Saturday, October 30, 2010

Telemann: String Concertos II - Sinfonia Spirituosa (Musica Antiqua Köln / Reinhard Goebel)

直接在這兒開宗名義:如果今天發生了天災,只能從手邊的CD裡挑選出幾張跟著逃難,那這張會是其中之一。在我生日的這一天,特別為它寫那麼長的篇幅,就可知道我對這一張CD的厚愛。

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Concert: Archetti Baroque String Ensemble (10/24/2010)

Handel : Concerto Grosso in G major Op.6-1
Geminiani : Concerto Grosso in C major, after Corelli Violin Sonata Op.5-3
Vivaldi : Concerto in D minor for 2 violins and cello, Op.3-11
Corelli : Concerto Grosso in F major, Op.6-12
Handel : Concerto in F major for Organ and Strings, "The Cuckoo and the Nightingale"
Locatelli : Concerto Grosso in B flat major, Op.1-3

Davitt Moroney

Monday, October 25, 2010

Movie: Law Abiding Citizen

Law Abiding Citizen stars Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler in a thriller film that will dumbfound the regular audience until the last scenes of the movie.  Gerard Butler plays Clyde, a husband and dad whose wife and daughter was murdered by two perpetrators breaking into his home.  When Philadelphia prosecutor Nick (Jamie Foxx) makes a deal with the criminal instead of going to court to maintain his high conviction rate, Clyde loses hope in the justice system.  Instead, after 10 years, using his insane sets of skills he acquired through various intelligence work, he becomes the main villain of the film and exacts total revenge on the justice system itself. 

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra + Lars Ulrik Mortensen (10/19/2010)

10/19/2010

J.S. Bach

Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major, BWV 1066
Concerto for Harpsichord in D minor, BWV 1052
Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten (The Wedding Cantata), BWV 202
Concerto for Harpsichord in D major, BWV 1054

 Lars Ulrik Mortensen


Quantz: Flute Sonatas Nos. 272 - 277 (Verena Fischer)

Johann Joachim Quantz (1697-1773) 是長笛版的韋瓦第,在長笛上寫了三百多首協奏曲,四十首多首三重奏鳴曲,以及兩百多首奏鳴曲等,是極量產的作曲家。除了是十八世紀歐洲最優秀的長笛手以外,他最重要的著作為1752所寫的On Playing the Flute,清楚記載當時十八世紀的長笛吹奏技巧和表演方法。這和C.P.E. Bach(大巴哈的兒子)為鍵盤以及Leopold Mozart(莫札特的爸爸)為小提琴所寫的論文並稱十八世紀最重要的音樂教科書。

Friday, October 15, 2010

Movie: Date Night

Date Night is a screwball comedy starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey, a married couple in the New Jersey suburbs who experience a crazy night on their weekly date night, when they decide to do something for a change and dine in at a fancy Manhattan restaurant.  They get themselves into one absurd situation after another, and next thing they know, they are held at gunpoint, are in a car chase, you name it.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Austria Trip Part 5 : 9/1 Vienna Day 1 - Mozart Stüberl (Chinese)


回到旅館快八點。許多奧地利的餐廳通常不會開那麼晚的。所幸,青年旅館Hotel Ruthensteiner外面轉角就有一家餐廳,而且是開到半夜清晨,造福了這一帶旅行的年輕人。

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Hebden: 6 Concerti for Strings Op.2 (Cantilena/Adrian Shepherd)

John Hebden (1712-1765) 是十八世紀晚期巴洛克時期英國的作曲家,在他死後基本上被遺忘了。直到二十世紀末,他的曲子才又被發掘,音樂被灌錄在CD上,得以再繼續保存下來。

Austria Trip Part 4 : 9/1 Vienna Day 1 - Schönbrunn Park Part 2 (Chinese)

Gloriette 光榮門

Gloriette是來參觀Schönbrunn的遊客一定會來光顧的景點,是Schönbrunn宮後面山丘上最高點的建築。和海神噴泉一樣,它是Maria Theresa任內完工的。一來,這是為表現出皇室的富貴和權位。二來,Maria Theresa蓋Gloriette也是紀念當初催殘整個歐洲的七年戰爭的結束。奧地利雖然無法將Silesia從普魯士(Prussia)帝國搶回來,但整體而言,幾場戰役中也是有得到勝利的。

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Movie: Brothers

Brothers stars Toby Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman in a war-related drama.   Toby Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal, where Toby plays a respected Marine captain Sam who is sent to a mission in Afghanistan.  Jake Gyllenhaal plays Tommy, who on the the other hand, keeps getting into trouble and frequents the jail because of various crimes.  To their father, he is a disgrace to the family. 

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Austria Trip Part 3 : 9/1 Vienna Day 1 - Schönbrunn Park Part 1 (Chinese)

Schönbrunn後面的庭院非常大,也分很多區。有些是開放的空間,免費供人參觀。有些地方則要再收額外的門票。因時間關係,再加上不想再隨便貢獻錢,所以我們沒進別的要繳錢的地方。

Great Parterre 皇家花壇

這是Schönbrunn宮正後方(南邊)最大的花園,屬十七,十八世紀盛行的巴洛克式花園。花園左右對稱,整個圖案採簡單的幾何形狀,中間的走道也都呈直線。這種花園,人工修飾的成份居多,大自然的成份較少,花的擺設也都是精心設計過的。巴洛克花園,除了擁有片加工過的大自然外,更用來突顯統治者的地位跟權勢。說穿了,這些花園就是用來展示給全天下看,滿足虛榮心的。因此,花園不可缺少的其中一個元素是人。Schönbrunn的皇家花壇,在Habsburg家族統治時,常舉辦社交活動,如戶外的音樂會。這樣,可時時刻刻提醒前來參觀花園的人,Habsburg王朝的興盛。