Music of the Spheres with the Las Vegas PhilharmonicWritten by Robert LaGrone
Music Of The Spheres with The Las Vegas Philharmonic Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Read this entire feature free with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/classic/vegas04/sphere/sphere.htmlComposers have long described natural world in music: Beethoven wrote his sensual “Pastoral” Symphony, Stravinsky tempestuous “Rite of Spring,” Led Zeppelin “Misty Mountain Hop.” (You may have different examples.) Few, however, can surpass Gustav Holst’s spectacular suite, The Planets, performed tonight by Las Vegas Philharmonic. Excluding earth, and written before Pluto was designated ninth planet, this work comprises seven movements describing seven other known planets as they relate to classical mythology. Each movement is distinct in style and, according to composer, not related to others musically. However, chosen sequence makes for a very moving and unique musical experience. First things first, of course. Great orchestral performances normally start with overtures, and English composer William Walton’s Johannesburg Festival Overture set a lively, upbeat tone. Written for South African capital’s seventieth anniversary in 1956, piece is full of melodic European optimism, flavored in middle with a pulsating percussion passage drawn from traditional Zulu music.
| | Star Trek In Flames – No Phoenix In SightWritten by Joshua Tyler
As a recovering Trekker, I miss good space science fiction in theater. I’d hoped Chronicles of Riddick might be some sort of revival of it at movies, but apparently I’m only one who doesn’t hate it. Before that, trailers for Star Trek: Nemesis hinted that it might be at last something different, but as it turns out Berman left most of Enterprise crew back at space dock. Seriously, did you see movie? It’s like they spent entire budget on CGI sets and didn’t have enough money to hire extras to look like they were running ship. I’m running out of places to turn.In fact, I’m kind of in a place where I believe it’s time for Star Trek to simply go away for awhile. I’d thought Paramount agreed last week when news leaked out that they were firmly committed to halting all future Star Trek projects for a couple of years. But that worm Berman couldn’t leave it alone, and has since squirmed his way into ears of Paramount execs and convinced them to give him another shot with pretty well sunk franchise. What form that chance will take is anyone’s guess, but with Berman at helm you can be sure it’ll suck. At best it’ll be just another horrible movie, at worst it’ll make somehow manage to make some money and keep Rick “The Federation Con Man” Berman in charge. Not that any of this is a revelation. It’s all been said a hundred times before.
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