October 10, 2023

A German museum employee thought he could pull a fast one, switching out historic paintings with replicas and selling the originals. Authorities were tipped off after he showed up to work in a new Rolls Royce.

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In this week’s email:

The big idea: Your heart's got rhythm, thanks to classical music
Awards: Human rights prize awarded to Latvian violinist
Strings: Yo-Yo Ma joins cast of animated television show
Cartoon of the week
Around the web: Explore the Aztec Empire, forgotten Spotify artists, an interactive chart for popular movie genre combinations, plus more curious internet finds.

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

Your Heart's Got Rhythm, Thanks to Classical Music

Have you ever wondered why you feel so connected to people at a live music concert? Turns out, it's not just in your head — it's in your heart and sweaty palms too.

Researchers at the University of Bern observed something magical happening when people were listening to music together. Audience members' heartbeats, breathing, and even sweating began to move harmoniously with the group vibe.

Wolfgang Tschacher and his team hooked up 132 folks with sensors during the concerts to track their responses.

The results?...

…. the audience had Increased synchronization in heart rates, breathing speeds, and skin conductance (that's science for sweat levels) among the participants.

The study looked at 132 participants across three concerts showcasing Beethoven’s Op. 104 in C minor, Australian composer Brett Dean’s Epitaphs, and Brahms’s Op. 111 in G major. Each participant wore a belt with special sensors that tracked their body metrics as they listened to the music.

Digging deeper

In an interview published in New Scientist, Tschacher stated that if you're the open-minded or agreeable type, you’re much more likely to sync up your physical response to the experience with the crowd. This includes people who love new experiences, like art and travel, and those who are eager to meet social expectations.

“It is fascinating that people at a concert, who do not know each other and do not even speak to each other, seem to have a shared experience, based on measurements like their heart rate,” said Tschacher.

“When we see synchrony, we know people are really engaged in the music, as they are reacting to it emotionally in the same way.”

Brain teaser

Previous research has shown that it's not just the audience but performers and conductors as well who can have synced physical reactions during shows.

Beethoven enthusiasts might find it intriguing that his String Quintet in C minor didn't resonate as much as Brahms or Dean’s Epitaphs in terms of coordinated reactions.

Bonus

Over the years, classical music has been the subject of numerous studies to determine its effects on the brain and overall well-being. Here are some key areas of research and their findings:

Pain and Anxiety Alleviation: Recent studies suggest that classical music can diminish pain and anxiety levels, especially in hospital settings, enhancing patients' overall well-being during their stay.
Rehabilitation Boost: Stroke victims have displayed significant cognitive improvements when classical melodies are incorporated into their rehab sessions, offering a therapeutic avenue.
Memory Enhancements: Beyond the renowned "Mozart Effect," fresh studies indicate that classical rhythms can aid in the memory encoding process, helping with recall tasks.
Emotional Intelligence Tuning: Classical tracks aren't just for your ears. Modern research reveals they can fine-tune one's emotional understanding and recognition, nurturing emotional intelligence.
Neurological Bridges: Using advanced brain imaging, scientists have found that absorbing classical compositions can foster enhanced connectivity between brain hemispheres, streamlining cognitive functions. — MV

TOUR DE HEADLINES

Julian Lloyd Webber (Photo: Stephen Schowns, CC BY 2.0

Julian Lloyd Webber Calls for End to One-To-One Music Tuition — Julian Lloyd Webber urges classical academies to replace one-to-one lessons with group sessions, citing greater openness and accountability. This follows a Royal College of Music professor's suspension over alleged misconduct. | Classical-music.com

First look at ‘Maria’ biopic as Angelina Jolie becomes legendary opera star Maria Callas — Angelina Jolie stars as opera legend Maria Callas in the upcoming biopic 'Maria,' showcasing the singer's final days in 1970s Paris. Directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight, the film dives deep into the life and legacy of the renowned soprano. | Classic FM

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Posts $1.3 Million Deficit — The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, amid its 75th year, reported a $1.3 million deficit, recovering only 70% of its pre-pandemic audience. Despite financial challenges, with some orchestras even filing for bankruptcy, the WSO remains hopeful, implementing strategies for better turnouts and emphasizing the arts' importance for community vitality. | Global News

Gramophone Classical Music Awards Announces 2023 Winners — The Gramophone Classical Music Awards, established in 1977, announced the 2023 winners in London last week. Dame Felicity Lott, a revered UK soprano, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her vast contributions to opera and mentoring initiatives.| The Violin Channel

Houston Grand Opera Names New Butler Studio Director — Colin Michael Brush has been named as the new Director of the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio, overseeing young artists' development and recruitment. With past roles at ADA Artists/UIA Talent and Washington National Opera, Brush emphasizes championing new talents. | Operawire

The Cleveland Orchestra Cancels Israel Tour — The Cleveland Orchestra has cancelled its Israel tour due to safety concerns, referencing State Department guidelines and security consultations. This follows recent performance cancellations in Israel due to escalating conflicts. | Operawire

‘An encyclopedia of how to think and dream on the piano’: Víkingur Ólafsson on Bach’s Goldberg Variations — Víkingur Ólafsson, the Icelandic pianist, delves deeply into Bach's Goldberg Variations, performing the iconic piece 88 times worldwide and releasing a recording on Deutsche Grammophon. Describing the work as both a "grand, commanding cathedral" and a "living, vibrant oak tree," Ólafsson emphasizes the piece's timeless nature and the profound impact it has on both performers and listeners. | The Guardian

AWARDS

Photo courtesy of the artist

Human Rights Prize Awarded to Latvian Violinist

Violinist Gidon Kremer was announced as the winner of the €10,000 Beethoven Prize.

Details: The ninth winner of the Beethoven Prize was announced last week. Latvian violinist, Gidon Kremer, was awarded the €10,000 prize for his advocacy work.

Refresher: Born in 1947, the violinist Gidon Kremer has recorded over 200 albums, and is closely associated with composers including Alfred Schnittke, John Adams, Philip Glass, Sofia Gubaidulina, and Astor Piazzola. Kremer has performed in maximum-security prisons, organized fundraising concerts and spoken out against various political causes for decades, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He runs the Gidon Kremer Foundation, which provides instruments, scholarships and performance opportunities to emerging musicians and supports the Kremerata Baltica, a chamber orchestra that brings performances to audiences in socially disadvantaged conditions.

Going Deeper: The Beethoven Prize was founded in 2015 by Torsten Schreiber and Andreas Loesch. It is awarded yearly to a musician who commits themself to Beethoven Academy’s values and the ideals with which the eponymous composer identified. These include human rights, peace, freedom, poverty-fighting and diversity. Previous winners have included Maria Joao Pires, Patti Smith, and Igor Levit. This year’s prize will be awarded at a concert in Bonn, Germany, in November 2023.— SS

STRINGS

Yo-Yo Ma featured in the PBS show Pinkalicious & Peterrific

Yo-Yo Ma Joins Cast of Animated Television Show

The celebrated cellist joined the cast of the PBS show “Pinkalicious & Peterrific.”

Details: On October 6th, Yo-Yo Ma was featured on the PBS show Pinkalicious & Peterrific . An animated version of Ma appeared to teach the two protagonists, Pinkalicious and her brother, Peter, about the power of music. Ma played Camille Saint-Saens’ The Swan and the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 to teach children about the power of music. Ma’s cameo follows his iconic appearances on Sesame Street in the 1980s and Arthur in 1999.

Going Deeper: As well as being the world’s most famous cellist, Yo-Yo Ma has prioritized civic outreach and engagement throughout his career. He has collaborated with different cultural groups around the world, including the Kalahari Bushmen, and through his group the Silkroad Ensemble, which seeks to expand the classical cello repertoire to feature lesser known cultures and composers. He performs at events celebrating global unity, such as the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations at the U.S.-Mexican border and at the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig, where peaceful rebellions that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall began.

When asked why Yo-Yo Ma chose to perform The Swan on Pinkalicious & Peterrific, he described how the piece was so tranquil and beautiful it brought tears to one’s eyes. Watch a clip from his appearance on the show below: — SS

QUIZ

What church did Bach write much of his music for?

A: Baptist

B: Anglican

C: Orthodox

D: Lutheran

Scroll down for the answer…

AROUND THE WEB

📅 On this day: Sinfonia by Luciano Berio premiers in 1968.

🎵Useful: This website shows you the original artist of any song and the artists who have covered it.

🏛️ Cure boredom: Spend some time with a 3D reconstruction of the capital of the Aztec Empire.

🎞️ Interesting: Explore the most popular movie genre combinations (up to October 2023).

📖 Read: While no longer updated, authors Mallory Ortberg and Nicole Cliffe, churned out fantastic and often hilarious fictional stories. If you have a soft spot for fiction with a side of humour, then this site is definitely worth your time.

🎶 Music: For all the songs too often forgotten on Spotify, Forgotify remembers them.

🦦 Aww: This Otter will remind you that there are still beautiful moments in the world.

CARTOON OF THE WEEK

Via 'don't shoot the pianist' — Eugene Chan

QUIZ ANSWER

D: Lutheran: J.S. Bach crafted music for the main Lutheran churches in Leipzig, producing numerous four-part renditions of Lutheran hymns and several masses. Among these, the Mass in B minor stands out as one of his most admired vocal compositions.

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