Marc Geelhoed (of Deceptively Simple, and my Time Out Chicago counterpart), in reponse to a blog entry by Daniel Felsenfeld (of Felsenmusick) wondering just who Marc is, took a moment today to answer Danny's question. In the process, Marc gives a shout out to his partner, piano phenom Amy Dissanayake.
Felsenfeld, meanwhile, posted with great vigor and enthusiasm this afternoon regarding the music of prodigious composer David Rakowski.
Why is this a scintillating pas de deux? Because Dissanayake, it so happens, is one of Rakowski's most ardent supporters and gifted interpreters. Danny even reviewed one of her two marvelous recordings of Rakowski's etudes in TONY, almost exactly one year ago to the day. (I couldn't retrieve that review on the flashy new TONY website tonight, but you can find it at the halfway point of this page on Rakowski's site.)
Danny, meet Marc. Marc, Danny. Meanwhile, I'm just trying to decide whether this construes one degree of separation, or two?
Playlist:
Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky - Danse russe from Swan Lake; Aram Khachaturian - Nocturne from Masquerade; Camille Saint-Saëns - Havanaise and Introduction et Rondo capriccioso; Dmitri Shostakovich - Romance from The Gadfly; John Williams - Main Theme from Schindler's List; Ralph Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending; Maurice Ravel - Tzigane - Janine Jansen, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Barry Wordsworth (Decca)
Marcus Schmickler/John Tilbury - Variety (A-Musik)
Daniel Kelly Quartet - Duets with Ghosts (as-yet unreleased)
Mary Halvorson/Jessica Pavone - Prairies (Lucky Kitchen)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Goldberg Variations - Simone Dinnerstein (as-yet unreleased)
Dude, you totally beat me to the punch! I was going to mention the Felsenmusick post on Rakowski and Amy's connection, but didn't get there fast enough. Gotta catch up to this New York pace, I guess. Cheers!
Posted by: Marc Geelhoed | November 18, 2005 at 09:58 AM
This is tremendously entertaining. It made my day AND blew my mind. Now try casting a wider net and ask Amy and Danny about Rick Moody.
Posted by: David Rakowski | November 18, 2005 at 01:57 PM
Hi guys,
Steve, nice to make your acquaintance and thanks for the shout. What about Rick, Davy? He was here last week for our gig at the Humanities Festival and we all hung afterwards...the circle closes in...but alas, not with Danny. (How you doin', Danny?)
And Marc, your cat is alive and well. Hurry back, 'K? ;)
Posted by: Amy D | November 19, 2005 at 09:06 AM
Danny was at Amy's NY concert in the Rock Hotel Piano Fest, and Amy's bio and pic for that event is what Marc linked to. Rick Moody was there, too, and Davy introduced them. Meanwhile, Rick and Danny spent a month together at Yaddo not that long after. Amy and Rick just did a gig in Chicago. Rick wrote words for one of Davy's "Sex Songs", suggested about half a dozen of Davy's etudes, and named the tango written for Amy. And Danny wrote the liner notes for Davy's Albany CD. Um, oh yeah, and of the 51 Davytudes that Amy has played, at least a dozen were written for her. Actually, about 51-2/3 if you include #65.
Posted by: David Rakowski | November 19, 2005 at 10:58 PM
Wow, I am thrilled to be part of this distinguished nexus! And hello Amy.
Rick needs to know...
Posted by: Danny | November 22, 2005 at 12:14 AM
Hi everyone. I don't figure I merit inclusion on a blog having to do with serious music. But here I am. I do, in fact, know or have recently met all the people on this thread! Plus, and here's the really weird part, I recently played violin (sic) on a recording featuring Jessica Pavone, who is ALSO listed in the catalogue of CDs at the top of the page here. However, just so it is clear that I am not somehow at the center of the universe, I will observe that I am right now in Tallahassee, FL, and the strip just looks like every other strip. Supposedly Ted Bundy's last spree was in this town.
Posted by: Rick Moody | November 22, 2005 at 08:08 AM
You have no idea how small. I was once hot-air ballooning with Danny in the hills outside Bilbao, when we had a gentle crash landing outside a country cottage that turned out to be occupied by Claudio Abbado's niece Aretha. She gave us a delicious lunch and then began reciting from the novels of Rick Moody in an electrifying contralto voice. We turned on the TV, and, in a crazy coincidence, Marc Geelhoed was crossing the finish line at the Daytona 500 at just that moment.
Posted by: Alex Ross | November 23, 2005 at 10:54 AM
Aw geez, everybody wants to sit at the cool table.
Posted by: David Rakowski | November 24, 2005 at 04:33 PM
I believe many of us met at a cool table.
Posted by: Danny | November 30, 2005 at 10:38 PM