In his introduction of Eartha Kitt last night, Thomas Lauderdale mentioned that she was long blackballed for having spoken out against the Vietnam War during a command performance at the White House.

This made me think about the relationship between artists and those in positions of power.  You hear a lot about celebrities aligning with various political factions, but not so much about artists, and especially classical musicians. [Read more →]

Anne Midgette, writing for the Washington Post, talks about her non-response to the music of Johannes Brahms, which she describes thusly: [Read more →]