May 8, 2023

A Spanish Navy ship tasked with updating nautical charts to make navigation safer got stranded after losing its way near the island of Ibiza in the Mediterranean, the Navy said.

+++

It's Monday; let's get to it:

The big idea: Coronation music gets a modern twist, but tradition reigns
Industry: Arts & Culture report shows a strong comeback, but not for everyone
Day-to-day: Beethoven’s daily routine
Missing: Have you seen this trombone?
Photo of the week
Around the web: Ed Sheeran’s copyright case victory explained, will robots take your job, wealth at scale, plus more curious internet finds.

CLASSICAL CHARTS

THE BIG IDEA

Coronation Music Gets a Modern Twist, but Tradition Reigns

The King's coronation drew a massive audience of 20.4 M viewers this weekend. The music featured a mix of traditional and modern styles performed by girl choristers, a gospel choir, and a first-ever Greek Orthodox choir.

With 12 new compositions, did tradition or contemporary tastes win the day?

The Musical Showdown

Sir Hubert Parry's "I was Glad" triumphed, with a magnificent performance by the Abbey and Chapel Royal Choirs, girl choristers, and orchestra.
Lord Lloyd-Webber's new Coronation anthem, "Make a Joyful Noise" went head-to-head with Handel's "Zadok the Priest" but couldn't quite outshine the classic.
New compositions by Debbie Wiseman, Roxana Panufnik, and Tarik O-Regan added intimacy, modernist harmonies, and diverse influences to the ceremony.

Star Performances

Bryn Terfel's heartfelt rendition of Paul Mealor’s Welsh-language "Kyrie Eleison" and Roderick Williams' moving "Confortare, Be Strong" stood out.
The choirs shone in William Byrd's "Prevent us O Lord" and William Walton’s "Coronation Te Deum."

Overall Impressions

Though the King aimed for a more diverse and inclusive ceremony, tradition ultimately took center stage. The seamless blending of old and new compositions showcased the enduring power of classical music and its ability to adapt to changing times.

A deeper look: Coronation music dates to medieval times, with sacred and regal compositions accompanying the crowning of monarchs. The tradition continued through the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods, with notable composers like Handel creating iconic works such as "Zadok the Priest" for British coronations. In the 20th century, composers like Hubert Parry contributed to the rich tapestry of coronation music with anthems like "I was Glad." Modern coronations now seek to blend traditional elements with contemporary and diverse musical styles, incorporating pieces from various cultural backgrounds.

THE LATEST

The Philadelphia Orchestra's concert was disrupted twice by cell phone rings, prompting music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin to halt the performance. Despite the interruptions, the concert proceeded successfully and ended with multiple curtain calls and expressions of appreciation. | The Philadelphia Inquirer

Renowned pianist Menahem Pressler, co-founder of the Beaux Arts Trio, has passed away at age 99. Pressler, who fled Nazi Germany, became a celebrated musician and Indiana University faculty member in 1955. | New York Times

A Japanese town removes street piano over poor manners. Kakogawa officials cite prolonged play and loud singing as issues. | BBC

£3 million endowment gifted to Welsh music institutions. Royal Welsh College and Welsh National Opera to benefit from scholarships and enhanced productions. | Operawire

Olivia Wilde dons a Gold Violin dress at Met Gala. The 2023 event celebrated Karl Lagerfeld's fashion career. Wilde's choice honoured the theme with Lagerfeld's vintage design. | The Strad

INDUSTRY

Arts & Culture Sector Report Shows a Strong Comeback, but Not for Everyone

New data from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) showed the arts and culture sector's 2021 made significant contributions to the economy.

While the results show some culture sector industries haven't fully bounced back yet, others have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

By the numbers

In 2021, arts and culture represented 4.4% of GDP ($1 trillion) and employed 4.9 million people.
Web publishing and streaming services are now the largest arts and cultural industry, contributing $171.3 billion.
Motion picture industry bounced back, contributing nearly $68.9 billion in 2021.

Which arts industries are doing the best?

For the very first time, web publishing and streaming services have taken the lead as the largest arts and cultural industry in the U.S. Between 2020 and 2021, this exciting sector experienced a remarkable 27.3 percent growth, contributing a whopping $171.3 billion to the economy (adjusted for inflation).

Performing Arts

In 2021, ten industries experienced growth and made progress toward recovery, though they haven't quite reached their 2019 levels yet. Groups include independent writers, artists, and performers, as well as performing arts organizations, theatrical ticket agencies, musical instrument manufacturers, and fine arts education (apart from public schools).

Big picture: While the arts may come across to some as “soft” economy drivers, these numbers show Arts and culture sectors are a vital part of the American economy. Once more, these numbers also show that the sectors are recovering from the pandemic.

ROUTINES

Beethoven's Daily Routine

The details of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s birth may be somewhat obscure, even to the Master himself in his day. In his personal letters, he admitted to not knowing his exact age — but there’s still a surprising amount of detail that historians do know about his daily life.

Ludwig van Beethoven was probably born in Bonn, Germany on December 16, 1770. Luckily for historians, and his admirers centuries later, Beethoven grew to become well-known in his own era. Many paintings and illustrations of him still exist, and many of them show him in the activities of his daily life, particularly during his later years. Ludwig also kept voluminous notes, including sketchbooks, letters, journals, and other assorted documents.

A day in the life...

His parents were Johann and Maria Magdalena van Beethoven. Father Johann became the Kappellmeister (choirmaster) for the archbishop-elector of Cologne. While there was a period of stability after Ludwig’s grandfather died, Johann gradually spiralled into alcoholism, and the family’s fortunes took a nose dive. Beethoven left school at 11, and was the family breadwinner at 18.

It’s probable those early responsibilities instilled a sense of discipline in him. In his later years in particular, he was known for keeping a regular — and highly productive — schedule.

The beloved composer was an early riser, and punctual as a rule. Beethoven was up at dawn on most mornings. He was meticulous about his coffee, which he brewed himself from exactly 60 coffee beans each day.

After coffee, he’d get to work composing until the afternoon, with at least one break for a walk on a typical day.

Beethoven attended to business after composition. That usually meant correspondence with clients and music publishers. Existing documents, for example, detail a payment of 212 florins to Artaria publishing house for engraving his Trios op. 1.

At about noon, he’d eat lunch, and many times, that included guests. The noon meal would have been the largest, served with wine.

Later in the afternoon, Beethoven would go on long walks, carrying paper or sketchbooks and pencils in his pockets. He’d jot down the musical ideas inspired by those hikes. For many years, from May to October, he spent time near Vienna in a small village. His country walks were documented in his sketchbooks, some of which survive, and illustrations depict those walks. It was already becoming part of his mythology during his lifetime.

Along with his daily life, the sketchbooks reveal much about his working method. While he’d begin with those moments of raw inspiration, they were carefully crafted and polished into the compositions we know today. He often worked on multiple pieces simultaneously in a process that would take months, and sometimes even years. Early notes on the famous Fifth Symphony, for example, are dated 1804, four years before the finished work was published.

His scores, with multiple revisions and modifications, speak to his sense of perfectionism, and just how productive his process was.

Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral" performed by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, recorded February 7, 2017 in the Grande Salle Pierre Boulez to the Philharmonie de Paris.

After his walks, he’d regularly head to the tavern or inn to read a newspaper and meet with friends. Beethoven had a tight network of friends, many of whom he maintained close relationships with for decades. Sometimes it was his friends, like Eduard Klosson, an official he socialized with in Vienna, who drew sketches of him enjoying a drink at the inn.

After supper, in Germany a lesser meal to the midday dinner, he’d enjoy a beer and smoking his pipe. A creature of habit, he frequented the same inns, restaurants, and cafés week after week.

Art saved his life

Along with hearing loss, Beethoven suffered from lifelong digestive issues that made his life difficult. In October 1802, staying in the village of Heiligenstadt, Beethoven wrote a letter to brothers Carl and Johann that has since been dubbed the Heiligenstadt Testament. In it, he talks about facing the finality of his hearing loss.

What humiliation when anyone besides me heard a flute in the far distance, while I heard nothing, or when others heard a shepherd singing, and I still heard nothing! Such things brought me to the verge of desperation and well-nigh caused me to put an end to my life. Art! Art alone, deterred me. Ah! how could I possibly quit the world before bringing forth all that I felt it was my vocation to produce?

[...]

I joyfully hasten to meet Death. If he comes before I have had the opportunity of developing all my artistic powers, then, notwithstanding my cruel fate, he will come too early for me, and I should wish for him at a more distant period; but even then I shall be content, for his advent will release me from a state of endless suffering. Come when he may, I shall meet him with courage. Farewell! Do not quite forget me, even in death.

Luckily, his discipline and the ability it gave him to keep working gave the world another 25 years of his work — and a towering musical maturity — to enjoy.

MISSING

Have You Seen This Trombone?

A Trombone stolen from England’s Princes Risborough railway station in Buckinghamshire has prompted an appeal from the British Transport Police.

The trombone was in the trunk of the victim's car, which was stolen from the station parking lot between 3 and 2 on Thursday, April 13.

The BTP reports that the serial number 186905 can be found on the trombone's mouthpiece, and the police insist that finding the instrument is a top priority because to the high emotional significance it holds for its owners.

If you know where the instrument is, contact authorities at 61016 or 0800 40 50 40. Use reference number: 2300041230.

AROUND THE WEB

📅 On this day: In 1835, the first installment of Hans Christian Andersen "Fairy Tales" was published by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen, Denmark.

😴 Cure boredom: A website with a pink smiling cube that moves with your cursor.

😲 Money: This website shows wealth at a scale that will blow your mind.

🐟 Amazing: An Israeli food tech company says it has successfully 3D printed the first ever ready-to-cook fish fillet using animal cells cultivated and grown in a laboratory.

🤖 Helpful: Will robots take your job? This website will tell you.

👨‍⚖️ Long read: Why Ed Sheeran’s copyright case victory was so important for the future of music as we know it.

👶🏽 Made you smile: And now, a baby saying “dada” for the first time.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

The octobass was first built in 1850 by the Paris luthier Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume. It stands at almost 12ft tall and can play as low as sub-contra C (the lowest C on a modern piano).

How did you like today's email?

Today's email was brought to you by Anya "60 coffee beans" Wassenberg and Michael "Octobass" Vincent.

CONTACT US