Salon.com > piano

Justin Bieber attacked onstage in Dubai

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:15:00 +0000

Justin Bieber, a real person, has survived a hug/attack/tackle from a male fan who rushed him onstage at a concert in Dubai. The fan knocked over a piano in the process, but Bieber escaped without any harm. The singer took a three-minute break and returned to perform an encore, later tweeting: "Dubai. Nothing stops the show."

The resilient Bieber has so far survived a murder and castration plot, a fan stampede, several shirtless nights and heartbreak of losing his monkey.

And now, your daily dose of schadenfreude:

Turkish pianist sentenced to jail for criticizing Islam on Twitter

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:03:00 +0000

After six months since his first trial, internationally acclaimed pianist Fazil Say has been given a delayed 10-month jail sentence for tweeting text what Turkish law has deemed as an insult to Islam.

From the New York Times:

The messages cited in the indictment were Mr. Say’s personal remarks referring to a poem by a famous 11th-century Persian poet, Omar Khayyam, which poked fun at an Islamic vision of the afterlife.

The poem was sent to Mr. Say from another user before he forwarded it.

In another personal Twitter post, he joked about the rapid call to prayer at a nearby mosque, questioning whether the muezzin who makes the call was running late for a drink.

In recent years, several intellectuals, journalists and artists who have voiced criticism about the Islamic government have faced persecution, but the Times notes that social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter "have rarely figured in previous trials."

Say maintains that he has “committed no crime" and has previously said that the accusations go “against universal human rights and laws.”

American classical pianist Van Cliburn dies at 78

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:11:00 +0000

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Van Cliburn, the internationally celebrated pianist whose triumph at a 1958 Moscow competition helped thaw the Cold War and launched a spectacular career that made him the rare classical musician to enjoy rock-star status, died Wednesday after a fight with bone cancer. He was 78.

Cliburn died at his home in Fort Worth surrounded by loved ones, said his publicist and longtime friend Mary Lou Falcone.

"Van Cliburn was an international legend for over five decades, a great humanitarian and a brilliant musician whose light will continue to shine through his extraordinary legacy," Falcone said in a statement. "He will be missed by all who knew and admired him, and by countless people he never met."

Cliburn made what would be his last public appearance in September at the 50th anniversary of the prestigious piano competition named for him. Speaking to the audience in Fort Worth, he saluted the many past contestants, the orchestra and the city. "Never forget: I love you all from the bottom of my heart, forever," he said to a roaring standing ovation.

Jazz legend Dave Brubeck dies at 91

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:57:00 +0000

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Jazz composer and pianist Dave Brubeck, whose pioneering style in pieces such as "Take Five" caught listeners' ears with exotic, challenging rhythms, has died. He was 91.

Brubeck died Wednesday morning of heart failure after being stricken while on his way to a cardiology appointment with his son Darius, said his manager Russell Gloyd. Brubeck would have turned 92 on Thursday.

Brubeck had a career that spanned almost all American jazz since World War II. He formed The Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and was the first modern jazz musician to be pictured on the cover of Time magazine — on Nov. 8, 1954 — and he helped define the swinging, smoky rhythms of 1950s and '60s club jazz.

The seminal album "Time Out," released by the quartet in 1959, was the first ever million-selling jazz LP, and is still among the best-selling jazz albums of all time. It opens with "Blue Rondo a la Turk" in 9/8 time — nine beats to the measure instead of the customary two, three or four beats.

A piano-and-saxophone whirlwind based loosely on a Mozart piece, "Blue Rondo" eventually intercuts between Brubeck's piano and a more traditional 4/4 jazz rhythm.