, but if you go to WHRO's website, you'll see a link on the left that will open a window for the Connoisseur Classic service.)

And they have an interesting strategy: let the on air signal be the entry-level classical programming, and let those that want to dig deeper go to one of their more specialized online streams. It makes a great deal of sense.

I agree with Mr. Davis: there shouldn't be any kind of quota for women composers, or living composers, or any of the other categories I've been measuring. But there's one point I still want to make.

I think there's a lot of music being written today that is very much listener-friendly, even to novices. And wouldn't it be nice if entry-level classical music listeners got the message that there's tuneful, appealing, moving works being written by folks just like them (at least age-wise)?

What do you think?

(I think I'm tuning in to Connossier Classics).

- Ralph

Introducing... Robert Ian Winstin

In my "Fun with [Classical] Numbers" post, I talked about 28intwentyeight by Robert Ian Winstin. Comments both online and off I received about that post suggested I needed to do a follow-up.

Several readers, who had not heard of Winstin before, were under the impression that he was one of the many amateur musicians recording in a basement studio, and that his music's sole exposure was a month's worth of blog posts.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Robert Ian Winstin is a professional classically trained concert pianist, conductor, and composer who has actually done quite a bit on the national and international stage. If his name isn't familiar, it may have more to do with the channels we receive our information of classical music from, rather than the quality of his art.

If you only know Robert Ian Winstin from that one YouTube video I posted, read on.

Robert Ian Winstin is the current Composer-In-Residence of the Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra. He also serves as the music director (and chief conductor) to the Virginia Youth Symphony Orchestra, which has toured internationally.

Winstin's written over 200 works, including five symphonies, two piano concertos, and a very moving tribute to 9/11. One of his recent works, Spirituals for Violin and Orchestra, was composed for Itzhak Perlman and premiered in Carnegie Hall -- hardly the output of a basement studio wannabe.

Winstin has also produced a massive amount of recordings for ERM Media, including the "Masterworks of the New Era" series which spotlights contemporary composers writing modern, accessible, well-crafted music. He's also the conductor for those recordings, each release being a multi-disc set. And of course, Winstin has several releases on the ERM label as well.

His recordings are distributed by Naxos, the largest classical music label in the world, and certainly one of the most forward-looking. His compositions can be found on iTunes, ClassicsOnline, and several other download sites.

And he's also authored two books.

Robert Ian Winstin's music can be downloaded from Tower, ArkivMusic, Barnes&Noble, Amazon, HB Direct, and many, many other places.

How could someone accomplish so much and not be a household name? It happens all the time.

Which is sort of my continuing theme with my classical music posts (and my radio show, come to think of it)? There are a lot of talented people out there doing interesting, engaging work on par if not better than the artists we regularly hear about. All we have to do is step a little outside of the ordinary to find it.

- Ralph

Fun with [Classical] Numbers

Classical recording sales vs. views of a new music blog.

This might seem like comparing apples and oranges. But you can do that if what you're really interested in is the makeup of the fruit salad.

The Apple

As Anne Midgette revealed in a Washington Post article,

The dirty secret of the Billboard classical charts is that album sales figures are so low, the charts are almost meaningless. Sales of 200 or 300 units are enough to land an album in the top 10. [Hilary] Hahn's No. 1 recording, after the sales spike resulting from her appearance on Conan, bolstered by blogs and press, sold 1,000 copies.

The article goes on to talk about how even the most heavily-promoted new classical recordings only sell a few hundred copies a week (including downloads).

Is this the end of classical music?

Well, I used to work for a classical record label, and even before the Internet became factor sales were around this same level for most of our titles. It was how the disc sold over the course of several years that mattered (and that's the point the article makes, too). So no, probably not.

The Orange

Composer Robert Ian Winstin recently set himself a daunting task: compose, rehearse, record and post a new piece of classical music every day in the month of February. The project, "28 in Twenty-eight" proved successful in many ways. Winstin did indeed write twenty-eight works, and it attracted an audience as well.

Most of the music was for solo piano (Winstin's a concert pianist as well as a conductor), some were chamber works, and there were even some vocal compositions.

Over 20,000 people visited the blog (and presumably listened to the music), and over 12,000 downloaded the sheet music of the compositions Winstin also made available.


Here's one of the works Winstin composed as part of the project.


Fruit Salad

So let's mix our apples and oranges. Just looking at the raw numbers, it seems more people downloaded Winstin's music then purchased Hilary Hahn's latest major label recording.

So what does that mean?

Well, Winstin's blog was open to all, and the sheet music are free downloads. Hahn's Bach performances are available for sale at fine record stores and download sites. So one could say free trumps paid. But that's not really true. If Winstin charged $.99 for each download, it would be a fairer comparison. What would the numbers be then?

I'm not sure, but in one sense it doesn't matter. If modern music -- and you can't get much more modern than last month -- is such an anathema to listeners as some believe, there shouldn't have been any downloads at all.

Are these really two different audiences? I think so.

Which lead me to this thought. The classical music industry traditionally markets to one of those audiences and virtually ignores the other. But -- just looking at those apples-to-orange numbers -- which one represents a healthier future for classical music?

- Ralph

Shutter Island's Classical Score

In my last post, "Dead music, dead issue," I said that I didn't accept the notion that atonal, dodecaphonic and other forms of "modern" music are alien to contemporary audiences -- they've been used in movies since the 1940's.

And now there's "Shutter Island." As Tim Smith pointed out his Baltimore Sun article, the movie's soundtrack CD is chock-full of contemporary classical music.

"And I'm talking seriously contemporary, as in fabulously atmospheric pieces by John Cage (including "Music for Marcel Duchamp"), Morton Feldman (the otherworldly "Rothko Chapel 2"), Krzysztof Penderecki, Alfred Schnittke, Gyorgy Ligeti, Lou Harrison (a movement from the haunting Suite for Symphonic Strings), John Adams (the eerie, riveting "Christian Zeal and Activity"), and Giacinto Scelsi. For good measure, a youthful work by Gustav Mahler, his darkly lyrical Piano Quartet, is in the mix, too."

According to BoxOfficeMojo, the movie ranked #1 on its opening weekend, so all of that crazy classical music isn't scaring away too many people (I think the scaring happens once they're inside the theater).

Sure, no one's flocking to the film because of the music, either.

But that's not the point. Clearly, the filmmakers chose these works because they expressed the right emotions for the scenes they support.

Will it lead to this music being played more? Possibly. Look what happened when the 1967 film "Elvira Madigan" used the slow movement from Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467 --still, today is known as the "Elvira Madigan" concerto.

According to ticket sales figures, over seven million movie-goers have been exposed to Morton Feldman and lived to tell the tale. As opposed to how many in the concert hall?

- Ralph

BTW - It's really difficult to tell what's on the soundtrack album by any of the online listings. They follow the standard format for pop music, so it's title/artist -- no composers. "Symphony No. 3 - Passacaglia" by itself is not very helpful at all.