Nicolas de Chamfort: Maximes et Pensées
Le changement de modes est l’impôt que l’industrie du pauvre met sur la vanité du riche.
– Nicolas de Chamfort,
Maximes et Pensées
Gertrude Stein: In an interview with William Lundell
– Gertrude Stein,
in an interview with William Lundell, November 1934
Nguyên Lê
Since the 1980s the Parisian jazz guitarist
Giovanni Dettori
A composer in Milan, Giovanni Dettori is well-known for
Stendhal: In a letter to his sister
– Stendhal,
in a letter to his sister, August 1805
Pop Noir
A band from Manchester by way of Huntington Beach
Whom by Fire (previously Caleb)
Whom by Fire (known earlier as Caleb) is a duo hailing from Southend-on-Sea
Walter Benjamin: “Traumkitsch”
– Walter Benjamin,
“Traumkitsch”
Nocturnes
In its first incarnation at least, this playlist was the work of a night, and it draws its character from the nocturnal hours; please feel free to share it or to keep it for yourself, as you wish.
Nikita Quasim
A short playlist of the compositions of Nikita Quasim
Dan Tramte
Currently pursuing a doctorate in composition and theory
Patrick Thomas
Hailing from Dallas and currently residing in Nashville
Nöi Kabát
Női Kabát (the term, I’ve learned, means a “woman’s jacket” in Hungarian) is “a dark electronic three piece from London”
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon: De la Création de l’ordre dans l’humanité
– Pierre-Joseph Proudhon,
De la Création de l’ordre dans l’humanité
Pride Weekend Playlists (II)
The second of three
Robert Burton: The Anatomy of Melancholy
– Robert Burton,
The Anatomy of Melancholy (third edition)
Lady Gaga Live: Mainly Acoustic
Currently, Lady Gaga is back again on tour in Amsterdam
Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari: Qu’est-ce que la philosophie ?
– Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari,
Qu’est-ce que la philosophie ?
Forestears
Forestears is a band in Brighton with at least one pun in its name
Cornelia
Cornelia (Cornelia Dahlgren) is a young Swedish singer and master of the remix
Saelors
Here in Amsterdam there’s a two-piece band
Nathaniel Hawthorne: “The Fountain of Youth” / “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”
– Nathaniel Hawthorne,
“The Fountain of Youth” / “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”
Jorge Luis Borges: “París, 1856”
No han de salvarte, no, tus ruiseñores,
tus noches de oro y tus cantadas flores.
– Jorge Luis Borges,
“París, 1856”
Three Pieces for the End of the Year
A 2012 triptych.
Malcolm de Chazal: Poème
Seul
Le
Feu
Peut
Lécher
Sa
Propre
Langue.
– Malcolm de Chazal,
Poèmes
The Fires of August
Πόλεμος πάντων μὲν πατήρ ἐστι, πάντων δὲ βασιλεύς, καὶ τοὺς μὲν θεοὺς ἔδειξε τοὺς δὲ ἀνθρώπους, τοὺς μὲν δούλους ἐποίησε τοὺς δὲ ἐλευθέρους. “War is the father of all,” said Heraclitus, and this August, the centennial of the outbreak of the First World War, offers a fitting occasion to reflect upon his dark idea. With … Continue reading The Fires of August
Jules-Amédée Barbey d’Aurevilly: Du Dandysme et de G. Brummell
– Jules-Amédée Barbey d’Aurevilly,
Du Dandysme et de G. Brummell
Gustave Flaubert: In a letter to Ernest Feydeau, November 29, 1859
Peu de gens devineront combien il a fallu être triste pour entreprendre de ressusciter Carthage !
– Gustave Flaubert,
in a letter to Ernest Feydeau, November 29, 1859
Pride Weekend Playlists (I)
The first of three playlists d’occasion
Ion of Chios: Fragment One
– Ion of Chios,
Fragment One (from the Triagmos)
Heinrich Blücher: “Fundamentals of a Philosophy of Art – On the Understanding of Artistic Experience”
– Heinrich Blücher,
“Fundamentals of a Philosophy of Art –
On the Understanding of Artistic Experience”
Dirtmusic
A trio comprising the Australian Hugo Race and two American counterparts
Soft Riot
Soft Riot is a musical project initiated by Jack Duckworth
17 Hippies
The band 17 Hippies was first formed in the mid-nineties in Berlin
Matthias Rascher
The repertoire of the gifted amateur organist in Knetzgau
Savage Furs
This is a London band
Soul Keita
Soul Keita is one of Nicolas Jaar’s colleagues
Bill Ryan
Bill Ryan is a contemporary classical composer, producer, and educator
Alexander Herzen: “Mein Lebewohl: Epilog zum Jahre 1849” / “Эпилогъ 1849 г.”
И развѣ вдали мы не будемъ слышать стоны, развѣ можно отвернуться, закрыть глаза, заткнуть уши – преднамѣренно не знать, упорно молчать, т. е. признаться побѣжденнымъ, сдаться? Это невозможно! […] ....А кому говорить?...о чемъ? – я право не знаю, только это сильнѣе меня.....
– Alexander Herzen,
“Mein Lebewohl: Epilog zum Jahre 1849” / “Эпилогъ 1849 г.”
Brian Petuch
Brian Petuch is a young composer in New York
Sir Philip Sidney: The Covntesse of Pembrokes Arcadia
Vaine is their paine, who labour in Despaire.
– Sir Philip Sidney,
The Covntesse of Pembrokes Arcadia
Martin Heidegger: Sein und Zeit
Entfernen besagt ein Verschwindenmachen der Ferne, das heißt der Entferntheit von etwas, Näherung.
– Martin Heidegger,
Sein und Zeit
Isak Dinesen: In an interview with Bent Mohn
To me, the explanation of life seems to be its melody, its pattern.
– Isak Dinesen,
in an interview with Bent Mohn, November 1957
Angélica Negrón
Angélica Negrón is a very active composer in New York
Charles Lamb (“Elia”): “A Chapter on Ears”
– Charles Lamb (“Elia”),
“A Chapter on Ears”
Jakub Rizman
With a conservatory training, in the hands of this Slovakian musician
August Strindberg: From the last letter to Friedrich Nietzsche, December 31, 1888
Θέλω, θέλω μανῆναι!
Litteras tuas non sine perturbatione accepi et tibi gratias ago.
Rectius vives, Licini, neque altum
Semper urgendo, neque dum procellas
Cautus horrescis nimium premendo
Litus iniquum.
Interdum juvat insanire!
Vale et Fave!
– August Strindberg,
from the last letter to Friedrich Nietzsche, December 31, 1888
Robert Louis Stevenson: From the Dedication, Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers
– Robert Louis Stevenson,
from the Dedication, Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers
Jasmine Thompson
Jasmine Thompson, a very young singer in London
Valentin Stip
Here is a playlist of some compositions by another associate
“Tonight bring all your friends because a group does it better”
A “Heavy Metal Lover” medley for New Year’s Eve and beyond.
Avant la Lettre
A young band from Amsterdam, Avant la Lettre – the name’s French, but they perform entirely in English – has been breaking through this year with a number of live performances for Dutch radio and television, and a first album, Belief.
Christophe Ruetsch
Though I chanced upon him to begin with on Soundcloud
Martin Luther: In a letter to Hieronymus Weller von Molsdorf, November 6, 1530
– Martin Luther,
in a letter to Hieronymus Weller von Molsdorf, November 6, 1530
A Long Playlist
Please feel free to listen to this longer playlist in whole or in part at your leisure.
Vauvenargues: Réflexions et Maximes
La patience est l’art d’espérer.
– Vauvenargues,
Réflexions et Maximes
Daniel von Czepko: “Ie mehr zurücke, ie mehr vor sich”
Wer morgen jünger ist als er vorgestern war,
Gehöret Heute blos in Weiser Leute Schaar.
– Daniel von Czepko,
“Ie mehr zurücke, ie mehr vor sich”
Jean Cocteau: Le Coq et l’arlequin
– Jean Cocteau,
Le Coq et l’arlequin
Georg Philipp Harsdörffer: Gesprächspiele
[…] Es hafftet in der Lieb nicht viel Beständigkeit /
[…] Weil sein gar kurtzer Nam so manchen Wechsel leidt.
– Georg Philipp Harsdörffer,
Gesprächspiele
Charles Baudelaire: In a letter to Sainte-Beuve, January 24, 1862
– Charles Baudelaire,
in a letter to Sainte-Beuve, January 24, 1862
Hannah Arendt: Über die Revolution
– Hannah Arendt,
Über die Revolution
Samuel Beckett: L’Innommable
Cela, dire cela, sans savoir quoi.
– Samuel Beckett,
L’Innommable
A Mixtape for Midsummer (July 2014)
Halfway through the year 2014 it is, and thus high time to assemble several remarkable pieces, whether albums, EPs, mixtapes, sets, or single tracks into a summa æstatis in order to explore the varieties of shade and sunlight there are in summertime – including its stillnesses and sadnesses – in search of some musical semi-shelter.
Shan Malaika
Hailing from Geneva, Switzerland, she is
Adam Cuthbért
Operating in the intermediate zone
New York, Downtown: Cazwell, Peaches, Lepore, and Vine
Here’s a collective playlist that presents some of the music, satire, and humor circulating in one particular corner of downtown New York – the one where Cazwell, Amanda Lepore, and Sherry Vine are to be found (and Peaches too when she’s in town). It includes some of their music, some of their fun self-promotion, and some … Continue reading New York, Downtown: Cazwell, Peaches, Lepore, and Vine
Johann Nestroy: Gegen Thorheit giebt es kein Mittel
Traurig aber wahr ist das Sprichwort: Gegen Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens!
– Johann Nestroy,
Gegen Thorheit giebt es kein Mittel
Peter Hollens
Peter Hollens, of Eugene, Oregon, is a prominent beatboxer
Max Müller: “Semitic Monotheism”
We begin by playing with words, but in the end the words will play with us.
– Max Müller,
“Semitic Monotheism”
Yes the Raven
A native of Belfast and a resident
“Strangelove” (Depeche Mode)
This is a diverse playlist of various covers, mash-ups, and remixes – each is a homage – of Depeche Mode’s “Strangelove,” which surely remains one of the nineteen-eighties’ best anthems.
Anaximander: Fragment
διδόναι γὰρ αὐτὰ δίκην καὶ τίσιν ἀλλήλοις τῆς ἀδικίας κατὰ τὴν τοῦ χρόνου τάξιν
– Anaximander,
Fragment
Telefon Tel Aviv
This playlist features the music of the band
Philarète Chasles: “Esprits et erreurs de la société française de 1827 à 1840”
– Philarète Chasles,
“Esprits et erreurs de la société française de 1827 à 1840”
Daniel Rhode
Together with his friend Adam Cuthbért
Tristan Corbière: “Paria”
[…]
Ma pensée est un souffle aride :
C’est l’air. L’air est à moi partout.
Et ma parole est l’écho vide
Qui ne dit rien – et c’est tout.
– Tristan Corbière,
“Paria”
William Wordsworth: “Thanksgiving Ode, January 18, 1816”
– William Wordsworth,
“Thanksgiving Ode, January 18, 1816”
Hans Lodeizen: “Wandelend in de tuin ontdekte ik…”
– Hans Lodeizen,
“Wandelend in de tuin ontdekte ik…”
Landon Gadoci
Singer and pianist from Austin, Texas; one who knows well how to convey inward feeling.
College
Those who need a refresher course in electronica
Andy Lange, Andrew Garcia, Josh Golden, and Chester See
Andy Lange is a pop musician in Los Angeles; a songwriter, a singer, a musician (several instruments), and a producer all in one, he has single-handedly been creating some very pleasing music over the last few years, recently in conjunction with fellow musicians Andrew Garcia, Josh Golden, and Chester See. This playlist aims to showcase his … Continue reading Andy Lange, Andrew Garcia, Josh Golden, and Chester See
John Arbuthnot: The most Wonderful Wonder, That ever appear’d to the Wonder of the British Nation
Bear. Ridiculous Animal which pursues Annihilation […]
– John Arbuthnot,
The most Wonderful Wonder, That ever appear’d to the Wonder of the British Nation
Matthew Shlomowitz
A young composer from Adelaide
Onra
How to sample outmoded or discarded records from near and far
Detroit Swindle
Lars Dales and Maarten Smeets, an Amsterdam DJ duo specializing in house music
Bronzino: “Capitolo de Romori”
– Bronzino,
“Capitolo de Romori”
Jamie N. Commons
With his rough voice and perfect Southern accent in performance
Angelus Silesius: “Wer in dem Wirken ruht”
Der Weise, welcher sich hat übersich gebracht /
Der ruhet wenn er laufft und wirkt wenn er betracht.
– Angelus Silesius,
“Wer in dem Wirken ruht”
Pursuit Grooves
Pursuit Grooves (the multitalented Vanese Smith), known on both sides of the Atlantic
Stéphane Mallarmé: “Variations sur un sujet”
Vestige de sacrifice, le risque suffit au désintéressement.
– Stéphane Mallarmé,
“Variations sur un sujet”
Vassily Kandinsky: Punkt und Linie zu Fläche
– Vassily Kandinsky,
Punkt und Linie zu Fläche
Tona Scherchen
Tona Scherchen is a present-day composer whose name, though not unknown
Von Rosenthal de la Vegaz
In The Netherlands there’s a DJ who’s in a class all his own
Tracks to Travel by
Some pieces of music for acoustic enjoyment while on the road.
André Breton: Manifeste du surréalisme
Les mots, les images ne s’offrent que comme tremplins à l’esprit de celui qui écoute.
– André Breton,
Manifeste du surréalisme
Max Weber: Die rationalen und soziologischen Grundlagen der Musik
– Max Weber,
Die rationalen und soziologischen Grundlagen der Musik
Johann Wilhelm Ritter: Fragmente aus dem Nachlasse eines jungen Physikers
– Johann Wilhelm Ritter,
Fragmente aus dem Nachlasse eines jungen Physikers
Jornt Karel
Jornt Karel is a musician and singer located in another corner of this country
Henry Louis Mencken: A Little Book in C Major
Remorse: regret that one waited so long to do it.
– H. L. Mencken,
A Little Book in C Major
Karl Grün: Ueber wahre Bildung
Alle arbeiten und Alle genießen; der Genuß ist nur die Krone der Arbeit.
– Karl Grün,
Ueber wahre Bildung
Ludwig Wittgenstein: Vermischte Bemerkungen
– Ludwig Wittgenstein,
Vermischte Bemerkungen (from 1947)
Leo Ornstein
A playlist of some works by Leo Ornstein.
Klaus Nomi
A striking denizen of the New York underground of thirty years ago
Ali Brustofski
Ali Brustofski is a New York singer – her videos, very well filmed, are often set there
French Cassettes
The band French Cassettes – a group from San Francisco
Daisuke Tanabe
A DJ and electronic musician in Tokyo
The Shures
Once again a trio
Stephen Dedalus
Stephen Dedalus, a Joycean and a composer
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz: In a letter to Christian Goldbach, April 17, 1712
Musica est exercitium arithmeticæ occultum nescientis se numerare animi.
– Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz,
in a letter to Christian Goldbach, April 17, 1712
Milosh
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, but moving about frequently
Hugo von Hofmannsthal: “Lebenslied”
Ihm bietet jede Stelle
Geheimnisvoll die Schwelle
– Hugo von Hofmannsthal,
“Lebenslied”
Leone Hebreo: Dialogi d’amore
– Leone Hebreo,
Dialogi d’amore
François de La Rochefoucauld: Réflexions ou Sentences et maximes morales
– François de La Rochefoucauld,
Réflexions ou Sentences et maximes morales
Tiago Braga
A pianist, singer, and – it’s becoming clear – a born presence on stage
James Thomson: “The City of Dreadful Night”
– James Thomson,
“The City of Dreadful Night”
Garçon Garçon
A new Australian duo
Le Peep
Le Peep, an evidently one-off musical collaboration
Alexandre Weill: Qu’est-ce que le rêve ?
Le génie peut rêver, mais il se réveille toujours, même après la mort, surtout après la mort !
– Alexandre Weill,
Qu’est-ce que le rêve ?
Pär Lagerkvist: “Med smärta vaknar vi blommor till vårt liv på marken”
Sköna? Inne i oss själva är vi inte sköna.
Det är vi kanske när solen strålar över oss. Men inne i
oss själva råder det ständigt mörker.
– Pär Lagerkvist,
“Med smärta vaknar vi blommor till vårt liv på marken”
Gregory Douglass
Gregory Douglass, a singer/songwriter in Burlington, Vermont
Else Lasker-Schüler: “Mein blaues Klavier”
Ich habe zu Hause ein blaues Klavier
Und kenne doch keine Note.
Es steht im Dunkel der Kellertür,
Seitdem die Welt verrohte.
Es spielten Sternenhände vier
– Die Mondfrau sang im Boote –
Nun tanzen die Ratten im Geklirr.
Zerbrochen ist die Klaviatür.......
Ich beweine die blaue Tote.
Ach liebe Engel öffnet mir
– Ich ass vom bitteren Brote –
Mir lebend schon die Himmelstür –
Auch wider dem Verbote.
– Else Lasker-Schüler,
“Mein blaues Klavier”
Franck Christoph Yeznikian
This playlist is dedicated to the works of the contemporary classical composer
Jonathan Nichol
Jonathan Nichol plays the saxophone in Billband, but his solo repertoire
Ilpo Jauhiainen
Ilpo Jauhiainen is a cosmopolitan Finn
Melohouse
There are a number of talented a cappella singers
Jennifer Left
Jennifer Dalby, better known as Jennifer Left
Chen Zhangyi
In the music of this graduate of
Stephen Edwards
Stephen Edwards is a young American composer nearly finished with his studies
Shakespeare: The life and death of King Iohn
So foule a skie, cleeres not without a storme
– Shakespeare,
The life and death of King Iohn
The Vagary
In Amsterdam there’s a four-piece band
Daphne Guinness
Known for her couture, the English heiress Daphne Guinness is less often recognized for
Robert de Montesquiou: “Tu poses tes soucis…”
– Robert de Montesquiou,
“Tu poses tes soucis…”
Boogie Belgique
It’s a very witty sort of dance music that Boogie Belgique makes
Karl Lagerfeld: In an interview with Léa Salamé
– Karl Lagerfeld,
freely after Spinoza,
in an interview with Léa Salamé, January 2017
Jean Barbeyrac: An editorial remark in his translation of Grotius, Le Droit de la guerre, et de la paix
– Jean Barbeyrac,
an editorial remark in his translation of Grotius,
Le Droit de la guerre, et de la paix
Son Lux
One of the most interesting of young composers and musicians in New York
Gossip
Next week, Gossip is coming to Amsterdam
Nick Pitera
Nick Pitera can emphasize a vocal passage
George Santayana: “The Irony of Liberalism”
– George Santayana,
“The Irony of Liberalism”
Ørjan Matre
Ørjan Matre is a young composer in Norway
Prabhu Edouard
A tabla player and vocalist from southern India who’s made his home in Paris
Wise Blood
As the name might already suggest
“Bizarre Love Triangle” (New Order)
This is a second playlist (the first, from a few months back, is on the Youtube channel) featuring some noteworthy covers of that wonderful song from the nineteen-eighties, New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle.” “Every time I think of you I feel shot right through with a bolt of blue.”
Songs
If you like these songs, please repost, share, and whistle the playlist in whole or in part on the internet and on the street.
Bertolt Brecht: “Deutschland”
– Bertolt Brecht,
“Deutschland”
Jules Michelet: From an entry in his journal, April 4, 1839
rêver = créer
velle videmur Chaque époque rêve la suivante,
la crée en rêvant
avenir! avenir!
– Jules Michelet,
from an entry in his journal, April 4, 1839
The Soft Moon
This band makes “music for the end of the world,” and though the term
George Herbert: Ovtlandish Proverbs, Selected by Mr. G. H.
Hee that lives in hope danceth without musick.
– George Herbert,
Ovtlandish Proverbs, Selected by Mr. G. H.
Nicolas Jaar (II)
This is a second playlist of Nicolas Jaar’s music
Claude Lévi-Strauss: Tristes Tropiques
– Claude Lévi-Strauss,
Tristes Tropiques
Edgard Varèse: In conversation with Gunther Schuller
– Edgard Varèse,
in conversation with Gunther Schuller, early 1960s
Hess Is More
Over the last several years, under the moniker
Thomas Carlyle: “Epistles to the Literati”
Of Nothing you can, in the long run, and with much lost labour, make only – Nothing.
– Thomas Carlyle,
“Epistles to the Literati”
Eli Lieb
Although he’s since moved to Los Angeles, Eli Lieb visits the city in which his musical life began
Goethe: In a letter to Carl Friedrich Zelter, June 6, 1825
– Goethe,
in a letter to Carl Friedrich Zelter, June 6, 1825
Craig Yopp
Craig Yopp is a singer in Sydney who, in some of his covers at least
Portico Quartet
Jazz in London has been updated by the Portico Quartet
“Bizarre Love Triangle”
Today’s encounter with “Love Will Tear Us Apart” was unexpected, and I was struck, but not for the first time, how this song is one of those capable of evoking an entire period even decades later. Then, nearly automatically, I started to hum that other old hit, New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle,” which is even more … Continue reading “Bizarre Love Triangle”
Luiz Henrique Yudo
Luiz Henrique Yudo is a contemporary classical composer
Knalpot
Knalpot is an Amsterdam band that embraces sound technology yet eschews
Some Covers of “Applause” (Lady Gaga)
A.P.P.L.A.U.S.E. – spelling out the word
Nostromo 7
Though the name of the band
Fynn Farrell
The London singer and songwriter
Stephen Carmichael
Stephen Carmichael (Brisbane, Australia), with his striking performance persona
Giuseppe Verdi: In a letter to Clara Maffei
Copiare il vero può essere una buona cosa, ma inventare il vero è meglio, molto meglio.
– Giuseppe Verdi,
in a letter to Clara Maffei, October 20, 1876
The Musgraves
A new band based somewhere in the Midlands
Nurvuss
A fellow from Kansas who lives in London
Gregory of Nazianzus: Oration XXIX
– Gregory of Nazianzus,
Oration xxix
Tripes
The Hungarian band Tripes – currently a duo
“National Anthem” (Lana Del Rey)
These three versions and one reversal of “National Anthem” may when taken together help to flesh out one’s sense of the original song and Del Rey’s own intention or aim – in no small part by virtue of their very divergences.
Samm Bennett et al.
Samm Bennett’s path has led from
Ben Carey
A saxophonist, a composer, and an adept of the computer
Charles Péguy: Note conjointe sur M. Descartes et la philosophie cartésienne
– Charles Péguy,
Note conjointe sur M. Descartes et la philosophie cartésienne
Guillaume Apollinaire: “L’Esprit nouveau et les poètes”
– Guillaume Apollinaire,
“L’Esprit nouveau et les poètes”
Michael Kiwanuka
Whether Michael Kiwanuka is letting loose with his band or going solo
Aulus Furius Antias: Fragments
Omnia noctescunt tenebris caliginis atrae.
Increscunt animi, virescit volnere virtus.
– Aulus Furius Antias,
Fragments
Nico
This playlist represents a tribute of sorts
Jan Kerckhofs
From Antwerp, Belgium, this singer and songwriter
Thomas Stearns Eliot: “The Waste Land”
I sat upon the shore
Fishing, with the arid plain behind me
Shall I at least set my lands in order?
– T. S. Eliot,
“The Waste Land”
A Short Playlist
The first one.
Matthew Arnold: “Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse”
Still the same Ocean round us raves,
But we stand mute, and watch the waves.
– Matthew Arnold,
“Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse”
Blaise Pascal: Les Provinciales
– Blaise Pascal,
Les Provinciales
Heraclitus: Fragment Fifty-Three
– Heraclitus,
Fragment Fifty-Three
Andi Kristins
Andi Kristins, from Reykjavik and living in New York, is a singer, songwriter, and electronic musician
Pride Weekend Playlists (III)
The last of the three
Nicolas Jaar and His Friends
Over the last couple of years, Nicolas Jaar has been turning
Neil Jansen
A classically-trained euphonium player
Pierre Le Moine: La Dévotion aisée
– Pierre Le Moine,
La Dévotion aisée
Nicolas de Chamfort: Maximes et Pensées
Le changement de modes est l’impôt que l’industrie du pauvre met sur la vanité du riche.
– Nicolas de Chamfort,
Maximes et Pensées
Gertrude Stein: In an interview with William Lundell
– Gertrude Stein,
in an interview with William Lundell, November 1934
Nguyên Lê
Since the 1980s the Parisian jazz guitarist
Giovanni Dettori
A composer in Milan, Giovanni Dettori is well-known for
Stendhal: In a letter to his sister
– Stendhal,
in a letter to his sister, August 1805
Pop Noir
A band from Manchester by way of Huntington Beach
Whom by Fire (previously Caleb)
Whom by Fire (known earlier as Caleb) is a duo hailing from Southend-on-Sea
Walter Benjamin: “Traumkitsch”
– Walter Benjamin,
“Traumkitsch”
Nocturnes
In its first incarnation at least, this playlist was the work of a night, and it draws its character from the nocturnal hours; please feel free to share it or to keep it for yourself, as you wish.
Nikita Quasim
A short playlist of the compositions of Nikita Quasim
Dan Tramte
Currently pursuing a doctorate in composition and theory
Patrick Thomas
Hailing from Dallas and currently residing in Nashville
Nöi Kabát
Női Kabát (the term, I’ve learned, means a “woman’s jacket” in Hungarian) is “a dark electronic three piece from London”
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon: De la Création de l’ordre dans l’humanité
– Pierre-Joseph Proudhon,
De la Création de l’ordre dans l’humanité
Pride Weekend Playlists (II)
The second of three
Robert Burton: The Anatomy of Melancholy
– Robert Burton,
The Anatomy of Melancholy (third edition)
Lady Gaga Live: Mainly Acoustic
Currently, Lady Gaga is back again on tour in Amsterdam
Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari: Qu’est-ce que la philosophie ?
– Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari,
Qu’est-ce que la philosophie ?
Forestears
Forestears is a band in Brighton with at least one pun in its name
Cornelia
Cornelia (Cornelia Dahlgren) is a young Swedish singer and master of the remix
Saelors
Here in Amsterdam there’s a two-piece band
Nathaniel Hawthorne: “The Fountain of Youth” / “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”
– Nathaniel Hawthorne,
“The Fountain of Youth” / “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”
Jorge Luis Borges: “París, 1856”
No han de salvarte, no, tus ruiseñores,
tus noches de oro y tus cantadas flores.
– Jorge Luis Borges,
“París, 1856”
Three Pieces for the End of the Year
A 2012 triptych.
Malcolm de Chazal: Poème
Seul
Le
Feu
Peut
Lécher
Sa
Propre
Langue.
– Malcolm de Chazal,
Poèmes
The Fires of August
Πόλεμος πάντων μὲν πατήρ ἐστι, πάντων δὲ βασιλεύς, καὶ τοὺς μὲν θεοὺς ἔδειξε τοὺς δὲ ἀνθρώπους, τοὺς μὲν δούλους ἐποίησε τοὺς δὲ ἐλευθέρους. “War is the father of all,” said Heraclitus, and this August, the centennial of the outbreak of the First World War, offers a fitting occasion to reflect upon his dark idea. With … Continue reading The Fires of August
Jules-Amédée Barbey d’Aurevilly: Du Dandysme et de G. Brummell
– Jules-Amédée Barbey d’Aurevilly,
Du Dandysme et de G. Brummell
Gustave Flaubert: In a letter to Ernest Feydeau, November 29, 1859
Peu de gens devineront combien il a fallu être triste pour entreprendre de ressusciter Carthage !
– Gustave Flaubert,
in a letter to Ernest Feydeau, November 29, 1859
Pride Weekend Playlists (I)
The first of three playlists d’occasion
Ion of Chios: Fragment One
– Ion of Chios,
Fragment One (from the Triagmos)
Heinrich Blücher: “Fundamentals of a Philosophy of Art – On the Understanding of Artistic Experience”
– Heinrich Blücher,
“Fundamentals of a Philosophy of Art –
On the Understanding of Artistic Experience”
Dirtmusic
A trio comprising the Australian Hugo Race and two American counterparts
Soft Riot
Soft Riot is a musical project initiated by Jack Duckworth
17 Hippies
The band 17 Hippies was first formed in the mid-nineties in Berlin
Matthias Rascher
The repertoire of the gifted amateur organist in Knetzgau
Savage Furs
This is a London band
Soul Keita
Soul Keita is one of Nicolas Jaar’s colleagues
Bill Ryan
Bill Ryan is a contemporary classical composer, producer, and educator
Alexander Herzen: “Mein Lebewohl: Epilog zum Jahre 1849” / “Эпилогъ 1849 г.”
И развѣ вдали мы не будемъ слышать стоны, развѣ можно отвернуться, закрыть глаза, заткнуть уши – преднамѣренно не знать, упорно молчать, т. е. признаться побѣжденнымъ, сдаться? Это невозможно! […] ....А кому говорить?...о чемъ? – я право не знаю, только это сильнѣе меня.....
– Alexander Herzen,
“Mein Lebewohl: Epilog zum Jahre 1849” / “Эпилогъ 1849 г.”
Brian Petuch
Brian Petuch is a young composer in New York
Sir Philip Sidney: The Covntesse of Pembrokes Arcadia
Vaine is their paine, who labour in Despaire.
– Sir Philip Sidney,
The Covntesse of Pembrokes Arcadia
Martin Heidegger: Sein und Zeit
Entfernen besagt ein Verschwindenmachen der Ferne, das heißt der Entferntheit von etwas, Näherung.
– Martin Heidegger,
Sein und Zeit
Isak Dinesen: In an interview with Bent Mohn
To me, the explanation of life seems to be its melody, its pattern.
– Isak Dinesen,
in an interview with Bent Mohn, November 1957
Angélica Negrón
Angélica Negrón is a very active composer in New York
Charles Lamb (“Elia”): “A Chapter on Ears”
– Charles Lamb (“Elia”),
“A Chapter on Ears”
Jakub Rizman
With a conservatory training, in the hands of this Slovakian musician
August Strindberg: From the last letter to Friedrich Nietzsche, December 31, 1888
Θέλω, θέλω μανῆναι!
Litteras tuas non sine perturbatione accepi et tibi gratias ago.
Rectius vives, Licini, neque altum
Semper urgendo, neque dum procellas
Cautus horrescis nimium premendo
Litus iniquum.
Interdum juvat insanire!
Vale et Fave!
– August Strindberg,
from the last letter to Friedrich Nietzsche, December 31, 1888
Robert Louis Stevenson: From the Dedication, Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers
– Robert Louis Stevenson,
from the Dedication, Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers
Jasmine Thompson
Jasmine Thompson, a very young singer in London
Valentin Stip
Here is a playlist of some compositions by another associate
“Tonight bring all your friends because a group does it better”
A “Heavy Metal Lover” medley for New Year’s Eve and beyond.
Avant la Lettre
A young band from Amsterdam, Avant la Lettre – the name’s French, but they perform entirely in English – has been breaking through this year with a number of live performances for Dutch radio and television, and a first album, Belief.
Christophe Ruetsch
Though I chanced upon him to begin with on Soundcloud
Martin Luther: In a letter to Hieronymus Weller von Molsdorf, November 6, 1530
– Martin Luther,
in a letter to Hieronymus Weller von Molsdorf, November 6, 1530
A Long Playlist
Please feel free to listen to this longer playlist in whole or in part at your leisure.
Vauvenargues: Réflexions et Maximes
La patience est l’art d’espérer.
– Vauvenargues,
Réflexions et Maximes
Daniel von Czepko: “Ie mehr zurücke, ie mehr vor sich”
Wer morgen jünger ist als er vorgestern war,
Gehöret Heute blos in Weiser Leute Schaar.
– Daniel von Czepko,
“Ie mehr zurücke, ie mehr vor sich”
Jean Cocteau: Le Coq et l’arlequin
– Jean Cocteau,
Le Coq et l’arlequin
Georg Philipp Harsdörffer: Gesprächspiele
[…] Es hafftet in der Lieb nicht viel Beständigkeit /
[…] Weil sein gar kurtzer Nam so manchen Wechsel leidt.
– Georg Philipp Harsdörffer,
Gesprächspiele
Charles Baudelaire: In a letter to Sainte-Beuve, January 24, 1862
– Charles Baudelaire,
in a letter to Sainte-Beuve, January 24, 1862
Hannah Arendt: Über die Revolution
– Hannah Arendt,
Über die Revolution
Samuel Beckett: L’Innommable
Cela, dire cela, sans savoir quoi.
– Samuel Beckett,
L’Innommable
A Mixtape for Midsummer (July 2014)
Halfway through the year 2014 it is, and thus high time to assemble several remarkable pieces, whether albums, EPs, mixtapes, sets, or single tracks into a summa æstatis in order to explore the varieties of shade and sunlight there are in summertime – including its stillnesses and sadnesses – in search of some musical semi-shelter.
Shan Malaika
Hailing from Geneva, Switzerland, she is
Adam Cuthbért
Operating in the intermediate zone
New York, Downtown: Cazwell, Peaches, Lepore, and Vine
Here’s a collective playlist that presents some of the music, satire, and humor circulating in one particular corner of downtown New York – the one where Cazwell, Amanda Lepore, and Sherry Vine are to be found (and Peaches too when she’s in town). It includes some of their music, some of their fun self-promotion, and some … Continue reading New York, Downtown: Cazwell, Peaches, Lepore, and Vine
Johann Nestroy: Gegen Thorheit giebt es kein Mittel
Traurig aber wahr ist das Sprichwort: Gegen Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens!
– Johann Nestroy,
Gegen Thorheit giebt es kein Mittel
Peter Hollens
Peter Hollens, of Eugene, Oregon, is a prominent beatboxer
Max Müller: “Semitic Monotheism”
We begin by playing with words, but in the end the words will play with us.
– Max Müller,
“Semitic Monotheism”
Yes the Raven
A native of Belfast and a resident
“Strangelove” (Depeche Mode)
This is a diverse playlist of various covers, mash-ups, and remixes – each is a homage – of Depeche Mode’s “Strangelove,” which surely remains one of the nineteen-eighties’ best anthems.
Anaximander: Fragment
διδόναι γὰρ αὐτὰ δίκην καὶ τίσιν ἀλλήλοις τῆς ἀδικίας κατὰ τὴν τοῦ χρόνου τάξιν
– Anaximander,
Fragment
Telefon Tel Aviv
This playlist features the music of the band
Philarète Chasles: “Esprits et erreurs de la société française de 1827 à 1840”
– Philarète Chasles,
“Esprits et erreurs de la société française de 1827 à 1840”
Daniel Rhode
Together with his friend Adam Cuthbért
Tristan Corbière: “Paria”
[…]
Ma pensée est un souffle aride :
C’est l’air. L’air est à moi partout.
Et ma parole est l’écho vide
Qui ne dit rien – et c’est tout.
– Tristan Corbière,
“Paria”
William Wordsworth: “Thanksgiving Ode, January 18, 1816”
– William Wordsworth,
“Thanksgiving Ode, January 18, 1816”
Hans Lodeizen: “Wandelend in de tuin ontdekte ik…”
– Hans Lodeizen,
“Wandelend in de tuin ontdekte ik…”
Landon Gadoci
Singer and pianist from Austin, Texas; one who knows well how to convey inward feeling.
College
Those who need a refresher course in electronica
Andy Lange, Andrew Garcia, Josh Golden, and Chester See
Andy Lange is a pop musician in Los Angeles; a songwriter, a singer, a musician (several instruments), and a producer all in one, he has single-handedly been creating some very pleasing music over the last few years, recently in conjunction with fellow musicians Andrew Garcia, Josh Golden, and Chester See. This playlist aims to showcase his … Continue reading Andy Lange, Andrew Garcia, Josh Golden, and Chester See
John Arbuthnot: The most Wonderful Wonder, That ever appear’d to the Wonder of the British Nation
Bear. Ridiculous Animal which pursues Annihilation […]
– John Arbuthnot,
The most Wonderful Wonder, That ever appear’d to the Wonder of the British Nation
Matthew Shlomowitz
A young composer from Adelaide
Onra
How to sample outmoded or discarded records from near and far
Detroit Swindle
Lars Dales and Maarten Smeets, an Amsterdam DJ duo specializing in house music
Bronzino: “Capitolo de Romori”
– Bronzino,
“Capitolo de Romori”
Jamie N. Commons
With his rough voice and perfect Southern accent in performance
Angelus Silesius: “Wer in dem Wirken ruht”
Der Weise, welcher sich hat übersich gebracht /
Der ruhet wenn er laufft und wirkt wenn er betracht.
– Angelus Silesius,
“Wer in dem Wirken ruht”
Pursuit Grooves
Pursuit Grooves (the multitalented Vanese Smith), known on both sides of the Atlantic
Stéphane Mallarmé: “Variations sur un sujet”
Vestige de sacrifice, le risque suffit au désintéressement.
– Stéphane Mallarmé,
“Variations sur un sujet”
Vassily Kandinsky: Punkt und Linie zu Fläche
– Vassily Kandinsky,
Punkt und Linie zu Fläche
Tona Scherchen
Tona Scherchen is a present-day composer whose name, though not unknown
Von Rosenthal de la Vegaz
In The Netherlands there’s a DJ who’s in a class all his own
Tracks to Travel by
Some pieces of music for acoustic enjoyment while on the road.
André Breton: Manifeste du surréalisme
Les mots, les images ne s’offrent que comme tremplins à l’esprit de celui qui écoute.
– André Breton,
Manifeste du surréalisme
Max Weber: Die rationalen und soziologischen Grundlagen der Musik
– Max Weber,
Die rationalen und soziologischen Grundlagen der Musik
Johann Wilhelm Ritter: Fragmente aus dem Nachlasse eines jungen Physikers
– Johann Wilhelm Ritter,
Fragmente aus dem Nachlasse eines jungen Physikers
Jornt Karel
Jornt Karel is a musician and singer located in another corner of this country
Henry Louis Mencken: A Little Book in C Major
Remorse: regret that one waited so long to do it.
– H. L. Mencken,
A Little Book in C Major
Karl Grün: Ueber wahre Bildung
Alle arbeiten und Alle genießen; der Genuß ist nur die Krone der Arbeit.
– Karl Grün,
Ueber wahre Bildung
Ludwig Wittgenstein: Vermischte Bemerkungen
– Ludwig Wittgenstein,
Vermischte Bemerkungen (from 1947)
Leo Ornstein
A playlist of some works by Leo Ornstein.
Klaus Nomi
A striking denizen of the New York underground of thirty years ago
Ali Brustofski
Ali Brustofski is a New York singer – her videos, very well filmed, are often set there
French Cassettes
The band French Cassettes – a group from San Francisco
Daisuke Tanabe
A DJ and electronic musician in Tokyo
The Shures
Once again a trio
Stephen Dedalus
Stephen Dedalus, a Joycean and a composer
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz: In a letter to Christian Goldbach, April 17, 1712
Musica est exercitium arithmeticæ occultum nescientis se numerare animi.
– Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz,
in a letter to Christian Goldbach, April 17, 1712
Milosh
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, but moving about frequently
Hugo von Hofmannsthal: “Lebenslied”
Ihm bietet jede Stelle
Geheimnisvoll die Schwelle
– Hugo von Hofmannsthal,
“Lebenslied”
Leone Hebreo: Dialogi d’amore
– Leone Hebreo,
Dialogi d’amore
François de La Rochefoucauld: Réflexions ou Sentences et maximes morales
– François de La Rochefoucauld,
Réflexions ou Sentences et maximes morales
Tiago Braga
A pianist, singer, and – it’s becoming clear – a born presence on stage
James Thomson: “The City of Dreadful Night”
– James Thomson,
“The City of Dreadful Night”
Garçon Garçon
A new Australian duo
Le Peep
Le Peep, an evidently one-off musical collaboration
Alexandre Weill: Qu’est-ce que le rêve ?
Le génie peut rêver, mais il se réveille toujours, même après la mort, surtout après la mort !
– Alexandre Weill,
Qu’est-ce que le rêve ?
Pär Lagerkvist: “Med smärta vaknar vi blommor till vårt liv på marken”
Sköna? Inne i oss själva är vi inte sköna.
Det är vi kanske när solen strålar över oss. Men inne i
oss själva råder det ständigt mörker.
– Pär Lagerkvist,
“Med smärta vaknar vi blommor till vårt liv på marken”
Gregory Douglass
Gregory Douglass, a singer/songwriter in Burlington, Vermont
Else Lasker-Schüler: “Mein blaues Klavier”
Ich habe zu Hause ein blaues Klavier
Und kenne doch keine Note.
Es steht im Dunkel der Kellertür,
Seitdem die Welt verrohte.
Es spielten Sternenhände vier
– Die Mondfrau sang im Boote –
Nun tanzen die Ratten im Geklirr.
Zerbrochen ist die Klaviatür.......
Ich beweine die blaue Tote.
Ach liebe Engel öffnet mir
– Ich ass vom bitteren Brote –
Mir lebend schon die Himmelstür –
Auch wider dem Verbote.
– Else Lasker-Schüler,
“Mein blaues Klavier”
Franck Christoph Yeznikian
This playlist is dedicated to the works of the contemporary classical composer
Jonathan Nichol
Jonathan Nichol plays the saxophone in Billband, but his solo repertoire
Ilpo Jauhiainen
Ilpo Jauhiainen is a cosmopolitan Finn
Melohouse
There are a number of talented a cappella singers
Jennifer Left
Jennifer Dalby, better known as Jennifer Left
Chen Zhangyi
In the music of this graduate of
Stephen Edwards
Stephen Edwards is a young American composer nearly finished with his studies
Shakespeare: The life and death of King Iohn
So foule a skie, cleeres not without a storme
– Shakespeare,
The life and death of King Iohn
The Vagary
In Amsterdam there’s a four-piece band
Daphne Guinness
Known for her couture, the English heiress Daphne Guinness is less often recognized for
Robert de Montesquiou: “Tu poses tes soucis…”
– Robert de Montesquiou,
“Tu poses tes soucis…”
Boogie Belgique
It’s a very witty sort of dance music that Boogie Belgique makes
Karl Lagerfeld: In an interview with Léa Salamé
– Karl Lagerfeld,
freely after Spinoza,
in an interview with Léa Salamé, January 2017
Jean Barbeyrac: An editorial remark in his translation of Grotius, Le Droit de la guerre, et de la paix
– Jean Barbeyrac,
an editorial remark in his translation of Grotius,
Le Droit de la guerre, et de la paix
Son Lux
One of the most interesting of young composers and musicians in New York
Gossip
Next week, Gossip is coming to Amsterdam
Nick Pitera
Nick Pitera can emphasize a vocal passage
George Santayana: “The Irony of Liberalism”
– George Santayana,
“The Irony of Liberalism”
Ørjan Matre
Ørjan Matre is a young composer in Norway
Prabhu Edouard
A tabla player and vocalist from southern India who’s made his home in Paris
Wise Blood
As the name might already suggest
“Bizarre Love Triangle” (New Order)
This is a second playlist (the first, from a few months back, is on the Youtube channel) featuring some noteworthy covers of that wonderful song from the nineteen-eighties, New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle.” “Every time I think of you I feel shot right through with a bolt of blue.”
Songs
If you like these songs, please repost, share, and whistle the playlist in whole or in part on the internet and on the street.
Bertolt Brecht: “Deutschland”
– Bertolt Brecht,
“Deutschland”
Jules Michelet: From an entry in his journal, April 4, 1839
rêver = créer
velle videmur Chaque époque rêve la suivante,
la crée en rêvant
avenir! avenir!
– Jules Michelet,
from an entry in his journal, April 4, 1839
The Soft Moon
This band makes “music for the end of the world,” and though the term
George Herbert: Ovtlandish Proverbs, Selected by Mr. G. H.
Hee that lives in hope danceth without musick.
– George Herbert,
Ovtlandish Proverbs, Selected by Mr. G. H.
Nicolas Jaar (II)
This is a second playlist of Nicolas Jaar’s music
Claude Lévi-Strauss: Tristes Tropiques
– Claude Lévi-Strauss,
Tristes Tropiques
Edgard Varèse: In conversation with Gunther Schuller
– Edgard Varèse,
in conversation with Gunther Schuller, early 1960s
Hess Is More
Over the last several years, under the moniker
Thomas Carlyle: “Epistles to the Literati”
Of Nothing you can, in the long run, and with much lost labour, make only – Nothing.
– Thomas Carlyle,
“Epistles to the Literati”
Eli Lieb
Although he’s since moved to Los Angeles, Eli Lieb visits the city in which his musical life began
Goethe: In a letter to Carl Friedrich Zelter, June 6, 1825
– Goethe,
in a letter to Carl Friedrich Zelter, June 6, 1825
Craig Yopp
Craig Yopp is a singer in Sydney who, in some of his covers at least
Portico Quartet
Jazz in London has been updated by the Portico Quartet
“Bizarre Love Triangle”
Today’s encounter with “Love Will Tear Us Apart” was unexpected, and I was struck, but not for the first time, how this song is one of those capable of evoking an entire period even decades later. Then, nearly automatically, I started to hum that other old hit, New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle,” which is even more … Continue reading “Bizarre Love Triangle”
Luiz Henrique Yudo
Luiz Henrique Yudo is a contemporary classical composer
Knalpot
Knalpot is an Amsterdam band that embraces sound technology yet eschews
Some Covers of “Applause” (Lady Gaga)
A.P.P.L.A.U.S.E. – spelling out the word
Nostromo 7
Though the name of the band
Fynn Farrell
The London singer and songwriter
Stephen Carmichael
Stephen Carmichael (Brisbane, Australia), with his striking performance persona
Giuseppe Verdi: In a letter to Clara Maffei
Copiare il vero può essere una buona cosa, ma inventare il vero è meglio, molto meglio.
– Giuseppe Verdi,
in a letter to Clara Maffei, October 20, 1876
The Musgraves
A new band based somewhere in the Midlands
Nurvuss
A fellow from Kansas who lives in London
Gregory of Nazianzus: Oration XXIX
– Gregory of Nazianzus,
Oration xxix
Tripes
The Hungarian band Tripes – currently a duo
“National Anthem” (Lana Del Rey)
These three versions and one reversal of “National Anthem” may when taken together help to flesh out one’s sense of the original song and Del Rey’s own intention or aim – in no small part by virtue of their very divergences.
Samm Bennett et al.
Samm Bennett’s path has led from
Ben Carey
A saxophonist, a composer, and an adept of the computer
Charles Péguy: Note conjointe sur M. Descartes et la philosophie cartésienne
– Charles Péguy,
Note conjointe sur M. Descartes et la philosophie cartésienne
Guillaume Apollinaire: “L’Esprit nouveau et les poètes”
– Guillaume Apollinaire,
“L’Esprit nouveau et les poètes”
Michael Kiwanuka
Whether Michael Kiwanuka is letting loose with his band or going solo
Aulus Furius Antias: Fragments
Omnia noctescunt tenebris caliginis atrae.
Increscunt animi, virescit volnere virtus.
– Aulus Furius Antias,
Fragments
Nico
This playlist represents a tribute of sorts
Jan Kerckhofs
From Antwerp, Belgium, this singer and songwriter
Thomas Stearns Eliot: “The Waste Land”
I sat upon the shore
Fishing, with the arid plain behind me
Shall I at least set my lands in order?
– T. S. Eliot,
“The Waste Land”
A Short Playlist
The first one.
Matthew Arnold: “Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse”
Still the same Ocean round us raves,
But we stand mute, and watch the waves.
– Matthew Arnold,
“Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse”
Blaise Pascal: Les Provinciales
– Blaise Pascal,
Les Provinciales
Heraclitus: Fragment Fifty-Three
– Heraclitus,
Fragment Fifty-Three
Andi Kristins
Andi Kristins, from Reykjavik and living in New York, is a singer, songwriter, and electronic musician
Pride Weekend Playlists (III)
The last of the three
Nicolas Jaar and His Friends
Over the last couple of years, Nicolas Jaar has been turning
Neil Jansen
A classically-trained euphonium player
Pierre Le Moine: La Dévotion aisée
– Pierre Le Moine,
La Dévotion aisée