Kurt Masur Dies at 88; Conductor Transformed New York Philharmonic - The New York Times

Kurt Masur Dies at 88; Conductor Transformed New York Philharmonic - The New York Times: "memorably"



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Christine Goerke during her recent visit to the Metropolitan Opera Club

Billiards is a good game by Norman Maclean | The University of Chicago Magazine

Billiards is a good game | The University of Chicago Magazine:



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Bah Humbug you say? Do some good for a change, you sorry slackers! BBC Documentary - Messiah at the Foundling Hospital [HD]

A Nocturnal upon St. Lucy's Day BY JOHN DONNE

'Tis the year's midnight, and it is the day's, Lucy's, who scarce seven hours herself unmasks; The sun is spent, and now his flasks Send forth light squibs, no constant rays; The world's whole sap is sunk; The general balm th' hydroptic earth hath drunk, Whither, as to the bed's feet, life is shrunk, Dead and interr'd; yet all these seem to laugh, Compar'd with me, who am their epitaph. Study me then, you who shall lovers be At the next world, that is, at the next spring; For I am every dead thing, In whom Love wrought new alchemy. For his art did express A quintessence even from nothingness, From dull privations, and lean emptiness; He ruin'd me, and I am re-begot Of absence, darkness, death: things which are not. All others, from all things, draw all that's good, Life, soul, form, spirit, whence they being have; I, by Love's limbec, am the grave Of all that's nothing. Oft a flood Have we two wept, and so Drown'd the whole world, us two; oft did we grow To be two chaoses, when we did show Care to aught else; and often absences Withdrew our souls, and made us carcasses. But I am by her death (which word wrongs her) Of the first nothing the elixir grown; Were I a man, that I were one I needs must know; I should prefer, If I were any beast, Some ends, some means; yea plants, yea stones detest, And love; all, all some properties invest; If I an ordinary nothing were, As shadow, a light and body must be here. But I am none; nor will my sun renew. You lovers, for whose sake the lesser sun At this time to the Goat is run To fetch new lust, and give it you, Enjoy your summer all; Since she enjoys her long night's festival, Let me prepare towards her, and let me call This hour her vigil, and her eve, since this Both the year's, and the day's deep midnight is.

Joseph Donner being honored by the Anglosphere Society and the National Review Institute

Der Rosenkavalier 'Die Zeit, die ist ein sonderbar Ding . . .Mein schoener Schatz'

Swedish cretin - Foreign minister not sure Palestinian stabbings are terrorism... http://www.timesofisrael.com/swedish-pm-stabbing-attacks-in-israel-not-terrorism/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/swedish-pm-stabbing-attacks-in-israel-not-terrorism/

God Rot Tunbridge Wells By John Osborne - The Life Of Georg Frederic Handel

Banzai! The Imperial Japanese Navy 大日本帝國海軍

Germany Rebukes Its Own Intelligence Agency for Criticizing Saudi Policy - The New York Times

Germany Rebukes Its Own Intelligence Agency for Criticizing Saudi Policy - The New York Times:



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Fear not, this isn't New Age tripe, or eco-whine, but a remarkably well-written piece on final things. Whale Fall | Rebecca Giggs | Granta Magazine

Whale Fall | Rebecca Giggs | Granta Magazine:



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A bright moment in a shameful period: 1,000 American rabbis sign letter welcoming Syrian refugees - The Washington Post

1,000 American rabbis sign letter welcoming Syrian refugees - The Washington Post:



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For behold, darkness shall cover the earth . .

Renée Fleming & Thomas Hampson, "Finale" Arabella, Richard Strauss Salzburg 2014

Well-done. Shlomo Rechnitz Pays for US Soldiers Meal in Shannon, Ireland

Remember 'Rick Rolling?' It's back! Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

I've no reason to post this apart from sheer beauty. Claudio Monteverdi - Vespro della Beata Vergine & Magnificat (1610) - La...

FSA take out the downed Russian Helicopter - الفرقة الأولى الساحلية مميز تدمير ‫‏طائرة‬ ‏مروحية‬ بصاروخ ‫‏تاو‬ على مح...

Freistaat Flaschenhals - to Lead a Nation That Never Existed - WSJ

How to Lead a Nation That Never Existed - WSJ:



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Russian being welcomed in Syria - Second video. Dead russian pilot of SU-24. Syria. 24/11/2015

Another pagan offering to the Goddess - Purcell: Musiques pour Sainte Cécile | Marc Minkowski

menschlichkeit ://www.timesofisrael.com/moved-by-moral-imperative-canadian-synagogues-sponsor-syrian-refugees/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/moved-by-moral-imperative-canadian-synagogues-sponsor-syrian-refugees/

Hemingway's Paris Memoir 'A Moveable Feast' Flies Off Shelves in Show of Defiance - Bloomberg Business

Hemingway's Paris Memoir Flies Off Shelves in Show of Defiance - Bloomberg Business:



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Immigrants from Russia, a region laced with anarchist and Bolshevik violence

The death of the open society - part 4...Dartmouth College #BlackLivesMatter Protest

John Mark Ainsley sings Where'er You Walk from Händel's 'Semele.'

The Dona Nobis Pacem would be exquisite with .30 Cal gatling as counterpoint J. S. Bach: Mass In B Minor BWV 232, Collegium 1704, Václav Luks

Can you fit A-10 Warthogs with speakers? I'd like to play this while strafing IS in Syria...XIII. Haydn St. Cecilia Mass, Hob. 22 5 Marc Minkowski.

For the fallen in Paris - Anja Harteros - Laudate Dominum - Dresden Adventskonzert '08

On les aura

Ur-diva

Staff Sgt. Sumner Libby U.S.A.A.F.

The chorus

"What I was really happy with was a lover who had a nice wife to do his washing and look after him if he fell ill, so that I could enjoy the plums of love without having to munch through the pudding. .." | Diana Athill | Granta Magazine

Lessons | Diana Athill | Granta Magazine:



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A disappointing lack of ardor - IRGC members avoiding service in Syria: report

IRGC members avoiding service in Syria: report:



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Another's tedious meme but true

As a consolation prize for those like myself unable to secure tickets to the recent NY performance - William Christie directing Händel: Theodora HWV 68 (Théâtre des Champs-Elysées)

Peter Mattei - Tannhauser "O du mein holder Abendstern" a lovely sample of Mattei's performance at the recent Met Tannhaüser

Peccavi...

Les Basterds vous présentent Amira Jumaa qui veut mettre les Juifs dans les fours avec l’argent de son papa. | The Inglourious Basterds

Les Basterds vous présentent Amira Jumaa qui veut mettre les Juifs dans les fours avec l’argent de son papa. | The Inglourious Basterds:



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Schrödinger's Immigrant

The Smiths - I Know It's Over

Henry V: Non Nobis and Te Deum - today is the 600th Anniversary of Agincourt. In Hoc Signo Vinces!

HANDEL Tornami a vagheggiar from Alcina - Amanda Forsythe & Apollo's Fire

'They gave each other a smile with a future in it.'

Sonya Yoncheva "Se pieta di me non senti" Giulio Cesare Haendel

Ahmed Mohamed: US 'clock boy' meets Sudan leader - BBC News

Ahmed Mohamed: US 'clock boy' meets Sudan leader - BBC News:



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Christina Pluhar- L'Arpeggiata: Cavalli, L’Amore innamorato "Piante Ombr...

Our deepest fear -

Everyday Hospice from The New Yorker

Bad tenors

Bad review

Review: James Levine Conducts ‘Tannhäuser’ at the Met - The New York Times

Review: James Levine Conducts ‘Tannhäuser’ at the Met - The New York Times:



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Paul Prudhomme - RIP

Y

A view from the other bridge...

A well-made video from the Russian Defense Min., showing the launch of medium-range cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea towards targets in Syria. This display of arrogance comes to you courtesy of the capons in your State Dept. удар высокоточным оружием по объектам ИГИЛ в Сирии из акватории Каспийского моря - YouTube

Массированный удар высокоточным оружием по объектам ИГИЛ в Сирии из акватории Каспийского моря - YouTube:



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Kapsberger: "Gia risi del mio mal" - Magdalena Kozena -Private Musicke, Pierre Pitzl, Theatre des Champs-Elysees, Paris, February 7, 2011.

Kapsberger: "Gia risi del mio mal" - Magdalena Kozena - YouTube: "Private Musicke, Pierre Pitzl, Theatre des Champs-Elysees, Paris, February 7, 2011."



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For M/V El Faro, RIP Anja Harteros - Laudate Dominum - Dresden Aventskonzert '08

Anja Harteros - Laudate Dominum - Dresden Adventskonzert '08 - YouTube:



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Leonard Cohen - Who By Fire (Live 1988) -

Leonard Cohen - Who By Fire (Live 1988) - YouTube:



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Thomas Sowell breaks it down for y'all

Lines doubled up, canvas lashed down, ready for the Nor'easter and Joaquin

Frühlingstraum from Schubert's Winterreise

The original manuscript of Mozart's #35 the Haffner

A few nice bits from J.P's library - this is the 4th Movement of Mahler's 5th written for Alma

Amy Winehouse - Love is a Losing Game - 'nuff said.

Amy Winehouse - Love is a Losing Game - YouTube:



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Four Last Songs Maestro Dmitry Liss Ural Philharmonic Orchestra 'Vier Letzte Lieder' with Olga Peretyatko

Olga Peretyatko Four Last Songs Dmitry Liss Ural Philharmonic Orchestra Vier Letzte Lieder - YouTube:



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Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Anna Netrebko, Marco Armiliato, Yonghoon Lee, DoloraZajick, and Stefan Kocan in Il Trovatore at the Metropolitan Opera

The super moon fires up over East Hampton Beach

Pope Francis Lays Hands On Ailing U.S. Infrastructure - The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Pope Francis Lays Hands On Ailing U.S. Infrastructure - The Onion - America's Finest News Source:



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Declaiming that only the blood of Christ would lead to personal salvation, I gently informed them that as one of The Chosen, this would not be necessary. So few signs of pre-Ordination in this crowd - my New England heart despairs.

Milton Friedman

Great to see Dmitri Hvorostovsky on the mend! Il Trovatore: "Vivrà! contende il giubilo" (Anna Netrebko, Hvorostovsky)

Il Trovatore: "Vivrà! contende il giubilo" (Netrebko, Hvorostovsky) - YouTube:



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Trust issues

Man discovers he is not qualified for unskilled labour - perfect really for the products of the current private school crowd.

Man discovers he is not qualified for unskilled labour

It's a joke - don't share it with Schubert

Oh Alma do tell us/All modern women are jealous...Alma Mahler ~ "The loveliest girl in Vienna was Alma, the smartest as well".wmv - YouTube

Alma Mahler ~ "The loveliest girl in Vienna was Alma, the smartest as well".wmv - YouTube:



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Worth reading - there's so much deceptive drivel out there....Six easy ways to tell if that viral story is a hoax

Six easy ways to tell if that viral story is a hoax:



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Last orders

From "The New Yorker"

Low caliber- Donald Trump bloviating aboard the USS Iowa, oblivious to the irony of the magnificent backdrop of 16" guns

We're keeping the lights on! New York’s Met Opera Goes From $22 Million Shortfall to $1 Million Surplus - WSJ

New York’s Met Opera Goes From $22 Million Shortfall to $1 Million Surplus - WSJ:



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A sorry piece of rubbish from The New Republic' Professor Saul Bellow: Influence of Academy Made Fiction Insufferable

Professor Saul Bellow: Influence of Academy Made Fiction Insufferable | The New Republic:



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Jonas Kaufmann sings Nessun Dorma from Puccini's 'Turandot.' Last Night Proms 2015 - I know, a warhorse, but magnificent nonetheless!

Jonas Kaufmann (Nessun dorma) Last Night Proms 2015 - YouTube:



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Rule Britannia - Jonas Kaufmann, the first German to sing this - I guess the war is finally over (Last Night of the Proms 2015)

Rule Britannia - Jonas Kaufmann (Last Night Proms 2015) - YouTube:



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For British friends upon the election of Jeremy Corbyn, ' Jealousy that poisons passion, And despair that dies for love' Purcell: Fairest Isle (King Arthur), Anna Dennis, Soprano with Voices of Music

Henry Purcell: Fairest Isle (King Arthur), Anna Dennis with Voices of Music 4K UHD - YouTube:



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Take a village

The Ottoman Empire Ended? And Franz Joseph...?

From 'The New Yorker'

Howard Libby 1915-2015 Mass in B minor BWV 232 (Thomaskirche 2005, Blomstedt) - 15/15

Mass in B minor BWV 232 (Thomaskirche 2005, Blomstedt) - 15/15 - YouTube:



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Working off the Lee Shore -

From the New Yorker

Chasing the cat at 7K...

Yo Mama

The Most Violent Man in the Hamptons? -The East End has been overrun with entitled scum for decades, but this is really a standout. The desecration of what was once a graceful civil place seems complete; we can only console ourselves that the siege will be lifted after Labor Day, until the next 'season.'

The Most Violent Man in the Hamptons? - The Daily Beast:



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This piece is one of the saddest bits yet from the New York Times, where the question of competence and clarity is dissolved into drivel about 'diversity' in the De Blasio administration. Rather than noting that the city now swarms with lewd and sturdy beggars, unrestrained on the street, we have handwringing over the question over the 'right' number of Latinas... de Blasio’s Aide on Homeless Is Resigning Amid Crisis - The New York Times

Mayor de Blasio’s Aide on Homeless Is Resigning Amid Crisis - The New York Times:



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Déchainée - Anna Netrebko cuts loose at the Beiteddine Art Festival Lebanon

Opera DIVA Anna Netrebko at Beiteddine Art Festival Lebanon - YouTube:



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Sweet machine-Three Mile Harbor

The Ruins, enroute to Watch Hill - several Ashley Madison clients sighted stranded there....

Iconic

A Democrat will give you the shirt off my back

From "The New Yorker"

A Chianti good for what ails you!

From some, the foul odor emanates from the soul...Stephen Daisley on Jeremy Corbyn, the Left, anti-Semitism and Israel | Analysis | Scotland Decides

Stephen Daisley on Jeremy Corbyn, the Left, anti-Semitism and Israel | Analysis | Scotland Decides:



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Philosophy explained

Rule 48, or the harrowing of hell - Haendel: Disserratevi porte d'averno (La Resurrezione HWV 47) - Václav Luks and Hana Blažiková

Haendel: Disserratevi porte d'averno (La Resurrezione HWV 47) - YouTube:



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Remember this? Keith Haring worked there as a bus boy! 30 YEAR-OLD LOST DANCETERIA COMMERCIAL IS AS WEIRD AS EVER — Trey Speegle

30 YEAR-OLD LOST DANCETERIA COMMERCIAL IS AS WEIRD AS EVER — Trey Speegle:



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Haydn's 'The Creation' the penultimate performance, with John Relyea, Bass, Thomas Cooley, Tenor, and Sarah Tynan, Soprano.

Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire - Rachmaninoff - Suite No 2, Op 17, in Tokyo

View from The Whitney Museum

Another Zionist Imperialist Crusader Netted - Hamas' navy says it has captured Israeli dolphin spy, claim reports - Weird News - News - The Independent

Hamas' navy says it has captured Israeli dolphin spy, claim reports - Weird News - News - The Independent

Louisiana Red - Alabama Train - 'Way up here in New Jersey got nobody to love me/Guess I'd better go on home...'

Louisiana Red - Alabama Train - YouTube

Les Talens Lyriques - Platée de Jean-Philippe Rameau, "Air de la Folie" - with Karina Gauvin, an extract from "Rameau, l'incompris magnifique"

Les Talens Lyriques - Platée de Jean-Philippe Rameau, "Air de la Folie" - YouTube:



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From the New Yorker 1929

Friends in New York should not miss the Sargent Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - a sheer delight~ ! 700 John Singer Sargent Paintings - YouTube

700 John Singer Sargent Paintings - YouTube

Sound Counsel

At the crosswalk