Musicologist Harry Halbreich’s reflexions on the day’s program this morning at Dominion-Chalmers were absorbing albeit unexciting. Halbreich is a true Chamber Music expert and had many interesting facts and anecdotes to share with his audience. He spoke at length about composers such as Stravinski, Janacek, and Valentin Silvestrov, and also delivered a pointed critique of the 1950s minimalist movement.
Though his command of English was quite exceptional, he had a tendency to speak in a monochord tone and sometimes lost part of his audience. He also made a few bizarre and slightly inappropriate comments, including one alluding to the fact that he was against the death penalty because he was a believer and followed the commandment “Thou shalt not kill”.
At any rate, the lecture was pleasant and informative, but perhaps not engaging enough to make me want to go on a daily basis.
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