December 9, 2024

🎶 Hope your investments are golden today — Sir James Galway is saying farewell to his famous collection of 18-karat gold flutes after 40+ years of making them sparkle on stage. The flutes range in price from £50,995 to £119,995.

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The big idea: TwoSet Violin makes surprise rebrand
Talking points:
— Angelina Jolie method acts as Maria Callas in new film
— 20-year-old pianist tops Apple Music’s 2024 most-played list
Around the web + Laugh of the week

CLASSICAL CHARTZ

Weekly selections are based on sales numbers and albums we simply love and think you NEED to hear!

For the complete top 20, tune into Classical Chartz with the New Classical FM’s Mark Wigmore every Saturday from 3-5 pm EST!

THE BIG IDEA

TwoSet Violin Makes A Surprise Rebrand

After a dramatic "retirement," the classical music comedy duo is Bach in business

What's happening: Classical music's favourite comedy duo has emerged from their October "retirement" with a surprising new identity: B²TSM. Their comeback? A rap video featuring Eddy Chen as Johann Sebastian Bach himself.

The backstory:

TwoSet Violin shocked fans on October 14th by announcing their "final piece of content"
Most of their social media content and YouTube videos vanished
The duo had built a massive following over 11 years of classical music comedy

The comeback:

Released December 5th under new name B²TSM
Features Eddy Chen dressed as Bach
Opens with the D minor Chaconne before transforming into a rap
Brett Yang is credited as a co-writer despite not appearing in the video

What's next:
A mysterious new website hints at more classical composer-themed content, with Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Shostakovich marked as "coming soon."

Fun fact: While the duo's new name B²TSM might look like complex math, it's likely a clever play on "Bach to the Future" — fitting for a video featuring both Bach and a time machine!

Watch the full video here: [YouTube]

PS: A second video, 'Papa Wolfgang Style,' is scheduled to drop sometime today. — MV

TOUR DE HEADLINES

🎻 Will a centuries-old violin set a modern record? One of the rarest Stradivarius violins — crafted nearly 300 years ago — is expected to break records as it hits the auction block. Experts say it could become the most expensive musical instrument ever sold. It’s got collectors and musicians tuning in closely to see if this legendary fiddle’s price tag soars into musical history. Read more

❄️ What’s that sound cutting through the Canadian cold? In Northern Ontario, a small community’s “Little Ski-Doo Orchestra” is turning winter fun into a sonic adventure. Snowmobiles, fiddlers, and curious ears converge on a frozen stage to create music that’s anything but ordinary. Could this be the coolest concert of the season? Read more

🎬 Hollywood’s got its eyes on an aria: Angelina Jolie is set to star in “Maria,” a biopic exploring the life of opera legend Maria Callas. The film’s script promises drama befitting a diva who captivated audiences worldwide — and may just offer Jolie another iconic role to add to her repertoire. Read more

MORE NEWS TO KNOW

🎵 Smithsonian experts say the Stradivarius spectacle is more than hype; it’s a sign of the timeless allure of musical craftsmanship. Read more

❄️ For a closer listen to that “Little Ski-Doo Orchestra,” here’s a video performance that proves frostbite and fiddles can mix. Read more

👩‍🎼And in orchestral milestones: Meet the pioneering artist who broke the gender barrier as the first woman in the Philharmonic. Read more

TALKING POINTS

Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas (Film Still)

Angelina Jolie Method Acts As Maria Callas in New Film

On November 27th, Pablo Larraín’s new movie Maria starring Angelina Jolie was released in theatres. The Hollywood superstar took voice lessons and learned Callas’ signature arias when preparing for the role.

Driving the news: Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie made news this week when she visited New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Jolie’s visit was part of the press tour for her role as Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s eponymous new film, which was released in theatres November 27th and comes to Netflix on December 11th. Accompanied by New York Times writer Javier C. Hernández as well as Pablo Larraín, Jolie attended a performance of Puccini’s “Tosca” starring Lise Davidsen.

Behind the scenes: In preparing for her role as the 20th-century’s great opera diva, Angelina Jolie took voice lessons and learned Callas’ signature arias by Donizetti, Bellini and Puccini. The Academy-Award winning actress reportedly identified with Callas’ loneliness and vulnerability due to the ongoing scrutiny of her personal life.

At the Met, Jolie commented on the authenticity and poetry found at the opera, and gushed over Lise Davidsen’s performance backstage. We at Ludwig Van couldn’t agree more. — SS

Yunchan Lim (Courtesy photo)

20-Year-Old Pianist Yunchan Lim Tops Apple Music’s 2024 Most-Played List

The pianist Yunchan Lim’s 2024 recording of Chopin Études Op. 10 and Op. 25 was Apple Music’s most-played classical album of the year. Lim’s album marked his debut recording with Decca Classics.

What’s the buzz: Earlier this week, Apple Music announced its most-played albums of 2024. Topping the classical charts was pianist Yunchan Lim’s recording of Chopin Études, Op. 10 and Op. 25. Released in April with Decca Classics, Lim’s recording follows the 20-year-old South Korean pianist’s previous releases of his Van Cliburn-winning performance of Liszt’s Transcendental Études and his recording of Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto No. 5. The album has received triple platinum status in South Korea.

Digging Deeper: Apple Music Classical listeners tend to favour piano music. Other albums listed in Apple Music’s top five classical albums of 2024 included releases from pianists Lang Lang, Gina Alice, and Mao Fujita. Perennial favourite Max Richter’s “Sleep” album also made the list, which is described by Richter as an 8-hour lullaby.

Yunchan Lim has been lauded for his ability to combine prodigious technique and profound musicality. Born in 2004, Lim began playing the piano at age 7, a mere 13 years ago. The world has a lot more to look forward to from this transcendent artist. — SS

GAMES

Dig in to today's mini-crossword .

AROUND THE WEB

🦜 On this day: In 1996, exotic bird expert Tony Silva was sentenced to seven years in prison for leading an illegal parrot smuggling operation involving over 100 hyacinth macaws, valued at approximately $1.4 million, among hundreds of other birds.

📉 Video: How did Southwest Airlines, once a beloved airline, experience such a significant decline? (Watch here)

🧮 That’s cool: Explore the evolution of calculators from 1897 to the present day. (Learn more)

🧠 Game: Test your skills by clicking the numbers in sequence. (Play here)

🐾 Aww: I thought she hated baths—turns out she just needed the right setup! (See it here)

LAUGH OF THE WEEK

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