I'm often asked in interviews who I consider America's greatest composer. When I say Ellington, I'll get an indulgent smile ("hah hah...but seriously now, who do you REALLy consider..") and I say "You heard me right the first time." Bravo @tedgioia
I’ve launched an online petition for Duke Ellington to be granted the Pulitzer Prize he was denied in 1965—despite the recommendation of the music jury.
You can learn more here: tedgioia.substack.com/p/lets-give-du…
Quote from Mick Jagger. “I’m quite traditional in my taste in classical music. I like Purcell and English romantic composers. Tonight, we were listening to a composer called John Adams who is American. Also, I have a weakness for Messiaen.” Traditional? Ok by me!
And, as Sony Classical would say, "Happy Birthday to the composer John Adams, who not only wrote 'Become Ocean' and 'Nixon in China' but was also our second president!"
At the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art's bookstore you can buy John Cage's 4'33" wrapped in plastic (so you can't peek & see what's inside on that single sheet of paper).
I’m only one of many in the music community who will sorely miss the great composer and conductor Olly Knussen, a man who seemed to know every piece ever written and was always a great one to hang out with, as he was in London circa 1989.
