BAROQUE GIGS
PITY COMPOSERS of the 18th century. As with other artists back then, their livelihoods depended profoundly upon interactions with their social betters. And these gigs often had nobility’s strings attached. … Continue reading
PIANO MASTERPIECES ON THE 1:1000 SCALE
I HAVE LONG been fond of architectural models. In fact, several have made appearances here at SimanaitisSays: “Edo Toggles and Models,” “The Village of Peter Fritz,” and “FLW at MoMA … Continue reading
BREXIT—ITS WITCHING HOUR
WHAT WITH ONE thing and another in the U.S. these days, Americans tend to have less than overwhelming concern about Brexit. On the other hand, Britain’s hyperchaotic intention to leave … Continue reading
THE CODEX AMIATINUS—A BIBLE WITH LEGS PART 2
ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS OFTEN are associated with compelling tales. For example, yesterday’s Codex Amiatinus, Part 1, set the stage: There’s a trio of medieval English monks and three commissioned illuminated manuscripts … Continue reading
THE CODEX AMIATINUS—A BIBLE WITH LEGS PART 1
MORE THAN 1300 years ago, Benedictine monks in Anglo-Saxon England put together illuminated manuscripts of the Bible. Around 700 A.D., three of these immense handwritten tomes were produced at the … Continue reading
JACKFRUIT BARBACOA
I’M A VEGETARIAN, EXCEPT for sausage. And maybe an annual celebratory filet mignon cooked black-and-blue. However, I do admire the appearance of a pulled-pork BBQ sandwich, and I’ve found this … Continue reading
GETTING OPERATIC, QUOTEWISE
QUOTES ABOUT opera range from ”Bravi tutti!” to “Wagner’s music is better than it sounds.” A new book reviewed in The New York Times Book Review offers a goodly number … Continue reading
A YEAR IN REVIEW
I THANK YOU ALL for your readership. Here’s an overview of this year’s SimanaitisSays categories and frequencies of their appearance: And Furthermore (120 items); Science & Technology (59); I Usta … Continue reading
IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT WAS THE ODDEST OF TIMES
MY NEW T-SHIRT reads “These are difficult times.” But before we yell “Right On!” or get all Trumpery about it, the T-shirt is referring to musical signatures. Though I love … Continue reading
PIÑATA TIDBITS—CELEBRATING LAS POSADAS
LAS POSADAS, Spanish: “the inns,” celebrates the Nativity and humble birthplace of Christ. These nine days, from December 16 through 24, traditionally involve the breaking of piñatas, papier-mâché objects containing … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 