Culture Monster

Culture Monster

By Jonathan GreslArtsPerforming Arts
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Culture Monster episodes

  • Episode 8 Gordon Gerrard & Beethoven's Legal Trouble
    I tell the story about how the difference between VON and VAN really messed up Beethoven’s day. Plus my conversation with the articulate music director of the Regina Symphony Orchestra. 
    Also, some updates on previous stories.
     
    LINKS
    “Soul” on Disney+
    https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/soul/77zlWrb9vRYp
    Digital Purchase:Soul
     
    Petition to honour George Bridgetower with a historical plaque in Bath:
    http://chng.it/XM2c6J4TPp
     
    Calgary Opera’s Opera Labs:
    https://calgaryopera.com/operalabs
    the video about the first Lab project, “Namwayut”
    https://vimeo.com/527922945
     
    Gordon Gerrard Homepage:
    https://www.gordongerrard.com
    Gerrard is music director of the Regina Symphony Orchestra:
    https://www.reginasymphony.com
     
    Composer Jocelyn Morlock
    https://www.jocelynmorlock.com
    Aeromancy appears on the album “Halcyon”
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/halcyon/1236925047
    My Name is Amanda Todd appears on the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s album “Life Reflected”
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/life-reflected/1218008826
     
    Composer Harry Srafylakis:
    http://hstafylakis.com/shortbio/
    “Never the same river”
    http://hstafylakis.com/neverthesameriver/
     
    Composer Kelly-Marie Murphy:
    https://kellymariemurphy.com
    Dragon Unfolding:
    https://kellymariemurphy.com/dragon-unfolding/
     
    Buymeacoffee.com/culturemonster
    Culturemonster.ca
    First Published April 2021
    55 min
  • Episode 7: Violinist Edmond Agopian & Sousa's Secret Career
    Episode 7: Violinist Edmond Agopian & Sousa’s Secret Career 
    I speak with a musician of passionate curiosity, violinist Edmond Agopian. I also tell the story of John Philip Sousa’s secret career, and the mysterious tale of the artwork still on the Moon. 
     
    CBC website story on the Thorgy Thor | orchestra collaboration:
    https://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/features/drag-star-thorgy-thor-brings-her-star-power-to-the-world-of-orchestral-musi
     
    CBC gem link to the complete film “Disruptor Conductor”
    https://gem.cbc.ca/media/cbc-docs-pov/season-3/episode-5/38e815a-0119a7bfbd7?cmp=sch-disruptor
    (note outside of Canada, the entire film might still be available here https://watchmoviesonlinenow.xyz/movie/752824/
     
    Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser page at the Toronto Symphony:
    https://www.tso.ca/conductor/daniel-bartholomew-poyser
     
    Slate Article on the tangled controversy that surrounded “Fallen Astronaut” past and present:
    http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/12/sculpture_on_the_moon_paul_van_hoeydonck_s_fallen_astronaut.html
     
    Another Artwork on the Moon:
    https://www.openculture.com/2019/07/tiny-art-museum-on-the-moon.html
     
    German gallery selling authorized replicas:
    https://www.galerie-breckner.de/edition-paul-van-hoeydonck-man-in-space/
     
    VOD film documentary on “Fallen Astronaut”
    https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thefallenastronaut?ref=tw-share
     
    The United States Marine Band’s appreciation of its former director Sousa:
    https://www.marineband.marines.mil/About/Our-History/John-Philip-Sousa/
     
    Sousa and “The Transit of Venus”
    https://copycateffect.blogspot.com/2009/02/sousas-transit-of-venus.html
     
    More info about Sousa as a writer:
    https://web.archive.org/web/20041021201305/http://wgpark.com/page.asp?pid=10
     
    Edmond Agopian page at SCPA-University of Calgary
    https://arts.ucalgary.ca/creative-performing-arts
    https://scpa.ucalgary.ca/manageprofile/profiles/edmond-agopian
     
    Edmond Agopian speaking of Beethoven’s 250th birthday and his continued influence:
    https://ckua.com/listen/honouring-two-hundred-and-fifty-years-of-beethoven/
     
    UCalgary String Quartet Album “Far Behind I left My country” featuring Agopian’s arrangements:
    Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/far-behind-i-left-my-country-klezmer-east-european/324074237
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1XM84Glc4OAUIh6qr0LAJd
     
    Livestream: Dvořák – Morawetz Connections II:
    https://arts.ucalgary.ca/creative-performing-arts/news-and-events/school-events#!view/event/event_id/289813
     
    Livestream: A Celebration of Music by Black Composers II:
    https://arts.ucalgary.ca/creative-performing-arts/news-and-events/school-events#!view/event/event_id/289893
     
    Chausson: Symphony in B-Flat:
    Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/chausson-symphony-in-b-flat-major-op-20-franck-le-chasseur/1166131594
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4bItTskYxH3Q6TgwIi1Uj0
     
    Enescu: Poème Roumain
    Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/enescu-po%C3%A8me-roumain-vox-maris-voix-de-la-nature/403125669
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6bOXNXmNOhAd9vqTlStKsz?si=df433a123c0c4ef2
     
    “President’s March (Hail Columbia)” courtesy of the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps
    Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/presidents-march-rights-man-death-general-wolf-rights/394209001?i=394209028
    Spotify:
    https://open.spotify.com/track/5Oxxso8ZLyfwd9BHZnVsvB?si=ba4b62b637a446f8
     
    “Transit of Venus March” by John Phillip Sousa, courtesy of the US Marine Band
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/transit-of-venus/1021275726?i=1021275907
     
    “Ukrainian Dance” from Far Behind I left my Country featuring UCalgary String Quartet:
    Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/far-behind-i-left-my-country-klezmer-east-european/324074237
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1XM84Glc4OAUIh6qr0LAJd
     
    Episode published March 2021
    CultureMonster.ca
    Support the Podcast and help create future episodes at
    buymeacoffee.com/culturemonster
    1 hr 7 min
  • Episode 6: Conductor Rosemary Thomson and the story of Beethoven and Bridgetower
    In 1803 a virtuoso violinist came to visit Vienna and Beethoven wrote a new Sonata to play with him that would change music history; so why doesn’t it have Bridgetower’s name on it? The great musical partnership that wasn’t.
     I also speak with Rosemary Thomson about all of the things conductors have to keep in balance, and the importance of having a personal relationship with her audience as music director of the Okanagan Symphony. 
     
    NPR Obit of Lou Ottens:
    https://www.npr.org/2021/03/10/975598869/lou-ottens-inventor-of-the-cassette-tape-has-died
     
    British Library Webpage about the Beethoven/Bridgetower tuning fork:
    https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/beethovens-tuning-fork
     
    British Library Webpage about George Bridgetower:
    https://www.bl.uk/people/george-bridgetower
     
    Rosemary Thomson is music director of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra:
    https://okanagansymphony.com
     
    Rosemary Thomson photo by Glenna Turnbull
    https://www.glennaturnbull.ca
     
    Bramwell Tovey, former music director, Winnipeg Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Opera:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bramwell_Tovey
     
    Hans Graf, former music director of the Calgary Philharmonic
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Graf
     
    Non-Profit Quarterly article about the CPO turnaround:
    https://nonprofitquarterly.org/phoenix-in-calgary-how-the-calgary-philharmonic-survived-bankruptcy-and-flourished/
     
    Composer Jocelyn Morlock
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jocelyn_Morlock
     
    Orchestral Album featuring Morlock’s Music
    Apple:https://music.apple.com/ca/album/jocelyn-morlock-cobalt/830562463
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4ct3kGzOF5upOu4dhvu2EQ?si=N9h0vaGrS-6PIE5h84eZeg
     
    Composer R Murray Schafer
    https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/r-murray-schafer-emc
     
    Composer Emily Doolitte article about Schafer’s “Wolf Project”
    http://emilydoolittle.com/wolfpaper.pdf
     
    Composer Dinuk Wijeratne
    Dinuk Wijeratne - Dinuk Wijeratne
     
    Composer Chistos Hatzis
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christos_Hatzis
    Album featuring Hatzis’ music
    Apple:https://music.apple.com/ca/album/christos-hatzis-lamento-ecstasy/1493802947
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3B1rWPvxCXSaSdfzdLvCXP?si=AMBZD-8HR4uOr17RD5MaEg
     
    Composer Allan Bell
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Gordon_Bell
     
    Beethoven music provided by Musopen.com
    Released March 2021
    CultureMonster.ca
    1 hr
  • Episode 5: The Shuttle, A Centennial, and Schupannzigh
    Episode 5: The Shuttle, A Centennial, and Schupannzigh
     
    Join me as I speak about a happy day for technology, a sad one for space exploration, and the difficulties of being Beethoven’s friend. 
     
    Arlington’s website describing the Challenger memorial:
    https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Monuments-and-Memorials/Space-Shuttle-Challenger
     
    Richard Feynman’s memoir where he discusses the investigation into the Challenger disaster:
    https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393355642
     
    Wikipedia page on RUR author Karel Čapek:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Čapek
     
    Canadian Space Agency information page about DEXTRE:
    https://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/iss/dextre/default.asp
     
    Lyrics to Beethoven’s song about Schupannzigh
    "Schuppanzigh ist ein Lump.
    Wer kennt ihn nicht,
    den dicken Sauermagen,
    den aufgeblasnen Eselskopf?
    O Lump Schuppanzigh,
    o Esel Schuppanzigh,
    wir stimmen alle ein,
    du bist der größte Esel,
    o Esel, hi hi ha."
    "Schuppanzigh is a scoundrel
    Who doesn't know him
    the fat sour-belly
    the puffed up ass's head?
    O rogue Schuppanzigh
    O donkey Schuppanzigh
    We all agree
    that you're the biggest ass
    O ass, hee-haw"
     
    Jan Swafford’s Beethoven Biography:
    https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/beethoven/9780618054749
    You can support the podcast here:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/culturemonster
    performances of Beethoven and Barrios provided by Musopen:
    https://musopen.org
    30 min
  • Episode 4: The Mystery of Carlos Kleiber & Conversation with Carlos Foggin
    Episode 4: The Mystery of Carlos Kleiber & Conversation with Carlos Foggin
    I explore the mystery of famed maestro Carlos Kleiber, and speak with Rocky Mountain Symphony conductor Carlos Foggin about Beethoven, the Organ, and how taking a basic first aid course changed his life. 
    The Polaris Centre is active on social media and is also here:
    https://www.polariscentre.ca
    Carlos Foggin is the Music Director of the Rocky Mountain Symphony:
    https://www.rockymountainsymphony.ca
     
    A Finnish Orchestra and conductor give a stirring performance of Sibelius Symphony No. 5:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIIfMjRMqRs
     
    The Swan of Tuonela performed by Finnish Radio Orchestra conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3_H5YlgKFU
     
    Deutsche Grammophon’s video series  “Mesmerized by Carlos Kleiber”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjE9aOcqqc8
     
    BBC Radio 3 audio documentary about Kleiber:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2EUsV2UJ7M
     
    Video of “Der Rosenkavalier” conducted by Kleiber
    https://play.wiener-staatsoper.at/event/531d2c08-94d2-4a3f-acd8-3cfdc62888dd
     
    Traces to Nowhere- full length documentary on Kleiber’s career:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta8Tqjn7Suo&t=68s
    50 min
  • Episode 3: Mark Morash and the Shakespeare Riot
    EPISODE 3: Mark Morash and the Shakespeare Riot
    I speak with Interim Music Director of the Calgary Opera about his musical journey, the need for Opera companies to invest in R&D, and the emotional power of the human voice. I also tell the story of the time competing versions of “The Scottish Play” in New York City caused a riot.
    SHOW NOTES and links!
    The story of the battle of the film rights over agent 007 is told in Robert Sellers book “The Battle for Bond.”
    http://tomahawkpress.com/battle-for-bond-banned-edition/
     Stratford Festival productions at CBC GEM:
    https://gem.cbc.ca/series/stratford-presents/all/8d5898e8-9215-4c97-8fe3-a10b30c89d58?cmp=sch-stratford
    Stratford@Home:
    https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/Subscription
    The story about Astor Place Riot is told is several places, including this podcast from the Folger Shakespeare Library:
    https://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-unlimited/astor-place-riot
    For a more complete telling, Nigel Cliff has written an entire book about the incident- titled “The Shakespeare Riot: Revenge drama and death in Nineteenth-Century America.” Cliff situates the incident in tensions between working class Americans and the wealthy elite class: 
    http://www.nigelcliff.com/?page_id=52
    Richard Nelson dramatized the events in his play “Two Shakespearian actors.”
    https://www.broadwayplaypub.com/the-plays/two-shakespearean-actors/
    Calgary Opera’s page on Mark Morash:
    https://calgaryopera.com/resident-artists
    Wikipedia page on the San Francisco Opera Merola Opera Program for emerging artists:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merola_Opera_Program
    Calgary Opera’s free videos:
    https://calgaryopera.com/videos
    The Operas Mark mentioned:
    Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Man_Walking_(opera)
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/heggie-dead-man-walking/680688122
    -On CD
    http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=5208&name_role1=1&bcorder=1&comp_id=102119
    A Streetcar named Desire by Andre Previn
    -streaming
    https://music.apple.com/us/album/previn-a-streetcar-named-desire/1452174581
    opening scene on youtube:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRG29gtyjQc
    As One by Laura Kaminksy
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_One_(opera)
    -streaming
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/kaminsky-as-one/1469926527
    cd/download
    https://www.brightshiny.ninja/as-one
    For starting out in Opera with arias, Renée Fleming told ClassicFM her favourite 6 arias here:
    https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/renee-fleming-favourite-soprano-arias/
    “Che Gelida” by Puccini (mentioned by Mark)
    La Boheme - Pavarotti- "Che gelida manina"  Fiamma Izzo d' Amico "Si, mi chiamano Mimi"
    As always send you questions, queries, ideas for future episodes to [email protected]
    57 min
  • Episode 2: Rolf Bertsch and a Great Canadian Crime Caper
    In this episode, I speak with Conductor and Pianist Rolf Bertsch about his Career and genius of Beethoven, and also relate my favourite Canadian crime story: now with a 2020 update. Also, a complete holiday piano performance from Han Ding.
    SHOW NOTES episode 2
    Piano Performances heard in this episode performed by HAN DING: https://www.handingonline.com
    Theatre Calgary’s Official Christmas Carol page: https://www.theatrecalgary.com/shows/a-christmas-carol
    The ICI-Tele broadcast of the Les Grands Ballets Canadiens “Nutcracker” https://ici.tou.tv/casse-noisette/S01E01?lectureauto=1
    Official Royal Canadian Mint Page about the Million Dollar Coin: https://www.mint.ca/store/mint/learn/million-dollar-coin-1600006
     
    ArtNews story on the theft: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/berlin-coin-theft-1783515
     
    CBC NEWS: The Current Radio Story: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-march-29-2017-1.4044278/how-did-thieves-steal-gigantic-1m-canadian-gold-coin-from-berlin-museum-1.4045314
     
    CBC NEWS: 2020 coin story update: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/berlin-gold-coin-heist-raids-1.5843764
     
    The story about the Premiere of Beethovens Third Piano Concerto is told is Barry Coopers excellent biography: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/beethoven-9780195313314?cc=us&lang=en&
     
    Beethoven’s Piano concertos have been recorded many times
    Two recent recommendations are—
     Stewart Goodyear and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Andrew Constantine: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=858&name_role1=1&name_id2=24438&name_role2=2&bcorder=21&comp_id=5651
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/beethoven-the-complete-piano-concertos/1499010141
     
    Mitsuko Uchida and the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Simon Rattle: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=2277234
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/beethoven-piano-concertos-1-5/1488447983
     
    Rolf Bertsch is the current music director of the Calgary Civic Symphony: https://calgarycivicsymphony.ca/Our-Conductor
     
    Rolf’s Recommendations:
    Filmed performance of Beethoven Symphony #4 and Symphony #7 with conductor Carlos Kleiber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3-jlAamGCE
     
    Herbert van Karajan - Beethoven Symphonies (1963)
    http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=2190074
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/beethoven-9-symphonies-recordings-from-1961-62/1440764800
     
    John Eliot Gardiner - Beethoven Symphonies (1990s)
    http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=443080
    https://music.apple.com/ca/album/beethoven-the-9-symphonies/1452587530
     
    Bernstein— Bethoven Symphonies (1980s)
    http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=2262757
    https://music.apple.com/us/album/leonard-bernstein-beethoven-the-9-symphonies/1452492300
     
    Thanks for listening. Send your feedback, questions, and/or ideas for future episodes to [email protected]
    54 min
  • Ep01:Guest Karl Hirzer and the problem with Beethoven's Birthday
    Culture Monster episode 1 
    Welcome to the first episode of Culture Monster!
    I dive into the difficulty of Beethoven’s Birthday, a Canadian Art Scandal, and speak with Karl Hirzer about the skills needed to be successful as an orchestra conductor.
    ----more----
    Links and more useful info:
     
    C-Monster bite of the day:
    “Conductor breaks down scenes from movies and TV” (YouTube)
    https://cutt.ly/UhOt3XY
     
     
    Macleans article about the “Voice of Fire” Controversy
    https://cutt.ly/ZhOqu67
     
    Wikipedia article on “Voice of Fire” (Including image)
    https://cutt.ly/QhOqfHm
     
    Karl Hirzer’s bio on the CalgaryPhil.com
    https://cutt.ly/ahOqnWy
     
    Performance of Unsuk Chin: Graffiti (Soundcloud) 
    https://cutt.ly/ohOqeMr
     
    BeethovenHaus, Bonn Birthplace and museum
    https://www.beethoven.de
     
    Performance of Beethoven “Moonlight Sonata” courtesy of Musopen
    43 min
  • Taste of episode 1
    Karl Hirzer of the Calgary Philharmonic joins me for the first episode of Culture Monster. What did we talk about? Here is a quick taste.
    1 min
  • Culture Monster Trailer
    it's almost time for Culture Monster the podcast to begin. This is place for Curious Conversations with musicians and artists of Calgary and beyond, as well as fascinating facts and stories of the giants from the past. Season 1 starts December 2020
    1 min

About Culture Monster

From the publisher's feed

Curious, Cultural Conversation from Calgary and Beyond! CULTURE MONSTER delivers intriguing stories about the giants from the past and introduces you to fascinating figures from the present. Hear what art-makers think about their work in their own words, and listen to host Jonathan Gresl bring to life some forgotten tales from the worlds of music, film, literature and more.