Hola a todos. Below is a performance of the Liszt Second performed by my favourite hr-Sinfonieorchester (Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Deutschland) with pianist Francesco Piemontesi and conducted by Marek Janowski. Francesco gave a stellar performance — very clean playing; light use of pedal throughout — as did the hr-Sinfonieorchester. (Don’t they always?) Being Liszt, the piece is technically very demanding for the pianist, but Francesco has no trouble with it. Also, don’t miss the double glissandi up and down the keyboard near the end of the concerto. Francesco acts so humble and modest when he takes his bows, one indicator of a true artist. Francesco’s likely playing a Hamburg Steinway & Sons’s Model D piano, used throughout the EU. And notice that the piano is right beside the conductor as it should be for a piano concerto, so that the conductor and pianist have close communication and that the pianist can easily hear the Orchestra and vice versa. Frankfurt always does it correctly (although the piano and podium could be “in” towards the Orchestra about 60 centimeters more/23-24 inches more so that the First and Second Concertmasters are directly behind the pianist). Oh, and the principal cellist has several solos throughout the concerto, which he plays beautifully. I see Sebastian W. is principal flautist. Usually someone in the comments under their video asks, “Where’s Clara Andrada de la Calle?” (the other principal flautist). Well she didn’t play this concert, just as Sebastian doesn’t play others when Clara is there. Principals alternate, and Clara is also a flautist with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. And Maximilian Junghanns is Second Concertmaster in this performance. The performance is superbly produced and recorded. Danke to hr-Sinfonieorchester. Chau.—el barrio rosa
pink barrio
1 March 2023: San Francisco to end COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration and Health Orders (as our COVID numbers have gone up recently and are stagnant at that level): "…the Health Officer intends to issue two orders that will affect hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other healthcare and jail settings in the event the state rescinds their current health orders or makes them less restrictive. Under the first order, staff in these settings will still be required to wear a mask when interacting with patients, clients, or people who are incarcerated. Masking requirements for the general public in these settings will end. In addition, masking requirements in homeless shelters for both the general public and staff will also end." My Editorial: So patients (sick people) are not required to wear masks — so they can infect other patients? — only the employees of hospitals and medical centres are required to wear masks. Everyone should still be required to wear masks, especially patients, because COVID is not going away as many credible medical doctors/scientists have stated. It should be the (sick) patients who are required to wear masks permanently so they don't infect other patients. If anything, the doctors and other staff can wear a mask if they so choose as long as all patients are wearing masks correctly (covering both their mouth and nose). This order doesn't make sense to me. I will continue wearing a mask in all settings. Update (20 March 2023): Pleased to see that UCSF Medical Center and San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center are still requiring masks for all people on their campuses.
